[JoshK]

Are the Jazz modules still being made?  I thought the woofer couldn't be obtained anymore.

[Dave G]

Are the Jazz modules still being made?  I thought the woofer couldn't be obtained anymore.

I think you're right that the TAD woofer in the Jazz Modules is no longer available.  I thought I read that Duke might redesign the JMs to work with a different woofer, but I don't know whether he's done that.

[brj]

When I talked to him at RMAF, he indicated that he planned to redesign them with a new woofer, but hadn't done so yet.

[James Romeyn]

Thank you Will, Jim and Clio for your response!

You're very welcome!

...My budget is exhausted for now...

One piece of advice, worth what you paid: Stay away from audio forums!   

[ncdrawl]

say...the grilles... that must be a new thing. I didnt get those on mine 

[borism]

say...the grilles... that must be a new thing. I didnt get those on mine 

Larkston Zinaspic was the first to get them and that's where I got the idea. I was concerned about the drivers with kids around (flying objects etc.). My wife also finds the speakers more acceptable with the grilles. Got to please "the she who must be obeyed".

[James Romeyn]

I think you're right that the TAD woofer in the Jazz Modules is no longer available.  I thought I read that Duke might redesign the JMs to work with a different woofer, but I don't know whether he's done that.

The TAD 11" mid bass in the JM and DM was discontinued, I estimate 3 years ago.  Duke reported it was discontinued maybe even my first visit to his place in ID over 3+ years ago...Duke had stocked some pieces but I'd guess they're long gone now.

For a mid bass combining low f3, 93 dB sensitivity, inaudible distortion and   fatigue-free extreme output (outrageous in this regard, esp the way Duke employed it), ease in driving (again, with Duke's XO), and transparent crystal clear mid range, it's among if not the best extant.

Anyone thinking Pioneer/TAD doesn't know what they're doing has their head someplace from where it should be removed.   

[Larkston Zinaspic]

Now some people find that, after a year or so, the bass output has increased to the point where a change in tuning would be beneficial.  If that starts to happen let me know and I'll send you some longer center sections for the ports.

Duke knows his product very well. It's been about a year--almost to the day--since I first got my tracking numbers (time flies), and I've noticed a slightly bloated quality starting to creep into my sound over the past couple of weeks of regular listening, with the standard 3 inch port extension. I installed the longer port extensions a few days ago and that has balanced me out rather nicely: more firm attack, less bloat. I could have extended the port even further with the internal flare, but I find that with it on the 'presence' of instruments begins to shrink a bit; while without the flare a recorded instrument--such as an upright bass, for example--sounds more 'alive' and in the room. I didn't think that would make a big difference but in my room it seems to, so for the time being the internal port flare is off, and the ported chamber is lined with about 16 oz. of polyfill in each speaker.

Currently my associated gear is an Atma-Sphere S-30 3.1 w/V-Caps and an SAS Audio Labs 10A linestage. In the S-30 I'm using a combo of GE, Raytheon, and Sylvania 6SN7's from the mid to late 50's, and the 10A has a pair of Mullard CV2493's on deck. The 'treble tilt' Mills resistor I have in each speaker is currently @ 220Ω. I doubt everyone will have the same result but thought I'd post my findings.

~Greg

[Clio09]

Interesting, I'll have to look into removing the internal flare. I have the flares couple together with no inserts at the moment.

I'm also curious about the 220 ohm resistor. At one point I used jumpers on the binding posts which equates to a value of 0 ohms. The treble was extremely tipped up, but it did wonders for the imaging and was quite listenable. In the end I settled on 8 ohms.

You got to love a speaker this flexible.

[James Romeyn]

In speaking with Master Guitar Luthier Ryan Thorell a few days ago I mentioned my experience with several luminary speaker designers, and that among them Duke may be the most obsessed with advancing the art.  I mentioned this to Debra a few days later, adding that of all the speaker designers I've met, Duke is the least ideological and least concerned with maintaining a prior agenda.  His design mind is wide open to any potential that may improve performance.  The fact he is a small independent works in our favor here.  Huge speaker companies build their reputation over decades with multiple million dollar ad campaigns touting their excellence (a single full color page in Stereophile costs about $8k per issue).  They can't suddenly turn around with a different design Gestalt because this is contrary to all marketing purpose.

I'm convinced, especially after hearing the Planetarium Gamma recently, that certain specs considered the holy grail may be undesirable for ideal overall listening performance.  Making a speaker actually sound like a musical instrument in a domestic space may contradict some modern accepted goals in speaker design. 

Look at the radiation patterns of any musical instrument in the long-out of print "Music, Physics, and Engineering" by Dr. Harry F. Olson, RCA Labs.  No instrument has a radiation pattern like most speakers.  So how can a speaker replicate the sound of an instrument, if the instrument in the room has a completely different radiation pattern?

The goals associated with room treatments, also considered the holy grail in audiophile land, might also suffer some logical weakness.  For instance, let's put a saxophone in your room.  First, can the speaker replicate its dynamic envelope?  Will the sax sound more or less preferred, or more or less like itself, with or without room treatment?  Ditto a violin.  Don't be so quick to choose if you haven't heard the difference.         

 

[ncdrawl]

http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B0002ZPLDY?tag=betteraddons-20

I use acousta-stuf!

[borism]

A brief Update:

Since I first bought the JMs I was thinking of Atma-Sphere amplification down the road. With encouragement from Duke and this site I recently bought an S-30 MK3.1 with copperfoil Vcaps.

I had great expectations and was not disappointed. Right out of the box, without any burn-in, with stock tubes it sounded glorious. My 14 y/o son standing next to me smiled and said "it's like they are in the room" referring to the musicians on the Afrocubism CD (great CD by the way). Specifically, both frequency extremes seem more extended. The bass is more "plump" in a good way providing the music with a more realistic foundation. I have not made any changes to the port-tube length yet as Duke had suggested because I just enjoy the sound as it is right now.The soundstage is bigger and everything seems more real.

Another concern about the power of the S-30, if it would be sufficient for my listening preferences, was completely unfounded. This combo plays loud. 

Now I really get what people mean by "synergy". Duke's speakers and the Atma-Sphere amplifiers are made for each other.Thanks everybody!