Macca's Lash Up 2: Lash Harder

[Macca]

Yes, they concentrated on the stuff that actually matters with that Pioneer. I will find one at some point when I am feeling a bit 'spendy' again.

Just been reading the manual for these speakers plus a couple of magazine reviews. Turns out they were designed by Dominic Baker who used to edit HFW years and years ago. Interesting as IIRC he had very similar taste in speakers to me.

And they weight 36 kilos which explains why moving them is so much effort.

[JohnJo]

Well, how are you getting on with them now Macca?

[Macca]

Had them fully 'opened up' yesterday evening. have to say the mid and top are amongst the best, possibly the best, I have heard on any speaker ever. Just supremely open and neutral.

On the flip side sat in free space in a big room the balance is slightly toppy. I much prefer a house curve with boosted lower frequencies. They are not bass shy at all, and it goes low and is controlled, but it isn't quite right for my tastes.

They are a bit richer sounding lower down, compared to the Akais which are very dry. I quite like the richness, although they never go beyond neutral but are on the warmer side of neutral. Very well-judged balance really. I guess that they were not intended to be used so far from a rear wall as I have them (the fact that they are front ported being a bit of a giveaway there).

I might swap in my Parasound CD player later and see what the differences are compared to using the Sony.

[Hudz]

Have you tried a bit of port tuning Martin? with something like natural sponge or drinking straws, it made a hell of an improvement to the bottom end of a pair of B&Ws I had for a while.

Worth a try possibly.

[struth]

Had them fully 'opened up' yesterday evening. have to say the mid and top are amongst the best, possibly the best, I have heard on any speaker ever. Just supremely open and neutral.

On the flip side sat in free space in a big room the balance is slightly toppy. I much prefer a house curve with boosted lower frequencies. They are not bass shy at all, and it goes low and is controlled, but it isn't quite right for my tastes.

They are a bit richer sounding lower down, compared to the Akais which are very dry. I quite like the richness, although they never go beyond neutral but are on the warmer side of neutral. Very well-judged balance really. I guess that they were not intended to be used so far from a rear wall as I have them (the fact that they are front ported being a bit of a giveaway there).

I might swap in my Parasound CD player later and see what the differences are compared to using the Sony.

Maybe stick with it and forget your ideal. You may end up preferring it this way. Maybe sit a little closer too.

[JohnJo]

Really annoying when you get an improvement but you know it's not working for you, the old synergy's all messed up. Is a change in cables going to be enough to alter the balance?
There's no doubt we all have a particular preference of tonal balance, probably largely driven by our taste in music. Think I'm like yourself, it's all about the bass https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iyTTX6Wlf1Y

[Macca]

The ports come with sponge in them already.

Just had another session with them. Played some stuff with serious low octave content (modern hip hop/funk sort of thing) and have to take my comments above back a little at least. Bass is not as good as I have heard of the best of them, but really it is churlish to fault it except against the very best. Having said that I will be acclimatising to the speakers and they do seem to have run in a bit since I first got them (I am putting some watts into them with the listening distance which I suspect they may not have had in a while if at all).

It has had me quite captivated for three hours tonight, I forgot about changing out the Sony CD for the Parasound entirely. I'm not kidding the mid and top on these is quite something. If it was married with an equally impressive bass response you would pretty much have perfection. Room withstanding of course. But there are no flaws in the bass really, it is just two-small-driver-ported-bass, bass, if you know what I mean. Bear in mind I'm jaded and have heard too much . A civilian would be really impressed with the bass (and even hardened survivors wold be with the rest) I think. Overall they really are a step up on anything i have had before including the Celestion A2.

This is why I am thinking ultimately my own build, active, with full digital crossovers/eq is the optimal approach to get a speaker that sounds exactly how I personally want it to sound.

Only one way to find out. Expensive mistake if I am wrong though.

[Ali Tait]

You're not wrong.

[Macca]

You're not wrong.

It is going to be a bit of a challenge, though. Will be making a start on it in January.

[Macca]

Took a snap while the sunlight was coming in:



Swapped in my Parasound CDIP1000 CD player the other night, probably the best of the working players that I have. This was appreciated, the Parasound has lower noise than the Sony, the drawback is that it is voiced a bit like the high end Marantz players, not all syrupy and golden like the cheaper Marantzs, but just a little bit richer than neutral. The JM Labs seem to like this, though, and their good midrange exploits the lower noise.

Another bonus was that the Pioneer contained my Lisa Stansfield Cd which I'd been looking for for ages. Playing this pretty much set my mind: the speakers are very neutral in the bass, not slightly phat in the mid-bass like the Akais, and without the slam you get from the Akai's 15 inch bass driver. I like phat mid-bass, and that is what I am missing with these. On the other hand they do go quite a bit lower and have more presence down at the bottom, The club remixes at the end of the album sounded almost exactly right down at the bottom, just missing that bit of phatness and slam you get on a good club system.

However bass is really tight and controlled bass, no overhang, stops and starts very quickly, so seems to be very little in the way of room interaction. I really need to dismantle the pile of speakers behind the right hand one though as this won't be doing anything for the sound.

Regarding the mid-bass, though....I have a 10 band Sansui graphic equaliser sat around....I wonder if I should try it?