why does playing 3 different TV’s/media devices, all synced playing the same thing, sound like 3 “layers” of sound instead combining into one sound?

Question

Is it because they aren’t TRULY synchronized? Because the different quality of speakers don’t make perfect sounds waves that can line up/combine/harmonize?

Are there any instances these sounds WOULD combine, like with some kind of program or piece of hardware? How is this different than something like a concert where you can’t perceive the individual speakers?

(I have a decent understanding rudimentary physics/sound and a good understanding hearing/the vestibular system/cranial nerves btw! Im not actually 5 haha)

In: 2

Answer 1

Short answer: yes, they aren’t truly synchronized.

Long answer: acoustics are *very* complicated, the EQ from each device could be slightly different. The way sound coming from each of them bounces around the walls could delay them more or less than the others, the pitch of each of them could be slightly different, and they probably didn’t start at the *exact* same time. All of these factors lead to them not really sounding perfectly unison.