cc1091

Moved this to "Updating older speakers" This message has been edited by cc1091 on 01-27-2002 at 09:29 PM

The MITs do have a "network" attached to them. I don't believe it is a typical EQ, because it does seem to slowly modulate itself over time to a new setting each time a different speaker and amplifier combination is used with it. It does audibly rid the line of signals that result in a confused image and extra distortions. If you believe the literature (and some of the things you see on TV), MIT says that they are making sure that the signal the leaves your amplifier is not affected by the small magnetic fields that the cable my encounter along the way (power cords, your TV, other amplifiers etc.). They have also analized the substance that the cable is made of and have corrected for the loss at each frequency through the length of the cable (the Equalization that you speak of). Finally, they have mostly encased the cable in rubberized plastic that will keep the oxydization to a minimum keeping the flow of surface electrons uniform. Cable or wire. Equalization, filter, whatever. Great sound? YES. Certainly no need for anyone to off themselves.

Looks good. In fact the dark wood in the potos really makes the copper cones look a lot better than I have sen them look. I may have to look into replacing my blond wood with some darker stuff.

CJB.net. Thats a new one to me. Looks esentially the same as dnsq.org, ODS.org, dyndns.org or some of the others. Yes a redirect to your IP# should work. If your IP# changes each time you login though, it ends up being a lot of work. That's why some service offer small applications to automatically update their site with your current IP location. If port 80 is blocked, then you will have to make a few other alterations as is outlined at cablewebserver.com. Yes you can get rid of Geocities or any other *service* that has too many limits to use. However some systems specifically prohibit the use of webservers by their home users. But since Microsoft has been bundling a webserver with Windows, so many people don't even know they are running a server. So I think the providers like AT&T Broadband have decided that it isn't worth their time to chase down everyone. I think if you were running a for profit service or porn from your home system, or just plain getting a lot of hits, they would then have a problem with it.

I feel the RB-5s (and the RB-3s) sound better than the RF models because the bass is clearer and better defined. There is some sacrifice in bass coverage, and the soundstage is different from the larger speakers (though not lacking, just different). I own a pair of RP-3s which is an older model that is essentially a pair of RB-3s combined with a pair of 10" powered subwoofer in one enclosure per channel. They won't out slam the RF models, but overall, I find them more pleasing, with better frequency coverage, better imaging, less distortion. A pair of RB-5s and a good subwoofer and you can have something similar for about as much dough (perhaps some left over even).

Athena Technologies and Mirage are garbage, don't waste your time. Paradigm is a step above...especially when you get into their upper range models. Energy (I'm told) is beyond Paradigm. The Veritas 2.3 is supposed to be especially nice. I think you will find that they all have a different sound from Klipsch. Klipsch definitely wins the slam factor. If your looking for detailed sound, Klipsch does fine, but there are others that are better. I find the Paradigm a little too muddy for my tastes, but I've never had the chance to try any of these in a side by side testing with Klipsch. MBQuart: I've only heard one model of theirs. It was a bookshelf model a number of years ago. I don't remember it being anything special, though I don't recall any negatives about them either.

Geeze. I can't believe that I've missed this thread. Of course I haven't read through the entire thing, so forgive me if I sound like an old broken record: I used to think that cables (as long as you purchased relatively thick cable that didn't oxydize a lot) made relatively little difference. I then had my eyes opened by a local audio store that was nice enough to let me take home a pair of MIT Terminator2 cables to try. The difference was immediate and like night & day. After having tried them, I could not go back to average cable. I purchased MIT terminator 2 Bi-Wire cables. Since my purchase, I added a Rotel 200 WPC amp. I found that the improvement that the amp offered was just as dramatic. Removing the MIT cables, and running the speakers with normal 12 gague wire from the Rotel, I notice less of a difference than I did when I switched the wires when running the speakers through my 85WPC Denon Receiver. So I think that oodles good clean power does have a lot to do with your quality of sound. But I do insist that the cables do make a difference (I can't go to a high volume sales audio store like Ultimate Audio and listen to anything anymore because it doesn't sound good). Let your ears show you the way.

Great looking system. Don't you think it would sound better if you sat on the couch instead of crouched behind it? (see image on TV)

Yup, I got the same page saying that you had exceeded your alotted data transfer. Here's what I do. I have one computer devoted to running a web page 24/7 from my cablemodem (that does have a rolling IP, though it sometimes takes several month for it to rollover). Get a free webserver OR use the one bundled with Win98, Win2000 etc. Get a free static domain from a dynamic domain provider (dnsq.org, ODS.org, dyndns.org etc.) and update that dynamic domain with WINIP (www.algenta.com). You can then run your own WWW server from your home computer with virtually no limits (and best of all its as free as the cost of your internet service). Full details at www.cablewebserver.com or www.dslwebserver.com (same site with different name). Also, some internet providers block port 80 due to malicious viruses, so you may need to direct that webserver to another port number. There is an article at cablewebserver.com outlining this. Hopefully setting this up won't take away from your tinkering with audio, watching movies with the wife, etc.

I own all solids state stuff. Back in high school, I had a small Panasonic Am-Fm-"worldband" radio that I plugged into a 12 watt heathkit Tube preamp/amp combo with a single heathkit horn loaded speaker. I got many good hours of listening from that "system". As the night wore on, the tone of the system became special. Warm low tones with mellow mids and somewhat precise but not overpowering highs. Perhaps the years have made it seem more of a warm sound than it actually was, but I am sure that there was this metamorphosis that was magical that happened several hours into the listen. That's the tube sound. Either you like it or you don't. Hopefully I will someday find my way back to it.

Pre-high school, listening to Elton John on my brother's Scott tube amp while he was away at college through his Koss Pro-4AA headpones. Sweetest sounding Headphones ever. Highschool. We used Altec Voice of the Theaters at the performances of the school's "swing" choir. The instructor would sometimes take LOOOOng breaks at rehersal retreating to the other end of the school. The Altecs made 200 watts of Led Zepplin pumped from a casette player through the mixing board seem like a live performance. My ears have never been the same.

My local Hi-Fi shop loaned me my first set of MIT Terminator2s with the promise that after 30 days, if I didn't want to buy them, they would take them back at no expense to me. I loved them. I wanted to buy them even at the shop's price of $575.00, but found some on the internet for a lot less. I found the same model for $185.00, and the Bi-Wire model for $212.00. MUUUUUCH better (though still expensive). I felt that they really did make the speakers and amplifier sound at least three times better, so paying two bills for them was easy to justify. Not sure what the real gague of these are since most of the length of the cable is about 3/4" in diameter (I don't imagine that this is all wire). The leads at each end must be at least 12 ga wire though. Bottom line is, "If you can't hear the difference, don't pay for it." I didn't think I would hear a difference when I accepted the shop's offer, fortunately the HiFi store was generous to me. I will buy something there someday to repay my debt to them (maaan that VTL system they had playing with B&W 802s the other day was smoooth, sweet AND cost as much as my car when it was new..maybe next lottery ticket). This message has been edited by cc1091 on 01-17-2002 at 01:08 AM

Thanks for the info on the mod Edster. Somehow my woodworking skills never approached my skills with aluminum & brass. I did wonder how I would keep the ring of home-made feet to a minimum, Silicone is a good idea (though I don't think I could use it as anything except for a gasket between plate aluminum and the speaker). I'm hoping for the look of a Soliloquy speaker base. As for the Klipsch parts department, I've heard that they may be open longer hours now. Last time I tried they were only open 9-5, M-F. I work during those times. Rarely do I think about calling Klipsch to order new feet during those hours. This message has been edited by cc1091 on 01-17-2002 at 12:39 AM

Yes, Radio Shack Banana Plugs are a must simply from a convienience standpoint. I don't know if they change the sound one bit, but still well worth the investment. Speaker Cable: Thin cable sucks. If you have ever spent a lot of time listening to a set of speakers through a high quality speaker cable, and then have to listen to speakers through thin cable like many audio store chains use in their listening rooms (aka Audio King in Woodbury, MN for those of you near that area), the difference in the quality of the sound is unmistakable. Better, cleaner highs, solid and precise lows, focused imaging. I use MIT Terminator 2 speaker cables. I highly reccommend them. I don't know that any other speaker cable manufacturer has an equivalent technology. Interconnects: I use Radio Shack gold plated interconnect cables for many connections. I did splurge for the CD player (digital out) to receiver (digital in) and for the receiver to external amp connections. Here I use Audioquest cables, though I'm sure I could get a little more exotic here too. The difference between the CD player manufacturer supplied cable and the Radio Shack gold plated cable is tremendous. The difference between the radio shack interconnect and the Audioquest interconnect is audible, but not as huge. One of the few items on AudioAdvisor.com that is genuinely less expensive than purchasing locally is the selection of MIT cables (hopefully this holds true for other cable brands too). Sorry about the plug. No I don't work for them.

I used spikes on both of my RP-3s until my building maintenence people decided to work on my air conditioner (damn Minnesotans don't believe in central air since it rarely gets very hot here). They managed to break the feet on one speaker moving it out of the way. Anyhoo, the result is that I did notice less accuracy in the bass (especially since that speaker was in an actual corner, where the other is not). I'm working on a design that uses steel plates on the bottoms of the speaker to screw the spikes into. Why Klipsch designed the feet out of flimsy plastic is beyond me (aside from being too cheap that is).

Bi-wire is where you run two separate strands to the same set of speakers from the same Amp. Bi-amping is where you have two amps, one running the highs, the other running the lows. each is output to a loudspeaker(or to separate louspeakers), though to different drivers within that set of speakers. I have a set of MIT Bi-Wire cables. The end that connects to the amp (for each side) has two leads one + and one -. After the patented MIT box, the cable splits into four leads. One set is intended for the connection to the high drivers, the other set is intended to connect to the low driver of my loudspeaker. I'm not sure that the sound is any better than the MIT single wire cables that I borrowed before purchasing these. I do know though that the MIT single wire cables were a zillion times better than typical gauge monster cable in Bi-Wire configuration. I have used Banana plugs for a number of years. The banana plug ends to the MIT cables seemed to improve the sound over running the bare end into my screw-down posts. Not sure if I detected a difference with my normal Banana plugs on Monster cable, but the ease of use was a big selling point. I'll let someone else get into the technical arguments.

I do like the sound of my Denon receiver. I liked the addition of my Rotel Amp (cleaned up the already fairly clean Denon, and gave it more punch, better imaging). I liked the sound of my old NAD amp too. Generally speaking though, the NAD tend to be bass heavy and sometimes sound little grainy. LOTS OF PUNCH in the bass that helped the Heresys. I didn't like the Marantz amps that I borrowed from a friend (MA-500 Monoblocks). They were dry and lifeless. No good upper end sounds. Not sweet sounding. I haven't heard any of their newest stuff, nor any of their receivers. I would reccommend the Rotel simply on the strength of their amp sound (they offer a 2 channel receiver, and two home theater receivers), but they won't allow anyone to seel their stuff by mailorder. Choice #2 is Denon. Very sweet sound. Get one with stronger amp and cleaner specs than the base model I bought. You can find reviews of various stereo equipment at Audioreview.com. Not sure if you can find good reviews there though. They also seem to have trouble with keeping up with certain brands new models (like the entire Klipsch reference line). Good luck in your search. ------------------ Denon AVR-2700 Denon DCD1500-II Audio Control Octave Phillips CDR-765 Nakamichi BX-100 Sony PS-LX3 Rotel RB-991 Klipsch Heresy (1981) Klipsch RP-3 B&W602 MIT Terminator2 Bi-Wire Computer system: NAD 7130 Realistic Optimus Pro-7s (its only a computer system) Klipsch KSW-10 This message has been edited by cc1091 on 01-10-2002 at 11:12 PM

Yes I've thought about it. I've never heard a Heresy with the rope caulking. I have heard my Heresys ring (but it is only annoying at high sound levels). I have resisted the change because I've feared that it would remove some of the brassyness of the Heresy that I enjoy. Your post only reinforces this opinion. I think I would enjoy much more moving the horn mountings to the exterior of the mortarboard a la Heresy IIs thus eliminating the difraction at the openings of the horns. I'd also like to add an extra tweeter to take the Heresy from 17Khz to 30 Khz (I know, 20 Khz is supposedly the limits of hearing, and perhaps less now that I am not 20 something). And then a subwoofer to fill out the bass from 50hz to +/- 20hz. Anyhoo..maybe Klipsch will develop a new Heritage line once the supply of drivers for the old Heritage line runs out. Ideally, they would address some of these issues in the new designs.

Are you sure it wasn't a passive radiator on the back of the box and not a bass driver? Dimensions are wrong for the old KG4 or the Quartet, but otherwise your description fits if it is a rear "firing" passive radiator design.

I need to add "refinish my Heresy cabinets" to my list of things to do. Looks great Mike ------------------ Denon AVR-2700 Denon DCD1500-II Audio Control Octave Phillips CDR-765 Nakamichi BX-100 Sony PS-LX3 Rotel RB-991 Klipsch Heresy (1981) Klipsch RP-3 B&W602 MIT Terminator2 Bi-Wire Computer system: NAD 7130 Realistic Optimus Pro-7s (its only a computer system) Klipsch KSW-10

No one will ever beat a good Nakamichi casette deck. If you can find a used one in good repair for the $ your asking, ****** it up. Nak is also selling new Casette decks in the US again (not the cheap Nakamichi named stuff that was briefly available in Best Buy and you should avaoid like the plague). Unfortunately, new prices are beyond your stated maximum price. In addition to some of the last, high end yammys, I would also add used Denon three head decks to your list. Denon still makes casette decks too. As for the DVD-Audio vs SACD debate, I haven't heard anything new since an article I read in September based upon a listening the reviewers had about a year ago. I'm sure newer/better units are now available, but at that time they were saying that DVD-Audio was a clear and convincing winner in Audio reproduction. They also said that SACD was wonderful, but the DVD-A was multitdes better. No opinion was given about which format would pervail though. Keep in mind, BETA offered better picture quality than VHS. I've been waiting until a trend developed before I made a commitment to DVD-A.

I bet you will find that the K-105-K 1" (2.54cm) Titanium dome compression driver in the RF-3 (II) and the K-119-KB 1" (2.54cm) Titanium dome compression driver in the RF-5 are the exact same driver with different horns attached in each model. Just going from the same reasoning where the K-1070-K 10" (25.4cm) Fiber-composite cone in my KSW-10 sub and the K-1082-K 10" (25.4cm) Fiber-composite cone in my RP-3 sub WERE THE SAME EXACT DRIVER. Only one had two labels (I can't remember which one). One label was stuck over the top of the other. I'm sure that the same holds true for all 1" (2.54cm) Titanium dome compression drivers in the Klipsch lineup. Holds the costs down if you only have to change the box dimensions, crossover points, and size of the horn. The expensive moving parts all stay the same.

I use my B&W 602s without grills. Their grills seem to interfere with the sound. My Klipsch rp-3s have better dispersion with the grills on and they cover up those cheap looking copper colored cones (yes opinions vary on those copper colored cones. They look cheap when in the same room with the yellow kevlar cones of the B&W speakers). My Heresys (1981 model) I use with the grils. I've noticed that the grill helps eliminate the difraction caused by the 5/8" plywood openings at each of the Heresy driver openings. No doubt that this has been minimized in Heresy IIs by the flush mounting of the drivers. Another curious observation that I have made is when I removed the metal ring that surrounds the Kevlar driver on my B&W 602s. Without the ring, the sound from the driver is not nearly as uniform or smooth. Interesting that it makes that much difference.

My RP-3s and all the RP-5s available at the time I purchased the RP-3s were all Black Ash color. If Cherry would have been available, I would have taken it. Anyone else have any ideas?

I didn't read those papers that martindemon posted, so perhaps I'm restating what has already been said. This from the here-say mill: I too have heard that 8hz can make you throw-up (never heard about the poo thing, but that is a funny way to phrase it). I've also heard that 7hz can stop a human heart from beating. I assume there is some minimum level of SPL associated with these events.