Definitive Technology Proper wiring

mantis

mantis

Audioquest
Rocket 44 Speaker wires
Carbon Sub Cables
NRG-X3 Power cords

mantis

erniejade

So do you find the sound better running them full range or sub and speaker level combo?

mantis

Here's the deal with the ST's. They run full range meaning they take full range from the Speaker level in , convert it to line level internally and those signals go to the sub section. So in a 2 channel system if they where to be used in that fashion , you would not be required to run line level to them for the subwoofers to work.
Now in a home theater setting, you still run full range to the towers over speakers level and LFE to both subs. This gives you full range for the main channels and then also gives you the .1 or LFE tracks played in the built in subwoofers.

Sounding better doesn't apply here as this is how you are supposed to use this style of speaker in a home theater system. Now you can not run LFE to them and add a free stand alone sub or subs to the system and still get full range out of the main channels.

You are not supposed to use a crossover point and cross over the top section yourself externally and then run line level to the lower section Subs. Definitive Technology spent a lot of time designing the crossover points so these speakers will perform as a full range speaker first then also have the ability to use LFE in a theater designed system.
Sandy Gross who use to work for Polk really understands speaker design. Definitive Technology is basically an extension of polk audio or at lest thats how I look at them. The higher end offering or next level up without actually leaving the family.

erniejade

Thanks. that makes sense. I am suprised they only had a 2 prong for the sts power. Is the ST the same?

I have been quite impressed on the sound on the STS. I can imagine how the ST sounds!

mantis

Take what you hear with the STS and make it fuller, more detailed and less strained sounding. The low end is also deeper on the ST's vs the STS.
The ST is a better sounding speaker but they also cost $1000.00 more per pair new. I don't however feel they are fully worth the retail difference. I do however feel they are well worth the $4000.00 retail price as the STS are fully worth the $3000.00 retail price.
The ST also uses a ungrounded Power cord. It gets it's ground from the Speaker wire and Line Level. I have no issues with Grounding with them.

mantis

DSkip wrote: »

mantis wrote: »

Sandy Gross who use to work for Polk really understands speaker design. Definitive Technology is basically an extension of polk audio or at lest thats how I look at them. The higher end offering or next level up without actually leaving the family.

I don't share those sentiments. I see Def Tech as an extension of his pet project at Polk, not an extension of Polk. If it were an extension of Polk, it'd still be Polk. No disrespect to the man or his abilities - I just don't see it the same way you do.

We all have our ways at looking at Sandy and what he did and is still doing. I respect your view.

B Run

I liked my STS's a lot and think Sandy did a great job with them, I like his new Goldenear Triton's even more and feel like he definitely knows how to make a great speaker. Hope you're enjoying them Erniejade!

erniejade

So far yes. For the size, they do sound much better then I expected. I have a little bit of hollowness in the mid area that I am trying to get hammered out. Could be placement or they don't like the tubes I am using. This weekend I am going to change from the Tele's to the 59 tung sol on the arc and see if that is a better match.

Beyond that, the high end is detailed without being ringy or sibilant, actually very plesant. The bass is solid with more authority then expected. Not a bloated bass but a nice fast punch, more like my velodyne spl1200. Remember with bass, I am used to 3 12" per speaker on the legacy. I can see why people have love for them.

erniejade

Different type of hollow. The evo sounded like they were out of phase hollow and no bass. This just has a slight hollowness just the vocals only. The rest is solid so I think it is either the placement, tube, or cables. Right now I am using Dougs purple Alpha speaker cable, dh labs IC and some old telefunken tubes and the stock PC. I am probably going to pick up a couple of Pangea PC's to replace them.

I will say the sts have really suprised me. Much better then expected.

mantis

I never noticed any Hollowness with the STS. Actually I always thought the mid range on them is incredible. Very clean and forward without being in your face. Clarity not expected from a speaker that is designed for home theater use first.
What amazes me about the Mythos line is how remarkable of a job they do with music. And not just certain music but all music. I have yet to find any genre of music that doesn't sound great on them.
I've used Kimber Kable , Cardas , Audioquest , Liberity THX on the STS and I always felt Audioquest did the best overall job. With the STS I would suggest Rocket 44's.
If you really dig Kimber Kable a nice pair of 8TC always sounded defined and effortless on them.
They really respond to what equipment you use with them. I never had them on tubes so I have no idea how they react. But I'll tell you what when I had them on Bryston Gear WOW what a combo. Even the NAD stuff I used made a remarkable clarity in the mid range with them.

When I did my power cord change , I noticed a slightly tighter and smoother bass response. Not night and day or anything but warmer more pleasing overall sound.
It's funny how long I have owned the ST's and really have no desire to replace them with anything else other then the fact I'm absolutely nuts and wouldn't mind a speaker change. I think about it all the way up to I sit in front of them and then they remind me why they have a place here.

erniejade

Thanks today I am going to swap the tubes out in the preamp. The amp I am using is a mcintosh mc402. Tube synergy sometimes can be a pain to find! I have a few I can swap into and check.

I do have some aq type 4 I can put on them to see if the aq plays better then dougs purple alphas.

I do agree they do great with music. They are doing much better in this room vs what I have had in here including vandersteen. The more I listen to them the more they are growing on me that's for sure.

I read in a review that Sandy had them in a diamond config in his room when he invited someone over to give a listen to them on a cayin amp. That is exactly how I have them in here. That configuration is what has beeen working for speakers in here.

B Run

I always liked my MIT cables with them but never swapped them out with anything else to compare so it's hard to say.

mantis

B Run wrote: »

I always liked my MIT cables with them but never swapped them out with anything else to compare so it's hard to say.

I hear yeah. It's when you do make those changes is when you can figure out if what you have is working or if something else makes the difference your looking for or discover.
I have however found that when you find a wire company that doesn't color the sound , they tend to work in all systems no matter what.
Years ago I felt using different cables was a way to fine tune a system. Today I feel that was a flawed idea. I believe that the cables you use should allow you to hear the equipment it's connected to not the other way around. It's why I stopped my search at Audioquest.

B Run

I totally agree. I don't have much experience with Audioquest, I've always heard they tend to be a little on the warmer side? You think they're that much better than Cardas, Kimber, MIT etc or is it more of an overall synergy thing with your rig?

erniejade

So,, I put the tungsol in. That helped. I also changed the speaker taps from 8 to 4ohm. That in combo with the tubes fixed it. The speaker said they are 6 ohm so I thought the 8 would work best but the 4's worked out better on my rig.

mantis

B Run wrote: »

I totally agree. I don't have much experience with Audioquest, I've always heard they tend to be a little on the warmer side? You think they're that much better than Cardas, Kimber, MIT etc or is it more of an overall synergy thing with your rig?

It's not just with my rig, it's every rig I put them in. I have been working with Audioquest for over 10 years now and they surprise me every time.
Cards is a really good brand and his goals are very similar to Audioquest, make the best cables possible to allow all the signal to travel properly without coloration.
Kimber also tries to pull this off and does a great job at it. Ray really knows his stuff and thats why you see so many people try to copy his work.
MIT I don't care but I'm sure they work in many systems where what they do helps. It's not something I believe in from everything I have learned from all the engineers who build this stuff. That's not knocking the product , it's just not what I believe in simply put. If you like it by all means use it.
Audioquest is not warm or bright , it's neutral. It's what IT is and nothing IT's not. When a cable tends to be warm bright or what have you , you are hearing coloration. Now in many cases the cable may not be bright or warm but allowing the system to reveal what it can do. The cables that where in the system before said cable may have crushed those properties. It's so difficult to tell in most cases unless you have multiple things to compare it to. Thats what I discovered about Audioquest cables, they just play whats there the best they can for the level you are at. They don't help the bass or warm up the mid range or put sparkle on the top end like most cables over the years I have tested do. They again just play whats there.