Frequency charts?

[rdk]

I know I post a lot on here but I'm on the verge of giving up. There's a lot I don't understand. I guess I need to start with frequency charts. Now I know that there is sensitivity (Db) and there is frequency. But what I don't understand is, what does it mean? I mean, I can look at these graphs all day with the lines going up and down and I can understand that a section of a line may cross at the point of 24db and 42hz but I don't know what any of it means. What is good on a plot? What is bad? What is ideal? What's the main goal to achieve? I've looked at graphs that compare 2 frequencies but how do I know if one is better than the other one? Is this something that can be taught or do I need to keep reading more web pages and the loudspeaker cookbook. So far no good!

[Petebass]

What's the old saying about trying to learn dancing by reading dancing books..... The best way to understand freq plots is to connect what you're seeing with what you're hearing. Once you've done this a few times, you start to connect the dots. And if you haven't already got a good grasp of EQ, that will help as well.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by Petebass

What's the old saying about trying to learn dancing by reading dancing books..... The best way to understand freq plots is to connect what you're seeing with what you're hearing. Once you've done this a few times, you start to connect the dots. And if you haven't already got a good grasp of EQ, that will help as well.

+1. Just as a sight reader can look at a chart and play a song without ever having heard it I can look at an SPL trace and know what a cab sounds like without ever having heard it. Neither skill is acquired overnight.

[Mr. Foxen]

Find freq charts for something you do know how it sounds. This might involve losing eq from elsewhere in the chain. Playing recorded music into a cab is a handy way.