Started my new custom SDA's today

Jeff Beaird

ben62670 wrote: »

Primus at 123db tonight! Welcome to this world!!!!

So..? Did the Vifa survive Les Claypool's insane bass rifs..?

ben62670

Jeff Beaird wrote: »

So..? Did the Vifa survive Les Claypool's insane bass rifs..?

It faired well! I am very happy with them:)

Jeff Beaird

Ben, did the 6502's show up yet?

ben62670

Jeff Beaird wrote: »

Ben, did the 6502's show up yet?

Not yet. I am working on cables tonight though;)

ben62670

Well I hope the neighbors don't mind, but I am going to enjoy a bit of listening before my latest mod:)

leroyjr1

Ben, what kind of SPL readings have you got with them beasts when pushing them hard?

ben62670

leroyjr1 wrote: »

Ben, what kind of SPL readings have you got with them beasts when pushing them hard?

126db

ben62670

Well I am in an audio funk. I just got back from CT, and was dying to hear "real" music. Well I was very disappointed. At lower levels the bottom just seamed weak, and the upper mids were just annoying. I haven't done the mods I posted earlier. I am holding off for a few. Tonight I am going to wire them like 1.2tl's and just run 8 mids per cabinet instead of 16 per cabinet. I will lose the SDA adjust-ability with the way I am wiring them, but I need to do this before I do the mods I mentioned before.
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showpost.php?p=915338&postcount=295
Time to operate again.
Ben

ben62670

The 1.2 speakers have the equivalent of a 40" woofer each, and mine are equal to 60" woofers. Well with the extra mw's running as passive woofers I am pretty surprised that the snares are hitting just like all MW's are running. I did lose some DB's, but that is fine for my experiment. I do need to stuff the cabs a little better. The room still sucks for these speakers, but I am happy with the improvement. The sound stage is wide, but not artificial. Overall I am pleased. When I am the other MW's XO'ed at 250hz or so I think it will fill the room better.
Ben

Edit:
I just listened to Diana Krall. Mind blowing. I know what speakers are active, but the sound "was not coming from the speakers"

ben62670

Well I can't edit, but I lost a nipple tonight. One one of my Vifa's died tonight:(

ben62670

I wish I could edit. I hate posting five times in a row in any thread:rolleyes: Well audio funk is now gone:) The Niles amp I was temporarily using was very grainy. I did a little torture testing last night, and lost both Vifa's. I thought they would have held up better than the Morel's seeing on paper they handle higher wattage, more efficient, and able to be crossed over lower. Well they didn't fair well. The VC's didn't fried, but heated, and the glue failed that holds the VC in place. One is totally frozen, and the other is distorting very badly. The Morel's are back in place, and are matching the 1.2 setup much better than having 8 stereo, and 8 dimensional drivers. A buddy dropped off an old Yami M45, and that is driving the tweeters now. Much much better than the Nile's. Things are sounding very good over here again.

Face

It appears I may have lost a Vifa today also...they're delicate little buggers eh?

ben62670

I thought for sure they would hold up

Face

Update on mine, it appears my tweets are fine, my pre is the problem. I'm using a Goldpoint stepped attenuator with Vishay resistors and a couple of the low level resistors have a tiny bit of static, but the rest are fine. I guess it's time to pull it apart and check the solder joints.

I would have been pissed if I blew a tweeter, especially since mine are discontinued.

ben62670

Face wrote: »

Update on mine, it appears my tweets are fine, my pre is the problem. I'm using a Goldpoint stepped attenuator with Vishay resistors and a couple of the low level resistors have a tiny bit of static, but the rest are fine. I guess it's time to pull it apart and check the solder joints.

I would have been pissed if I blew a tweeter, especially since mine are discontinued.

Keep me posted bro.

RuSsMaN

Why is the abomination continuing? I've heard from multiple members that have heard them in person that they sound like poo, as polite as I can put it. Sure, I'd like to make that decision on my own, but the members that have commented, I have a pretty good idea of the 'sound' they like and don't like, so their opinion has some weight.

Why they won't tell you themselves, I have no idea. Just buy some proper SDA and get it over with already. Please.

Cheers,
Russ

ben62670

RuSsMaN wrote: »

Why is the abomination continuing? I've heard from multiple members that have heard them in person that they sound like poo, as polite as I can put it. Sure, I'd like to make that decision on my own, but the members that have commented, I have a pretty good idea of the 'sound' they like and don't like, so their opinion has some weight.

Why they won't tell you themselves, I have no idea. Just buy some proper SDA and get it over with already. Please.

Cheers,
Russ

I love you too Russ. The room in GA sucks real bad for them(10lbs of ds in a 5lbs bag don't work;). It is way to small. I have recently made mods to overcome the cheap PA sound with the mids beaming(real bad). I finally applied MP's advice to run only 4 dimensional drivers, and 4 stereos per cabinet, and the other 8 will be run at roughly 200-300hz when I finally figure out what frequency works best. If you actually did a little reading instead of taking a stab at me you would have known that. I worked real hard at these, and they worked great in the 24x24 room they were in. I take pride in my work, and again if you did a little reading you would have seen I had the same complaints that others have had. Constructive criticism is cool, but you just don't like me so your opinion on this matter is moot. I do enjoy hearing your opinions on things you have heard, and I listen, but till you come over, and offer constructive criticism I shall ignore your comments.
Thanks
Ben

Edit:BTW they did tell me where they felt they were lacking;)

Edit edit: Cheers

ben62670

One more thing Russ do you think the advice Ken, Stu, and MP gave me is bad I can send you their emails on my project if you like. With the recent mods I have fallowed them to a tee. Things are much better since the last mod made this last week(no Polkie has been here since). Are the PA engineers not who should be listened to?
I know you and a few others have a target on my back, and you know I have just been recently injured, and you may think I am easily aggravated, so I think its pretty weak that you are hoping my reply would be banishment material, but I know your motives.
Polk rocks, you don't.
Ben

Early B.

That was cruel, Russ. Bad timing, too.

mmadden28

Face wrote: »

...Vishay resistors...

I just did a quick bit of research on Vishay---I always wondered what Vishay did. I drive past their Corp HQ everyday-practically around the corner from my house. Huh

F1nut

Everybody take a deep breath.......ah there, all better.

Let's move on.

RuSsMaN

That wasn't meant to be cruel, just thought I'd throw it out there, that's all. I mean were 9 pages into it so far.....

Cheers,
Russ

nadams

Hey Russ... do you think Matt's first SDA's sounded golden the first time he turned them on?

RuSsMaN

Knowing Matt, yeah, probably.

Cheers,
Russ

ben62670

Well I that friggen hurt. I tried to move My SDA's upstairs by myself. Real bad idea. I could not even get them up one step!

BTW Russ. There are 5 generations of SDA's. Are the first as good as the last? No disrespect to MP, but there is always room for improvement;)
Ben

ben62670

Well I am a friggen idiot. I have five herniated disk, one on my spinal cord, 5 previous fractures between my back and neck, degenerative bone disease in at least two neck bones, and my hand/arm injury. I brought the speakers around the front. My house is a split level so I figured I would be half way there. I also figured with a board I would be able to slide them up the stairs. I figured I would be able to slide the speakers up the stairs with my thigh. No can do. I waved some kid down, and asked him for help. He just left my neighbors house, and got him over here. I told him that the speakers were over 7 feet tall. He said what do they weigh 125LBS, and I said more like 325lbs. We got them upstairs. The kid looked at me and asked me if I am alright? I felt like I was about to faint. My arm feels like it is going to pop, but I could not stand the way they sounded down stairs. I need a few to recoup from my stupidity. They better sound good with the new environment. There are vaulted ceilings where they are now. They are staying there till I move! Being this tall really makes things extremely difficult!

zingo

I'm glad they sound better Ben, but that was plain stupid of you to try to move them in your state. Stay off your feet as we want you to get better, not worse.

ben62670

Well Russ was right. They did sound like pooh down there. I am going to relax for a few. Moving all the other stuff was no joy. I got sick of them being stuffed down there. It is better where they are. They are hooked up, and running. Still over powering the environment, but better. I really need a breather. I'll be back.
Ben

ben62670

Well I have been doing the shuffle here. I have added a cap to the highs as noted earlier. I am still only running 16 of the mid woofers, but I will fix that soon. I also added a polyswitch back in the high end. Non pro tweeters can not handle the spl's I demand. It adds some grain, but I can not afford to blow any tweeters now. They are spaced about 8 feet apart cab to cab, and I am about 10 feet away. I know this thread has gone real far. I feel that a lot of this is pertaining to environment, and I am always looking to improve. Sorry guys attending PFGA08 for them being out of tune, and glaring in the mids. Again I did state that the mids were beaming. That is fixed now. I am seriously thinking of going passive on the XO. I can not afford to keep using multiple amps to keep the system running like this. I am most likely going to sell my GFA-585. I hate to do this, but stuff happens. I can run 90% of the SQ with just 2 amps. I am very pleased in the new environment now. The vaulted ceilings have help with negative reflections a lot. Well I am back to the tunes. I am very happy now:)

BTW who ever placed the tag please remove.
Thanks
Ben

Systems

Nope, I can't see where they would be musical at all.