SOUND COLORATION from (very) early reflections

Coloration is defined as changes in Timbre/”Klangfarbe”. Adding a reflection automatically changes the frequency response of a signal, giving some kind of coloration. This might be looked upon as distortion. However, reflections have been a part of sound distribution since the Greek amphi-theatres, indicating that some coloration must be acceptable, even “wanted”. The question is: “Which reflections give disturbing/unwanted coloration”? Most room-acoustic criteria assume that everything happening before/after a certain time is supposed to be good/bad (ex. 50ms/80 ms for speech/ music). We need to take a closer look at the distribution of reflections within these time intervals, to investigate coloration. This paper will give results from measurements in concert halls (Oslo, Munich, Vienna), and opera houses, and compere them with psychoacoustic studies on coloration. It is shown that measurements should be done with the orchestra present on the stage/in the orchestra pit (TOR, Through Orchestra impulse Response). ”Lonesome”/strong reflections with a time delay about 10 ms will give ”box-klang-coloration”. On the other side: Colorating reflections might be useful and fun, used in the right way, to support bass instruments etc.