And down the rabbit hole we go

tonyp063
tonyp063 Posts: 1,087
Trying something different.

I've had a fascination with the idea of "wide range" single driver speakers.
Last year I got a completely unexpected small financial bonus, so I ordered these.

Louis was a tremendous communicator & was very honest about how long he would take to build them.
Delivered today. Obligatory cat scan completed.

Break in does need to happen, but right out of the box the sound is nothing short of marvelous.

Time to get some SE 6V6s built :)

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Comments

  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,123
    Tony, first off? Congratulations on the new speakers! New toys are always cool... B)

    I do have a question, though. Why so far back? Have you tried bringing them out about a foot or so more?

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,894
    edited December 2022
    Good call on the CAT scan -- it was de rigueur here until our scanners wore out :(
    Pretty cabinetry.

    FWIW (and not that you, nor anyone else, asked) -- I have run hot and cold on "full rangers", as you probably know -- they do some things well, first and foremost being imaging. I think a good coax does a better job all around than any of the full rangers I've listened to (which is quite a few of 'em).

    How sensitive are they supposed to be? I mean... take a little road trip up north, and I can send you home with a pair of SE 2A3 Paramours to try on 'em. :)

    EDIT: Actually, come to think of it -- I could send you home with a pair of Duplexes to try, too -- you know, the ol' A/B test (single or double blind, or sighted, as you wish)... you'd need to resource a pair of enclosures for 'em, though. ;)

    PS I like the crab sculpture.



  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,300
    edited December 2022
    Great looking speakers. Here’s a pair of Omega’s we jammed on into the wee hours of the night

    Josh JWM Acoustics was DJ’ing for the night

    Room full of Texas audiophiles Lone Star Audiofest 2016….we loved Daryl’s @voltz Omega System

    Congrats, I think you’ll enjoy

    wgk4z2uuqge7.jpeg
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    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,300
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Good call on the CAT scan -- it was de rigueur here until our scanners wore out :(
    Pretty cabinetry.

    How sensitive are they supposed to be? I mean... take a little road trip up north, and I can send you home with a pair of SE 2A3 Paramours to try on 'em. :)

    PS I like the crab sculpture.

    Doc, those can run on 2watt flea...They are like 98eff

    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,123
    txcoastal1 wrote: »
    Josh JWM Acoustics was DJ’ing for the night

    That let's me know that your musical sections were top notch!

    Tom

    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,894
    txcoastal1 wrote: »
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Good call on the CAT scan -- it was de rigueur here until our scanners wore out :(
    Pretty cabinetry.

    How sensitive are they supposed to be? I mean... take a little road trip up north, and I can send you home with a pair of SE 2A3 Paramours to try on 'em. :)

    PS I like the crab sculpture.

    Doc, those can run on 2watt flea...They are like 98eff

    I mean... 104 dB/watt @ 1 meter's better, but... the offer stands. B)

  • tonyp063
    tonyp063 Posts: 1,087
    edited December 2022
    Mark, your FrankenAltecs would knock the plaster off my *neighbors* walls! This is a *modest* sized space :-)
    Seriously, I've got 14x12 to work with. I think these may be able to produce a sufficient sound pressure.

    I will gratefully accept the loan of a 2A3 amp.
    That's on the list to build, in the fullness of time.
    I've got an EL34 (triode strapped) to explore & as mentioned, a 6F6/6V6 SEP on deck. Those 4-ish watts should do, I think.

    I agree with you on the cabinets, Louis does fine work. WAF entered into the veneer choice, because she lives here too & has to look at them every day :-) The BE Maple was her call.
    She really does like the way they work in our particular place. I'm good with that.

    Tom, firstly, thank you for the kind words. I'm quite excited to get them.

    I have not played with placement yet. According to the builder, as close as 4" to the wall is acceptable. They're about 8" now.
    I will muck about with placement after they are well broken in. There are some goodly amount of hours to go for that to happen.

    I can say that out of the box they sound remarkable. Imaging, as mentioned, is uncanny.

    And yeah. We like the crab too ;-)






  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,894
    edited December 2022
    We were down in the Mid-Atlantic last week, visiting our son & daughter-in-law in Alexandria, VA.
    I have developed the urge to pick up one of those Maryland flag/crab stickers I saw... more than occasionally... on cars on the highways in the Free State. :)

    The offer's bona fide -- you just have to come and get 'em. :)
    No rush -- we've got a few months of unpredictable* weather comin' up.

    ______________
    * actually, on the average, it's predictable. Predictably bad. Not great for a road trip :#
    We did have a fabulously easy trip down & back last week (Thanksgiving!), by picking our travel days & times carefully. The only problem we had, which was minor, was southbound around the icky construction in the vicinity of MD 152 on I-niner-five. :/ What a mess.



  • jbreezy5
    jbreezy5 Posts: 1,141
    @tonyp063 - Stunning fit’n’finish. Congrats!
    CD Players: Sony CDP-211; Sony DVP-S9000ES; Sony UDP-X800M2 (x2); Cambridge Audio CXC

    DACs: Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC III (x2); Denafrips Ares II (x2)

    Streamers: ROKU (x3); Bluesound Node 2i and Node N130 w/LHY LPS // Receivers: Yamaha RX-V775BT; Yamaha RX-V777

    Preamps: B&K Ref 50; B&K Ref 5 S2; Classe CP-800 MkII; Audio Research SP16L (soon)

    Amps: Niles SI-275; B&K ST125.7; B&K ST125.2; Classe CA-2300; Butler Audio TDB-5150

    Speakers: Boston Acoustics CR55; Focal Chorus 705v; Wharfedale Diamond 10.2; Monitor Audio Silver-1; Def Tech Mythos One (x4)/Mythos Three Center (x2)/Mythos Two pr.; Martin Logan Electromotion ESL; Legacy Audio Victoria/Silverscreen Center; Gallo Acoustics Reference 3.1; SVS SB-1000 Pro; REL HT-1003; B&W ASW610; HifiMan HE400i

    Turntable: Dual 721 Direct-Drive w/Audio Technica AT-VM95e cart

    Cables: Tripp-lite 14ga. PCs, Blue Jeans Cable ICs, Philips PXT1000 ICs; Kimber Kable DV30 coaxial ICs; Canare L-4E6S XLR ICs; Kimber Kable 8PR & 8TC speaker cables.
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,563
    Birds eye?

    My favorite
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,949
    Gorgeous veneer!
  • Thumbs up on the Birdseye Maple! I don't know that much about crossover-less full range speakers. Is there only one voice coil driving both the tweeter and the woofer cone or is there two and they use some form of natural roll off?
    George / NJ

    Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
    Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
    Onkyo A-8017 integrated
    Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
    iFi nano iDSD DAC
    iPurifier3
    iDefender w/ iPower PS
    Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
    iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
    Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
    Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,894
    Just one. The whizzer is strictly a parasitic cone with a de facto mechanical XO, typically around ca. 3000 to 4500 Hz
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,894
    edited December 2022
    Some of us have been doin' the whizzer thang for a long time.
    I literally grew up listening to EV "Wolverine" LS12 twincones. :) I think I have five of them at the moment. Not really for any reason save nostalgia -- although they're plenty listenable.

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    The sine qua non of all things "fullrange" was James Melhuish's Full Range Driver Site and Forum. Sadly, it's long gone, but there are traces of it to be found via the Wayback Machine.
    https://web.archive.org/web/20070210010441/http://fullrangedriver.com/
    Here's one example -- a once-popular Pioneer twincone (quite similar to the R/S 40-1286) augmented with a 'properly' tamed piezo tweeter. :)
    https://web.archive.org/web/20070118224201/http://melhuish.org/audio/DIYBX16.html

    Dave Dlugos carried the flame for quite a while, too, with his "Planet 10 HiFi", from whence came the phase plugs I use with the R/S 40-1354 twincones in my mass loaded folded, tapered TQWTs (designed by Bob Brines).

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    https://www.planet10-hifi.com/

  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,159
    Beautiful speakers. :p

    I believe I need to veneer my Newform Research speaker's bases in Bird's Eye Maple after seeing your beauties. <3



    My newest Chess Board and Chess Pieces Coffer would look nice near those speakers. ;)

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    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • jbreezy5
    jbreezy5 Posts: 1,141
    Tony M wrote: »
    Beautiful speakers. :p

    I believe I need to veneer my Newform Research speaker's bases in Bird's Eye Maple after seeing your beauties. <3



    My newest Chess Board and Chess Pieces Coffer would look nice near those speakers. ;)

    zybf3jf9igyu.jpg

    d0ix46piqc7e.jpg

    1v0fdj32nro8.jpg

    up8ifdbjh0fn.jpg

    3zhu9mru07th.jpg


    Beautiful Chess board! Are you on the Lichess app?
    CD Players: Sony CDP-211; Sony DVP-S9000ES; Sony UDP-X800M2 (x2); Cambridge Audio CXC

    DACs: Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC III (x2); Denafrips Ares II (x2)

    Streamers: ROKU (x3); Bluesound Node 2i and Node N130 w/LHY LPS // Receivers: Yamaha RX-V775BT; Yamaha RX-V777

    Preamps: B&K Ref 50; B&K Ref 5 S2; Classe CP-800 MkII; Audio Research SP16L (soon)

    Amps: Niles SI-275; B&K ST125.7; B&K ST125.2; Classe CA-2300; Butler Audio TDB-5150

    Speakers: Boston Acoustics CR55; Focal Chorus 705v; Wharfedale Diamond 10.2; Monitor Audio Silver-1; Def Tech Mythos One (x4)/Mythos Three Center (x2)/Mythos Two pr.; Martin Logan Electromotion ESL; Legacy Audio Victoria/Silverscreen Center; Gallo Acoustics Reference 3.1; SVS SB-1000 Pro; REL HT-1003; B&W ASW610; HifiMan HE400i

    Turntable: Dual 721 Direct-Drive w/Audio Technica AT-VM95e cart

    Cables: Tripp-lite 14ga. PCs, Blue Jeans Cable ICs, Philips PXT1000 ICs; Kimber Kable DV30 coaxial ICs; Canare L-4E6S XLR ICs; Kimber Kable 8PR & 8TC speaker cables.
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,159
    @jbreezy5

    Look in your PM box.
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • skipshot12
    skipshot12 Posts: 1,169
    Not to dive bomb your post.

    Talking with treitz3 and purchasing a piece from him to play my wife's iPhone thru my old stereo system...
    Hope I'm not headed into the hole!

    Last thing I need is to try and explain that I've fallen in love with another format to play music.
    Tom, gonna blame it on you :D

    Skip
  • Faustin
    Faustin Posts: 1,149
    Congrats on your new speakers. Beautiful! Curious to hear what you have to say about them after some break in time.
  • tonyp063
    tonyp063 Posts: 1,087
    As am I.

    So far, after more than 10 & less then 100 hours, I can say they haven't opened up yet.
    Imaging is still lovely. Depth of field is quite nice.
    Obviously source related too.

    I've been using ACA monoblocks for the last couple of days to get things moving.
    I'll be putting the ST-70 back into the bullpen & seeing what they sound like with some SE* (triode strapped) pentode things.


    So far, I do not think I will be returning these :-)



    *Which is one of the main shoves down this rabbit hole.