The AI-1 Dreadnought Project Pt.1
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Here are some more pictures of the Dreadnought enclosure in various stages of assembly and as finally assembled.Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.
Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One. -
I thought a little sound quality was lost when I first connected the 1000VA AI-1 (compared to the 800VA AI-1). With time everything that was there before returned, and then it really blossomed.
I second giving it burn in time."Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer -
Well, we now have about 12 hours of listening time in, and this rig has truly blossomed!
We're listening to Ray Charles's "Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company." It is magnificent! The sound stage is about six feet wider on both sides and very deep -- Ray and his piano are about three feet in front of the plane of the speaker fronts and the orchestra is arrayed across the entire soundstage behind him and the individuals with whom he sings successive duets.
The instrumentals are deep and clear. The vocals are beautifully precise, clear and warm! The transients are fast and detailed. I don't know what more to say other than I hope things just keep getting better -- but I don't know where they can go from here. I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride. (Current duet is with Willie Nelson singing "It Was a Very Good Year," and Willie just sang the "when I was 35" segment!) Beautiful.
Close my eyes and it sounds like they're all in the room with me.
Trey, DarqueKnight, Toolfan66, nspindel, drumminman and all those who helped me along the way with these mods, a mighty big thanks!Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.
Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One. -
Moose68Bash wrote: »I don't know what more to say other than I hope things just keep getting better -- but I don't know where they can go from here.
You would be quite shocked at the difference driver rings and upgraded internal wiring would make.
It appears from your signature you have 1.2's (with RD0194 tweeters). Since you were upgrading the crossovers, why didn't you do a 1.2TL conversion?Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
Thanks for the comments.
Toolfan, it is a tank -- 46 pounds with the transformer installed. The binding posts are well isolated from the aluminum. The nylon (I think) spacers and washers shipped with the Cardas binding posts are properly seated in the holes in the rear plate.
Darqueknight, I have installed Larry's rings, but I didn't do the tl upgrade because somebody (I don't remember who) on the Forum said in one thread that it was not a good idea to start swapping out the inductors to do the tl upgrade. Does that particular upgrade -- to the RD0198s -- make a big difference?
I read your write-up about your upgraded internal wiring, and if I had or can acquire the skills to do it properly, I would likely take it on one day soon. Right now, however, I have to finish the upgrades on my 1Cs before I start on any new projects. Trey told me today that he expects the inductors soon, and he is going to ship out the new binding post plates he is having fabricated in a couple of weeks or so. I also have to install my 600 VA toroidal transformer in Larry's enclosure to use with the 1Cs (I'm almost finished -- Dynamatted it this evening). When I used it in a plywood box with the 1Cs for a while, even with a common ground amp (Perreaux PMF3150), it made a very big improvement in the sound.
Then, I have to get an electrician to run dedicated lines to power the Perreaux monoblocks, and I have to build new power cords for the monoblocks. I purchased Furutech 9 AWG cable from Sonicraft and Furutech Edison and IEC plugs with which to build them. I would also like to find a solution to the problem of eliminating line noise. I still haven't decided what is best for me to do.
I have a few projects to complete before I'll be ready to open up the SRSs again!
Once again, thanks to you and all the others who have helped make these improvements in my set up possible for me.Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.
Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One. -
Moose68Bash wrote: »Darqueknight, I have installed Larry's rings, but I didn't do the tl upgrade because somebody (I don't remember who) on the Forum said in one thread that it was not a good idea to start swapping out the inductors to do the tl upgrade.
It is not a good idea to swap inductors for ones with different wire gauges and DCR's (except for the 16 mH SDA inductor). It is a good idea to replace the inductors with higher quality inductors with the same wire gauge and DCR.
Upgrade-High-Frequency-Inductors-For-The-SDA-SRS-1.2TL
Upgrade-Low-Frequency-Inductors-For-the-SDA-SRS-1.2TLMoose68Bash wrote: »Does that particular upgrade -- to the RD0198s -- make a big difference?
Polk thought it did, hence the introduction of the SDA SRS 1.2TL and the 1.2 --> 1.2TL conversion kit. Toolfan66 can provide first-hand insight since he converted his 1.2's to 1/2TL's.Moose68Bash wrote: »I read your write-up about your upgraded internal wiring, and if I had or can acquire the skills to do it properly, I would likely take it on one day soon. Right now, however, I have to finish the upgrades on my 1Cs before I start on any new projects. Trey told me today that he expects the inductors soon, and he is going to ship out the new binding post plates he is having fabricated in a couple of weeks or so. I also have to install my 600 VA toroidal transformer in Larry's enclosure to use with the 1Cs (I'm almost finished -- Dynamatted it this evening). When I used it in a plywood box with the 1Cs for a while, even with a common ground amp (Perreaux PMF3150), it made a very big improvement in the sound.Moose68Bash wrote: »Then, I have to get an electrician to run dedicated lines to power the Perreaux monoblocks, and I have to build new power cords for the monoblocks. I purchased Furutech 9 AWG cable from Sonicraft and Furutech Edison and IEC plugs with which to build them. I would also like to find a solution to the problem of eliminating line noise. I still haven't decided what is best for me to do.
1. AC Regenerator for your preamp and source components.
2. Passive line filter (Shunyata Hydra, PS Audio Solist, or similar) for the power amps.Moose68Bash wrote: »Once again, thanks to you and all the others who have helped make these improvements in my set up possible for me.
Congrats on the Dreadnought build and your sonic results.Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
Moose68Bash wrote: »
Well, we now have about 12 hours of listening time in, and this rig has truly blossomed!
We're listening to Ray Charles's "Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company." It is magnificent! The sound stage is about six feet wider on both sides and very deep -- Ray and his piano are about three feet in front of the plane of the speaker fronts and the orchestra is arrayed across the entire soundstage behind him and the individuals with whom he sings successive duets.
The instrumentals are deep and clear. The vocals are beautifully precise, clear and warm! The transients are fast and detailed. I don't know what more to say other than I hope things just keep getting better -- but I don't know where they can go from here. I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride. (Current duet is with Willie Nelson singing "It Was a Very Good Year," and Willie just sang the "when I was 35" segment!) Beautiful.
Close my eyes and it sounds like they're all in the room with me.
Trey, DarqueKnight, Toolfan66, nspindel, drumminman and all those who helped me along the way with these mods, a mighty big thanks!
Now we're talkin'! Ah, the difference a little break-in can make. I see we have another believer. Still amazes me how many people argue that break-in is nonsense.Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance. -
DarqueKnight wrote: »There were small, but easily heard, improvements with the xStream cables. I did listening tests with an xStream cable first on the right and then on the left, then on both sides. Quantitatively there was a little more detail, moreso at the sides of the sound stage. Spatially there was a little more image height overall and a little more depth at the sides of the sound stage.
And we lost another one to the cable companies..
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And we lost another one to the cable companies..
If I were going to be lost, I would much rather it be to an audio cable company than to a casino, recreational drug dealer, cigarette company, or diamond dealer.Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
And we lost another one to the cable companies..
And we found another one. A newbie to debate cables. Great....Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance. -
Raife, as long as you're more lost than me I am ok with it, your blazing the trail for me
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LOL, nothing like a troll"....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963) -
And we found another one. A newbie to debate cables.....
...with the typical lack of knowedge about electrical noise, dielectric effects and conductor quality and how they affect the spatial properties of stereophonic music.Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
DarqueKnight wrote: »...with the typical lack of knowedge about electrical noise, dielectric effects and conductor quality and how they affect the spatial properties of stereophonic music.
Agreed. -
DarqueKnight wrote: »If I were going to be lost, I would much rather it be to an audio cable company than to a casino, recreational drug dealer, cigarette company, or diamond dealer.
This is a sentiment I agree withAnd we found another one. A newbie to debate cables. Great....
This is one that needs some re-evaluation. Have you ever tried blind testing cables? Although there may be some minor differences people tell you such asDarqueKnight wrote: »electrical noise, dielectric effects and conductor quality and how they affect the spatial properties of stereophonic music.
Which cable companies want you to believe in will make an audible difference, its a old trick thats been tested many times over which shows it's just a subjective effect.
Don't get me wrong guys I love the sound of my Polks just as much as you guys do, yet cables should be the last thing on everyone's mind when upgrading their Polks to make an audible difference. They do look cool though, I'll give them that. -
Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance. -
^^^^ That really doesn't warrant a response, but I'll give it a shot . . . I recently went from 12 awg Tributaries to MIT AVT2 . . . .
NIGHT AND DAY DIFF
G
Edit: Neil beat me to it . . .AC Regenerator PS Audio PerfectWave Power Plant 10
Source Lumin U1 Mini into Lampizator Baltic 4 DAC
Pre Cary SLP-05
Power Rogue M180 Dark monos
Mains Salk HT2-TL
Rythmik F12 -
Seriously, parnold. No joke. This is one of the best threads in the entire Polk forum. Please, just go away. Do not drag this thread down to a cable debate. We're more than aware of the fact that many people do not believe cables make a difference. Been down this road too many times. Just let it go.Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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I'm letting it go, and I do admire DK's work, don't want to derail the thread too much. Just didn't want people thinking that cables are the end all solution to audio nirvana. /thread back on rails.
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Have you ever tried blind testing cables?
Of course I have tried blind testing cables. Have you ever tried reading as opposed to jumping to erroneous conclusions? The reason I ask is that my first comment in the post you quoted from (#308) said this:DarqueKnight wrote:I did not hear a difference between the [Monster Cable] Z2 Reference and Volcano cables, even though the Volcanoes had a lower average noise spectrum density and magnitude. This seems to indicate that either there is an upper bound on improvement in sound quality with improvement in SDA cable quality or my equipment could not convey the difference or that my ears could not discern the difference.
While I did not hear a difference or improvement with the use of a pair of $3300 cables on the Dreadnought, I did hear a moderate improvement when the Dreadnought was placed in its $200 aluminium enclosure.
However, in spite of the above, you just zeroed in on the very last comment where I reported a small audible improvement with a cable upgrade.DarqueKnight wrote:Don't get me wrong guys I love the sound of my Polks just as much as you guys do, yet cables should be the last thing on everyone's mind when upgrading their Polks to make an audible difference.
Yeah, maybe that's why so many of us focused on upgrading tweeters, modifying drivers, upgrading crossover components, modifying cabinets...and other things. We are not as naive as you seem to need to believe.I'm letting it go, and I do admire DK's work, don't want to derail the thread too much. Just didn't want people thinking that cables are the end all solution to audio nirvana.
Thanks for the "enlightenment".Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
Pretty sure that this shows how wrong you are parnold: http://www.cirris.com/testing/resistance/wire.html
Or how about just taking the exact same length and diameter of wire and simply seeing the resistance of various materials: http://chemandy.com/calculators/round-wire-resistance-calculator.htm
I'm sure parnold meant well. He just didn't want us to get ensnared by the diabolical schemes of the snakeoil audio cable companies. If parnold, and others, wish to discuss the evils if the the audio cable industry, I hope they will take it to another thread.
Thank you for your consideration.Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
How about giving us a list of the gear your using??
Let me guess -
An iPhone
iPad
8-Track Player
MP3 PlayerStatistics show that 98% of us will die at some point in our lifetime.
The other 2% will work for WalMart. -
DarqueKnight wrote: »Of course I have tried blind testing cables. Have you ever tried reading as opposed to jumping to erroneous conclusions?
No matter what we say, how much we say it, that cables DO make a difference, it will be up to people like them to take it upon themselves to experience the difference cables make. Until that day, they will be audio blind.
I can be certian to speak for the long-time forum members and contributors that we are ALL thankful for the efforts DK, TF66, and others who have contributed to this forum and made the Polk World a better place.Statistics show that 98% of us will die at some point in our lifetime.
The other 2% will work for WalMart. -
Geez Phil, that enclosure is truly built like a tank. What was done to the front plate, was it sandblasted?
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Geez Phil, that enclosure is truly built like a tank. What was done to the front plate, was it sandblasted?
It was hard anodized. The guy who did it for me said that it would dipped in an acid solution for cleaning before the anodizing process, but it wasn't sand blasted. The machinist buffed the aluminum plate after drilling and chamfering it. Perhaps, the buffing created the effect.
Using 3/8" plate was probably overkill, but I used it for two reasons: 1) DarqueKnight's write up indicated the more aluminum shielding, the better the performance. 2) I wanted to countersink the socket-head cap screws so that they would be flush with the surface.
Great work on your Dreadnought!Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.
Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One. -
This is my Family Room system with the Dreadnought next to the Perreaux SM6MKII preamp on the second shelf of the cart. Lisa and I still have not decided exactly how we want to reconfigure the cabinets behind to accommodate the monoblocks that are now sitting on the top shelf. But, even as now set up, the sound is great coming out of the SDA SRS1.2as, and it is getting better and better as the new crossovers from Trey's shop, SDA inductors, and the Dreadnought get more hours on them.
Just for the record, the speakers are 8" from the rear wall.Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.
Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One. -
All I can say is WOW.
What an impressive write up I can't wait to begin.
Owned my 1.2 for 24 years and said to say I just learned about the + & - post were backwards due to polk using up old stickers. Already sounding better. Dreadnaught is first then amps then cables.
mcoW4S SX-1000, Adcom gfp-750, Polk 1.2tl, W4S DAC 2 DSDse, 2012 mac mini (mod), JRivers ver. 19, WD Cloud NAS 2 t.b., Monster Cable AVS-2000 signature, Doug's Alpha I/C & Doug's biwire 6' speaker cables -
Yo ZITFUL, I'm Pretty Sure that the US Patent Office does not issue Patents for devices that produce snake oil!
Sure they do.
I bet somewhere there is a micro car converted to run on snake oil. Probably in San Francisco.
And the snake oil refinery is in Cambridge, Ma.
And it's probably patented. -
My compliments to dark Knight for very fine written piece and for using measuring devices to show some results. It's so nice to see measurements to correlate with what people are hearing. I am so sick of hearing everybody wax poetic about what an improvement sounds like. And you are left wondering if it was just a case of expectation bias.
I'm wondering if anybody could tell me what would happen if you inadvertently hooked up an amplifier that was not common ground?
I am new to this whole SDA club but I am really looking forward to getting my pair up and running! I just purchased a pair of SDa srs twos yesterday. -
An SDA speaker would cause a short circuit at the terminals of a non common ground amp.
What happens after that depends on how the particular amplifier handles short circuit conditions. Some amps immediately shut down. Sometimes you will hear a loud howling sound as the amp dumps large amounts of current into the speaker...then the amp's protection circuitry shuts it down...or the amp blows a fuse...or the amp's output stage is burned out...and/or the drivers are burned out.
The figure below shows a SDA cable connection at top and an AI-1 (Dreadnought) connection below.
Notice that in the top schematic, the SDA interconnect connects the ground terminals of the speakers left and right inputs, which also means the left and right ground terminals of the amplifier will be connected. If the amplifier already has its left and right ground terminals connected (common ground connection), then the connection presents on problem. If the amplifier is an isolated ground amplifier where the ground terminals of the two channels must be electrically separate, then the SDA cable will cause a short circuit.
The AI-1's/Dreadnought's transformer passes the SDA signal by induction, thereby preventing a direct electrical connection.Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
Dang Ray, You're always there when someone needs your consult.
