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MATT0404

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Posts posted by MATT0404

    Need advice to wring the bass out of Cornwall III

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    I don’t have experience with Cornwall 3’s, but I’ve had Cornwall 2’s that were absolutely vapid in the lower octaves in my room.  I’ve had Chorus 2’s and Forte 2’s in the same room with great success.  Thought the Cornwalls would be more of the same, but as soon as I moved them into the room, I was sorely disappointed in bass output/impact.  I tried tubes and BIG SS amps and, while the sound characteristics changed, bass output did not.  I couldn’t change the layout of my room so I added a subwoofer to augment the bass.  That worked well enough.  I eventually moved the Cornwalls into another room and the bass was much better.  Ultimately, I determined the Cornwalls just didn’t work in my room and I eventually sold them.  I never found my room to be particularly challenging for speaker setup and placement prior to the Cornwalls and I’ve had a lot of speakers in that room.  Room was roughly 12’x15’x12’ with partially vaulted ceiling with skylights and partially open on one end to another small room.   Hopefully you have some options for placement that will fix your bass null.  If not, consider adding one or more subwoofers.

    • Like 1

    Klipsch Cornwall II's - Cherry Lacquer - Recapped**SOLD**

    in Garage Sale

    Posted

    Up for sale is a gorgeous pair of Klipsch Cornwall II's in very rare cherry lacquer finish. These are in fully functional condition and sound wonderful. I recapped the crossovers replacing all capacitors with Dayton 1% tolerance precision audio grade caps. All drivers are in perfect working condition. These speakers are ready for many more years of listening. 

    There are some nicks around the outside front edge. These can be easily repaired or color matched to make them less obvious. Grills are nearly perfect and both badges are intact.

    Location: NW PA, between Pittsburgh and Erie
    Price: $1100 **SOLD**
    Shipping: Local pick up, or you arrange all transportation 
    Trades: Possibly pair of quality SS stereo amps 
    Reason for sale: Moving and only taking two bigs sets of speakers

     

    Condition can be seen here (sorry for the corny music overlay):

     

     

    Hear them here:

     

    • Like 1

    New Dynakit ST-35 Build

    in Talkin' Tubes

    Posted

    10 hours ago, rhing said:

    Nice work. I used some Dynakitparts.com components in restoring an original Stereo 35. I went further and purchased Dave Gillespie’s Enhanced Fixed Bias (EFB) circuit board to improve the performance of the amp. The EFB modification reduces distortion, increases headroom and extends power tube life. I highly recommend this modification of an already fine amp. 

     

    http://tronola.com/html/daves_store.html

     

    You will be rewarded with cleaner and smoother mids and highs, and a better defined bass. It sounds like the amp is weightier and more powerful, but still maintains that rich EL84/6BQ5 tone. 

    Thanks, I  have read up on the EFB mod and would like to incorporate it into this amp at some point.  I even went as far as ordering the board/parts, stuffing the board, then, when I realized how big the heatsink was, I noticed I ordered the board for the SCA-35!  It won't work with the ST-35 obviously, so I'll have to do the power supply board to incorporate the EFB mod.  

     

    9 hours ago, Blackbird said:

     

    Nice system!

     

    Who makes the sub? Specs?

    Thanks!  The sub is a Power Sound Audio S-1800.  

     

    Specs:

    • Sealed 22x20x20.5" enclosure
    • USA built, proprietary 18" driver with powerful motor strength and efficiency.
    • Patented digital ICEpower® 725W amplifier with DSP control
    • CNC precision cut cabinets that are finished in our industry exclusive satin black texture
    • 17Hz-200Hz +/-3dB (7Hz-11Hz typical in-room extension)

     

    2 hours ago, rhing said:

    I would also recommend using the Dueland DCA16GA or DCA12GA Cotton-insulated, Tin-plated Copper wire for speaker wire. It’s not terribly expensive, and you’ll be amazed at how this wire will enhance your listening pleasure. 

    I'll take a look.  Thanks!

    New Dynakit ST-35 Build

    in Talkin' Tubes

    Posted

    17 hours ago, justinsweber said:

    Daves thinking on the subject is bar none... way smarter than me... that said.

    I would suggest 2 simpler mods you might really like. 

    1st, bypass C1. Its for DC blocking... you don't need with anything modern.

    2nd and more interesting... replacing the 50ohm resister in the PS with a C354 choke will go a long way to reducing the noise floor... likely to improve the bass too. 

    You'd drill 2 holes and mount it up too. I think Dynakitparts even has pictures of this done. 

    The ST35 was called the poor mans Macintosh for good reason. Its sonics are lovely.

    At 15watts, its likely more than enough power for your Cornwalls.

     

    Congrats!

    The kit came with mounting hardware and instructions for the choke, but I needed to order it separately.  I'll order it now and report back my findings.  I'll also look into bypassing C1.  Thanks for the info!

    New Dynakit ST-35 Build

    in Talkin' Tubes

    Posted

    23 minutes ago, Schu said:

    What tube selection are you using?

    Very closely matched quad of Sovtek el84m's and a pair of NOS RCA 12dw7's.

     

    4 minutes ago, Emile said:

    Congrats :D Looks like a great job! Build an ST-70 about a year ago and was pretty pleased with it.  Haha; but went back to higher powered SS amps :D 

    Thanks!  👍

    • Like 1

    New Dynakit ST-35 Build

    in Talkin' Tubes

    Posted

    Thanks, guys!  It's still breaking in, but I've probably got 15 or so hours on it now.  Sounding pretty damn good if I don't say so myself.  The top end opened up quite a bit after the first few hours.  I haven't noticed too much of a change since they.

     

    I'll incorporate the Gillespie power supply board and EFB mod at some point in the future, but I wanted to hear it in stock configuration first.  

    New Dynakit ST-35 Build

    in Talkin' Tubes

    Posted

    Thought I'd share this fun project here since I'm using this amp on my Cornwalls.  This was my first kit build and I have to say, this is a very well put together kit with quality parts. 

     

    The build itself took around 10-12 hours in total.  I plugged away at it a couple/few hours at a time.  The only hiccup was my own fault.  I deviated from the manual and installed a CL-80 thermistor on the line in.  Problem was that I installed it in the wrong location and the amp blew the fuse when I first turned it on.  I removed the thermistor and it fired right up.  All voltages checked out and it's been making fine music now for 12+ hours.  Really great little amp and it was a lot of fun to build.  

     

    Here are some pics from the build and a demo video.

     

    Kit as it arrived

    48395825292_7fdca231a4_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    PCB's stuffed and installed

    48395824967_c9199246e0_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    48395684621_861f60bf6d_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    48395823272_597d591637_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    Transformers and can cap installed

    48395822607_f92c4f3b1a_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    48395821677_2471d228fb_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    48395820672_97212e81f2_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    WIring in process

    48395681001_d25369e92a_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    WIring complete

    48395819092_95c0948cd3_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    48395818677_18642db139_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    Testing

    48395703626_4697928de1_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    DONE :D

    48395831377_b34c9b2cb4_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    48395831502_c2d47a57ea_b.jpgDynakit ST-35 by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    Demo video

     

     

    • Like 5
    • Thanks 1

    Picked Up a Pair of Corwall II's

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    1 hour ago, glens said:

     

    Well, there's a chance it might clean up the signal that's being drained off before the woofer sees it.  I say that mostly in jest for a couple reasons, but it stands to reason that if signal is being more cleanly bypassed (the 68 uF is itself a bypass cap), the transition area to "not bypassing" would be cleaner and the woofer might see fewer "jagged edges" where it's still told to make some noise.

    Thanks for the info.  I'm not going to worry too much about it.  They sound just fine as is. 

    • Thanks 1

    Picked Up a Pair of Corwall II's

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    Recapped the crossovers today.  I didn't go all out with high dollar, boutique caps, but, for $54 I got all new Dayton film caps for both speakers.  The original film caps were very close to their capacitance rating.  One of the 68uF electrolytic caps was close to 73uF and the other was around 69uF.  All in all, the original caps were in pretty good shape considering their age.  

     

    After the recap, the speakers sound a bit cleaner, bordering on bright, but I'll give the new caps some time to settle in.  Bass seems to have a bit more presence, as well.  I'm pleased with the initial results and the crossovers are ready for another 30+ years. :)  Only thing I'm left wondering is if I should have added a bypass cap to the 68uF cap on the woofers.  

     

    48215485086_6779a6ef56_b.jpgKlipsch Cornwall II Crossover Recap by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    48215528812_67fdc17194_b.jpgKlipsch Cornwall II Crossover Recap by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    48215484391_7988c41d91_b.jpgKlipsch Cornwall II Crossover Recap by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    48215483956_94cfe77b90_b.jpgKlipsch Cornwall II Crossover Recap by Audio Database, on Flickr

     

    48216232362_fc8ab20f0d_b.jpgKlipsch Cornwall II Speakers by Audio Database, on Flickr

    Just hooked up the Chorus II-First Impressions

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    I’ve owned a couple pairs of each (Chorus II’s and Forte II’s) and loved them both.  I find the Chorus II’s are the more accurate, flat response speaker.  The Tractrix mid has a wonderful textural quality that does really well with guitars in my opinion.  The Forte II’s are a really fun little speaker (comparatively)  that dig lower in the bass registers and have a bit more impact.  I love cranking them up with rock and modern, bass heavy music.  Chorus II is the guy in the room wearing a suit, the Forte II is the guy in the leather jacket but each can do the other’s job well enough.  Two of my favorite speakers for sure.  If I find another set of clean Chorus II’s in walnut, I plan on grabbing them and not letting them go.

    • Like 5

    Picked Up a Pair of Corwall II's

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Pete H said:

    Welcome Matt!  what part of Pa are you in?  Nice to see another local (kinda depending where you're at).  I have a pair of CW2's as well, might want to recap the networks based on the age.  I did it to mine and improved the sound.  Mine looked exactly like yours.  Enjoy!

    Thanks!  I'm in Franklin, PA, between Erie and Pittsburgh.  I do plan on recapping in the near future.  Going to spend some time listening to them first while planning what to do next.  Yours are cherry lacquer, too?  

    • Like 2

    Picked Up a Pair of Corwall II's

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    Got these in the house and decided to take a look inside one of the cabinets.  Appears to be original drivers (only pic of woofer, but mid and tweeter are original, as well).  Crossover original and looks easy to update/recap.  There's front to back and side to side bracing.  IMG_20190621_215656.jpg

    IMG_20190621_215733.jpg

    IMG_20190621_215751.jpg

    IMG_20190621_215759.jpg

    • Like 2

    Picked Up a Pair of Corwall II's

    in 2-Channel Home Audio

    Posted

    Saw this pair pop up for sale on my local CL and decided to treat myself to a late Father's Day gift. :D

     

    I haven't had a chance to set them up yet, but they sounded great during the demo at the PO's house.  These appear to be a unique finish.  I'm assuming CL means cherry lacquer.  However, the story goes the original owner had Klipsch refinish them darker to match his room better.  Not sure how true that is, but the finish is very good.  Speakers are in very nice condition and present very well but have some chips in the veneer around the edges.  I'll need to get that repaired.  Grills are perfect.

     

    Speakers came with some sales literature and the speaker labels which had become detached.  I'll get them setup with some ANK EL34 monoblocks tomorrow.  More to come. :) 

     

     

    IMG_20190621_183731.jpg

    IMG_6800.jpg

    • Like 3

    Two Dynaco Monoblocks, St. Louis Craigslist

    in Alerts!

    Posted

    8 hours ago, codewritinfool said:

    Heck, I didn’t even get to see the post. How much were they?

    $75!

     

    I was in Mount Vernon all week for business and scoured all the local CL's for something to bring home with me.  Found nothing.  On my way home, checked my phone while pumping gas and saw this post.  Really considered back tracking to try to get these but it would have added 6 hours to my trip.  Someone got a heck of a deal!

    *SOLD*Parasound P5 Preamp with Remote and Original Box

    in Garage Sale

    Posted

    Wonderfully versatile solid state preamp offered for sale. This sale includes the remote and original box/packaging. Tons of features and adjustability:

    • 5 line level inputs
    • 1 MM/MC phono input with adjustable loading (100/47k)
    • 1 USB input (up to 96kHZ, 24 bit)
    • 1 Optical input (192kHZ, 24-bit)
    • 1 Coax input (192kHZ 24-bit)
    • 1 pair balanced XLR inputs
    • Analog bass management with high and low pass crossovers
    • Front panel subwoofer level control
    • 2 pair line level outputs
    • 1 pair balanced XLR outputs
    • Tape output
    • Defeatable bass/treble tone controls
    • Alps volume pot

     

    This thing has it all. This unit is black with just a few minor blemishes (see pics). PM with any questions.

    PRICE: $650 SOLD
    LOCATION: PA 16323
    SHIPPING: Buyer pays
    PAYMENT: PayPal, Venmo, FB, MO (buyer pays any fees)
    TRADES: None 

     

    More photos available here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/SWHcADBbmzaTqNgv6

     

    1374104169_P5resized.thumb.jpg.c3dcacb1d77f79c0a61481cf94531a04.jpg

    (SOLD) Klipsch Chorus II - Walnut - Recapped - Crites Ti Tweeters

    in Garage Sale

    Posted

    Up for sale is a wonderful sounding pair of Klipsch Chorus II's.  Chorus II's are hard to find on the used market and even more rare in walnut veneer.  This pair has been upgraded with Crites titanium tweeter diaphragms and the crossovers have been recapped with Sonicap Gen II caps (Crites recap kit).  The upgrades were no subtle improvement.  This is a great sounding pair of speakers.  A pair I would be happy to own and listen to long term.  I'm only selling to generate funds and make room for something else.
     
    There are a few cosmetic blemishes, but these are highly presentable.  They look great despite their minor flaws.  There's one veneer chip on the top of one speaker.  There are a few other smaller blemishes, nicks, etc, but nothing major.  See pics and video below.  These are sonically perfect.  One of the passive woofers has been repaired.  It had a small puncture that was repaired from the inside with paper towel and Elmer's glue.  See photos.
     
    Any questions, please feel free to ask.  If you happen to be on the route from Pittsburgh, PA to Alexandria, VA, act fast, I can deliver these to you tomorrow morning.
     
    Price: $750 firm SOLD
    Location: Franklin, PA 16323
     
    Speakers can be seen and heard here:
     
    Lots of pics in this album:
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZUrS8j52BHqMsMKp7
     
     

    IMG_20181221_141704.jpg

    IMG_20181221_142020.jpg

    • Like 6
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