Spongeworthy Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 I am going to experiment with 3 channels but am unsure how to hook it up correctly. Can someone help me out? [:$] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 you might start first with Mark Deneen as I think he had built the very thing you'd need to start. I don't know if he's got any left though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott0527 Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Here is PWK's schematic of the box needed which also details how to hook it up. There is one of two schematics from the Dope from Hope. I can't find the other one but it's out there if you search hard enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spongeworthy Posted March 23, 2007 Author Share Posted March 23, 2007 Thanks Scott. Wow, a little harder than I thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott0527 Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Thanks Scott. Wow, a little harder than I thought. Well Mark at Juicy Music did make 9 or 10 of the mini-boxes and was selling them for aroung $165. Once you have the mini box, it's just a matter of hooking things up. I'll bet he sold them all though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwhaples Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Thanks Scott. Wow, a little harder than I thought. Well Mark at Juicy Music did make 9 or 10 of the mini-boxes and was selling them for aroung $165. Once you have the mini box, it's just a matter of hooking things up. I'll bet he sold them all though. I've had mine for less than two weeks. I't wouldn't hurt to call Mark.Works great! Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 You may be able to pick up one of the Dynaco units on Ebay. http://www.enjoythemusic.com/Magazine/equipment/899/decoder.htm http://sound.westhost.com/project18.htm I've had a Hafler/Dynaco for over 25 years and love it on a lot of material, especially LPs. The Dynaco QS-1/IIL has a center channel, but the efficiency of your center must be very close to your L/R since it is passive or the effect is too low. Upside is these are competely passive. Some amps from the 70's have center taps. Dynaco ST-80 comes to mind. I also have the original Dynaco test album and the effect from it is truelly amazing given the passive nature of the device. It has caused me to theorize that two channels with only mike methodology should be able to provide an excellent surround sound through Dolby Pro Logic II. Experiments to come... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 The mini-box (in either configuration) is not difficult to build. The parts are available at Radio Shack and will not cost much. You will need an extra amp however. It is definitely worth trying out, even if you just "experiment" with a cheap spekaer in the middle (since the gain of the center is attenuated relative to the L & R). You can get a feel for the "effect". Good Luck, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spongeworthy Posted April 7, 2007 Author Share Posted April 7, 2007 The mini-box (in either configuration) is not difficult to build. The parts are available at Radio Shack and will not cost much. You will need an extra amp however. It is definitely worth trying out, even if you just "experiment" with a cheap spekaer in the middle (since the gain of the center is attenuated relative to the L & R). You can get a feel for the "effect". Good Luck, -Tom Well, I finally got around to trying to make one of these things. Very cool. I recently bought a little 3 channel Teac chip amp and it works perfectly for this application. It has a volume control for each channel so I have the center level a little lower than L/R. Using a LS between a pair of KHorns. Here is the poor man's mini box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwhaples Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 Nicely done! I really enjoy JM's mini. Building one on your own is way cool! Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spongeworthy Posted April 7, 2007 Author Share Posted April 7, 2007 Thanks Larry. I am really enjoying it alot!! As far as doing it myself, I've been getting a little cocky since I fixed my Sony HDTV a couple of weeks ago. Amazing what we can do if we actually try!! The downside is that I'm going to have to buy another tube amp now for the center channel. Easy come, easy go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoudnClear Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 Spongey: What does it sound like? What does it do to the imaging? I was mentioning 3 channel stereo to some guys at work and they thought it would screw up imaging. Then when I thought of it, I Couldn't see how it would help imaging. Anyway, I ended up telling them that 3 channel stereo with this circuit has quite a history, and you couldn't just write it off without trying it, so we left it at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 what are those little zig-zaggy things in the diagram? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spongeworthy Posted April 7, 2007 Author Share Posted April 7, 2007 Spongey: What does it sound like? What does it do to the imaging? I was mentioning 3 channel stereo to some guys at work and they thought it would screw up imaging. Then when I thought of it, I Couldn't see how it would help imaging. Anyway, I ended up telling them that 3 channel stereo with this circuit has quite a history, and you couldn't just write it off without trying it, so we left it at that. Actually, that is where it's helping. I have only been listening for a few hours and to quote another on this board (forget exactly) I'm just one guy in one room. The first thing that I noticed was that the system was throwing a more 3D soundstage. For a mere 24 bucks and about 90 minutes, it will be easy to find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spongeworthy Posted April 7, 2007 Author Share Posted April 7, 2007 what are those little zig-zaggy things in the diagram? The zig zaggy guys are resistors. I love King Crimson btw!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudeJ1 Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 The mini-box (in either configuration) is not difficult to build. The parts are available at Radio Shack and will not cost much. You will need an extra amp however. It is definitely worth trying out, even if you just "experiment" with a cheap spekaer in the middle (since the gain of the center is attenuated relative to the L & R). You can get a feel for the "effect". Good Luck, -Tom Well, I finally got around to trying to make one of these things. Very cool. I recently bought a little 3 channel Teac chip amp and it works perfectly for this application. It has a volume control for each channel so I have the center level a little lower than L/R. Using a LS between a pair of KHorns. Here is the poor man's mini box. I built one that look just like yours in 1977 from the same diagram, except, you only need the Center Potentionmeter, and just resistors for the new L and R channels. So just buy one potentiometer. Why? because you will need to attenuate the center realative to the flanks by about minus 3 to minus 6 db. I used to use Al Dimeola's Mediterrranean Sundance with Paco DiLucia on the other channel. Since it's 2 guitars, R and L, you adjust the center until the guitars move in about 1/4 the way on each side towards the middle. Then it works for everything, until you move the system to a new Room. I used it for 25 years that way and works great. I think PWK had one of these in his home system when I heard it during my 1985 visit. His recordings of the Little Rock Symphony were excellent, with only 2 Microphones. He wouldn't listen to commercial recordings because he referred to them as "dilute stereo." PWK was quite a purist, for sure. I told him I was one of the few people I knew that used this method and the rest of the world was stuck in 2 channels only. He agreed. The only reason I gave up this little box is because I went to 5.1 about 5 years ago with, Cornlwalll rears, then Heresy's and now Chorus 1's. Since my speakers are only 13 feet apart instead of 20 like before, I can just listen to 2-channel with sub, or go with 5.1 using the DTS "Neo-6_ setting, for music, which does a pretty good job with CD's and can create a center channel almost as well as that little box used to. Enjoy!! claude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 Only two mikes? What a novel thought. Hmmm...makes sense, only got two ears... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Mobley Posted April 8, 2007 Share Posted April 8, 2007 Michael, Do you need one of the boxes? I think I have enough stuff to build one. Let me know.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestonTom Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 The mini-box (in either configuration) is not difficult to build. The parts are available at Radio Shack and will not cost much. You will need an extra amp however. It is definitely worth trying out, even if you just "experiment" with a cheap spekaer in the middle (since the gain of the center is attenuated relative to the L & R). You can get a feel for the "effect". Good Luck, -Tom Well, I finally got around to trying to make one of these things. Very cool. I recently bought a little 3 channel Teac chip amp and it works perfectly for this application. It has a volume control for each channel so I have the center level a little lower than L/R. Using a LS between a pair of KHorns. Here is the poor man's mini box. I am glad it worked out for you! My personal experience with the center channel was that "sometimes less is more". After about a month I attenuated the center even more. Really, all it is doing is to make the center image & sweet spot a bit more stable. Since the time of arrival from the center will be advanced in time re: the L & R, the sound can become "colored" if there is not enough attenuation. A side benefit is that if the center has an adequate low frequency response, then some of the room interactions (modes) can be smoothed out a bit. Enjoy, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted April 9, 2007 Share Posted April 9, 2007 For the more adventurous that want to try a more active approach to 3 (or more) channel... Buy one of these: http://oppodigital.com/dv970hd/dv970hd.html You will need a TV hooked up to it to configure it. Go into the speaker setup in the unit.. Set L/R to Large Set Center to Small Set Rear to none Set Subwoofer to none In channel delay add the appropriate amount of delay to your center channel to time align it with your L/Rs. In the speaker trim page use that to balance the centers level with L/R. Go into the Pro-Logic II page and turn that ON. Go into Mode and set that to Music. Then just plug the L/C/R outputs of the player into your three amps. This player has a master volume control on it so it can also act as a pre-amp. The way this player derives the center channel is very different from the mini-box. Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.