Akers seem to hate speaker mods...

BKphoto

Not everyone but every time the subject seems to come up a lot of people are "YOU DON'T NEED TO, DONT WASTE MONEY, THEY ALL SOUND THE SAME"

For crying out loud spend a couple bucks and replace the resistors, etc...

I don't get it,

maybe I'm crazy...

NJPOLKER

Who's Akers?

BKphoto

Audiokarma website...

11tsteve

there are a lot of Infinity threads over there for updates/upgrades/mod/refinishing. Those are about the only ones I have read.... otherwise I personally don't find that site to be of much use.

BKphoto

but even those are filled with the "no need" posts...its never about need, its about want...

cnh

Not sure you can make that generalization since the site is HUGE and has a very DEEP data base! It's a pretty good site for vintage audio outside of vintage Polks.

Nonetheless, it has the usual fanboys and Prima donnas who think they own the site parading around. lol Actually that's pretty much par for the course on internet sites, now isn't it? You just have to disregard it and look for what you need. And there are some good people as well.

If anyone is familiar with the work of documentary filmmaker Fred Wiseman; it's pretty much like the "recurrent" characters you find in his explorations of our various educational, religious and government institutions. They're so "familiar" as to be frightening! And disillusioning!

cnh

11tsteve

well, that's why I have little use for most of those guys. This place makes me aspire.... that place doesn't.

teekay0007

11tsteve wrote: »

This place makes me aspire.... that place doesn't.

Yeah, a while back you were aspiring to have some fine looking 11Ts and started in on re-veneering them. How's that going? Have I missed any updates that you posted around here?

11tsteve

teekay0007 wrote: »

Yeah, a while back you were aspiring to have some fine looking 11Ts and started in on re-veneering them. How's that going? Have I missed any updates that you posted around here?

I haven't started a thread, but have both cabs emptied and one stripped of vinyl. Work got busy and yard and house stuff have eaten up weekends. Sorry to disappoint but I can start a thread... That being said, I have three pair of vintage speakers because the people here guided and helped me believe I could do this myself. It was inspiration that was needed, because my 11T sounded like mud.

Dennis Gardner

I too have noticed that they will plan to recap/refurb vintage receivers that they bought in working condition, that they haven't even received yet, but speakers are left untouched other than foam surrounds.

mhardy6647

Any older speaker will benefit from new capacitors in the XOs for two good reasons:
1) The original XO caps are almost certainly tired.
2) In most cases (even some fairly pricey components), the intrinsic quality of the XO capacitors was probably mediocre at best (e.g., even many very good loudspeakers used NP electrolytics in their XOs).

One of the few areas IMO that current technology has really considerably improved in the last five or six decades is the design and construction of capacitors.

No harm in changing resistors - but not necessarily much to be gained, either.

Chokes are certainly a possible passive component that might benefit from upgrading, but it's important to match both the inductance and the DCR of the new choke else the crossover's performance will be altered.

F1nut

I quit visiting there years ago. While there are some knowledgeable folks, there's just too many naysayers and dumpster divers.

Dennis Gardner

I'm not a big fan of Klipsch speakers myself, but you've got to love how the owners and forum members hot rod their beloved speakers......

Dennis Gardner

DSkip wrote: »

5 minutes is all I could take of AK.

Scroe!!!

ken brydson

Dennis Gardner wrote: »

Scroe!!!

Huh?

polkfarmboy

F1nut wrote: »

dumpster divers.

lol, I dont understand that but got a chuckle from it.

Toolfan66

DSkip wrote: »

5 minutes is all I could take of AK.

Agreed, it did nothing for me, it's better here, well it was when I first joined, not that it's bad now it was just better then, I miss a lot of guys that have left, even the ones that I butted heads with now and then.

It just seems a little to mellow around here anymore. The hype/energy/excitement of receivers for HT, preamps, upgrades, speaker xover upgrades, tubes etc, has taken a back seat as of late.

I honestly miss the cable debates, all amps sound the same, even the EMO threads were fun to watch unfold at times. At least it seemed there was a lot more passion about audio then..

Maybe I have been here too long, maybe not long enough, but a lot of guys with a lot of passion have left us the last couple of years.

I'm glad I found this place when I did, and not today..

Just my view/.02

Face

It's land of the Luddites.

F1nut

Dennis Gardner wrote: »

Scroe!!!

Ed Zachary!

dkg999

Some good information on AK about my beloved Marantz receivers. Other than that they have some members that are wound pretty tight.

westmassguy

I think a good analogy, would be classic cars. Three basic categories. Some prefer to Conserve. Repair or replace only the defective component, be it a rotted foam surround, or bad NP Electrolytic. Some go as far as hunting down NOS Electrolytics from the same era, same manufacturer. Keeping the original finish on the cabinet, and same grill cloth.
Others prefer to Restore. Replacing all the components with the same type, but new, refinishing the cabinet, and replacing the grill cloth with as close to the original as possible.
The last would be those of use who Upgrade, which is sometimes combined with Restoring. All components are replaced with modern, improved versions. Mylar/Silver Mica, and NP Electrolytics replaced with Metalized Polypropylene. Sandcast Resistors replaced with Audio Grade Mills, Mundorf, or Duelunds, better quality Binding Posts, cabinets refinished, or re-veneered, better quality grill cloth installed.
All have their place. To each his own.

Glen B

cnh wrote: »

Nonetheless, it has the usual fanboys and Prima donnas who think they own the site parading around. lol Actually that's pretty much par for the course on internet sites, now isn't it?

I have been a subscribing member of AudioKarma for several years and strongly disagree with that assessment. Every Internet site has its share of jerks, but I find the folks on AK to be some of the most helpful, accommodating, and level headed. I really don't get this "them" and "us" thing? Aren't we all pursuing the same goal of maximum musical enjoyment?

One thing I have learned over the years is that each Internet forum has it particular beliefs. At AK, the focus is primarly but not entirely on vintage/classis gear. Other sites focus on primarily high end gear. On some sites, there is a belief in mods, tweaks, high end cables, power conditioning, fuses, etc. Others are the opposite, thinking these things to be a waste of money. Yet, I find each site has something positive to contribute. I have learned to participate among all of them without going against the grain.

ZLTFUL

Oh Glen...yer so adorable with your attempt to stir the **** pot...

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=591743

ZLTFUL

Hey Glen...maybe you should quote the whole post instead of a snippet in an attempt to create internet drama. :redface:

cnh wrote: »

Not sure you can make that generalization since the site is HUGE and has a very DEEP data base! It's a pretty good site for vintage audio outside of vintage Polks.

Nonetheless, it has the usual fanboys and Prima donnas who think they own the site parading around. lol Actually that's pretty much par for the course on internet sites, now isn't it? You just have to disregard it and look for what you need. And there are some good people as well.

If anyone is familiar with the work of documentary filmmaker Fred Wiseman; it's pretty much like the "recurrent" characters you find in his explorations of our various educational, religious and government institutions. They're so "familiar" as to be frightening! And disillusioning!

cnh

steveinaz

I think that if you have the expertise (when I say "expertise" I mean both being handy and crossover/speaker design smart) I'd say go for it; but I don't think speakers mods should be attempted by everyone. This is something that you really have to know what you are doing, how it will impact the rest of the systems, and all other implications. Remember, likely loads of research went into the design of your speaker by the manufacturer, if there was an easier/better way to do it, they likely would have if it were cost effective.

seabeerob213

BKphoto wrote: »

but even those are filled with the "no need" posts...its never about need, its about want...

in a hobby that is completely reliant on personal preference, taste, and ability to discern a difference, its all about what you need... to achieve what you want, and if what you want is stock gear, more power to you. if it doesnt make a difference you can hear, you dont need it, if it makes enough difference to you, go for it.

Mystery

I like AK and spend hours every day.
Not only for SCROE threads but overall has a huge store of information on audio items from all ages.
There are a lot of "audio experts" in non-polk speakers over there than here and also much quicker answers to questions due to large number of members.
Also, I like how the mods keep actively monitoring threads and close it like the one Glen started there.

There are few things and few type of threads I don't like there but there are few things I don't like here as well but both are great sites with a lot of experienced members and let's stop at that.

Edit: OP, AK has thousands of threads with mods from as simple as crossover to full mod like econowave and building speakers from scratch.
So 'AK'ers hate mod' is full of cr#p and don't go by one thread and generalize all.

cnh

ZLTFUL wrote: »

Hey Glen...maybe you should quote the whole post instead of a snippet in an attempt to create internet drama. :redface:

Yep! I defend AK and then state that just about ALL internet sites/forums have classic characters who are problematic, as well as good people. I do believe I say there are good people on that site as well. Heck, I'm a member! OK, maybe that's not a "good" example. lol

You guys need to read things "in context" and not let the incidentals move from a few dying embers that you can stoke into a raging fire.

Hey, our own mhardy is one cool guy and he's one of the top five posters over there! He was even number one for a while!

Thanks to ZLTFUL. We don't hate at Club Polk!

cnh

BKphoto

Mystery wrote: »

Edit: OP, AK has thousands of threads with mods from as simple as crossover to full mod like econowave and building speakers from scratch.
So 'AK'ers hate mod' is full of cr#p and don't go by one thread and generalize all.

going from the Infinity forum, about 8 threads in a row where people went crazy over the thought of upgrading...I won't even mention the private message shots that were fired...

plus i used the words "SEEM too" not "All"

aboroth00

BKphoto wrote: »

going from the Infinity forum, about 8 threads in a row where people went crazy over the thought of upgrading...I won't even mention the private message shots that were fired...

plus i used the words "SEEM too" not "All"

Not sure which 8 threads you're referencing, but I've gotten tons of valuable information from the forum when I was recapping my Kappa 9's, fixing EMIMs, upgrading the RS1B crossover, possible XO replacements, and driver replacements. Each forum has something to give, and there is a ton of knowledge over there if you want info on your speaker. Perhaps there are guys who know what they're talking about, i.e. I wouldn't mod the Polydome's on the Kappa's but Graz's EMIMs for the RS series are spectacular...

geoff727

I'm an AKer, and I love speaker mods. But it's true that there are a lot of folks on the Infinity forum who are very resistant to mods on the classic Infinity's. That would not be ME, though!