SQL: Does it exist?

[mokedaddy 5,000+ posts]

I was really hoping you'd shed some light on the whole SQ thing: define it, how is it measured, etc...
There has to be more to it then measuring flat on an RTA and providing a sound that judges like //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

How do I determine if my set up is considered SQ or not? Do I have to check it with an RTA or have it judged?

It depends on what your goals are as far sq. Do you want a car that you like to listen to or a car that wins trophies? Depending on musical taste and source material they can sound quite different.

A competition sq disc is a good start for either but from there I usually tweak to my liking as opposed to what the judge wants to hear.

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

The way most people use the term "SQ" is most directly related to their personal preference if they think the sound sounds "good" or "right" to them. There is nothing within a waveform traveling through the air that has any indication of what the sound is going to be inside your head.

The fundamental of the male voice is right around 100 hz, but so is annoying road noise in our cars. One sound we like; the other we hate. Why is this?? Who puts the sound on the wave?? Their objective measurement could very well be exactly the same.

Sound is 100% objective. We can view on a screen and measure the signal going into an amp with an O-scope and see what it looks like coming out. Whether it's agreeable with you is 100% in your head. If you don't have ears, there is no sound. If there's sound, there is ears. Sound implies ears. Same thing with color. Color implies eyes. There's nothing within a 450hz wave that knows it's red without eyeballs to see it.

The reason people use these relatively arbitrary terms is to 1) try to communicate in relative terms to others 2) because they like to feel like they are a part of a group - "I'm a strict sound quality guy"....."I'm bass head" or 3) they are a numskull and don't understand what they are talking about.

 

[t-money 10+ year member]

this thread *****.

sql is slang.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

it means it gets loud while maintaining sq.

lol isn't a word, either is zomg, but we use these terms to understand what we are trying to say.

 

[mrogowski 5,000+ posts]

"Sound Quality" is in the 'ear' of the beholder. What one person may regard as a quality sound, another may not. So is "Loud". One person may say 98db is loud, another person may not.

The SQ acronym should be changed to SG - "Sounds Good".

From there we SGL - "Sounds Good Loud".

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

"Sound Quality" is in the 'ear' of the beholder. What one person may regard as a quality sound, another may not. So is "Loud". One person may say 98db is loud, another person may not.
The SQ acronym should be changed to SG - "Sounds Good".

From there we SGL - "Sounds Good Loud".

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Beauty is in the eyes of the beer holder.

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

Select * from thread where post != dumb && user != retarded.

Query Results:

None Found.

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

It depends on what your goals are as far sq. Do you want a car that you like to listen to or a car that wins trophies? Depending on musical taste and source material they can sound quite different.
A competition sq disc is a good start for either but from there I usually tweak to my liking as opposed to what the judge wants to hear.

I made mention in another thread of tuning to please my ears and was told that is NOT SQ, but sound preference. What if my sound preference actually measured flat on an RTA? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif

I'm not an extremist, but I did take the time to got the stage up front, vocals up on the glass, decent width, and bass blending and coming from up front. Close enough to SQ for me and seems to accurately reproduce the SQ discs I've played. But I do tweak the sound for the music I mostly listen to as who the hell drives around listening to SQ discs?

I do plan to attend some mp3.com SQ meets next year to see what the "serious" guys sound like. I will NOT be disclosing my 2 15" subs with 6k of power as I'm sure that will automatically make them sound bad //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crazy.gif.c13912c32de98515d3142759a824dae7.gif

 

[mrogowski 5,000+ posts]

Beauty is in the eyes of the beer holder.

You got that right my friend.. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

 

[mrogowski 5,000+ posts]

Select * from thread where post != dumb && user != retarded.
Query Results:

"Sound Quality" is in the 'ear' of the beholder. What one person may regard as a quality sound, another may not. So is "Loud". One person may say 98db is loud, another person may not.

 

The SQ acronym should be changed to SG - "Sounds Good".

 

From there we SGL - "Sounds Good Loud".

 

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[mokedaddy 5,000+ posts]

I made mention in another thread of tuning to please my ears and was told that is NOT SQ, but sound preference. What if my sound preference actually measured flat on an RTA? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif
I'm not an extremist, but I did take the time to got the stage up front, vocals up on the glass, decent width, and bass blending and coming from up front. Close enough to SQ for me and seems to accurately reproduce the SQ discs I've played. But I do tweak the sound for the music I mostly listen to as who the hell drives around listening to SQ discs?

I do plan to attend some mp3.com SQ meets next year to see what the "serious" guys sound like. I will NOT be disclosing my 2 15" subs with 6k of power as I'm sure that will automatically make them sound bad //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crazy.gif.c13912c32de98515d3142759a824dae7.gif

Yeah I was in that thread. That is exactly why I feel the term is worthless. Even hard core competitors have different settings for daily listening vs judging. Not to mention settings for different sources and even artists/ groups. Their is no one system that can do everything well all the time without being toyed with.

Plus have you ever heard a purpose built sq car play sirius? I cant even listen to it so I tend to overlook the 'accurate reproduction' of the source and tune it so it sounds better.

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

Flat rta sounds like ass, music is dynamic. A flat RTA is what most stock stereos sound like //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

Flat rta sounds like ass, music is dynamic. A flat RTA is what most stock stereos sound like //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

try hearing flat w/ all DLS speakers... ew

 

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

When people throw the term SQL. Seems their whole setup is not accurately loud, its just their Substage that is loud.

loosely speaking there is SQL, but it should not be called SQL. Its simply just plain SQ, just so happens it gets loud lol

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Flat rta sounds like ass, music is dynamic. A flat RTA is what most stock stereos sound like //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

This is a common misconception about 'playing flat'. The idea isn't that your stereo plays music flat/monotone/whatever. The idea is, if given a signal that has equal amplitude at every frequency, the stereo will reproduce this signal via having exactly the same output level at every frequency. This is not to say your system will play music 'flat', obviously not as the music's signal is not flat.
The idea is/was that if your system can play pink noise with exactly the same output at every frequency, then the stereo has no frequency anomalies that would interfere with accurately reproducing the (non-flat) signal of a song. IOW, if a system can display a 'flat' frequency response given a 'flat' signal, that means it has no peaks or dips on frequency response at any level.

People generally dont like the sound of a system tuned 'flat' and state that it is due to losses in dynamics. This is a misconception. There is no reason why a system tuned to play 'flat' cannot also exhibit excellent dynamics. Its trying to equate to unrelated topics as equal. Dynamics have to do with extreme changes in amplitude of the signal, very rapidly. This is a function of many things, including 'headroom' of the amplifier(s) and charging system. But it is NOT a function of a system that can or cannot play pink noise 'flat'. Unrelated topics.

That's the misconception. The truth is people prefer music that has exaggerated midbass, artificially dynamic vocals, or bass-heavy output depending on the material, etc etc etc. So we adjust our sound processors accordingly. Accuracy versus perception... they are not the same thing.

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

When people throw the term SQL. Seems their whole setup is not accurately loud, its just their Substage that is loud.
loosely speaking there is SQL, but it should not be called SQL. Its simply just plain SQ, just so happens it gets loud lol

wtf is that?