Self-powered SongTowers and more...

jsalk · « **on:** 14 Oct 2015, 08:59 pm »

It seems like ideas for new projects are generated at a pace that exceeds the time we have available to develop them. Recently, we were working on a few new powered monitor concepts. At the time, we noticed we had an extra pair of SongTower cabinets that were almost finished and, just for the heck of it, decided to turn it into a self-powered pair.

Here is a picture...

In case you didn't notice it, here is that same photo with a highlight showing the touch sensor...

If you are interested in more information, we put a web page together outlining the system. Here is a link...

http://salksound.com/selfpowered.htm

- Jim

Charles Xavier · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Oct 2015, 09:06 pm »

Wow, great idea. I like it.

Charles Xavier · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 Oct 2015, 09:08 pm »

Can you post a pic of the rear

jsalk · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Oct 2015, 09:10 pm »

Ask and you shall receive...

- Jim

Kenneth Patchen · « **Reply #4 on:** 14 Oct 2015, 09:57 pm »

Quote from: jsalk on 14 Oct 2015, 09:10 pm

Ask and you shall receive...

- Jim

Can I have them for free?

sfox7076 · « **Reply #5 on:** 14 Oct 2015, 10:07 pm »

Are those Hypex UCD modules? They should sound awesome.

sfox7076 · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 Oct 2015, 10:12 pm »

How do you do USB or spdif audio to two speakers? What resolution does the internal dac decode?

rockadanny · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 Oct 2015, 11:27 pm »

I have a pair of inexpensive ( < $1,000 / pair ) active monitors (where each driver is separately powered). This is supposedly (from reading/researching) a better quality playback arrangement than simply being powered (all drivers per box driven by one amp). Would be interesting to try active instead of just powered and evaluate sound quality to standard non-powered SongTowers. Or at least separate power for each type of driver per box, so one amp for tweeter and mids could share an amp per box).

yetis · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Oct 2015, 12:23 am »

Very interesting Jim. Good to see you finally got them over the line. When I did my SS8's, we had a brief conversation about making them powered. I just never got around to shipping you the amps! Removing all the variables around interconnects, speaker cables, etc seems to make sense. The next step is to add DSP stage!

jsalk · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Oct 2015, 01:07 am »

Quote from: Kenneth Patchen on 14 Oct 2015, 09:57 pm

Can I have them for free?

Yes, but shipping will run $3000.

- Jim

jsalk · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Oct 2015, 01:08 am »

Quote from: sfox7076 on 14 Oct 2015, 10:07 pm

Are those Hypex UCD modules? They should sound awesome.

Yes.

- Jim

jsalk · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Oct 2015, 01:09 am »

Quote from: sfox7076 on 14 Oct 2015, 10:12 pm

How do you do USB or spdif audio to two speakers? What resolution does the internal dac decode?

One is a master and the other a slave. The second channel is fed to the other speaker via an S/PDIF cable that also controls volume, etc. Will decode up to 24/192.

- Jim

jsalk · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Oct 2015, 01:11 am »

Quote from: rockadanny on 14 Oct 2015, 11:27 pm

I have a pair of inexpensive ( < $1,000 / pair ) active monitors (where each driver is separately powered). This is supposedly (from reading/researching) a better quality playback arrangement than simply being powered (all drivers per box driven by one amp). Would be interesting to try active instead of just powered and evaluate sound quality to standard non-powered SongTowers. Or at least separate power for each type of driver per box, so one amp for tweeter and mids could share an amp per box).

That is a possibility, but not for this set-up. The two amp channels are bridged in this situation for 100 watt output. If used as a pure active set-up, you would only have 50 watts per channel. With a higher power plate amp, a totally active unit could certainly be developed.

- Jim