My bits and pieces

[hoopsontoast]

Yeah, it seems to be the general consensus about power.

I do love this combo, i am over the moon!

I wrote this on another forum.....

Well, a week since my first impressions of the Kef/Sony combo and I still stand by it. Been listening to a LOT of music and its still a great match. There are one or two bass notes that seem to boom a little, not something I had noticed with the Kolts, but had with the Vulcans and AE2's in this room for example, although the PMC DB1S+ that Andy bought over did not.
This I believe is a function of the room, so I think some room friendly tweaks are in order in the future.

One example from the week, I was listening to Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms (yes, I do love this album) and its just brilliant, the into to money for nothing is great anyway, but has some real kick in the drums! Its a reference CD mainly as I grew up with it and have listened to it through just about all my hifi systems.
Some Orbital - Wonky and U.N.K.L.E -War Stories was just pretty epic I have to say

The biggest surprise for me is that I never expected to really like these 104/2's, even though they had been on my 'to-do-list' for a good while they sort of go against all of my previous favorite speakers that tend to be 'simple' in design ethos, like the Rega speakers (R1, R3, R7, Jura), full-range-drivers like Veravox 5S or Jordan JX92 or simple 2-way bookshelves (Kord Tornado, Keesonic Kolt, ATC SCM7).
The 104/2's go against all of that, one of the most complex crossovers, 5-speaker 3-way design and from a brand that most of their speakers I had heard (current Reference, R-Series, Blade and Q-Series) had all sounded good but far too hifi and really seemed to miss the musical element.
The 104/2's have a very easy listening nature, they are slightly rolled of in the treble but certainly dont sound dull, cymbals still shimmer for example but its not in a hard, fatiguing way that I sometimes got off the SCM7's which is why I prefered the SCM10 for example.

One thing I also found is that voices have very good dynamic range, its portrayed really well (macro/micro dynamics??) so variation in certain parts of the song really help to feel like you are maybe an inch or so closer to the real

The only major downsize is that with Rock, they can sound a little slow/flat at lower volumes but that really changes when you turn it up a bit, this could be the speakers or just the general recordings of the music, Audioslave, The Pixies, Wolfmother etc for example.

The bass could be tighter, but not sure if its just me going from the MMG's/Kolts and certainly cant complain with the depth or punch though.
Only other thing is that I liked the idea originally of them as they should work quite well near rear walls and wanted some speakers that were not as room imposing as the MMG's, but after experimentation they have ended up nearly as far out into the room as them! Oh well.

So overall, I am pretty darn smitten .....

[hoopsontoast]

Big Update

Once again, the roundabout spins and going down the DIY route, in a big way!
The 770ES has gone and the 104/2's are off next weekend!

Some new speakers:


Eclipse TD-508 Mk1 by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

These were offered up on the Spirit of the wam thread by Pete (Cobbler) as they had the centre domes of the full-range-drivers pushed in and too expensive to get a new pair of drivers.

I plugged them in and they sounded a little rolled off in the treble/recessed, but not too bad considering.

I had a play and managed to get them apart and have a look at the drivers. Very well built inside and great attention to detail.

I tried the old method of using a vacuum cleaner to 'suck' out the centre caps to no avail, then had a go with a craft knife to see if I could prise them out, same result.

I did find a way to pull them out in the end, using a wood screw, made a small hole in the centre and maybe one or two rotations to hold it in, then gently pulled it out. It worked sort of, there are a few creases in the cone now, and of course a small hole.

Supprisingly decent bass depth considering the size and that they are designed as Desktop speakers IIRC.
From looking inside, they also have no filtering at all, the driver is connected directly to the terminals. This also means there is no BSC, so I guess there may be some built in to the drivers response similar to the Mark Audio drivers.

They now sound a lot more balanced, maybe a little on the bright side but then I dont know what they sounded like before, overall I cant complain.

So thanks to Pete some more little toys to play with!



First of the DIY Bits.....

Turntable

Its gone through a couple of design ideas and finally made some progress....
Previous thread: http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=21257

Gone the simple route:
1x Sony TTS-3000 (Free)
1x AT-1005 MkII (£85)
1x Ortofon MC20 MkII (Free)
1x Argos Chopping Board (£15)


DIY Turntable by RSdesignUK, on Flickr


DIY Turntable by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

Todays progress:

PSU/Servo control Board:

DIY TT by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

The Knob is the speed variation (I belive) and the other is the 45rmp/off/33rpm switch. The Black box will have the connector to the TT with the 4x motor cables and earth on the tag board and the two feeds to the strobe on the connection block.

Rough Layout:


DIY TT by RSdesignUK, on Flickr


DIY TT by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

So thats where the TT is as of today.

SPEAKERS

A few years back I had some Veravox 5S drivers in various cabinets including the ones I used for my 'Hoops Audio' project. I managed to track some down, and after two visits to wammer systems, it swayed my mind back to full-range-driver based speakers.

The first system was Graham's (gthang) which just sounded great, did everything right IMO even with dance/electronica tracks and a 4.5" driver and 18wpc!

Then more recently there was a visit to Andy's (ADPully) with his Audio Nirvana based wide range drivers and HA Auggie bass drivers. Just reminded me of all the best bits of the Maggies but without the need for a massive amp. They just disapeared, and would not have noticed had Andy mentioned that the RAAL ribbons were not plugged in! Excelent Soundstage.

I loved the fact that some of the speakers I have enjoyed the most have been open baffle (Quad 57, Magnepan MMG and the previous OB speakers, inc the Veravox drivers I used before). They just dissapear with the soundstage 'hanging' in the room.
I also noticed that both systems were using SET amplification for the Wide-range drivers, which was also a driver for the amp project mentioned briefly above.

My Previous pair of Veravox 5S:


Veravox 5s Fullrange Driver 3/4 by RSdesignUK, on Flickr


Veravox 5s Fullrange Driver Side by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

Its a ~5" driver, about 93dB sensitive with a very light cone and an integrated inverted metal dome dust cap. The new pair should be with me at the end of next week.
The inital plan is to get them back in the old cabinets that I kept from the Hoops Audio to get me up and running for the moment.
The greater plan is to go OB, with a large bass driver at the bottom.


Veravox 5S by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

I used my previous 2-pairs in Open Baffles at the front and the second pair firing into the BiB cabinets as a rough subwoofer/bass horn. Actually worked quite well!


Image0005 by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

The 'interim' cabinets (minus curved stand) all wired up. An old pillow and some extra stuffing to reduce the volume a fair bit, as it was originally designed for a pair of the drivers in Bi-Pole configuration:

SDIM0952 by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

From the Hoops Audio Project:

PICT0208 by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

Not sure where to go with the OB, either Active Crossover as a lot of other people use like the Behringer DCX-2496 with a Power amp or just run the Veravox's wide open and use a pair of subwoofer plate amps. I used them in OB before, and did not reach excursion as I dont tend to listen too loudly.
Moddeling on xbaffle, I should get down to 200hz, maybe a bit lower on a ~400mm wide baffle. It will be roughly 600mm wide at the bottom to accomodate the bass driver, likely to be an Eminence 15" or the like.


Amplifier

After my lust for another Decware Zen, and the chances of finding another UK model I decided to go down the DIY route. After some light pursuasion with Greame (Valvebloke) we will be doing a joint project, one each Which helps, as all the experience I have is speaker crossovers!

This is the rough plan is the ZEN Kit #1, although using a tag board rather than the printed circuit board.
http://www.decware.com/newsite/SE84CDIY.htm

There will be some added extras, two inputs, larger/upgraded output transformers with triode/ultralinear tappings, choke on the power supply, valve rectifier and one or two others IIRC that Greame might have to describe!

We will be using a larger case to accomodate the larger output transformers, and I might look at getting a nice front plate made up from work.

The Decware, in the grand scheme will be used to power the Veravox drivers in the final OB.

My initial idea, although the layout is likely to be different depending on how it goes together inside, my idea was having the circuit in a 'U' shape with the power on the left, input on the right front and output section back right.


DIY Zen Render by RSdesignUK, on Flickr


DIY Zen Render by RSdesignUK, on Flickr


DIY Zen Render by RSdesignUK, on Flickr



So the overall plan:

Main System:
Sony TTS-3000 DIY/Audio Technica AT1005 MKII/Ortofon MC20 MkII
Sony DVP-S9000ES
~Pre-Amplifier
~Active Crossover
Decware Zen Build
~PA Power Amp
OB speakers (Veravox 5S/~15" Eminence)

Second/Anti-Hifi room:
~Maybe an uber cheap TT at some point
~Cheap small CDP
Eagle SA-100 (temporary main amp while Decware is built)
Keesonic Kolt

Bedroom:
~Denon DM3# Mini-System
Eclipse TD-508



And Breathe

[dantheman91]

The eagle will go too a good home then

[hoopsontoast]

Hope so, should be a bit of fun. I will be using it for a month or so while the Decware is being constructed, then its going into the spare room system, which I will call 'Anti-Hifi'. The plan for this is to be cheap as chips and for late night listening, or when I want to just escape for half an hour or so. A man cave with no computers or distractions apart from a book.
Will be getting a cheap small CDP to go with the Eagle/Kolt combo, and maybe a cheap TT as well as the Eagle has a phono stage.

[jandl100]

Bloody hell, Rob, you're amazing!

Big Update
The 770ES has gone and the 104/2's are off next weekend!

Ah, well, hmmm --- I'm now free to fess up to my thoughts, I guess --- after hearing your KEF/Sony setup at Scalford I have to say that imo you were a long way from hearing what those KEFs can actually do. The Sony simply wasn't up to it. Richard/ Gromit had the same model amp in his room driving his far easier Q-Acoustic speakers and it sounded amazing, so yup it's a nice amp - but into the KEFs it didn't have the grip, it didn't have the drive. They really need a LOT of current and power and I don't think the Sony came close to delivering that!

The KEFs are the kind of speaker you can pick up quite cheaply - but then, sadly, you have to spend Big Moolah on an amp to get them to fully strut their stuff.

Mind you, you could say something similar about my current setup, as well. It sounds superb with medium/small scale music, but needs more power to flex the walls and rattle your skull. It's all horses for courses.

[MartinT]

Big KEFs driven by a Krell can sound stupendous. As you say, Jerry, they need a serious kick up the jacksie.

[hoopsontoast]

Yes it does seem to be of opinion that they need a lot of amplifier. Saying that, the levels I was playing at at Scalford are way higher than I play in my flat, so I dont think I would notice much difference at the low levels I play at home.

[hoopsontoast]

First new bit is here, the Eagle SA-100:


Eagle SA-100 by RSdesignUK, on Flickr


Interim System by RSdesignUK, on Flickr

Providing me with a CAC system while the various bits are being constructed. £75 all in, and thats for the Amp Not bad for a little SE EL84!

[jandl100]

Oooo, I do like el84 amps - usually very open and musical and quite explicit. Leak Stereo 20 comes to mind --

How's yours sound, Rob?

[hoopsontoast]

Oooo, I do like el84 amps - usually very open and musical and quite explicit. Leak Stereo 20 comes to mind --

How's yours sound, Rob?

Not as open as the A10, let alone the Decware but I would not expect it to really. Other than that, cant really fault it too much really. Sounds good though, especially for the price. Will be more than good enough for my second/anti-hifi system.