jnorv

I am runinbg W98. I guess that is another good reason not to upgrade to XP.

I have found that this freeware package is useful. It is a free spectrum analyizer. http://polly.phys.msu.su/~zeld/oscill.html Jim Norvell This message has been edited by jnorv on 02-09-2002 at 08:49 PM

What are the relative merits of a 300B vs a 2A3 based amp? Jim Norvell

Soundog, I bought the same Sony SACD unit. Have you compared it to some of the more expensive units? I have not decided that it is significantly better than my CD transport with MSB upsampling DAC. I was not willing to buy the more expensive units until SACD has a definite future. I have been burn by that in the past (Sony Beta comes to mind). Jim Norvell

I am looking at capacitance effects. There is a big difference in price and avaiablity between teflon shrink and polyolefin. Thanks. Jim Norvell

Does anyone know what is the dielectric constant of Polyolefin heat shrink tubing?

I am geting ready to rewire my La Scala's withg Cat 5. What is the recommended configuration of the wire bundles? I have 100 feet of 4 pair, 24 Ga, cat 5, FEP insulated, PVC jacketed wire. Thanks, Jim Norvell This message has been edited by jnorv on 01-25-2002 at 03:26 PM

You might want to check out http://www.audiogon.com/ for Cary amps. jim norvell

At the same time that I dampened my mid range horns with dynamat, I also pulled the bug screens. Overall there was a big improvement. I just did a reinstall of the bug screens (I have the push button connectors to the mid range driver). The improvement in sound without the screens is dramatic. To paraphrase and old joke, You would sound like this too if you had been strained through a screen door. I would highly recommend pulling the screens if at all possible. I would say that in general, any sound that is added by cabinet or horn resonance is unwanted and only serves to reduce the quality of music. I doubt that any sound engineer figures on added horn resonance to enhance the recording.

Goertz (Alpha Core) (http://www.alphacore.com/mispeaker.html) claims that they can measure the difference between good cable and theirs. They show the results of transmitting a 12 Khz square wave down a 25 foot speaker cable. Dont know when I last listened to a square wave.

The power doubles for every 3 Db of SPL.

Make that metal mid range horns.

I used the functional equivalent of dynamat for the mid range horns in my La Scalas. Your price is even better than the stuff I bought locally. It seems to work quite well on the mental mid range horns. I used 2 layers on the 17 inch width and one layer on the sides (5 1/2 inch).

I havent noticed any acoustic problems with the installation, yet. I may taper the back exposed edges, but I doubt that I will notice the difference. I have not glue or screwed them in place. If the angle is cut just right, the friction and the angle seem to hold them in place. I have only had one of them get spit out the front so far. Like you, I dont want to ruin the original box. The stuff I used for the mid range horn comes in one foot square sheets and is about .070 inch thich. go to http://www.dynamat.com/ for a discription of it. Different brand but similar.I tried taking a picture but it is like looking down a black hole in the back of the La Scala. Jim

The Trapezoidal wedges fix the side panel resonance. See attached picture.

To dampen the metal, mid range horn, I used a product called Q-Pads, that I got at my local automobile parts store. They are used to deaden vibration in metal panels. They have a self adhesive backing. Worked quite well. I put the bag of sand on top of the wooden cabinet to dampen the top panel vibration. Now for the wedges that I cut to dampen the side panel vibrations. Take a square piece of cardboard, 11 inches on a side. From one corner measure over 6 3/8 inch. Now draw a line from that point to the furthermost corner on the opposite side. Cut along that line. You should have a piece that is 11 inches on two adjacent sides and one side that is 4 5/8 inches. It is the same shape as the bottom of the cabinet between the side wall and the woofer housing. If you cut 4 of these pieces from 1/2 to 5/8 particle board, they will fit in between the side wall and the woofer housing. Once wedged into place, they kill the side wall vibration. One way to tell if you are having base cabinet resonance problems is to lay your speakers on their sides and put the bag of sand on the now top side. You can feel the panel vibrations disappear. Hope this helps. Jim

It could be cabinet resonance. I fixed mine by putting a 70 pound bag of sand on top and the cutting some trapezoidal wedges ( think of a square, about 11 inches on a side, and then cut a line from one corner at a 30 degree angle) that I fitted between the woofer housing and the side wall. I made mine from 1/2 particle board. If the angle is just right they will stay in without glue. Jim Norvell

After blowing the mid range and tweeters in my Thiels for the second time in 6 months, I decided to drag out my La Scalas for another go. From what I remembered, they were prone to cabinet and horn vibrations. I dampened the mid-range horn with something called Q-pads ( used to dampen automobile panels) and pulled the bug screens from the drivers while I had them out. A 70 pound bag of sand on top killed the top panel vibration. I cut a set of trapezoids to fit between the woofer housing and the side walls from 5/8 particle board. Due to the included angle they hold in place with out glue. The side panel vibration disappeared. These fixes alone made a big difference. I am in the process of building a set of ALK crossovers. My question is, is it worth the effort to front surface mount the horns or to continue the mid range flare rate in the front panel? Since the mid range horn is well over the length to be considered as an infinite horn, this might be over kill. Jim Norvell