TBrennan Posted April 30, 2005 Share Posted April 30, 2005 I went to my pal Kurt's today to hear what he's been up to. Japanese receivers with chip-amps were in the forefront. One rig was a 6 channel SACD setup with three Fostex FX-200s in open baffles across the front and Radio Shack fullrangers in small boxes as surrounds. A DIY sub with a 10" driver augmented. Power was from a Panasonic HT receiver with chip-amps, the model escapes me. Playing an SACD of Jerry Goldsmith movie scores the sound was clear and natural and just, well, just really good. The Fostexes make an Altec-like midrange that I find very attractive. THis rig was SO simple and SO cheap and sounded better than many of the rigs I've heard at any price. Turning 90 degrees I listened to Kurt's other rig which consists of a pair of 7' B&G planar drivers, each B&G matched with a woofer that consists of a vertical line array of 4-18" Eminence woofers in an open baffle. That's 8-18"s total. The rig is bi-amped with a Behringer digital crossover and all 4 channels of amplification are from a JVC chip-amp HT receiver. Also used is a Behringer digital EQ to EQ the woofer panel's rolloff, 6db of boost at 25hz. I've heard this rig many times but this was the first time I heard it powered by a Japanese chip-amp receiver. The sound is, to use an overused term, awesome. Absolute clarity and horn-like dynamics. Sitting around unused in Kurt's basement are JBL 3115s, two pairs of Tannoys, a set of Chorus IIs, some Bozaks, some EVs, some Oris horns, enough odd drivers and horns to start a Parts Express branch AND an Audio Note SET, a pair of Monarchy class A SS amps, a huge Conrad-Johnson, several DIY chip-amps and a couple of Sonic Impacts. And 4 JBL 4648s. So those Japanese receivers are keeping pretty good company. And preferred. We also went hammering around in my new CTS and in Kurt's 9000 rpm redline Honda S2000. Good day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 Sounds like a good time was had by all. It's good to have friends closeby with the same interests as yourself. Looks as if this was one of those days you'd wish never ended. Good times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbley Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 Wow! Kurt's got the same Behringer/JVC front end that I'm using now. It's great to hear somebody else's impression of this setup. "Absolute clarity and horn-like dynamics" is a good description for it. I hesitate to use the word detailed now because of some of the negative audio connotations that go with that word. But it really is amazingly detailed in the best way. The Behringer DCX/DEQ with cheap japanese chip amps is a killer combination. And it doesn't cost much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 Yo Tom, Which Japanese chip amp receiver? I'd sure be interested to know. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born2RockU Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 Shoot us all the model numbers of those "chip" amps. PLEASE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted May 1, 2005 Author Share Posted May 1, 2005 I dunno, I don't pay much attention to model numbers of electronics anymore, they change so fast. And to read the numbers on the gear I gotta put on my reading glasses which is a hassle. I'll call Kurt tonight and find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minn_male42 Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 and yet we have another person "discovering" the new digital amps..... many of the same people who derided me for being "over-enthusiastic" about my carver pro ZR1000 digital amp about a year and a half ago.... i still use my digital amp and it is one of the best amps that i have ever heard.... and it has the power (225 watts per channel) to handle any and ALL music / home theater material even in a large room..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted May 1, 2005 Author Share Posted May 1, 2005 Minn---Kurt's been using digital amps for a long time. He still has the 200wpc DIY Tri-path he had when I first met him over five years ago. He's built at least a dozen gain-clones too and his JBL 3115s are triamped with a 6 channel gain-clone he built. Lots of guys in our Chicago Horn Club have been using T-amps and gain-clones for quite some time now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minn_male42 Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 ---------------- On 5/1/2005 4:08:41 PM TBrennan wrote: Minn---Kurt's been using digital amps for a long time. He still has the 200wpc DIY Tri-path he had when I first met him over five years ago. He's built at least a dozen gain-clones too and his JBL 3115s are triamped with a 6 channel gain-clone he built. Lots of guys in our Chicago Horn Club have been using T-amps and gain-clones for quite some time now. ---------------- good for them! it's too bad that his DIY projects can't compete in sound quality with mass produced japanese receivers..... at least according to your own comments "I've heard this rig many times but this was the first time I heard it powered by a Japanese chip-amp receiver. The sound is, to use an overused term, awesome. Absolute clarity and horn-like dynamics. Sitting around unused in Kurt's basement are JBL 3115s, two pairs of Tannoys, a set of Chorus IIs, some Bozaks, some EVs, some Oris horns, enough odd drivers and horns to start a Parts Express branch AND an Audio Note SET, a pair of Monarchy class A SS amps, a huge Conrad-Johnson, several DIY chip-amps and a couple of Sonic Impacts. And 4 JBL 4648s." i guess it seems that not all digital amps are created equal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted May 1, 2005 Author Share Posted May 1, 2005 Here's Kurt's 200 wpc DIY Tri-Path powering my Altec 605s (the outside speakers) in May 2002 at the first Midwest Audio Fest. The inner speakers are Beancounter's JBLs with Edgar saladbowls on 2420s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted May 1, 2005 Author Share Posted May 1, 2005 A Chang gain-clone powering A7-500s and Fostex open-baffles at one of our horn club events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minn_male42 Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 ---------------- On 5/1/2005 4:25:45 PM TBrennan wrote: Here's Kurt's 200 wpc DIY Tri-Path powering my Altec 605s (the outside speakers) in May 2002 at the first Midwest Audio Fest. The inner speakers are Beancounter's JBLs with Edgar saladbowls on 2420s. ---------------- nice pic... and the point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbley Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 We may have reached a point where cost of production has become quite low, so a heavily engineered and tested design can make it to market for an extremely low price with little sacrifice in audio quality. DIY may no longer make sense. Plug and play and blow your mind away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted May 1, 2005 Author Share Posted May 1, 2005 And other than taking umbrage your point is....? My point is to refute your comment that you're ahead of the curve here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbley Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 When is your next horn club event? I'd love to attend something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minn_male42 Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 the point is that you post this thread raving about the japanese digital receivers.... that are soooooooooo much better than anything else you heard in that setup (your own words) i present my experience with another commercial product that was received with less than an enthusiatic reception on this forum...... and for unknown reason.... you go into great detail about the DIY tripath amps that you have heard in the past.... although you never seemed to post any rave reviews about those amps it seems that these DIY amps did not sound as good as an entry level japanese digital receiver..... so why even bring them up????? btw - a friend of mine has a panasonic XR-25 receiver (i can pay attention enough to get the model number)... that sounds very good.... but it does not have the guts of my carver pro ZR amp... or the ultimate detail in the upper register Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted May 1, 2005 Author Share Posted May 1, 2005 Timbley---Our club is informal; we have a meeting whenever someone decides to hold one and the membership is whoever comes. I held a meeting at my place a couple of weeks ago (I announced it here) so it will probably be awhile until the next. 20 people came to the meeting including Gil and Smilin and a few Klipsch freaks who don't hang-out here. Gil, saint that he is, brought a bottle of Jameson's which didn't last long. Watch the high-efficiency forum at the Audio Asylum for any announcements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbley Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 Thanks! There must be some horn fans here in Oregon that get together once in a while too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted May 1, 2005 Author Share Posted May 1, 2005 Russ---I'll talk about what I please here without running it by you. Nor did I say the JVC was the best I'd heard with that rig, I simply said it was awesome. And preferred by the owner. I have talked about Tri-paths and DIY gain-clones here often. I'm sorry nobody paid attention to your recommendations. You and I are enemies, I think you joined this thread just to give me grief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minn_male42 Posted May 1, 2005 Share Posted May 1, 2005 ---------------- On 5/1/2005 4:47:39 PM TBrennan wrote: You and I are enemies... ---------------- LOL obviously, you need counseling of some sort..... this is an audio forum...... too bad you feel that anyone could possibly be an "enemy" on an audio forum is the sign of a deranged mentality..... good luck with your philosophy.... so sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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