IPL M1TLm Ribbon Transmission Line

[The Alchemist]

You are right. Part of the pleasure of building for me is making the next one a little bit better than the one before.......
Suggest you go to see Ivan to listen to the Ribbon Tweeters. I'm pretty sure you will want to build a new pair of speakers. I did!http://theartofsound.net/forum/image...es/biggrin.gif

[naitphile]

The 'Alchemist' aka Richard Ellis of Alchemy speakers delivered my IPL S2 TLKs today.

First impressions out of the box...

Workmanship - the photos do not do justice to Richard's veneering skills - they are very nice pieces of furniture. The edging is particularly nice and the lacquering is of a high professional standard. This is not the kind of finish I am used to in my history of budget/mid-priced speakers. I had considered making the kit up myself and while it may have been fun; it is apparent there was no way, as a one off attempt, I would have produced a cabinet of this quality.

I understand there are not too many of the S2TLKs around - which have the kevlar bass driver versus the Polypropylene one in the S2TLPs the - TLKs go a little bit lower.

Before Richard came we agreed a playlist which I have been listening to repeatedly on my existing speakers which are Dali Ikon 6 MKII. Upon hearing these Richard looked a little worried as these are nice speakers! (my only complaint being the bass is a little muddy and voices never seemed fully open)

Upon first playing the S2TLKs immediately showed more detail and more open voices but surprisingly although the bass was much tauter they seemed less weighty. However after a couple of hours listening the bass started to extend quite dramatically but at the end of day one the thing that impressed me is the detail and the accuracy of sound of individual instruments and human voice. Having said that the cabinets are loaded with the full amount of recommended wool so after further run in some of this can be removed to add more weight to the bass if needed.

Ivan (at IPL) is very explicit about matching speaker and room size. I went for a speaker that should be in a slightly larger room (I am hedging my bets as we are looking to move house) nonetheless the sound doesn't seem to have suffered.


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