ALK Trachorn vs. Jubilee

[NOSValves]

In audio or just about any hobby your asking for the impossible.....

[fenderbender]

tjnif:

I have the X-slopes and have heard the reg ALK's...but never side by side......I love the X slopes, but I can always find somethings I like more and some less when I listen to other speakers, klipsch or other........I have resolved myself to the fact that "it will never end" and just to be happy.........once you get to a certain point your just chasing your tail...always going to be something with a bigger soundstage, more transparent, smoother, lusher, louder............

I've been upgrading my whole front end lately and for me, that has given me the biggest % of positive change

[NOSValves]

Gosh I miss you guys! TJ - You installed Extreme Slope networks AND the Trachorn. Did you do this both together or install one, listen, then install the other? If the latter, I'm curious which you feel afforded the biggest leap. I'm thinking the networks - yes?

Well gosh Lisa we miss you too!! So quit being such a stranger this place is way too boring without interesting folks like you....

[meagain]

Ha! Craigers - Careful what you wish for!

[mark1101]

I have used various versions of ALKs ESNs on several pairs of Klipsch and am using them now on my avatar speakers. I agree with Craig that if you tend to listen at lower to mid volumes these are probably not the nets for you. The ALK universal and ALK Jr. woud probably tend to sound better and fuller at those volumes. These different networks are application dependent.</P>

<P>I listen most times in the high 90 db range as I have found out with my RTA setup. At these listening levels I found that I prefer the ESNs over the networks with more overlap.</P>

<P>I also have some lascalas that I have ALK Jr networks in that Dean built for me a few years ago. I use those in a second system and for TV. I absolutely love the way those sound at any volumes except extremely loud where they get all "hashy". They have survived a multitude of network changeouts that I have gone through over the years and I have them in 3 lascalas and am fashioning them into my HT that I have slowly been assembling.</P>

[Marvel]

I listen most times in the high 90 db range as I have found out with my RTA setup. At these listening levels I found that I prefer the ESNs over the networks with more overlap.

My LaScalas have DHA2 crossovers (1st order), and I usually listen at a level under 90db. That would be about the max, or a little above. Works great with my 3.5 watt amps. I could see using ESNs if Iwas going to be cranking it, but I would be using a different amp at that point.

Bruce

[tigerwoodKhorns]

Well, the question arises.....which network is "REALLY" the better one. What exactly is high volume and how often do you really push it?? Even my "Wife tolerating" levels are LOUD, Sooo.....At what levels do you really listen too?? I wish there was an easy (albeit) quick way to change over crossovers from "easy listening" to "all out assault"!!

Lets muddy the water a little more, check out active crossovers, you can change the slopes on the fly.

[cjgeraci]

(my Khorns up front no longer use tweeters - the magic of Altec drivers).

Now this is a statement I find very very interesting. Is this without digital eq and boost etc. I've been reading about the 902 drivers and have not found a bad thing written about them.

Yes,without digital eq or boost. A number of people in here and some other forums insist that you need a compensation circuit with the 902s or something similar (ala eq or boost) to get them to sound "right" due to the emphasis on the midrange and/or because of their measured response. I have not found that to be the case.

I bought a new set of 902s from Great Plains Audio and have been running them with Trachorns for awhile now. Cymbals and other items in the upper registries are clear and refined to me, and the driver sounds balanced. I run active crossovers now up front, and the 902s are run by a Sonic Impact Super T chip amp with its own separate stand alone power supply (PSU), the Kingrex model (stand alone PSUs make a big difference with the little chip amps). Sheltie Dave, Maron, and others can also attest to their sound over here. The ultimate test is how does it sound..........

Carl.

P.S. Some day down the road after I get some bills paid off, the plan is to convert the rear Belles to two-ways with 902s in the rear - with the Belles probably staying passive. That would finish everything.

[NOSValves]

Ha! Craigers - Careful what you wish for!

Well............now that I think about it..

[seti]

(my Khorns up front no longer use tweeters - the magic of Altec drivers).

Now
this is a statement I find very very interesting. Is this without
digital eq and boost etc. I've been reading about the 902 drivers and
have not found a bad thing written about them.

Yes,without
digital eq or boost. A number of people in here and some other forums
insist that you need a compensation circuit with the 902s or something
similar (ala eq or boost) to get them to sound "right" due to the
emphasis on the midrange and/or because of their measured response. I
have not found that to be the case.

I bought a new set of 902s
from Great Plains Audio and have been running them with Trachorns for
awhile now. Cymbals and other items in the upper registries are clear
and refined to me, and the driver sounds balanced. I run active
crossovers now up front, and the 902s are run by a Sonic Impact Super
T chip amp with its own separate stand alone power supply (PSU), the
Kingrex model (stand alone PSUs make a big difference with the little
chip amps). Sheltie Dave, Maron, and others can also attest to their
sound over here. The ultimate test is how does it sound..........

Carl.

P.S.
Some day down the road after I get some bills paid off, the plan is to
convert the rear Belles to two-ways with 902s in the rear - with the
Belles probably staying passive. That would finish everything.

I'm going to have to give this a try.

[meagain]

Ha! Craigers - Careful what you wish for!

 

 Well............now that I think about it..

Craigers - Have you listened to jubs yet? I hope so! I want your opinion.

[ZAKO]

With Carls beautiful sounding setup who needs Wart Hog Jubilees... He saved himself $7000. Yes Carl getting another set Of 902 drivers is a wise move..

[Coytee]

Craigers - Have you listened to jubs yet? I hope so! I want your opinion.

There are some that might speculate that regardless of what he hears, he's possibly painted himself into a perspective corner. (relax Craig, I said possibly [])

Lisa, have you read this new thread?

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/112482.aspx

Hobie1dog use to play in a big band and blew a trumpet. He's been seeking a speaker that would give him the realisim & dynamics of life. He drove over 4 hours to give them an audition and spent about 6 straight hours giving them a go.

He's new to the forum and doesn't know of any of the Jubilee "rugby scrum" conversations we've had in the past. His is a fairly innocent viewpoint because of his newness. Maybe if he sees THIS thread (or it's mentioned in the other one) he'll give more of his musical background and what some of his specific goals are. I'd rather he do it than me repeat them (and butcher them)

[cjgeraci]

(my Khorns up front no longer use tweeters - the magic of Altec drivers).

Now this is a statement I find very very interesting. Is this without digital eq and boost etc. I've been reading about the 902 drivers and have not found a bad thing written about them.

Yes,without digital eq or boost. A number of people in here and some other forums insist that you need a compensation circuit with the 902s or something similar (ala eq or boost) to get them to sound "right" due to the emphasis on the midrange and/or because of their measured response. I have not found that to be the case.

I bought a new set of 902s from Great Plains Audio and have been running them with Trachorns for awhile now. Cymbals and other items in the upper registries are clear and refined to me, and the driver sounds balanced. I run active crossovers now up front, and the 902s are run by a Sonic Impact Super T chip amp with its own separate stand alone power supply (PSU), the Kingrex model (stand alone PSUs make a big difference with the little chip amps). Sheltie Dave, Maron, and others can also attest to their sound over here. The ultimate test is how does it sound..........

Carl.

P.S. Some day down the road after I get some bills paid off, the plan is to convert the rear Belles to two-ways with 902s in the rear - with the Belles probably staying passive. That would finish everything.

I'm going to have to give this a try.

Bear in mind that there are certain limitations with the 902s. Unlike phenolic dias, which go lower on the bottom end much more easily, 902s have aluminum dias. Altec recommended running them no lower than 500 hz on the bottom, and I've known people that crossed them over that low on the bottom. Terry crossed his pair of 902s over at 400 hz first order on the bottom - and I do not believe he ever had a problem.

Personally, I get into the volume too much, spl-wise, to have ever taken a chance by crossing them over at 400 hz. They could probably take it so long as a volume junkie was not laying into the volume knob. For about three months, I crossed the 902s over at 500 hz, 18 db and 24 db slopes, with my Khorns and there did not appear to be a hole in the 350-500 hz range with the Khorn bass bin. As you probably know, whether the Khorn bass bin can cleanly do 400 hz-500 hz has been a controversial subject over the years and there are plenty of discussions about that in the archives. Of course, when using 902s with LaScalas, Belles, or even Cornwalls, you have more flexibilty because you can move that crossover point higher with those bass bins/horns. When I eventually grab a pair of 902s for my Belles, I am going to cross them over at 700 hz on the bottom.

902s do sound cleaner the higher that you can cross them over on the bottom end. As Maron knows, after I lived with the 902/Khorn combo for awhile - I then went insane and ended up adding reinforcement to the mid-bass. But that's a whole 'nother discussion for a different time. I currently cross over my 902s at 800 hz on the bottom. I will say, however, that they sounded very good crossed over at 500 hz on the bottom. They sound even better crossed over at 800 hz - and the difference is only really noticeable when I really like to lean into the volume knob.

Good luck if you take the 902 plunge.

Carl.

[NOSValves]

Lisa,

Naa I've decided to refrain from ever listening to them or at least if I end up listening I would refrain from sharing my opinion. I figure if I did comment on them no matter what my opinion is I'd end up in the toilet just like Dean's Jub's ended up [] Besides what would Coytee have to talk about if I did....

Craig

[Deang]

I figure if I did comment on them no matter what my opinion is I'd end up in the toilet just like Dean's Jub's ended up

Well, technically -- they ended up in the bathtub.[]

[Blvdre]

My 2 cents; I lived w/a new pair of GPA 902-8's over the summer. I first crossed them at 600Hz, 1st order network. I didn't have to turn things up too loud before I heard low end distortion from the driver. Went to a 2nd order at 700Hz, problem solved. So in my experience with new GPA-902's, I would not recommend crossing them over too low, depending on your networks.

Also, they sounded much better w/high-end compensation, wasn't even a contest.

Disclaimer, my system and environment (both 511 and trachorn), YMMV.

[NOSValves]

I figure if I did comment on them no matter what my opinion is I'd end up in the toilet just like Dean's Jub's ended up

Well, technically -- they ended up in the bathtub.

Well I've heard they are the best sounding speakers on earth when under water!

[meagain]

Anyone is welcome to PM me or share THIS story! Does Mr. Dean have Jubs or not?

[Coytee]

Anyone is welcome to PM me or share THIS story! Does Mr. Dean have Jubs or not?

Dean had an issue in his bathroom that turned out to become a major overhaul of it. The major overhaul ended up being more than he wanted to pay out of his pocket directly, so he sacraficed his Jubilees for the cause.

The other story floating around is, when his Jubilees were in the bathtub, they left a horrific soap scum ring.... [:|]