New CF-3 in Cherry

[zingo]

This is not my picture, but this is the style of application. I cut mine into strips, then run it between the ribs of the horn body from the throat down to the mouth. Make sure you do not run it onto the flange on the bottom of the horn or it will not mount flush to the cabinet.

Applying the deadener will significantly decrease the ring and decay of any sounds associated with the horn body, and you only need about 75% coverage to achieve this. Remember that the horn also receives vibration reduction when it is secured to the cabinet.

The result is a bit more focus and clarity in the sound, and even though it is a small change, it does help the overall sound when one of make tweaks. Next on the list will be to do the same with the woofer baskets, then add more bracing to the cabinet and redo the interior foam.

[zingo]

I was doing some high volume listening to Josh Groban last night and there was a little harshness in the treble. This could be a result of the horn itself as I only have about a weeks experience with these, but it also could be my high powered Hypex based amp driving them, as I've never used it on horns before. I really enjoy the sound otherwise, and medium volume does not have the same harshness, but I'm not sure that historically Hypex has been paired with horns. On my pair of corner horns, I used a class-D amp on the woofers and tubes on the highs/mids, and it was pretty great. Noise is not an issue with my system between my power conditioner, and the fact that my amp has a fully balanced power supply. I may have to consider that again unless anyone has suggestions using my current equipment.

Tripp-Lite LDR2400 -> Squeezebox Touch -> Dodd Tube Buffer Preamp -> Dodd Hypex UcD400 Amp -> Epic CF-3

[moray james]

The horn on the CF3 and the CF4 (same unit) has a very thin wall thickness. I found that the cabinet pressure gererated by the woofers was enough to make the horn walls flex. I expect that is what you are hearing. I solved that problem 100% by cutting some hot watter plumbing pipe in half and forming it to the wall profile then bonding it in place with adhesive (three sections per side side so six total per horn) then I damped the remainder of the horn with dynamat. Just a reminder if you have to ship or transport a set of CF3/4 to remove the compression drivers because they have a habbit of snapping off the horn it they get a good jolt. This is something that you will never see happen on a Forte ll those mid horns are very thick and strong. To bad the bean counters got into the mix and they figured out that cutting the plastic shot size by 3/4's cut the cost by the same amout so that was reason enough for them to make that change. Best regards Moray James.

[khornbred]

Thanks and I'll take a look tonight.

What are other Epic owners doing with toe-in and proximity to the rear wall? How far apart are your speakers?

for years i had mine the wrong way, maybe 8' apart with a bit of toe. then i set them up just like cornerhorns, and the imaging blew me away. my current setup works two ways: room is 13' w and 10 or 11' deep with the cf-3s jammed in corners on the long wall on cinder block risers, toed in to the sweet spot, which is pretty small, but awesome. this setup is awful when out of the sweet spot, so i have a third cf-3 laid on it's side as a center channel for movies and multiple listeners. if the music was mixed well, i can enjoy a wide, detailed stage with 2 channels. poorly mastered tracks may get the center channel and some processing to achieve a decent center image.

and yes, the highs can start to get a bit harsh at high volumes, dynamat on the horns makes a noticable difference, but they could still use some help.

based on previous forum talk about using the panasonic digital amps with klipsch heritage speakers, i recently picked up an old panny sa-xr57 digital reciever to power these, and love it with these speakers. they go together very well, the sa-xr57 has some features that work well withe the cf-3s, like bi-amp and dual amp modes, which together use 6 amp channels to power the l+r speakers, two to each bass channel, and one to the highs, which can be attenuated as these speakers need.

[NimaBeamer]

What kind of oil should I use on my cherry CF-3?

[zingo]

Olive oil?

[NimaBeamer]

Is this a serious reply or a joke?

[zingo]

Yup. I would use a furniture grade oil and wipe them down with a rag to keep from dripping.

[moray james]

Grow some of these http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Linum+usitatissimum gather the seeds and press them. Collect the oil from the seeds and work it into the wood surface using 0000 steel wool. Work the oil into the wood surface untill it stays wet no longer absorbing into the wood surface. Wipe off excess oil and let dry at least three days and do this as many times as you need to obtain the desired surface finish. If you don't want to grow anything you can buy a can of boiled (not raw) linseed oil and use that. Best regards Moray James.

[oldtimer]

Olive oil is perfectly legitimate for using on wood. Italians have been doing it for centuries. I've used it before, and still do on my cross cut bamboo cutting board. Why bother with food grade mineral oil when you already have olive hanging around.

That being said, the factory oil is boiled linseed cut down. Do a search here for the recipe.

[jason str]

Be carefull using that lintseed oil, leaving your lintseed soaked rag around they seem to spontaneously combust.

[moray james]

BIG PLUS on this advice. Just about any of the air drying oils will have this concern especially any oils with additives to speed up the polymerization process (drying) . Soaked rags squeezed to only damp and left crumpled (balled up) can spontaniously combust in a very short period of time. Squeeze raggs as dey as possible and then lay the ragg flat over a rail away from anything combustable so they can air dry and stay cool. It is the oil oxidizing so rapidly that it generated enough heat to reach combustion. Be safe not sorry. Thanks for the reminder Jason. Best regards Moray James.

[NimaBeamer]

Thank you for those tips. But I guess the oil would not be applied to a glazed wood finish?

[moray james]

that is what the 000 steel wook is for. You work the oil into the surface with the steel wool. The first application of oil should be diluted 50% with mineral spirits, varsol or turpentine followup coats are all full strength oil. You will find the wood will soak up the oil. Apply the oil until the woods surace stays wet all over no dry spots, at that point you can wipe off and make the surface uniform with a rag. Let that coating set up 3-4 days and repeat as many times as you feel is necessary.Best regards Moray James.