I bet I can make your speakers sound better.

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Ultralight

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Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #20 on: 16 Sep 2015, 06:37 pm »
How thick is no rez?

Thanks.

Danny Richie

Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #21 on: 16 Sep 2015, 07:27 pm »

srb

Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #22 on: 16 Sep 2015, 09:03 pm »
All specs on it are here: http://gr-research.com/norez24x27sheet.aspx

It says the second foam layer is 1" but doesn't give the total thickness of the product including the damping layer.  Is it 1-1/8", 1-/1/4", etc.?

Steve

jtwrace

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Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #23 on: 16 Sep 2015, 09:06 pm »
It says the second foam layer is 1" but doesn't give the total thickness of the product including the damping layer.  Is it 1-1/8", 1-/1/4", etc.?

Steve
I think it Texas that's referred to an 1" and a scoche.   :lol:

SteveFord

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Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #24 on: 16 Sep 2015, 09:12 pm »
What do you think those connectors would do for Magnepans?  They have this grub screw arrangement where you can just stick bare wire in there.

srb

Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #25 on: 16 Sep 2015, 09:39 pm »
I think it Texas that's referred to an 1" and a scoche.   :lol:

Well it does say that the damping layer is nearly twice as thick as that of the other "popular damping material", so I guess that's 1" and a double-scoche.

mikeeastman

Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #26 on: 16 Sep 2015, 11:31 pm »
Measured a piece I had laying around. 1" including the damping layer.

Danny Richie

Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #27 on: 16 Sep 2015, 11:48 pm »
The damper is right at .09".

Danny Richie

Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #28 on: 16 Sep 2015, 11:49 pm »
What do you think those connectors would do for Magnepans?  They have this grub screw arrangement where you can just stick bare wire in there.

It will be a considerable upgrade on the Maggies. Crossover parts upgrades are very common with those as well and can also make a considerable improvement.

bdp24

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Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #29 on: 18 Sep 2015, 10:36 am »
It will be a considerable upgrade on the Maggies. Crossover parts upgrades are very common with those as well and can also make a considerable improvement.
This is so great Danny. I had been planning on having Sean (The Skiing Ninja) make me some outboard cross-overs for my Eminent Technology LFT-8b's (magnetic-planars like Maggies, but double-ended push-pull resulting from their double-sided magnet structure), but he has closed shop. The LFT has a bass-driver enclosure the panel sits on, the top of which will make a perfect location for setting the outboard x/o on (the connections to the panels are on their exterior too). Regarding No Rez, up to what frequency does it provide resonance absorption? The LFT panels extend down to 180Hz (of course, as the x/o is a shallow 1st order, they have output considerably below that), and the drivers are mounted on flat unbraced MDF panels 1' W X 4' tall, seemingly a good candidate for No Rez.

Danny Richie

Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #30 on: 18 Sep 2015, 04:08 pm »
This is so great Danny. I had been planning on having Sean (The Skiing Ninja) make me some outboard cross-overs for my Eminent Technology LFT-8b's (magnetic-planars like Maggies, but double-ended push-pull resulting from their double-sided magnet structure), but he has closed shop. The LFT has a bass-driver enclosure the panel sits on, the top of which will make a perfect location for setting the outboard x/o on (the connections to the panels are on their exterior too). Regarding No Rez, up to what frequency does it provide resonance absorption? The LFT panels extend down to 180Hz (of course, as the x/o is a shallow 1st order, they have output considerably below that), and the drivers are mounted on flat unbraced MDF panels 1' W X 4' tall, seemingly a good candidate for No Rez.

I can build out some crossovers for you.

The No Rez doesn't provide resonance absorption from the foam layer. It's the damping layer that controls cabinet resonance and it has effect across the board not just at a certain frequency range.

jpm

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Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #31 on: 18 Sep 2015, 08:03 pm »
Danny,

given your knowledge of Usher speakers, I'm curious to know what you'd suggest for my HT setup: CP6381 + X616 + S520

With the finish on the CP6381 and X616 I'd be reluctant to drill new holes, would a retrofit of the existing terminals work there?

Since I've entertained the notion of upgrading the tweeters to the BE units in the CP6381 and X616, would any crossover upgrades apply universally?

Thanks!

charmerci

Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #32 on: 18 Sep 2015, 09:05 pm »


The male stud for the tube connectors is completely hollow. So your speaker wire slides all the way through to the end of it. This is three 16 gauge wires spiral wound. I think it equals almost 11 gauge.



Then just crimp the end, solder it and heat shrink it to seal it.





I didn't know that. I only had the wires pushed in to the back of the thick part.


I pushed them in all the way and there does seem to be a lot more bass.

Danny Richie

Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #33 on: 18 Sep 2015, 09:11 pm »
Danny,

given your knowledge of Usher speakers, I'm curious to know what you'd suggest for my HT setup: CP6381 + X616 + S520

With the finish on the CP6381 and X616 I'd be reluctant to drill new holes, would a retrofit of the existing terminals work there?

Since I've entertained the notion of upgrading the tweeters to the BE units in the CP6381 and X616, would any crossover upgrades apply universally?

Thanks!

Most of those speakers have really nice drivers and really nice cabinets. But the wiring and crossovers in them are less than being close to the quality of everything else (to put it nicely).

The crossover design work in most of them that I have been into has been pretty good. I haven't seen any phase issues, driver break up, or amplitude problems. Though I did have to shift the crossover points down a bit on the BE-20's to improve phase relationship and vertical off axis responses.

What I mean by saying all that is that you can swap out parts value for value and come out real good on it. I would point to point wire everything too. The generic circuit boards they use are not something I'd re-use.

The binding posts on some of those models are large in diameter. So they look cool, but are not what you want in the signal path. The good thing is the hole is already close to the size they need to be for tube connectors.

I have had some guys do away with the dual binding posts and just replace the upper set with tube connectors and connect the lower set up to them in parallel so you can use either or. My favorite part about that is when the customer calls back to tell me how much difference there is in the two connectors and how much better the tube connectors sound.  :thumb:

If you try swapping out the tweeters then you will need to re-design the crossovers. And there is nothing wrong with their best soft dome tweeter. It is a very good tweeter. And it is a little more forgiving than the BE version.

jpm

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Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #34 on: 18 Sep 2015, 10:17 pm »
Thanks Danny. The logical starting point ought to be the X616, being manageable in size and giving the most bang for the $ in HT use.

I appreciate your opinion on the tweeters too. The idea of a BE upgrade was very appealing, but in practice tracking them down is close to impossible. I had a friend in Taiwan try to get them locally but no dice. With your input and I'll stick with the stock drivers.

Next step, a photo of the crossover and a phone call ...

KLH007

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Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #35 on: 19 Sep 2015, 12:06 am »
Danny, I don't see your hook up wire on your site, can you tell us about it?  I've been using Jupiter copper 6N cotton insulator wire with good results, but I haven't done any A-B comparisons, I trust you have compared your wire to others in the marketplace?

Danny Richie

Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #36 on: 19 Sep 2015, 12:16 am »
Danny, I don't see your hook up wire on your site, can you tell us about it?  I've been using Jupiter copper 6N cotton insulator wire with good results, but I haven't done any A-B comparisons, I trust you have compared your wire to others in the marketplace?

I don't have the raw hookup wire listed on my site.

That Jupiter wire is really good wire. But I don't think there is anything sealing it. So I'd be worried about is oxidizing quickly through the cotton.

Our wire was basically modeled after the JPS Labs super conductor wire. I used to stock that wire as well.

It is 16 gauge, four 9's pure Copper, in a polyethylene jacket.

I have made a lot of comparisons and I am very happy with it.

Danny Richie

Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #37 on: 19 Sep 2015, 12:17 am »
Thanks Danny. The logical starting point ought to be the X616, being manageable in size and giving the most bang for the $ in HT use.

I appreciate your opinion on the tweeters too. The idea of a BE upgrade was very appealing, but in practice tracking them down is close to impossible. I had a friend in Taiwan try to get them locally but no dice. With your input and I'll stick with the stock drivers.

Next step, a photo of the crossover and a phone call ...

Good plan.

Jonathon Janusz

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Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #38 on: 19 Sep 2015, 12:33 am »
This is so great Danny. I had been planning on having Sean (The Skiing Ninja) make me some outboard cross-overs for my Eminent Technology LFT-8b's (magnetic-planars like Maggies, but double-ended push-pull resulting from their double-sided magnet structure), but he has closed shop.

If you haven't had them apart yet, I've seen the crossovers on these, and there is a lot of room to improve for sure.  I would be interested to read what Danny thinks of the planar drivers after measuring them.  When I had mine, I seriously thought about just using the top driver frame and modding/adding servo subs to replace the boxed woofer.

bdp24

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Re: I bet I can make your speakers sound better.
« Reply #39 on: 22 Sep 2015, 01:44 pm »
If you haven't had them apart yet, I've seen the crossovers on these, and there is a lot of room to improve for sure.  I would be interested to read what Danny thinks of the planar drivers after measuring them.  When I had mine, I seriously thought about just using the top driver frame and modding/adding servo subs to replace the boxed woofer.

Jonathon---Great minds think alike, as they say! That's exactly what I've done. I simply disconnected the jumpers from the input binding posts to the woofers, leaving the magnetic planar panels hook-up stock. I use the OB/Dipole GR/Rythmik Servo sub in place of the ET's sealed 8" (which has a 180Hz 1st order x/o), using the controls on the Rythmik amp to set the x/o frequency, etc. I'm going to copy the x/o schematic off the ET site and send it to Danny to make me a pair (stock values, but using the best quality parts). The new x/o can just sit on top of the ET woofer bin (right where the ET binding posts are), my power amp feeding the new x/o and it now connected to the panel connectors. Very simple, and a worthwhile improvement, I have no doubt. Bruce Thigpen, the designer of the speaker and owner of ET, isn't opposed to that being done, and has even provided advice for those who have asked him about doing it.