Bruce's ported HT2's

jsalk · « **on:** 16 Jun 2006, 12:42 am »

Bruce was looking at the HT3's, but his primary interest was in home theater. Since he would be using a subwoofer, he really didn't feel he needed the bass response of the HT3's and preferred an MTM set-up.

So we developed the Veracity HT2's and these were the first ported cabinets produced for this design (we posted pics of some "stealth" black sealed cabinets earlier).

The HT2's use a very similar driver complement to other Veracity models, but use the new LCY tweeter instead of the G2. Among other advantages for this design, the LCY allows closer spacing of the W18's than would the G2 ribbon.

Here are some pics:

Bruce wanted rosewood, so we found some nice Santos rosewood. But his other furniture was more red than typical rosewood colors.

So before we applied sealer to these cabinets, we shot them several times with red aniline dye.

Mike, my assistant, loved the look and thought the result was richer looking than any veneer we had used to date. He also loved the sound and wondered if the HT2's would become his favorite speaker.

Notice that there are no plinths? Bruce actually ordered three of them for L,C,R duty. And the cabinets were adapted for his unique requirements (max 39" with the spikes - 3 degree backward tilt, etc.)

Happy listening Bruce!

- Jim

Marbles · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 Jun 2006, 02:01 am »

That's just silly nice.....One set of speakers nicer than the next.

I can't wait to see what else you got coming.

zybar · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 Jun 2006, 02:20 am »

Very nice Jim!

Your offerings just seem to have no boundaries.

George

DMurphy · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 Jun 2006, 02:45 am »

Well, I hope he likes the crossover, but quite frankly--they're worth whatever you charged even if you forgot to connect the drivers. Those could be the nicest pair of speakers I've ever seen.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 Jun 2006, 05:16 am »

Wow! Those are some of the prettiest speakers I've ever seen.

LadyDog · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 Jun 2006, 11:53 am »

Jim,
As Rob already stated, you keep outdoing yourself. Bring on the next pair.

Bruce,
Enjoy what is going to be one sweet setup.

Regards,
Jeff

jsalk · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 Jun 2006, 10:10 pm »

Thanks for the kind words everyone! It makes all the hard work worthwhile to read comments such as these.

- Jim

Brucemck · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 Jun 2006, 02:54 am »

Can't wait to have them delivered. I'll post impressions once I've had a chance to listen for awhile.

Jim was incredibly patient and accomodating. The finish was customized to match my Wife's favorite pieces of furniture.

texas steve · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 Jun 2006, 12:59 pm »

Quote from: Brucemck

Can't wait to have them delivered. I'll post impressions once I've had a chance to listen for awhile.

Jim was incredibly patient and accomodating. The finish was customized to match my Wife's favorite pieces of furniture.

ALWAYS wise to please the wife!! Especially when we spend SO MUCH on our great toys!

avahifi · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Jun 2006, 01:19 pm »

Can you tell us more about these HT2s? Price, frequency range (as compared to the HT3s) overall dimensions, etc.

The looks are stunning.

Frank

jsalk · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Jun 2006, 01:36 am »

Quote from: avahifi

Can you tell us more about these HT2s? Price, frequency range (as compared to the HT3s) overall dimensions, etc.

The looks are stunning.

Frank

Thanks for the kind words.

While I will hopefully have time this coming week-end to post an HT2 page on our website, here is some preliminary information:

There are two versions of the Veracity HT2 available.

The first is a sealed monitor version. This sealed version is 22" tall (or wide when used as a center channel), 9" wide and 14" deep. It is primarily intended for home theater (or music) use with a subwoofer since bass response rolls off early in a sealed design. The base price of this version is $2795.00 per pair.

The second version, pictured above, features a ported, floor-standing cabinet. The base price of this version is $2995.00 per pair.

The HT2 features the new LCY pure ribbon tweeter. This tweeter has exceptional top end extension that is down only 3db at 60KHz. Which means it is extremely transparent at audible frequencies and can reproduce minute detail in the overtone structures of instruments. This leads to very natural and clean reproduction. The driver also features superb horizontal and vertical dispersion rivaling the best of traditional dome tweeters.

The midwoofers used in this MTM design are the Seas Excel W18's. The W18 has an extremely low mass magnesium cone for the utmost in speed and detail. It is available in a standard grey finish as well as an optional black colored cone. It is also available in a shielded version for use in a center channel.

Frequency response is approximately 45Hz to 60KHz +/- 3db. This compares to 29Hz - 40KHz +/- 3db for the Veracity HT3's.

Which may lead to an interesting question...

Is the LCY tweeter better than the G2? Both are superb drivers. The LCY tweeter was chosen, among other reasons, because it allowed closer spacing of the HT2's W18's. Other than that, there was really no significant audible advantage to the LCY tweeter.

I hope this helps.

- Jim

Sparks · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 Jun 2006, 03:09 am »

Welcome to the club Bruce!
Yours are truly stunning, I am jealous.
Nice work Jim.
I've got 3 of the sealed monitor Stealth version and they are incredible.

You made a very wise choice in getting a 3some
I don't know what you own now but be prepared for a new level of reference. I look forward to your impressions.

Brucemck · « **Reply #12 on:** 26 Jun 2006, 01:22 am »

These are very nice speakers.

As others have rightly noted, the woodwork is amazing.

They're very fast and extremely detailed. In several recordings with background or harmony vocals I noticed distinct voices I'd not noticed before (even on Krell LAT1s and Genesis 350SE ribbons, which are speakers that cost an order of magnitude more than these) I noticed similar new details with accompanying strings.

In my room, with associated room gain, there was solid response down into the low 30s. I ended up plugging the ports to get a better match with my subs.

Dynamics are outstanding: I've noticed zero compression, even at pretty high volumes.

Left to right and front to back imaging is terrific: solid and three dimensional but not overly "etched".

Overall, I'm extremely satisfied.

Thanks Jim!

jsalk · « **Reply #13 on:** 26 Jun 2006, 02:09 am »

Bruce -

Very glad to hear you are enjoying your new HT2's. Everyone around here really liked them as well - the sound and the red-dyed rosewood finish.

As to your comments about imaging above the plane of the speakers, it might be good to point out to others that your application did not allow a normal cabinet height for this design. The design axis for an MTM is usually the centered on the tweeter. So the cabinet height should place the tweeter at about ear level at the listening position. As we discussed, in your case this was not possible as they would have blocked your HT screen.

Once again, thanks for the opportunity to be involved in your project and happy listening!

- Jim

Sparks · « **Reply #14 on:** 26 Jun 2006, 03:04 am »

Hi Bruce.
Glad your liking your HT2s. Those are some cool looking cabinets.
In my experience with them, I really grew to appreciate them the longer I've had them.
What front-end are you using with your new speakers?
I bet movie soundtracks have gone to another level as well.
Seamless panning and a nice balance.
FWIW, to others considering these speakers, I have mine set up with the ribbon at ear height.
The soundstage varies of course with every recording but overall it is nicely 3 dimensional.
One adjustment I did make after reading suggestions from Jim and Dennis, was to decrease the toe-in.
This improved the width of the soundstage and made the speakers really disappear.

DMurphy · « **Reply #15 on:** 26 Jun 2006, 03:28 am »

[

>The only downside, and this is VERY minor and is something that can largely but not entirely be overcome with proper setup, is that they don't image as well above the plane of the speakers as do the taller towers and/or line source designs I've owned. This is something common to all the MTMs I've ever owned, so I suspect it's basic physics<

Hi Could you elaborate a little on the "above plane" issue? Is this something that happens when you stand up? If so, that's just part of the physics of MTM's. In the vertical plane, an MTM will only sum flat on the tweeter axis. As you move above that point, the relative distance of the two woofers will change, and that will change the relative arrival times from the two woofers, and hence the phase. As you move up, the two woofers will start to cancel each other out in the upper midrange. You can see what this looks like on my website, where I ran a plot of an MTM from a standing position. It's at the very bottom of the page, under the heading "Don't try this at home." http://murphyblaster.com/content.php?f=gem_mod.html If, on the other hand, you're commenting on the vertical expanse of the imaging from a seated position, then the same forces are at work. The power response will literally reflect the vertical off-axis response, as that information is reflected back at the listner. So I think we're talking about the inherent response characteristics of MTM's.

Brucemck · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 Jun 2006, 03:39 am »

Dennis, because of screen height restrictions I had to limit the vertical height of the speakers. As a result, from 11 feet away the tweeter line is approximately 12" below the height of my ears when seated.

They're "toed up" a few degrees from vertical. Nothing excessive.

Using TrueRTA and ETF, there wasn't anywhere close to enough toe up to create any issues.

I should have been clearer: my units had to be built shorter than the towers they replaced, so the vertical imaging issue I mentioned isn't endemic to Jim's speakers but rather to my shortened implementation which Jim did at my request. While vertical imaging suffered a bit (and only a bit) vs. my old towers, frequency response and imaging improved markedly, so it's a major improvement overall!

Brucemck · « **Reply #17 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 08:04 pm »

Thought I'd provide some additional impressions of the HT2s.

At this point I've only started getting the real measure of these speakers. The room's not dialed in, the speaker locations aren't dialed in, and the broad array of tweaks I usually end up using haven't been deployed yet. That being said, I do have the speakers in approximately the right locations, have toyed with horizontal and vertical aiming, and have gotten absorbtion at the first reflection points and diffusion at second reflection points and on the rear wall behind my head.

These are terrific speakers!

As others have commented, the imaging is outstanding. Imaging properties are very sensitive to room placement (neither good nor bad, just a fact). I get decent but not outstanding imaging almost anyplace in the room. By that I mean, I get clear imaging, just not necessarily full bodied imaging. Properly placed, with room treatment on the side walls, the imaging really snaps into focus. Images are large and three dimensional with plenty of "air" and "space". I've owned big Krells, big Dunlavy's, big Tyler Acoustics, to name just a few. Only my old Genesis 350SE dipole ribbons imaged better, and those only by a small amount, and those were $35k a pair speakers.

The HT2s have terrific detail and "tonality", without being analytical or tiring. Layered voices and layered instruments are clearly delineated. "Air" and "acoustic" properties are clearly conveyed. The pluck and shimmer and speed of real music in real spaces comes through clearly. Lousy recordings sound like lousy recordings, but ok recordings don't sound lousy and good recordings sound amazing. The Krells I used to own (LAT 1s) had similar speed and detail but were tiring in a way that these aren't.

Finally, I've noted zero issues with volume or compression. They play very loadly with little strain. The older rock war horses I occasionally play too loudly didn't phase them, nor did Saving Private Ryan. (I am using subs, crossed at 60hz 12db/ocatave, which helps with Ryan like beach scenes.)

Overall, I highly recommend these units. I suspect that when I do replace them (I usually live with a set for a couple of years and then move on) it will be with giant line arrays or something similar, because I can't imagine other tradtional box speakers really bettering them in any important respect.

jsalk · « **Reply #18 on:** 12 Jul 2006, 09:01 pm »

Bruce -

I hope that when you get around to those line arrays, you will think of us. I would love to do some high-end arrays and have just been waiting for the right client to work with.

- Jim