MechEngVic
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Posts posted by MechEngVic
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If I remember correctly, the Chorus II's woofer has a cast basket. That looks like a stamped basket. I'm guessing the woofer is not original.
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Chorus II. Don't even think twice about it. Chorus II.
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7 hours ago, Iteachstem said:
I start with 120 on a quarter sheet palm sander. Then 220 when I get through the black mess. Then a light 320 to get rid of any swirl marks. Just be careful not to use a lot of pressure the last little bit as you don't want to burn through the then layer of veneer. I know a lot of people like to use lacquer thinner to remove the finish, but I don't like to use harsh chemicals... I already put my body though enough back in college! I think if you search through my older posts there are pictures.
I'd say bring them over with a nice bottle of wine or bourbon, and I'd do it for you, but I think that's a little far of a drive!!!
I was a mechanic for several years before I went back to school to get my engineering BS, so I completely agree with not wanting to use chemicals anymore. My hands are finally not so callous, cracked and dry.
I'm really tempted to try it since your instructions seem so straightforward and doable, I have a everything you mention. And thanks for the offer, like you said, a bit much of a drive but a nice single malt sounds like a good deal!
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Wonderful!!! Great idea for the base.
I've been thinking of sanding down my black KLF-10's to finish them similarly. Your sanding /stripping job came out fantastic. It looks like a bare oak finish! Can you tell us how you got through the black finish?
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I would not use any sort of penetrant. I'd be too afraid of any getting down into the diaphragm area.
And if it's a plastic horn, it has a metal insert that is pressed in place which contains the female threads. Penetrant oil will get in between the insert and the plastic and penetrant can soften plastic.
Go to harbor freight and buy a set of strap wrenches.
And if I was to whack it, it would be light tapping on the horn throat only with a wooden handle or dowel, keeping the magnet assembly steady and stable on a table top on top of a cushion.
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12 hours ago, deadlift said:
So assuming one had an extra set of identical speakers cables and wanted to try bi-wiring just for the heck of it - it may not make any difference, but one would be
doing no harm?
No harm.
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On 12/11/2020 at 7:52 AM, Chris A said:
The discussion in the above post ^^^ explains why the "reviewers" on other forums simply miss the point with Klipsch loudspeakers, and why so many people prefer them to "correctly designed and implemented" loudspeakers (in their opinion), usually little monkey-coffin boxes on sticks that measure well, sound okay at low SPL, but simply cannot reproduce the music like fully horn-loaded loudspeakers (i.e., including horn-loaded bass bins).
I have a layman's hypothesis for why this is.
The reason we love the Klipsch sound is because it is a "live" sound. It accents certain elements, amplifies detail, and makes a wide as-well-as deep soundstage. And they sound great loud! Horns are a better vehicle to deliver that live sound because they electrically, mechanically, AND acoustically amplify and deliver soundwaves. This makes horns interact with the space/room surrounding them in a particular way.
In order to create/maintain this liveliness (this particular "brand" of liveliness was envisioned and developed by PWK and is what Roy continues to develop), the horn driven speaker must have a specific FR curve (I know that it's more complex than that [transfer functions, etc.]).
I have built crossovers for my Klipsch speakers that measure very flat. But they lose the Klipsch Sound. I always end up going back the original FR curves with only minor modifications.
Anyway, as I learn I will continue to see how and/or if my hypothesis holds up.
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On 12/10/2020 at 3:10 PM, Chris A said:
Continuing on with the book chapter-by-chapter review, Toole, 3rd ed., after a long hiatus (and re-discovering this thread of mine)...
We're now at Chapter 5: "Characterizing Loudspeakers - Can We Describe What is Good?"
It's interesting to note that PWK himself stated that SPL response (frequency response) flatness was "almost omitted from the list". This is like a polar opposites to what we're seeing with Toole's loudspeaker design requirements.
____________________________________________________________
So what gives? Well, one is an observation based on the ease by which loudspeakers can be EQed to flat response, especially nowadays. Similarly, phase/group delay response is equally amenable to correction if the passive crossover is replaced by a DSP crossover. It's even easier if "overlay" FIR correction filters are applied to the loudspeaker upstream of the DSP crossover, using such as the better performing "room correction software" packages as JRiver, Dirac, rePhase, etc.
Apparently, we really can't agree on describing what is good about loudspeakers and what is not... 💥
Chris
I think I'd be easily diverted from reading literature that doesn't directly talk about horns, since they make up the entirety of my preference, and the majority of my experience. I'd just end up back here reading resurrected book review threads... 😉
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On 2/4/2019 at 9:52 AM, babadono said:
"My theories on audio and audio reproduction will change when the laws of physics change" -PWK
"Come on guys it's all done with ball bearings now"- Fletch
"It takes a big man to admit when he's wrong, I am NOT a big man." -Fletch
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On 12/11/2020 at 11:12 PM, JoeJoeThe3rd said:
I actually don’t really like how it sounded when I had them like that. And I use my rc64iii as my center a lot of the time when listening to music anyway so it would be basically pointless to have them set up like that since I’m using a center for music as well. And even without using a center I thought it Definitely took away from the entire experience and sound quality of them, but I didn’t mess with it that extensively and might try again. But from trying it I don’t see why people would listen to them like that from what I’ve learned what the benefits are suppose to be from having them set up like that I just didn’t see or hear any benefits. I have the tweeters pointed about a foot or so away fro each shoulder, right speaker pointed like a foot or two to the right of my shoulder and so on. I found that sounds amazing. Really the way you have them set up is more forgiving than what people say for sure. Having then like that I get all the benefits of having them pointed straight at you but just a little smoother along with others. And then center imaging and entire soundstage is so on point and vaster than anything I’ve ever heard and they disappear immaculately/superfluously.
I have them about 110” apart from the middle of the tweeter to the middle of the other tweeter. and I sit about 135” away from them in my most comfortable listening position . I’ve already found how I like how they sound. Wanting to know if there’s a rule of thumb that sounds beat for these speaker. I have them perfectly symmetrical inside the room. And my room is 13 by 15 with a hallway that extends to the door to the bathroom making it 13 by about 20 with 8’ ceilings. With the way my room is I only have them about 16 inches away from the wall. Also, from the front of the tweeter is exactly 25” away from the side of the wall. And I haven’t noticed any problems with it that distance or boomyness. But if I did move them out what benefits should I expect to notice in doing so.
Does this look about right?
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7 hours ago, deadlift said:
I recently got a set of speaker cables to try out with my La Scala II's only to find out that the spades were too thick to fit along with the jumpers. This lead me to thinking about
bi-wiring but I just can't wrap my head around the concept. How is bi-wiring any different then one set of cables with jumpers instead of two sets of identical cables? I guess one could say that
a speaker cable will sound better than the standard jumpers found on my speakers. Has anyone bi-wired and noticed a huge difference in sound ?
Thanks
I would go with the the spade-terminated wires and buy or make yourself a set of jumpers like @MicroMara 's, banana plug on one end and spade on the other, or maybe with banana plugs on both ends. Do an eBay search for "bi wire jumpers".
At the voltages and currents that run through speaker wires, the only possible benefits that could come from a bi-wire set up would be if one set of wires was specifically wound and of a gauge to better transmit high-frequencies, and the other set would be wound and of a gauge to work with low frequencies. And even then, it would be a significant expense for a possibly minor to un-noticeable difference in sound quality.
The way a wire pair is wound, along with its gauge, can affect its capacitance, inductance and resistive qualities. At the lengths of the typical set of wires, the differences are hardly audible.
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Try bypassing the 3rd prong (ground) of the amp's cord with a cheater plug, see if that makes the hum go away. The ground loop may be between the amp and your A/C power.
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On 2/3/2018 at 6:44 PM, BFaught said:
SHE'S A BEAUT! I love that polished deck. I have heard an ST-120 vs a Mac MC-275 and the ST-120 was the winner (with Chorus II's and a pair of Wilson speakers, don't remember the model but they were about 5k new back in the early 2000's). Granted, the ST-120 was new and the MC-275 was several years old, but it was a clear difference.
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On 11/25/2020 at 9:18 AM, JohnW said:
Omg I stayed up late reading forum arguments about tubes, and am happy to discover that no one agrees on which tube is better for anything...unless I want to spend twice the value of my amp on some 1965 NOS General Electric 6550s or New Jersey Tung-Sols.
So I won’t have to spend more money on upgrading the Russian Tung-Sols that come with my amp.
You know, if I decide to keep it.
Oh Christ, I’m starting to sound like one of you crazy Tube People.
Here's the thing, a tube is a fairly complex component, susceptible to variations of manufacture, even within the same batch. Of course there are small differences in "zones of optimal performance" (ideal voltages) between the same type of tube of different brands. But I can guarantee you one thing that I bet the amp builders here will agree with: the circuit design has way more to do with the the sound of an amp than any tube of the same type you install. You may be able to distinguish some differences between brands and even NOS vs New Production (hopefully price paid is commensurate to manufacturing quality and consistency of SQ). Remember I am talking about the same type of tube, if you start rolling different types (EL-34 vs KTxx for example), you'll get significant changes in SQ because the circuit is seeing resistances, capacitances, and other characteristics way different from what it was designed to see (usually resulting in increased THD). Some amps can easily handle the differences, some might need mods.
The Tung-Sols are more than adequate. What amp do you have?
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Are you going to at least give him the schematics?
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On 10/20/2020 at 11:50 AM, Limberpine said:
I'm brand new to tubes and am looking for anybodies experience with the Erhard Audio Phono and Pre? I bought a Will Vincent St-70 on here from @joessportster and am seriously enthralled by the sound and depth that comes out of the Cornwalls with that amp. Like, WOW!
So, to feed the "sickness", I have now gone down the path in thinking that the Pho and Pre should be tubes as well, but I want to get some other opinion on that and opinions on Erhard if people have experience with them.? I have also looked at the Tubes4hifi Pre and Phono as well, which are similar in price, but don't have tone controls. And if I'm being COMPLETELY transparent the Tubes4hifi are not as nice on the eyes as the Erhards. I know it's about the sound........but its also a bit about the aesthetics. : )
Thanks in advance for all the help!
I'm def a noob to more sophisticated audio, but have recently gotten back into music in a deep way because of the Cornwalls.
No experience with the tube preamps you're considering, but IME a tube preamp really does compliment a tube amp. I have the Dynaco ST-70 series II (similar to your Will Vincent)and I use an inexpensive Chinese Tube pre based on the Marantz 7 pre circuit and I love it. It sounds better than any other combo I've tried (DAC direct to amp, SS preamp, passive attenuator).
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On 10/12/2020 at 7:54 PM, rankaudio said:
Many have stated that tubes tend to have a warmer sound, however, my findings indicate otherwise, particularly when compared to solid state amplifiers which often tend to sound more rolled off. Is it possible to select tubes which may offer a warmer sound signature? What are the opinions of others? Do you sometimes get the impression that solid state amps sound warmer? Thanks
Here's my take in the broadest of generalities.
There are two big differences between tube amps and SS amps. One is the output impedance, and two is the harmonic distortions of tube circuits that SS amps lack.
SS amps can be designed to have an almost ruler flat frequency response throughout their power output range. This is combined with low output impedances and massive power supply filter capacitances. Very powerful, stable, reliable, and flexible.
Tube amps can and have been designed with flat responses but it's almost impossible to eliminate the harmonic distortions. There is no perfectly linear tube, and if you're into tube amps, you don't want it. This combined with relatively high output impedances makes tube amps varied in their color.
Throw in your choice of speakers and you start being able to grasp all the different ways an SS or tube amp can come off as sounding flat, bright, or rolled off. I honestly feel that the main contributor of sound signature is the speaker/amp combination.
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18 hours ago, Jim Gregory said:
What is the best to clean your electronic tube equipment ?
Deep cleaning or dusting?
I use paint brushes and canned air for dusting.
For deep cleaning, where I'm disassembling, I'll use Isopropyl (75% or higher), old toothbrushes, rags, and paint brushes.
If I want to polish, I'll use synthetic liquid wax on a rag, apply and buff out with dry rag, this works for everything from PCB boards, to enclosures, to the tubes themselves, just be careful not to rub off the lettering, and make sure everything dries completely.
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2 hours ago, soulpianoman said:
Not too much else! It's a simple digital only system but the speakers I'm super happy with (about a month old now) thanks to you all on the forum. Made a variant pulled from all the ideas here using JWC's "tallscala" type of thing. Volti crossover, LMAHL Tweets and eliptrac horns with BMS drivers.
Fantastic!
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3 hours ago, soulpianoman said:
DIY 2a3 choke input monoblocks.
I'd sure like to see the rest of your setup!
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9 hours ago, artto said:
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In order to take advantage of Hi_Res streaming to the fullest extent you will need an amplifier/receiver that can accept the streamed file directly. It needs an Ethernet port.
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What you're saying is interesting and I wouldn't doubt an ethernet right into your receiver is the most reliable setup. But I think there are other ways to get bit-perfect Hi-Res streaming. Isn't the whole point of digital media being able to move it over distances and through components with no generational losses? There are several Wi-Fi streamers that promise bit perfect streaming at up to 24/192. My Chromecast Audio with Toslink out to my DAC wirelessly receives my devices output through my streaming apps in up to 24/96. The great thing about Wi-Fi streamers is you can use the app on your device and send the signal wirelessly to the streaming device.
When you're using old-school tube pre's and amps, you need a DAC to straddle the divide. Most Wi-Fi streamers have their own conversion and analog outputs, but I have yet to find one that beats the convenience of the Chromecast audio and a DAC with Hi-Res capability.
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On 9/2/2020 at 10:49 PM, JoeJoeThe3rd said:
I’ve also heard of the lumen d2 which is suppose to be better than cd quality. I wonder if this statement is true. I should do some research on it. And YESSSSSA DUDDDE, I’ve said the exact same thing many times. You hear everything and I love it and also feel very lucky. Even hearing things that weren’t intended to be in the album, like say a bird from outside of a Beethoven song or a pianist breathing too hard Before an intense breakdown, or even bombs going off in the background outside of the building where they were recording the song from songs being recorded during world war 2. Well put kind sir, I concur full heartedly and like to hear someone else say what I’ve been saying to myself and other for years.
Please tell us the names of the "bird outside", "breathing too hard", and "bombs going off" tracks, so we can hear them too!!! I love that kind of stuff!
15" driver identification.
in Technical/Restorations
Posted
My baaaaad.