Benesesso

Just bought my first big HDTV (Panasonic 65" plasma), so I thought I'd ask about "virtual surround sound" from a stereo system. A few years ago Dolby had their "Virtual Speaker" chip, and there are other devices too. My listening position is along a wall, and I don't want to add a bunch of cheap rear/side speakers--don't have that much room for them. I also want to keep using my 2A3 SETs. Sitting in a sweet spot isn't a problem. Advice?

Just bought my first big HDTV (Panasonic 65" plasma), so I thought I'd ask about "virtual surround sound" from a stereo system. A few years ago Dolby had their "Virtual Speaker" chip, and there are other devices too. My listening position is along a wall, and I don't want to add a bunch of cheap rear/side speakers--don't have that much room for them. I also want to keep using my 2A3 SETs. Sitting in a sweet spot isn't a problem. Advice?

Thanks for the replies. I want to try something acoustical, not electrical, first. Will report back soon.

So far my only mod. to my old '70's Klipschorns is the addition of the 1 uF cap. ala Al Klap. Big improvement for most CDs and DVDs, but some are just too bright in my room. My G. Wright 2A3 SETs and preamp do not have tone controls, so can I simple use a switchable resistor when listening to the bright stuff, without hurting the sound? If so, how would I connect it--in series with the tweeter or across the two wires? Any idea of what values to use?

Thanks. OK, no graphic equalizer. The added capacitor works by removing unwanted frequencies which are below what the tweeter can handle, and allowing more of the high freqs. to reach it. Al Kap. on this forum has commented and run a lot of computer tests on the idea, and attempted to explain it in simple terms such that non-electrical guys like me can get an understanding of the improvement of the sound of a Klipschorn. I'll never understand HOW it works, but it does. MOST of my CDs/DVDs sound better, but some of my favorites are just too bright. I temporairly disconnected the SET amps and am using an old Yamaha SS integrated amp. which has tone controls. On those bright recordings all I have to do is cut the treble by one or two clicks, and of course the Yamaha SS doesn't have the super-clean sound of the SET's, even with the tone controls set at neutral. Guess I need a tube preamp that has tone controls built in. Time for an internet search.

I'm running a pair of 1970's Klipschorns driven very nicely by Wright 2A3 SET amps and a Wright tube preamp. I added the 1.0uF caps. to the AA crossovers ala Al. Kap's advice. They extended the high end noticeably (big improvement, thanks Al !). Very happy with the sound on most CDs/DVDs, but some of them are recorded with a lot of high end, and the sound is just too bright for me (69 year old ears). I think I need to add some kind of tone controls so I can reduce the treble a little on these hot recordings--the bass is fine. Not looking to spend a bunch for this. Is a cheap, switchable-out graphic equalizer a good method, or is there a better way? Thanks.

Klipschorns with a little help from Universal Studios (Sensurround Earthquake). For bass you can REALLY feel.

I'm in a real quandry now. A few years ago I was all set to buy a pair of Al's "original crossovers, but then I read where he was hard at work on the ES idea. So what to do? I am using a pair of George Wright's 3.5 watt 2A3 amps, which are fine and loud enough with my stock Khorns (only mod. is the 1.0 uf cap. addition which really opened up the high end). I see that Al's website has a good/better/best list, with his Univ. model as good, the AP12-350/ES5800 is better, and the "best" is his ES400T + ES5800. I have to wonder how much volume I'd lose with his better or best combos, but I sure don't want a crossover that sounds "worse as the volume gets louder". What does the AA do at higher volumes, when the 1.0 cap. mod. is done? I don't think it gets worse as the volume is turned up, but my ears don't hear some of the finer things I read about, like tube-rolling..

This is what a pair of Universal Studios "Earthquake" (Sensurround) flare extensions look like, with wife standing inside. Note the Khorn in back. If you feed them ice cream it's amazing what you can get away with! Benesesso

A bit off-subject here, but some may find it interesting. Way back in the 1960-70's, WCBS-FM in NYC had something called "The Young Sound". My friend worked at the company in NJ that made the tapes for them. WCBS insisted that the phase of both channels be "in phase". I don't know what HZ was spec'd., but anyone who has done head alignment for high-freq. response will know how difficult something like phase alignment was, trying to adjust the heads with screws. The tape-duplicating place had something like 18 or 20 big Ampex recorders, and all of them plus the master had to be in-phase. IIRC, the requirement was caused by the FCC requirement to not degrade the mono FM signal when stereo FM appeared on the scene.

Anyone know approx. how many plastic parts there are inside an Omega Zip-drive thing? Not counting the disk itself, which was hard-stuck inside it, which suddenly made me want to "see what was inside", there are a BUNCH of gears, etc. The drive simply couldn't withstand an approx. 80 MPH collision with a hard floor. *ALL* of the internal parts were suddenly external. But *I* felt better---much better!

I've been trying to follow this thread, but I'm not sure I really understand it. In my case, I would think that whatever waveform I get beyong ~15k Hz wouldn't matter, because I don't think I can hear up there anymore. So, what can I expect different CD players to dound like with the same "regular" CD in them? Right now I'm using a little JVC XL-P81 portable CD player. Would something with a tube output sound noticably better? If so, why, because from what I've read here the waveforms on the CD will be faithfully reproduced on the JVC. FWIW, I cannot hear any differences when I roll tubes in my Wright 3.5's, driving Khorns.

Rick, Thanks for the info--I had no idea the voltages were that high.

Welcome! I flew on USAF C-130's way back in 1963 with a flight engineer named Candelaria--called him Candy. Can't recall his first name right now. Any relation?

If you want the brass color to be a bit different, ask your friend to cast the horns from a brass alloy with 15% max. Zn. The color will be closer to 24k gold (redder than the usual 40% Zn yellow brass color). Polish them good and then use clear spray lacquer to keep them looking good.