# REW distortion graph



## purest (Apr 15, 2008)

Hi!

I only downloaded the 5.1 version (which has the distortion option) this week. Comparing the graphic of my B&W 602 S2 with the Samson Rubicon, there´s a huge diference in the highs. This 602 tweeter is often related as "harsh" , and I agree at a certain point, altough in a bigger room it sounds balanced and not "ear percing". This THD level (high frequencies) means that the B&W 600 old series tweeter distorts in some way? Rembering the Samson has a ribbon tweeter. 

Thanks ! 

Ciro

* amp is a Rotel 970 bx . I also tested with a class D Topping TP 22 but results are basically the same)


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

purest said:


> This THD level (high frequencies) means that the B&W 600 old series tweeter distorts in some way? Rembering the Samson has a ribbon tweeter.


That is sure what it looks like. The graph shows the B&W upper-mid distortion peaking in the 3% to 5% range, which would be very audible.

The Samson's distortion is very low, below 0.5%. Your measurements appear valid.


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## Frank D (Sep 1, 2008)

purest said:


> Hi!
> 
> I only downloaded the 5.1 version (which has the distortion option) this week. Comparing the graphic of my B&W 602 S2 with the Samson Rubicon, there´s a huge diference in the highs. This 602 tweeter is often related as "harsh" , and I agree at a certain point, altough in a bigger room it sounds balanced and not "ear percing". This THD level (high frequencies) means that the B&W 600 old series tweeter distorts in some way? Rembering the Samson has a ribbon tweeter.
> 
> ...


Are people actually happy with the high distortion in the BW in the upper end around 3 to 5 khz? I would think that this would sound horrible?


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

Frank D said:


> Are people actually happy with the high distortion in the BW in the upper end around 3 to 5 khz? I would think that this would sound horrible?


I can not say that I have heard that model that I know of. But yes, I can assure you, that amount of distortion in that frequency range would drive me bonkers.


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## Lumen (May 17, 2014)

AudiocRaver said:


> That is sure what it looks like. The graph shows the B&W upper-mid distortion peaking in the 3% to 5% range, which would be very audible.
> 
> The Samson's distortion is very low, below 0.5%. Your measurements appear valid.


Please excuse this layman from crashing the party:
I'm unclear on the distortion figures, as I thought they're calculated by REW and appear in the legend of each distortion graph. What am I missing?


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## AudiocRaver (Jun 6, 2012)

Lumen said:


> Please excuse this layman from crashing the party:
> I'm unclear on the distortion figures, as I thought they're calculated by REW and appear in the legend of each distortion graph. What am I missing?


The distortion can be calculated from the dB difference between the fundamental (top curve) and the THD+noise (bottom curve). 20 dB difference is 1/10, or 10% TDH. 40 dB difference is 1/100, or 1% THD. In-between amounts can be estimated.


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## Lumen (May 17, 2014)

Thank you! :T


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

Math said:


> Interesting...all my other posts and the replies are all gone


They have been moved to their own thread here since they were unrelated to this thread.


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## purest (Apr 15, 2008)

Thank you all for the replies !

:T

Ciro


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