Does size matter?

[MartinT]

There's no doubt that 12 or 15" inch bass units (in a well implemented design) do it best

I always thought that JBL do bass very well. Lightweight 12" paper cone drivers that can move air but are still fast. I had a pair of L100-T (from the Ti range) a good few years ago and they showed many a British design how to do fast and deep bass properly.

[Ashley James]

Has anyone ever look at a www.voltloudspeakers.co.uk drive unit because I think they may be the best you can buy.

The secret to good quality bass is sensible cabinet alignment and a huge amplifier, preferably via an Active crossover because a passive one softens the sound too much.

[jimdgoulding]

My, I should feel right at home here- a) I listen in a modest size room b) I listen with modest size speakers with small drivers c) they are one of the grand daddies of active speakers, the last incarnation of the Meridian M20 d) I am in agreement with most of the comments here about how all this adds up. I did, however, replace the short factory supplied stands with taller ones and use the tweeter surrounds that I make. Altogether to include how they marry to my room, I'm as happy as a duck on a bug.

What intrigues me the most about the ADM9's is all that amplifier power. That has to be good. My speakers are also are too soft in the lowest bass. Dressed all the way out, that's 2/3 of a system in a single package at more than reasonable cost. To my way of thinking, add a quick little tube pre and I can imagine a lively and fulfilling listening experience. Oh yeah.

[Ashley James]

There is a remote controlled, two input preamplifier built in as well as a 24 bit DAC by Wolfson that I see Linn are advertising as the "best in the world".

All you need is a Laptop and an Airport Express to supply the noughts and ones to the speakers and you're done!

The scariest thing to traditionalists is how good they sound with an iPod Touch from its analogue output.

[Marco]

Ash,

I'm looking forward to the AVI demo at Bristol. I'll review it on the forum, along with stuff from the rest of the show. I'd really like to get a handle on where you guys are coming from with audio. There is much to learn for a traditionalist like me

Marco.

[Ashley James]

Marco, there will be no shocks for you because you already have natural and accurate speakers, you should expect an extremely clean and more dynamic sound with a better stereo image from a relatively small speaker.

That's assuming you can hear anything above the high ambient noise level.
We always think we've done well if we can equal the sound quality of the ceiling speakers in the Gent's toilet on the first floor!

[Marco]

LOL. It will be good to have a chat and a listen anyway

Marco.

[WikiBoy]

Some good points,

My Technics clips badly at low volume with music with extended LF and during some movies, I have to adjust the Kef LF cut off for reasonable levels to be achieved at the expense of LF extension. (maybe due to the kef creating extreme conditions?)

When I hook up my 103db sensitivity speakers with their 15" bass drivers to the Technics amp, I have no such problems with clipping at high volume with music containing extended LF content.

I also seem to get an extra notch of volume before clipping if I change from VDH speaker cable to Naim Nac 5 with the Technics and Kef R107?

Steve

The power supply is not big enough or low impedance enough in the technics. They use an under size frame transformer for the voltage swing. This is a classic example of watts meaning virtually bugger all, which is why I was calling Ashley. Think of the power supply as the waterpipe, the gain stages (amplifier) as the tap and the speaker as the glass. If the water pipe ain't big enough it makes no difference how far the tap will turn! AND there is precisely no point in measuring the speed of the water into a thimble (load resisitor) if you wish it to equate to a pint glass (loudspeaker).

[sastusbulbas]

The power supply is not big enough or low impedance enough in the technics. They use an under size frame transformer for the voltage swing. This is a classic example of watts meaning virtually bugger all, which is why I was calling Ashley. Think of the power supply as the waterpipe, the gain stages (amplifier) as the tap and the speaker as the glass. If the water pipe ain't big enough it makes no difference how far the tap will turn! AND there is precisely no point in measuring the speed of the water into a thimble (load resisitor) if you wish it to equate to a pint glass (loudspeaker).

Here are some pics and specs of the offending (but still enjoyable) item.

I do like it's quiet performance when used with sensitive speakers, with 103db sensitivity speakers this amp is silent when you put your ear to the tweeter (with digital direct). I have heard AVI amps are also good in this respect.

The amp prefers 8ohm easy to drive speakers of reasonable to high sensitivity, and can offer enjoyable results with such. I did see pictures of this amp in a Japanese TAD thread? not sure if it has been paired successfully with such esteemed products?

In earlier days it was beneficial to have it's multiple digital inputs and outputs too, but as with any integrated solution not much can be done with upgrading.

[WikiBoy]

Here are some pics and specs of the offending (but still enjoyable) item.

I do like it's quiet performance when used with sensitive speakers, with 103db sensitivity speakers this amp is silent when you put your ear to the tweeter (with digital direct). I have heard AVI amps are also good in this respect.

The amp prefers 8ohm easy to drive speakers of reasonable to high sensitivity, and can offer enjoyable results with such. I did see pictures of this amp in a Japanese TAD thread? not sure if it has been paired successfully with such esteemed products?

In earlier days it was beneficial to have it's multiple digital inputs and outputs too, but as with any integrated solution not much can be done with upgrading.

All you need to do is replace those undersize frame transformers with a couple of 160va but preferably 220va or better still 300va torroids and that amp would sing and drive anything. Trouble is there is no room in the case but you could do it as external PSU box or two. Typical Japanese they always scrimp on the power supply.