Soundthought

I've found that an outboard B&K 2 channel amp (2140) mates really well with my RF7s when ran off my Denon 3801s' pre-outs. IMHO. I felt that separate amps for each channel was really over-kill. It's just not nessessary...and here's why. The front mains will always carry the brunt of any audio material that passes through your system. With that in mind, relieving the Denon of that burden allows the remaining center and rear channels an opportunity to draw as much current as they could ever possibly want without a heighten chance for clipping due to deep impeadance drops that are seen with the RF7s. Whew....what a mouthful. Again IMHO, this could allow a better transient response due to a more consistently stable power supply. It just makes sense, to me. Plus, I've found the RF7s to respond more accurately, overall, with the inherantly better damping that a dedicated outboard amp has to offer. This goes without saying.. Just a few thoughts for you. Hope that helps, some. John

Three major differences with the pre-63 Khorns are; A. Rear slot is double the width of current models because of the need to augment low-level output when running a mono set-up (read: pre-stereo) so bass is accenuated. B. The K-5-J wooden/fiberglass horn, which is unique unto itself even though it has inherant design flaws. C. The WE-2 (500-5000) crossover networks are designed for 35 watt max input. I own a pair of '57 Khorns and have been quite happy with them, but then again, i'm a sucker for antiques. Regards John.

I see Khorns in your future.

Has anyone heard of or used this integrated unit? I recently aquired one along with a pair of Dynaco A-25s. The sound is sweet, for sure. It's a fairly simple piece with a beautiful walnut case. I just can't seem to find any info about it floating around on the net. Went through and searched all my SAMs, but alas, I couldn't find one for it. I'm fishing for specs, personal insight, and possibly some history surrounding it. Thanks, John.

That's interesting. I found the same to be true with my current set up when I rolled the 1823Ms in place. (Which are a touch different than the 1823 but basically the same critter) I pulled the stock University SAHFs' out because I found them to be far to forward in their presence when run with my stock WE-2 networks. Plus, I had the 1823Ms' just hanging around so I figured "why not". Well, they were alot louder. I mean about 3 times as loud. Yikes! But, they didn't sound bad given the network i'm running. So...In the name of audio experimentation, I fooled around with them a bit. What's a fella to do? Not to curl the toes of any "audio-purists", but with a little properly applied EQ (AudioControl 520) these drivers sound great with these lens. No kidding. I'm very happy with the sound. Don't know if I would change it, to be quite honest. Lately, I've been running my Jolida JD202A as the head. She's outfitted with NOS Jan/Phillips 12at7/12ax7s and Svetlana EL34s. This tube compliment seems to work well for this application. I was just curious if anyone has played around with this horn/driver combo? One thing I should mention is that along with the EV drivers, i'm also running old Epicure horn tweeters which are not as efficient as the original T-35s were. I'm almost sure this affects to crossover functions...almost. Seems like it would, anyway. So...I've got the mid-band down 6db and the HF up 6db. Obviously, the WE-2 500-5000s were not set up for this arraingement, but the sound is immpecable. Very nice, indeed. I've sat and listened for hours on end only to find myself not wanting to get up and turn it off. That says something to me... Regards, John.

Bump.....

Fast bass = Charles Mingus Gotta love that 6/8 time, baby. John.

Hello all, I was wondering if anyone else has tried this 1823M/K-5-J combination? If so, what crossover were you using and through what set up? Thanks. John.

I think the K-5-J horns look sweet. (Great pics, Tom. Are you enjoying them?) I'm very much into my '57s. I'll never part with them. They are something special. Regards, John.

Hi Dean, I've been tossing around that same idea. Lots of good stuff out there with potential. Personally, I find myself really wanting to learn how to re-veneer some of these classic, old loudspeakers. Many, in my collection, could be beautiful with just a little work. Others, would require a bit more elbow grease, but the end result is timeless. Nothing is more striking than a finely crafted wood finish. IMO Regards, John

Hello all, I finally got the Cornwalls that i've been wanting. (9P269-9P270) They sound absolutely great. There are a few scratches and a couple of dime size chunks missing from the veneer, otherwise, they are very presentable. Grilles are shot and risers need to be rebuilt, but for $300 I can't complain. These puppies have potential written all over them. I currently have them sitting in front of my Khorns and hooked to my Jolida. They are soooooo listenable. I'm having a hard time pulling myself away. What can you all tell me about this model year? Regards, John.

I like the ride of the Expedition, but i'm hopelessly stuck on my Broncos. I've got an old "85 w/302 about 60% restored and a clean '90 w/351 that is my daily driver. They can get around....for sure. Regards, John.

Ha Ha. That would be a sight. Put on some "Hotel California" from "Hell Freeze's Over" and watch them bounce. Seriously though... I'm getting ready to check on a pair of Cornwalls and would like to avoid having to drag the trailer out. Pulling that thing in a snow storm can be a pain in the U-know-what. Regards, John

Do you think I could fit one Rebel a pair of Cornwalls in my 1990 Bronco? John.

John, those Sprints are sharp looking, well built bikes. I came very close to buying one. Ended up with my Bandit, instead. It just fit better. 99 GSF-600s Suzuki Bandit. (bone stock with the exception of a Corbin gel seat and grips)

Hey fellas, I keep hearing about the 102s, 302s, and ect..., but what about the 202? Where does it lie on the food chain? It's not exactly chopped liver, is it? Regards, John.

Nothing like the freedom of the open road..... Slow speed riding can be the most difficult to master because it requires the greatest amount of control and balance. A little advice... Try not to oversteer when at all possible. The temptation to "turn" your handlebars is greater when you feel the you have already turned too deep. Not good. Counter-balancing to recover after oversteering can lead to biting of the dirt, if your not careful. She'll fold up and flop over, if given the chance. Just try to remain relaxed and let your upper-body dictate the direction you want to go, the bike will follow. The slightest turn of the handlebars combined with the right amount of lean can get you around most things, most of the time. Stay cool. Good luck. Regards, John. BTW. I'm up here in the glove and I was out on my bike just a few days ago when it was in the 50s. Today it's in the 20s and with 3" of snow on the ground. Ya gotta love Michigan!

So true......so true. What a great post, BBB.

Heh. You know.... I'll have to re-examine my findings on the horn driver. Maybe, i'm thinking of something else. Seems like I read about an inherant flaw with that driver series, though I could very well be wrong. (not uncommon) They did sound very nice when driven by a Pioneer Spec amp. That's the extent of my listening with them. But, the fact that i've driven the 30 minute trip to see them about 20 times, says something to me. (yeah.....i'm nuts) Ha Ha What can I say? I am an audio freak extraordinare. I'm currently foolin' around with some 20-30 sets of horn speakers, so it's easy for me to get confused about models. Not that i'm always just confused in general, but with hundreds of stereos and speakers to mix and match, things get a little funky. The woofers on the pair i'm looking at are in decent shape. They show some signs of stiffening, but nothing drastic. I can't tell for sure, and the shop doesn't know, but I'd say they were re-foamed at some point. (maybe 7-10 years ago) Otherwise, they should have fallen apart by now....one would think. Obviously, the performace in these sealed enclosures should directly related to surround compliance and integrity of said surround. With that in mind...... I can't say with any confidence that the pair i'm looking at has any hint of the originally engineered sound. -too many unknown variables. But....I know what they should do. I'll see if I can dig up any "real" info for you when the kids and I get back from my sisters this afternoon. Regards, John.

Great post, HDBR Builder. You hit the nail right on the head.

Hi Fini, The mighty cubes..... Yeah, they are a pretty serious looking monitor. Top end was nice. I like the "Bill Clinton" horn. Though, from my reasearch, I don't believe that the used the best driver they could. I do not remember the model #, but I do remember that it wasn't that impressive when compared to what they could have mated it with. The low end was fairly controlled with just a hint of boominess. Very pleasing to the ears. (Make sure it's the original woofers) The original woofers are worth putting the cash into. They have equitable value all by themselves. IMO I've been looking at a pair in a near-by town for about 6 months now. The condition of the pair is about a 6 out of 10 at best. They are missing both grilles and have numerous scratches and abrasions. They want $300 for the pair. If I can get them down to about half that, I may bite. Did you have trouble finding the binding posts? There was a pair that was listed on E-bay about 2 weeks ago. They were asking $350 for the BIN. Though, I don't know what the reserve was. I do know one thing for sure. You don't see them on the market, very often There must be a reason, no? They usually sell in the $250-$350 range, from what i've seen. If they are in incredibly poor shape, then $50-$150 would be my max considering the rebuild expense. Regards, John.

No doubt..... That's what i'm talking about. Blaaaaaaaaaaaah! ...and Yada Yada sex. Happy New Year.

There's some big dudes in this hobby. I remember standing next to Craig and Artto, last year, and feeling tiny by comparison. Heh. ...and i'm all but tiny. At 6'3", 195Lbs, i'm still "filling out" at a young 31. () Who knows? Maybe, i'll dwarf them after i'm done growing up. Ha Ha Ha Hauling this heavy a$$ gear around is really bulking me up. I've grown out of my pants and shirts, since last year. "Body by Stereo", I call it. Though, i'm at a loss as to why i'm getting taller. Maybe, the inverted workouts i've been doing for the last 4 years are starting to strech me out like Bobby Brady in that old Brady Bunch episode. Too funny.....but curious none-the-less. It's probably all just coincidence. My dad used to say the both he and my Grandfather kept growing until their early thirties. Makes you wonder, though. Regards, John.

I love vintage SS gear.

Hi Lynn, I had the same problem, not too long ago. I was listening to some Ellington and glanced over at my Jolida, which sits up and out of direct sight. When, all of a sudden, one of my Svetlana EL34s dimmed out. (I wonder how many times that has happened and I never knew?) Strangely enough, the sound didn't fall apart like I would have expected. Maybe, it's because i'm running a pair of University 312 Diffaxials in EV Marquis Enclosures. Who knows? They are pretty forgiving. Needless to say, I quickly got up and shut her down. Fear of the unknown, you know. I love those Svets and love my 312s even more. After going through the same motions as you did, I came to realize that the one particular Svet was to blame. Well, out they came, and in went the newer, cleaner Electro-Harmonics. No problems since. Regards, John.