wldrns1

Thanks to all for advise and recommendations. I could not begin or proceed on this project without the help here. My beginning Post explains my situation. That background would be helpful. So Far: The HSM's stay. Also see BEC's 2 channel post 'Slant Monitor'. Cornwall's would be a big improvement but no room and potential spouse war. She fine with what I'm doing right now but doesn't grasp why nor do I try to educate. That's best. When done she'll say 'That sounds pretty good!' but won't know how that came to be. Probably will think it's 'something' I did. OK. The HSM's need and can be freshened up. Besides, the enclosure design is not seen often. An added plus is people asking 'Why do you have them up-side-down?'. All good and fun. No problem with subs either. They help enough and are small enough. Have 2 power units. Scotts 299 and Pioneer 626. Over time, both will be gone thru by people recommended on this forum. Using 626 now and sending out 299 now. Looking for a tuner to use with the 299 that handles HD due to local PBS has 2 genre's of 24 hr programming. I hear FM is 'a thing of the past' as is 2 channel but I don't care. We'll see how it goes. Would be nice if new tuner could do streaming too. Maybe some kind of box that works with what I already have? Not up on any of this so learning. So far no reply elsewhere, but is tuner quality today better than vintage assuming both stereo? Thx, Joe

Had to hear it for myself. Did this tonite with a local 'for sale' person. Explained what I wanted to do and he was agreeable. Met at my house. Tried both HR1 std enclose and my HSM Industrials. Placed just one out of the corner on a chair making note of the bass response. Tried different level and volumes. No A-B switch but could easily tell. Balance all the way to the test side. 2 sets of ears. NO DIFFERENCE! Mr. Crites, you are correct!

There was never a tuner per his daughters. Did some research and in those days, tuners were mono which most here are aware of. Maybe someone could suggest a tuner that suits this unit? I'm thinking a modern tuner would be less 'older is better' ish? Am I right about this? More interested quality overall function than vintage for vintage's sake.

Tried both HR1 std enclose and my HSM Industrials. Placed just one out of the corner on a chair making note of the bass response. Tried different level and volumes. No A-B switch but could easily tell. Balance all the way to the test side. 2 sets of ears. NO DIFFERENCE! The std enclosures did sound different (worse) in the mids but probably due to unknown degree of cap deterioration which is beyond me to test. I'm moving on to the power plant area. You can find a post 'Scott 299' about that piece. Also doing at least new caps in the HSM's for sure or even XO's eventually. One thing at a time. Did without anything for 10 years. No need to rush. Interesting.

Mine never did have grills, just a grate over the woofer.

DeanG: I edited out some of your post. Massive difference? Learning. In layman's terms, explain a little. Worse or better now etc...? Sub money/save ears? I see humor. Suggesting what? What is HT?

First, thanks! 2nd, the eyes look that way because it's just a reflection from the flash, i.e. no photoshop. 3rd, YOUR screenname may be intended to stand for Total Noise Reduction, but it also stands for a method of controlling the feral feline population called 'Trap Neuter Return'. Isn't that ironic for someone who has an issue with cats? Google TNR. Have a good one!

Thanks to both of you. I will talk to Craig and ask him do his thing if he feels worthwhile. I'd like to get the matching Tuner and do it all in one shot. The 299 is truly mint.

If you like, see Topic 'Starting Over' on 2 channel for background. That is my Post after much reading and research here. Well, still following original plan (orderly get up to speed and get things working well) but so much interesting stuff within this Forum, I have the opportunity to play around and see things for myself. A bit of a jagged road. Anyway: My sister-in-laws father had this 299 with the 1958 manual. Also has the yet-to-be-dug-out matching tuner. She and my brother don't want it so they gave me the 299 and the tuner will follow. Have to say, there's not a mark on the 299. Needs cleaning as it was in a smoker's house. Quite tan. I'm not plugging anything in until I get it checked out. Is having this gone over and put back in shape a good idea? For me, with all the equipment they're giving away, looks to be a good chance to compare Valve/Solid State/Digital and maybe own a few working vintage pieces. What kind of $$ might I expect (wide range)? The same brother has a Pioneer receiver (feels like digital), a pair of speakers purchased for the 299/mfg starts with a 'W', an AIWA AV-D55 with remote & manual and a JBL sub. Have a hooked up & working Sound Dynamics TSH(?)-10 sub. Lots to playing with. I already acquired a working Pioneer SX626. Using it now. Seems to work fine other than some light popping using loudness button and turning it on. Don't know if it needs anything. Got from HIONFI.com here in Syracuse. Got it free-trade so nothing lost. Been out of it for 30 years. Was looking for a simple shielded wire dipole antenna, 'nope, nothing like that here'. Where have I been? No plans to be a rocket scientist but catch up is needed. Any comments/suggestions on this free gear?

Found someone local who has vintage HR(1)'s. Original owner. No upgrades. Explained my situation and very agreeable to let me compare to mine at my house this Tuesday. Should help sort things out. I believe I will be able to tell if the character of HR vs HSM is different. Sitting next to each other on the floor. We'll see & I'll post. Want to mention, if anyone has Gregg Allman's 'Just Before the Bullets Fly', listen to Slip Away. There is a SAX that plays an accent note thruout the lyrics. On my system now, doesn't stand out like before. I remember you could even hear the air and a distinct body in the repeating note. As for critical listening, taking that to mean sitting in the perfect spot, proper speaker placement, with everything just so. Nothing wrong with that at all. Used to do some of that back when. Today I enjoy simply filling the house. I guess you could say I'm listening critically but don't really do any excusive critical listening. Till Tuesday eve.

How loud? We live in a 1700 sq ft early 80's colonial. For background music sx626 volume control barely turned up. Sometimes wife still says turn it down. Say's too much 'competition' for talking. Maybe it's the horns. It is at this level that I miss Yamaha Variable Loudness. Upstairs, can't even hear sys is on. Using my Sound Meter Lite App around 35dB. Crude but better than nothing. No need to turn 626 up past a little over half way. Definitely have to talk loud and be close to the person. Probably under dance floor level but not by much. Easy to hear thruout the house. Same App about 82-84dB. Two examples that sound great at the half way level or higher with my 626 is SRV Lenny and Leeann Rimes Blue. These come to mind as I write. The system sounds full and breathing. The presence is jaw dropping as I'm sure you know. 82-84dB. At lower volumes, all that seems to be left is the highs and mids. I don't remember my HR's being this way. Then again, that was a while ago. FYI...OK-OK! You can sleep tonite. I inverted the speakers. I don't expect the hole to be filled. Never did. Could do that with dome radiators but couldn't handle those. I'd starve. Thx, Joe

The HII and HIII crossovers are mounted to the input cup, which would make them hard to switch out. An original Heresy would have crossovers like yours, and if not upgraded would probably sound pretty much the same. Seriously, you'll need to talk with DeanG, Al K., or Bob C. to find out the options. My preference would be Dean, as his are tweaked to get the most out of them. Pricing for all of these varies quite a bit. I guess I could still try someone's HR's just to see without XO changes from theirs to mine

Doesn't look cast to me. Are my woofers EV? No reference to EV on them.

I will mention that inverting, re-orienting, putting on floor etc etc DOES effect the 'shading' of the sound but not the core characteristic which started this whole thing. Maybe I need to find someone here in CNY who has HR1,2 or 3's I can borrow to compare. If I liked theirs better than mine, could try their XO in mine. That would point to the resolution.

Is there a way to delete? I see I can Edit my own but no Delete or Remove, A later clarification sometimes makes a prior unnecessary. Just trying to keep thing cleaned up.

For me, I found I can compose on my 'cloud 'OneDrive', then use KEYBOARD shortcuts to Copy/Paste. Works good for me.

Here's a few better pics showing how they're mounted and oriented within the room. I'm standing in the kitchen area. The family room has one step down so 8' high.

Doesn't look cast to me.

All I know is see the woofer magnet with woofer ID on it in the XO pic. I have a capacitance meter at my small engine shop. If there's a spec, I can disconnect and test. OK. See pic next Post.

Looking hard at Aventage. I understand it can be set for dedicated 2 channel. Many changes in audio arena sinc I was active. I guess that's what you get for back-burnering for 30 years. Getting up to speed with info here.

Also DeanG these HSM's sound much different than my HR's did - right out of the hole in 1982 - when not in the line of fire ie when I go to another room. I would say they sound thin. No richness/depth/punch whatsoever.

Position yes. Hearing numbers yes. With aides in I hear the tweeters just fine. Treble adjustment completely audible throughout the range. Regardless of position, they never sounded like my HR's even from day 1. Very weak with no punch unless you lean on they pretty hard. Even then, needed a sub. I even stuffed a small rag loosely in the squawkers to calm them down a little without losing the presence I enjoy so much. XO's or no. ABOUT THE HEARING AIDES: One in each ear. Loss is symmetrical. They are $$/high end. They don't make ALL sounds louder, just add what's missing or has been lost. I'm sure someone here also uses aides. They add a 'crispness' which improves definition that has been lost over time. The first time I took a leak, OMG! Used to it now. Sound is very natural. ZERO ambient noise (a mandatory requirement). Once a deficit threshold has been reached, no further amplification of that frequency. Maintains balance of the sound. I don't make adjustments to my system without them in because WAY off for others! Cranked up, no aides required.

I'll have to look into AVR's. A local place carries Yamaha & staffed by kids. They can teach me about what's out there now. Speakers: I've read the HSM's sound different due to both the Enclosure and Crossover. Would be great to keep them and get the old HR sound. Not sure if XO will do it. I'll talk to crites.com. In the meantime, pics below and comments? The labeled woofer magnet is in the XO pic:

Yes all included, It can be a receiver, these days almost everything is multi channel, stereo is like a "specialty thing" now, it's crazy. Yeah. The 8' box in my pickup is no longer the standard bed. "Oh, do you really want that?" It IS crazy.

So if I understand... AVR's are more likely equipped with dynamic EQ. AVR's are different than 2 channel. I always called it stereo. AVR's, in my mind, probably came about when surround sound got popular. AVR's can be used for only 2 channel if you want. AVR's are often built to accommodate more modern technologies, more so than 2 channel pieces. AVR's and 2 channels are both Receivers meaning a tuner is included. I knew receiver meant the combo of amp & tuner with separate R and L channels all in one box. It's not called a Receiver anymore. Got that right? Shows you where I'm at, huh?