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Folks,
It's been quiet here, but at Aspen HQ things are abuzz......
I'm constantly redeveloping things for more refinement and performance. Now that I'm building all the LF modules, I'm considering surface mount components, particularly the small semis and large resistors. I'm having problems with keeping up with my work load at present, it's a juggling act, and I apologise to my customers who are being kept waiting. I don't like it either!
The new Vsonic speaker is nearly done, almost ready for auditioning at my home, and the documentation phase is about to start. Parts for the first four speakers have been purchased -thank you Laurie! :thankyou: This is 1 incredible speaker, I'm overjoyed with the sound. I have always loved transmission lines; to my ears, the bass is musically superior to a sealed box. :drool: I doffs me cap to Laurie, the designer and builder, who has toiled enthusiastically for six months to make what is regarded by two speaker boffins in the UK as a world class, no-holds-barred, high end speaker. The clincher is the crossover; tolerances on some components are down to better than 1%. Naturally, we have developed it with the Lifeforce 100W, so they are effectively matched to each other.
I'm about to take delivery of a large capacitor order from Japan - Nichicon Golds. They are made only to order, a four month process, and AFAIK very few are held in stock around the world. I find these are wonderful caps with great sonics for audio amps and I will continue to use them for some years in all my power supplies.
Summer is drawing to a close here in Oz, thank goodness, there are signs the drought is breaking, with big rains recently in the east of the State. It's been a hottie this summer, I'll be glad when it's over, always better to work in a cool climate. Recent bush fires here released 30% more CO2 into the atmosphere than one full year of motor vehicle operation. Almost 2.5 million acres were burnt, the worst we've had since 1939.
I'd encourage anyone interested in the Aspen products to discuss them with me and others who are familiar with them right here in the forum.
Cheers,
Hugh
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Thanks Hugh for the up date. It's been way to quite in hear :lol:
Say - You eluded to some Lifeforce tweeks you were working on ???!!!
Please drop the other shoe......
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ahh speakers.....my missing link........
cant think now, soldering to be done and cleaning up the backyard after the storms in Canberra. Vege patch is looking a little worse for wear.
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Hugh,
Haven't posted in a while but keep an eye on the latest news.
Am flat out with a couple of new tube amps for the next few months so if any Adelaide'ites ask about audition amps, my 55N+ and my 55 Lifeforce are available for short term loan - just refer them to me.
Cheers,
Ginger (Ian)
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Thanks Ian,
That's mighty kind of you, Sire, I will let you know.
The tube amp is your Baby Huey? That design always intrigued me.....
Hugh
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Congratulations Hugh, on Vsonic loudspeaker design. :D
Could you show us some photos, how this speaker gonna look like?
Thx
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Hugh,
Haven't posted in a while but keep an eye on the latest news.
Am flat out with a couple of new tube amps for the next few months so if any Adelaide'ites ask about audition amps, my 55N+ and my 55 Lifeforce are available for short term loan - just refer them to me.
Cheers,
Ginger (Ian)
On this subject: I have a AKSA 100-N + available for short term loan in the Phoenix area.
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Thank you very much, Bill,
That's very generous of you!
Hi Andrej,
Not yet...... still doing the final cabinetry, and intend to veneer it. Pictures are the very last thing we do, unfortunately, you wouldn't want to see the prototype!
I will say this: 72cms tall, 27cms wide, and 25cms deep - simple to construct and high WAF. You can even put a vase of flowers on the top..... This is 32 litres, quite small, downwards firing vent, it's 1.5dB down at 46Hz, but the bass is to die for..... we are doing final testing on the new Peerless tweeter since it's 8R; this will make this speaker easier to drive than anything else in the market, teasing the very best out of the amplifier!
Cheers,
Hugh
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Hi Hugh,
Harking back to your first post here, I for one love to hear the latest bits and pieces about the way Aspen is heading re refinement and development. So why not make this a sticky thread. Sort of a combination of ‘Press Release’ where appropriate and musings on production and design thoughts such as ‘surface mounting’. When anything significant comes up such as a new ‘Aspen 500GB Music Server’ ( :bomb: just kidding folks but wouldn’t it be nice…), I’m sure an appropriate new and separate thread will be spun off.
I know that on the all too rare occasions that I can visit Aspen, the ‘buzz’ is something else, a real privilege to observe. How anyone can pull off being chief visionary, designer, constructor, QA, store-person, sales, finance and administration let alone managing family, forum, car, coffee and friends is amazing. I don’t know where you hide the Oompa – Loompa’s :? but I’ll find them one day.
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72cms tall, 27cms wide, and 25cms deep - simple to construct and high WAF. You can even put a vase of flowers on the top..... This is 32 litres, quite small, downwards firing vent,
Hugh
I can imagine this speaker with shiny vener :drool:
Since speaker is quite small, should there be any base support to lift it on a ear height like pmc speaker below?
(http://www.pmcloudspeaker.com/images/ib2_pair.jpg)
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Andrej,
We will sit it on short legs, around 4cms tall. We don't believe that with the off axis performance we are getting that we need a large base; instead, put the vase of flowers on the top, and stare at the flowers!!
Cheers,
Hugh
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Hugh,
If you let me listen to it, I'll veneer your prototype for free!
I am the veneering expert.
Anton Gerner
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Anton,
Many thanks - an incredibly generous offer.
You'll hear from me when this design is ready for your ears!
Thank you again,
Hugh
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Oh well...another thing to add to 'The List'. I have been hunting around for the last twelve months or so for TL speaker designs to build once all the other homework is done (kitchen, bathroom, rear of house etc.) and the LF100 is in place. All this time aware that Hugh also fancied the TL and was looking at a design.......
Thus far I've been conceptually attracted to some of the product from www.frugal-horn.com primarily because the final product is generally affordable to make as they don't rely on super you beaut esoteric drivers.
But the V-sonic should be a good product so I'll have to have a listen at some stage. Hugh, veneering is a fairly straight forward operation especially as your product is not massive. The really tricky stuff comes with the marquetry.....(ha!). To be honest, it's potentially easier to obtain panels pre-cut and veneered from a supplier like http://www.briggs.com.au/ or http://www.timbertraders.com.au/index.html
Other finishing choices include using relatively new MDF product suited to finishing the MDF with powdercoat which provides a potentially huge range of finishes that are cheaper to apply and finish than two pack auto paints...
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Hi Sean,
Thanks for your post - yes, the Vsonic will be a GREAT product, I'm immensely satisfied with what I've seen and heard. When you finally get down to grey Melbourne, your presence is commanded at my cafe.
There's good coffee to be drunk..... :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :bounce: :bounce: :sleep:
Cheers,
Hugh
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A Meeting with Quasi.....
Last Sunday I met Quasi over dinner at my home. He designed an impressive quasi-comp amp which is featured on DIYaudio.com, and has been very helpful to DIYers building it who have many questions. It's an impressive amp, very versatile, and he has developed both bipolar and mosfet versions. He's a great guy, from the city where I was educated, Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. Here are our pictures (Con's the guy with lots of white hair!)
(http://www.aksaonline.com/images/Hugh&QuasiMar07-2.jpg)
Cheers,
Hugh
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Quasi is a lucky guy - getting to enjoy Sri's excellent cooking :D
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shhh! keep it down so i can listen in silence please!!
:oops:
long time, never post - a source of some of the silence i guess!!
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Glen,
I've been meaning to speak to you about this...... :nono:
How is Singapore and fatherhood?
Cheers,
Hugh
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Singapore - still plugging away for now... coming up on ten years here!
fatherhood? well my son is now 2.5 and the next one is due in August :)
it's been great, despite three sets of speaker cables eaten so far :o
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Once again, I feel I should intervene in this thread because of the dreadful racket!! :thumb:
Australia is entering autumn, man it's cold in the early morning when I take my jog in the park, while the northern hemisphere is entering spring and I'm told Switzerland is an unseasonably warm 25C during the day now. It seems the scientists were right 15 years ago when they warned us this might happen!
Laurie tells me the Vsonics will be ready for audition in my home in two weeks. I'm still waiting on the new pcb I designed for the crossover; this is the delay. We've bought initial components for a start. A recent audition was quite extraordinary, it sounded like a 12" bass driver on organ notes, and all this from a small, 32 litre enclosure!
The Squeezebox power supply is slowly taking form, with the chief holdup being graphics and CNC machining of the Al enclosure. All parts are purchased, and the prototype has been out on long term trial with Supermart, who loves it.
I'm working on another amp design, but nothing concrete at this stage. It will likely not compete with the Lifeforce - low power - but it will essentially be a crossover between tube and SS amps, a non-switching Class AB mosfet of around 40W. It will have to be truly exceptional to best the Lifeforce, I can say that emphatically!
My Toyota Cressida is off the road still as the rear heater coupling in the head has a busted thread which has had to be drilled, machined and rewelded because the damage was impossible to fix, even with a helicoil. It's been traumatic, because we had to remove the head a second time, spitting chips as we went. This is the archilles heel of these engines; dreadful cylinder head problems caused by inadequate factory bolt tension and relentless electrolytic corrosion due to dissimilar metals and poor head to block grounding. Funny how grounding rears its ugly head in so many areas!
The LF continues to sell well; a 100 watter recently replaced a 600W monobloc amp of impeccable branding at a customer's home; his reply was, 'Well, it's much more detailed, and the bass and midrange is so much clearer and better defined. And it's got an image now!'
I have put the finishing touches to the front panel of a full on retail 100W Lifeforce. I will post pictures both here and on the website when it's all complete; it's a 12mm thick Al billet, machine engraved and anodised in matt satin. Should look sensational!
Life on DIYaudio has been interesting lately! I've been relentlessly lampooned for being an 'alchemist', understanding insufficient to modify amps, let alone design them. While this has stung somewhat, the fact is objectivism is a religion to the meter readers, and there is no point arguing. None of these guys are commercial designers; they are academics and highly qualified hobbyists with a strong math background, but the fighting has been bitter. Sadly, no matter how low the measured distortion, it will be used for music, and if people don't like the sound, they won't buy it. And some tube amps distort dreadfully! You can't easily measure this quality of market acceptance, but it dictates the commercial realities.
Cheers,
Hugh
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I have put the finishing touches to the front panel of a full on retail 100W Lifeforce. I will post pictures both here and on the website when it's all complete; it's a 12mm thick Al billet, machine engraved and anodised in matt satin. Should look sensational!
Cheers,
Hugh
Hugh,
I hope this is my Lifeforce you are talking about :D
To explain:
I ordered a retail Swift and Lifeforce 100 from Hugh on March 25th and he told me there was a 4-6 week waiting list as he was very busy. I promised that I wouldn't give him a hard time about delivery until the 6 weeks were up, so we are down to 10 days and counting.
I spent a number of months deciding what amplification I wanted to get and auditioned Musical Fidelity, Primare, Qinpu, Melody, Consonance and a number of other brands. I did some at home auditions as well as in-store and my final playoff was AKSA versus a Consonance passive pre-amp with Consonance Cyber 845 monoblocs. I had been extremely impressed with the Consonance gear when I listened to it in store.
However, once I connected them up to my Shanling CDT-100C player and my Whatmough (a local brand made 1 km away from where I live) P31 speakers, there was no contest. The AKSA was so much more musical and pleasurable to listen to that it made my decision extremely easy.
As you can well imagine, I am hanging out for my goodies to be ready as I am currently using a Yamaha receiver to play my music.
I wouldn't worry what the people at DIYaudio may say Hugh, I listen to music, not numbers, and I think you have got the music portrayal just right.
Cheers,
Neil
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Hugh,
I wouldn’t beat myself about the head too much if I were you about fighting objectivism that would seem to be a pointless pursuit. Your components speak (or is it sing :oops:) for themselves. Thank goodness there are creative people that are not bound to the assumption that something ‘can’t work because it doesn’t follow a conventional model’ or that we can’t measure it therefore it doesn’t exist. That way, the rest of us can purchase something that ‘only’ sounds good.
We all have what is still the world’s greatest computer between our ears so if I can ‘hear’ a wider and/or deeper soundstage etc. from your amp or speakers (or anyone else’s for that matter) I am not phased by the fact that no-one seems to be able to supply me with measured soundstage specs. Please keep regaling us with your thoughts and ideas that you seem to have an uncanny ability to make happen and that work. An alchemist that succeeded eh; now that’s news! :)
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Hi Neil,
Thanks for your post - nice name in light of the vehicle you drive, too! I certainly appreciate your patience, and you can be pleased work is proceeding apace, and come have a gander and a coffee any time!
Lyn,
Yes, you are right. I should console myself that while the EEs fret over 0.001% distortion, they will usually miss the target, and while I don't profess to get a bullseye, I do feel there is more room for subjective assessment, which is what the subjectivist mags do all the time, right or wrong.
Thanks for the encouragement!!
Cylinder head went in today for the final welding. We anticipate a happy engine......
Cheers,
Hugh
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Hi Sean,
Thanks for your post - yes, the Vsonic will be a GREAT product, I'm immensely satisfied with what I've seen and heard. When you finally get down to grey Melbourne, your presence is commanded at my cafe.
There's good coffee to be drunk..... :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :bounce: :bounce: :sleep:
Cheers,
Hugh
"Good coffee to be drunk" Oh no this can['t be true
Au is very very English based not Italian.. Shall i come over from Holland to challenge Hugh's coffee?
IF . and I mean IF Hugh really has good coffee ( which I very very doubt given AU history) then. then the Aksa's and the LF's are not Hugh's core life force basics, but quality of human experience is. Next to making a good love enjoying a good meal and glasses of wine, riding on a 4-stroke medium thru AU dessert, and music as enjoying the o so intimate caress of moving emotions thru languages of soul, then Aspen core business is quality of life expressed in harmonics. But coffee? Coffee too?
:D
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Hi Kyrill,
Couldn't resist this one...... :icon_lol:
You wrote:
Au is very very English based not Italian.. Shall i come over from Holland to challenge Hugh's coffee?
The food industry in Melbourne, the second most British Australian city after Adelaide, is dominated by Italian, Greek and Lebanese immigrants, now into their third generation here. My favorite cafes are owned by people of Italian, Lebanese and Austrian heritage, so their standards are every bit as European as most of Europe, especially as many of them consistently visit their country of origin. Listen to the names of the larger Melbourne coffee companies: Vittorio, Beraldo, Mio, Cisco, Atomica. There are also some very, very nice coffees out of Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia makes beautiful coffee, although it's very hard to find here (probably you know it in Holland!).
I would suspect that our coffee is up to your high standards, but I would suggest that since Holland is such a powerful trading nation with a large population and a tradition of the finest products of the world, you probably could pip us at the post, but it would be close.......
... then the Aksa's and the LF's are not Hugh's core life force basics, but quality of human experience is. Next to making a good love, enjoying a good meal and glasses of wine, riding on a 4-stroke medium thru AU dessert, and music as enjoying the o so intimate caress of moving emotions thru languages of soul, then Aspen core business is quality of life expressed in harmonics. But coffee? Coffee too?
Absolutely. Kyrill, at our age, we see the end of the tunnel, and value our time greatly, leaning towards 'sniffing the roses'. Amplifiers are a pivotal aspect of my life, but it's unidimensional, obsessive stuff, and a little unbalanced. That's why I value the family, friends, reading, an avid interest in motorcycles, and world politics. I think the world is fascinating, and the more so as I age. You cannot spend your whole life working, there has to be recreation and rest, and I really enjoy conversation, good food, and particularly coffee and chocolate. I'm not a big drinker; it doesn't like me, and makes me feel off colour, which is probably a very good thing......
Do you recall Bertrand Russell's comment about ageing? He said, 'When I was young and my brain was fresh, I was a mathematician. In my later years, I became a philosopher'.
A love of beauty and an intuitive understanding of the concepts of nature is, in my view, the preserve of late middle and old age. Could this apply to you too? :wink:
Cheers,
Hugh
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ah ya AU is the best cultural kitchen mix in the world..
but i assumed you to be standing proud on old English tradition and taste for food and coffee, heavy dark plumb plumb xmas cakes, watery coffee, grey cooked vegetables beans and filled scheep lungs and so, no ;)?
But i could have been warned, yr Aksa's then, would probably sound like Cambridge Audio :thumb: :green:
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Kyrill,
I had all that dross in my childhood on a farm, and at boarding school and later the military. :scratch: My poor Father died last year from widely disseminated arteriosclerosis caused by too much dairy products and animal meat.
At 32 I married Sri, an Indonesian Army Officer from Semarang. She came to Australia from a privileged background, knew no cooking, but used cookbooks to learn both English and about food. She settled on Italian/Greek/Indonesian food, a wonderful mix of all three, and I've lived grandly ever since on a totally different diet to my younger days. All the food I eat now is passably hot, and I've learned to like rice, fish, tahu and tom yum. She does cook British fare, but we both know that tends towards bland by comparison! People cry out in discomfort after leaving our table; they have eaten too much, but felt it too beautiful to refuse..... :drool:
We rarely eat sweets now, a good thing. My makeup and temperament is certainly British, but my food preferences are generally European and Asian.
Anyway, enough...... where did you buy your very elegant teflon tube socket?
Cheers,
Hugh
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..... but i assumed you to be standing proud on old English tradition and taste for food and coffee, heavy dark plumb plumb xmas cakes, watery coffee, grey cooked vegetables beans and filled scheep lungs and so, no ;)?
them's fightin words... :nono:
:o
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But i could have been warned, yr Aksa's then, would probably sound like Cambridge Audio :thumb: :green:
Kyrill! Your killing me!
:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :bawl: :bawl:
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People cry out in discomfort after leaving our table; they have eaten too much, but felt it too beautiful to refuse..... :drool:
Yes I can vouch for truth of the above statement, having been in said state a few times from Sri's cooking. Feasts every night!!!!
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Likewise :lol:
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Oh.......good! :drool:
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Well, for those looking for some current noise coming out of AKSA HQ, there was some this morning that I was listening to and it was actually a very pleasant noise. First time I’ve heard the new Vsonics and they sound very impressive indeed. I won’t comment on looks too much as Hugh told me the production version dimensions will be a bit different (smaller) but as prototypes they looked fine as a wood veneer with a simple two way facia (1 inch tweeter over an 8 inch main – Peerless drivers I believe).
I love my Vandersteens and would hesitate to ever compare directly as a different room and CD source would substantially influence things but I can post some initial general impressions. Overall I felt the Vsonics were highly resolving and beautifully detailed. The excellent focus, imaging and stable instrument location stood out immediately and the soundstage was quite 3D though not the widest or deepest I’ve ever heard. Perhaps a tad laid back rather than absolutely neutral and the base whilst also extremely well detailed was a bit hard for me to judge as it’s a while since I’ve been limited to about 40hz as mine go down solidly to the high twenties.
The crossover is third order and well sorted and I suspect that those that love really musical 2 way speakers that emphasise a superb midrange and upper base will be very pleased indeed. I suspect Hugh didn’t design them to rock and they don’t but golly if you like to hear vocal, orchestral and unplugged instruments that sound truly clean, natural and musical, pop in and have a listen like I did.
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I too sampled the Vsonics last week....(thanks Hugh and Sri for your hospitality). And I'd have to mirror LM's assessment. They sound quite impressive......in fact, given my limited experience with loudspeakers, they probably are the most impressive speaker I've ever heard.
True, room effects and speaker positioning make comparisons of speakers somewhat moot but suffice to say that these Vsonics trounced my Krix Lyrix in virtually every way possible. If there was one thing that was clear to me it was the strong belief that the speakers were too close together - Hugh's room just wasn't wide enough - and the 'soundstage' was congested for width.
Hugh's CD player was plugged straight to a LF100 as his GK-1 was off impressing someone else (dammit!!).
I had a go with them using some newly purchased CDs from Peter Gabriel and The Knife while Hugh tried out tracks from The Wonder Boys soundtrack (Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison). My memory of the Vsonic is comprised of 'detail', 'speed' and 'bass control'. And it was the bass control that had me interested.
Unlike LM I think they can rock - I tried The Knife track called 'Silent Shout', which is a spectacular slab of electronica that exploits a massive frequency range with rapid shifts between such frequencies, at a volume just shy of ear splitting and it is fair to say that they managed extremely well. The low frequency crescendo was quite impressively delivered. Deep floor shaking harmonics.....so cool!! Tracks from Peter Gabriel's singles compilation such as 'Solsbury Hill' and 'Sledgehammer' were reproduced extremely well - tonnes of detail. Perhaps a bit too much given the mastering quality! Hugh's response that it needed some tubes in it was probably on the mark......
I'd love to try them in a bigger room!!!!! With a few valves in between!
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Thanks Sean!!
It was great to meet you last week, really enjoyed the exchange of ideas and general audiophile and automotive banter!! aa I should tell you that Russ, my biker mate, recently found a 1995 Aristo biturbo in SA for $16K with only 88K kms on the clock, now there's a car........ :drool: :drool:
Appreciate your comments on the VSonics. I have a secret weapon in Simon Williams, a close family friend who visits frequently and who LOVES music with a passion unmatched. He knows more about popular, classical and particularly jazz in all its genres than anyone I've ever met, including all the gurus on the media who purport to be experts. He has an extraordinary, eclectic taste, likes everything, even (I'm a bit sheepish about this) RAP!! :evil: Can you imagine that? (And he's 53, I worry about that...... :lol:) Every time Simon visits, he brings a new CD - he buys one almost every day from the merchant nearby - and tries it out on my system.
Last Saturday I found Simon sitting in the listening room late at night in the freezing cold - no heater here - listening to the VSonics/100LF at about 100dBA playing some very complex electronic music. I was amazed, he normally listens very quietly because he just loves the detail. He is a blues fanatic, and runs a weekly music program on the local community FM station.
I asked him why it was so loud. He responded that he found it really exciting, because all the realism and detail was still intact. He loves the speakers, and really loves the bass. Sean, I think this reinforces your comments, and I should add that nothing gets by me without first seeking Simon's approval; he is a large part of my quality control. It is interesting that he is a linguistic camelian (just like you, Jens, I know you are there!!); he speaks utterly fluent Indonesian and Greek, has an unmatched ear for sound, and is about as interested in the electronic gimcrackery as I am in garden snails....... :lol:
Cheers,
Hugh
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Just to clarify, the ‘not designed to rock’ was intended to be complimentary. I have been a victim of my own inexperience a number of times in the past where I have bought speakers that I later realised were designed to overtly emphasise the base and as well as the consequent base bloom and muddiness, I also found that this seemed to adversely affected the midrange quality. Hugh has made no such design mistake in my opinion. The Vsonics certainly reproduce the input signal input very accurately indeed, rock sources included (apart from the lowest octave), so only those who want a woolly ‘duff duff’ sound, a big base driver or added distortion will be disappointed. Sorry if that was not clear. :)
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Hi Hugh,
Sure - I'm here :wink:
Would love to hear those Vsonics! Unfortunately, there's nothing on the agenda that points in the direction of me getting to Melbourne in any foreseeable future :(
I guess I could build a pair of Vsonics myself, but the next question would be where to put them? They're too small for my big room (around 45 sq.m), where I currently have eight (!) 8" drivers (also Peerless, very similar to the ones used in the Vsonics) to ensure the room is "filled" properly with sound. And I don't have (and don't intend to have) a "second system".
Well, I suppose I'll come across the Vsonics during my travels - we'll see :drool:
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Jens.........are you sure your room size estimate is correct? 45 sqm is not unusual for a medium Australian loungeroom these days and Hugh's listening room is certainly bigger than this - I'd guesstimate around 65 sqm...........and I found the audio setup quite deafening.
The other thing I forgot to point out was how effortless the Vsonics seem to be to drive. The LF100 remained basically cool to touch despite 20 minutes of enthusiastic volume management from Hugh (I never got near the remote!!) - something that impressed me no end.
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Jens.........are you sure your room size estimate is correct? 45 sqm is not unusual for a medium Australian loungeroom these days and Hugh's listening room is certainly bigger than this - I'd guesstimate around 65 sqm...........and I found the audio setup quite deafening.
The other thing I forgot to point out was how effortless the Vsonics seem to be to drive. The LF100 remained basically cool to touch despite 20 minutes of enthusiastic volume management from Hugh (I never got near the remote!!) - something that impressed me no end.
Seano, I'm not surprised. I've had loud listening sessions much longer than 20 minutes, in a much bigger room, with my 84db speakers, and my LF100 was still only barely more than cool to the touch. :D
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Jens.........are you sure your room size estimate is correct? 45 sqm is not unusual for a medium Australian loungeroom these days and Hugh's listening room is certainly bigger than this - I'd guesstimate around 65 sqm...........and I found the audio setup quite deafening.
The other thing I forgot to point out was how effortless the Vsonics seem to be to drive. The LF100 remained basically cool to touch despite 20 minutes of enthusiastic volume management from Hugh (I never got near the remote!!) - something that impressed me no end.
My listening room is approx. 5 (w) x 8 (l) metres, and at one end there is a "notch" where the room widens out to approx. 7 metres.
However, it's not room size in itself that creates the need for multiple drivers. First of all, listening distance is approx. 6 metres (this makes a huge difference). Secondly, my system response is more or less straight down to 20 Hz (electronically controlled). Thirdly, the room is fairly well-dampened, and fourthly - and not least - I tend play large orchestral works and organ pieces at lifelike volumes.
I've had several two-way systems in my room over the years, and although many of them have sounded extremely well, they all sounded like midgets (soundwise) compared to my current speaker system.
The speaker system also doubles as fronts for my home cinema setup, often creating sofa-rocking soundwaves :lol:
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My listening room is approx. 5 (w) x 8 (l) metres, and at one end there is a "notch" where the room widens out to approx. 7 metres.
However, it's not room size in itself that creates the need for multiple drivers. First of all, listening distance is approx. 6 metres (this makes a huge difference).
The speaker system also doubles as fronts for my home cinema setup, often creating sofa-rocking soundwaves :lol:
Hi Jens,
It's hard to imagine how you could be sitting 6m away from your speakers in an 8m room? :? Are you sure you have your speakers and listening position in the optimum place, relative to your room dimensions?
My "music room" is about the same size as yours ... 5.2m wide and 8m long. With a pitched ceiling in the centre which goes up to about 5m - so it encloses a large volume! :D Yet my listening distance (from speaker to ear) is about 3.7m! :o
I have set mine up in 1/5ths and 1/3rds for best bass reproduction ... ie. the centre of my bass drivers is 1/5th of the room length away from the front wall (1.6m). My seating position is 1/3rd into the room, at the other end. The centre of the bass drivers is also 1/5th the room width away from each side wall ... and they point directly at my ears.
If you have 6m from speaker to ear then I would've thought either your chair or the speakers - or both - are too close to the wall? :?
Regards,
Andy
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Hi Andy,
As with everything else in life, there are compromises. Speaker and listening positions are what is possible, since my wife and I also like to use the room for other purposes than audio.
With my system, the problem of positioning does not really give that many problems. The "notch" in the room I mentioned is at the speaker end of the room and seems somehow to change things quite a bit :wink:
Please bear in mind that even with the same measurements etc., no two rooms are alike. Each room has its own peculiarities. I've helped quite a few friends with their setups and measuring their rooms. Sometimes results are somewhat baffling, but so far I've always been able to help :)
I now have electronic room control of the bass section, which irons out the minor problems that there were in my room, but even before I had that, it actually worked quite well. The electronic control has cleaned up things a bit, though, by alleviating problems with some room modes.
The speakers are of the closed type, so the problems that arise in many rooms with reflex speakers do not exist, and speaker fronts are approx. 1 m from the rear wall. Likewise, the listening sofa has it's back approx. 1 m from the rear wall. It's a very good trick not to sit too close to the rear wall when listening.
Obviously, when correcting for room anomalies, I have the measuring device placed in the sofa, in the exact position/height where my ears would otherwise be :)
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Hi Andy,
As with everything else in life, there are compromises. Speaker and listening positions are what is possible, since my wife and I also like to use the room for other purposes than audio.
The speakers are of the closed type, so the problems that arise in many rooms with reflex speakers do not exist, and speaker fronts are approx. 1 m from the rear wall. Likewise, the listening sofa has it's back approx. 1 m from the rear wall. It's a very good trick not to sit too close to the rear wall when listening.
Yes, life is generally a never-ending compromise but 1m for both speakers and ears means they are both at a 1/8th node, lengthwise. And you didn't mention the position of the speakers, widthwise.
Can you do a simple experiment ... move your listening chair out so it is at 2.6m from the back wall and see how much better that sounds? :D Of course you need to adjust speaker toe-in to match how they normally are, relative to your ears.
Regards,
Andy
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Hi Andy,
As with everything else in life, there are compromises. Speaker and listening positions are what is possible, since my wife and I also like to use the room for other purposes than audio.
The speakers are of the closed type, so the problems that arise in many rooms with reflex speakers do not exist, and speaker fronts are approx. 1 m from the rear wall. Likewise, the listening sofa has it's back approx. 1 m from the rear wall. It's a very good trick not to sit too close to the rear wall when listening.
Yes, life is generally a never-ending compromise but 1m for both speakers and ears means they are both at a 1/8th node, lengthwise. And you didn't mention the position of the speakers, widthwise.
Can you do a simple experiment ... move your listening chair out so it is at 2.6m from the back wall and see how much better that sounds? :D Of course you need to adjust speaker toe-in to match how they normally are, relative to your ears.
Regards,
Andy
Andy, I've done lots of experiments. But there is no way that my listening position can be moved very much (because it is a room for other things than audio). You may think me a novice, but I've been building speakers for the last 30 years .... and have experimented with rooms and positions for just as long.
Nodes or not - it doesn't matter when you have full control over in-room bass behaviour via a speaker management system. Besides, the speakers are actualy 1.2 metres from the rear wall - the figures I mentioned were just approximations to give a general picture of the setup. And just to put things into perspective, I can tell you that the remark that everyone who comes here to listen to my system invariably makes is: "Wauw man, have you got that bass under control!" :wink:
And - the people who come here are not novices, either. I've had several of the reviewers of the Danish High Fidelity magazine here along with other people, who have very expensive and well set up systems. Many leave shaken, both mentally and physically! :lol:
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Hugh,
Just re-reading your comments about Simon and his value to you for feedback when developing and voicing your VSonics. Sounds like someone with a fair experience of their character that could make some really interesting comments.
May I be so bold as to suggest a VSonics listener sticky thread with perhaps Seano’s comments to start and/or beg/ask Simon for some comments as well. I for one would love to read his thoughts. I myself find it very hard not to be somewhat clinical in my descriptions and that approach doesn’t necessarily emphasise what a revealing, sweet and musical kit design you have developed. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard a more accurate 2 way speaker.
Perhaps you could lead off with some of their general design/philosophy details. I certainly am a fan of transmission line and the drivers look so good their story absolutely needs to be told.
What do you think? :thumb:
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Sure, Lyn, will ask Simon, but he's always loathe to post or even make comments.
I think being as objective as possible is always the best way. Subjective comments are probably good for advertising copy, but must be laced with a conservative outlook. Perhaps I'm guilty of overstepping the mark myself!!
There is always the difficult issue of knowing exactly WHEN to release the product, too; I'm never quite sure, but it's definitely easier when someone else does the designing!
Thanks for the comments, thread coming up.....
Hugh
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Subject says it all........
Been fiendishly hot here in southern Oz, little doubt there is climate change, drought is upon us, Melbourne's reservoirs are just below 40% and we are at the start of summer......
Ah, Merry Christmas to all AKSA owners, past, present and future.
Boring in here, we really gotta keep talking!!
Cheers,
Hugh
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SShush musical bliss! :thumb: :violin: :guitar: :drums:
Nick.
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Hi Hugh,
Its been a while....
firstly I would like to wish you the very best regards your forays into new territories!
I am certainly interested in the Aspen/Boulder duet!
I have a quick question regarding ASKAs and Orions that I know keeps popping up.
You may remember that I use an AKSA55 N+ with lowered PS rails to provide 25 watts to drive the tweeters in my Orions. I have been running the second set of tweeters in parallel for the last 6 months with approx 1.75 ohms in series with the rear tweeters but now want to connect both tweeters in parallel with the AKSA amp. I saw your comments regarding the 55 watt Lifeforce with the Orion+ and the option of reducing the voltage to give more headroom with this low impedance load, does this apply to the AKSA that I am using as I have already reduced the PS voltages, or is this a no go?
Out of interest what are the potential problems with running such a low impedance with the AKSA amps, will I just blow the output ICs, or will this affect the audio quality?
Cheers Hugh.
Brad
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Hi All,
Yesterday I called in on Laurie who is back in residence and heard the prototype Vsonics. We had plenty of noise in the room. Not noise really. but wonderfully reproduced music.
Laurie has been at them again. This time he bi wired them, I believe for the first time. Every aspect of evaluation has been lifted a few notches at least. The bass appears to have additional slam (down to the low 30hZ range) but with a musicality about it that you would think that the musos are performing is in the room. In MHO it is useless to verbalize on about the speakers performance because they do it all with such aplomb. :drool: :drool: :drool:
Hugh, I hope that I am not stealing your thunder but these speakers are too good to hide for much longer.
Regards,
Sparkie
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Hi Sparkie
Hugh, I hope that I am not stealing your thunder but these speakers are too good to hide for much longer.
They sure as hell deserve to be better known. Pity they are only available as kits, at least initially. If Hugh can somehow arrange for them to be available pre built then I suspect a wider audience awaits.
Thanks
Bill
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Sparkie,
I've been looking into felt lining, but it was $84 a linear metre, a ridiculous cost, so back to using carpet.....
The bi-wireable option was always available, we designed for it. I'm pleased Laurie has had such good results, frankly I did not expect it. :oops:
This has gone on long enough...... I must get them out the door.
I will definitely make them available in Oz fully built. :wink:
Cheers,
Hugh
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I have just been catching up with some reading on the Aksa forum and noted Hugh's comments about those mathematically inclined at DIYaudio and provide a quote from Charles Darwin regarding mathematicians whom he described as.....
"A blind man, searching a darkened room, for a black cat, that isn't there"
After trying to wrestle with some mathematical concepts whilst trying to learn about speaker formulas recently like the square root of minus one etc....I couldn't have said it better myself!
Bluesky
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I will definitely make them available in Oz fully built. :wink:
Great to hear Hugh. I would be interested except I have decided on the new SP tec Timepiece-mini and given a down payment.
Thanks
Bill
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I have just been catching up with some reading on the Aksa forum and noted Hugh's comments about those mathematically inclined at DIYaudio and provide a quote from Charles Darwin regarding mathematicians whom he described as.....
"A blind man, searching a darkened room, for a black cat, that isn't there"
After trying to wrestle with some mathematical concepts whilst trying to learn about speaker formulas recently like the square root of minus one etc....I couldn't have said it better myself!
Bluesky
Hmmm. Being a bit of an applied math freak I understand your frustration. It can take a while to get your mind around some of the more subtle concepts such as so called 'imaginary numbers'. In truth they are no more imaginary than say irrational numbers. Since an irrational number is arbitrarily close to a rational number it is imposable to tell by measurement an rational number from an irrational one. They are simply introduced for theoretical convenience - by introducing them you can assume continuity and take derivatives etc. The same with imaginary numbers - they are introduced purely for theoretical convenience. And that convenience has a lot of practical value, since it allows you to get to a first cut of a design on which listening tests can commence faster than without using it.
Thanks
Bill
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I would forgive anyone for thinking I'd taken a balloon journey around the world - the adventures of Jasper Morello, no less..... But I'm still here, wrestling with daily life, agonising over circuit design, chatting over coffee with friends and visitors, trying to meet my email obligations, juggling family issues, particularly the ill health of my elderly Mom.
I am very busy with new orders, one in particular from Robert in NYC. Hi Robert - a big order, really forcing me to focus, thank you again. The weather in Melbourne has turned to autumn, the best time of the year, just wonderful for long, pleasant walks and exciting, visceral rides on the bike.
I've just discovered Mariza, the Fado exponent from Portugal. Just astonishing, beautiful singing, heart wrenching - recommended. She is the Edith Piaff of Portugal, frankly, I think she is better.
Cheers,
Hugh
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I've just discovered Mariza, the Fado exponent from Portugal. Just astonishing, beautiful singing, heart wrenching - recommended. She is the Edith Piaff of Portugal, frankly, I think she is better.
Cheers,
Hugh
Yes, a gorgeous voice! :D If you like Fado, you'd better start listening to the Greek equivalent ... from the dives of Athens in the 30s ... Rembetika! :D
Regards,
Andy
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Hi Hugh,
Is there a thread that lists the frequency response chart, impedance chart and spl of your new t-line speak? Type of crossover, 1st 2nd or 3rd order? Tweeter type? Min and max watts per channel? Recommended room size for this speak? MSRP? Or is all of this info TBA at release?:D
Cheers,
Brad Kizer
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Hi Brad,
I will try to include the Xover Pro charts, or one or two of them, in the website advertising, which I'm doing in the next couple of days. I have some kits now prepared ready for sale and will be contacting those interested who have reserved one first up.
The information you seek is very comprehensive, and generally only measureable in a lab. Thousands of dollars are spent deriving it, and while I can supply the design briefs and charts, the anechoic measurements are at this stage not possible.
However, that said, Tymphany were interested enough to send a German tech manager to Oz to listen to it. After he heard it, he commissioned Laurie to develop a TL subwoofer, now completed and delivered, and in Copenhagen Tympany split open the enclosure (built with 25mm MDF!!) using a 1200W amp playing 747 takeoffs recorded just off the runway at liftoff. Needless to say, they have now braced the box with 38mm composite MDF, and placed a 500Kg weight over the enclosure to hold it down in the anechoic chamber during testing. Indications are that it's holding; that's two 12" XLS Peerless drivers in isobarik configuration, BTW, and specially fan cooled voice coils.
The VSonics use the same TL design topology. They are pretty good.....
Cheers,
Hugh
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Hi Hugh,
Sounds like you are on to something here. Like yourself, I do indeed like the sonics of a well designed t-line speak. I look forward to your website update.
Cheers,
Brad Kizer
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....he commissioned Laurie to develop a TL subwoofer, now completed and delivered, and in Copenhagen Tympany split open the enclosure (built with 25mm MDF!!) using a 1200W amp playing 747 takeoffs recorded just off the runway at liftoff. Needless to say, they have now braced the box with 38mm composite MDF, and placed a 500Kg weight over the enclosure to hold it down in the anechoic chamber during testing. Indications are that it's holding; that's two 12" XLS Peerless drivers in isobarik configuration, BTW, and specially fan cooled voice coils.
:lol:.......they should have put bigger nails in it. Always works for me :thumb:
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Hi Seano,
I suggested that longer screws be used to hold the box together and suggested that they put a bolt through its neck to keep it together.
The destructive engineers put a 18mm bolt from top to bottom of the box and another from side to side about in the middle, suitably braced. Before that the thing was wrapped in two layers of carbon fibre. Apparently they have now cooked the voice coils and as a result now know the upper limits of the highly modified hand built drivers. The drivers could not handle over 2400 watts long term.
I wonder what they will try next.
Cheers,
Laurie.
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I suggested that longer screws be used to hold the box together and suggested that they put a bolt through its neck to keep it together.
If this thing ever sees the light of day, it just HAS to be called the "Frankenstein"!
Cheers,
Ron.
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:lol: One wonders just how much bass one needs......'Frankenstein' indeed. It may go well with a speaker design, currently at prototype stage in Bathurst NSW (I think), which may go into production through Aslan Acoustics........it's called the 'Frankenspeaker'
http://www.stereo.net.au/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=4666&view=findpost&p=67294
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One suspects that Tymphany are vying with the chemists to produce a 'sure-fire' faecal softener!! :lol:
Judging by the doof doof routinely driving down my street, there is no limit to the levels of bass required by the consumer.... Perhaps death would be the only contra-indicator...... :scratch:
Cheers,
Hugh
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Death is the ultimate bass
ultimate bass will lead to death
the meaning of this revelation
rests upon what is not said
:beer:
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the meaning of this revelation
rests upon what is not said
phew ... thank goodness for that :D
jules
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Hi all,
A good name for it, with bolt and all what else could it be. Actually the variation that was powered with 2400W was for a special industrial speaker. The musical version which was playing in Aus before it was shipped did a marvellous job. It was designed as an complementary extension to the VSonics. The VSonics go down to about 30Hz with a realistic musical bass, tonnes of punch for all except for audiophiles who want to feel the thump and slam of a kick drum and the low notes of a bass guitar without any hint of doofie boom. Live music, particularly Australian pub and blues music pack a real whack in the below 30Hz range, so does a pipe organ. Ya gotta feel totally involved!
Watch this space when a new musical "Frankie" is built in a month or so.
Cheers,
Laurie
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MORE STATIC REQUIRED. SILLY, INANE COMMENTS ALWAYS ENCOURAGED...... :lol:
Hugh
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Having moved to Cairns last year, I have been surprised to find 3 Hi Fi specialists in town. Darwin only had 1 for the same population.
Anyway, I dropped into one about 3 weeks ago and they had on short term loan from the inported the lastest and greatest Linn Akurate system.
This comprised of top of the line LP12, Pre amps, and speakers.
Total retail cost AUD$160K.
What did it sound like? a slightly more refined boom box from Harvey Norman.
I cam home and got the wife a the Suzanne Vega Solitude Standing LP from the 80's, a very well recorded LP.
We listened to most of the album, than came straight home and put in on our modest AKSA based system.
we where both astounded by the difference between to 2 systems.
Treble: Linn - Hi Fi like, no reality to sound, no "air", compressed. Mine - The opposite, instruments sound real, and distinct with position in space, totally clear and extended.
Midrange: Linn - Forward, in your face. Mine - as above.
Bass: Linn - Boomy, slow, over the top, compressed, gave us a headache within 5 minutes. Mine - Fast, extended, no headache.
And people buy this stuff.
The one good thing was the dealer did say he was selling a turntable every 2 days on average.
Mark
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What's your TT, arm & cartridge, Oz? :o
Regards,
Andy
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Hi Mark,
I was approached by Linn Int'l Marketing Director, based in Edinburgh, for audition of the latest Linn Akurate and Klimax at the Melbourne Audio Club.
I referred it on to the committee, after doing an unsuccessful search of the Linn website to find the cost.
I then received an email from the redoubtable Adnan Arduman, past York Air Conditioning concessionaire in Turkey and now operating a high end two channel store in Istanbul. He has a rather significant website about audio, dating from years ago, here: http://www.arduman.com/aa/ (http://www.arduman.com/aa/)
Adnan RAVED about the Klimax, saying it was just astonishing. Subsequently I discovered that the Akurate is $AUD8950 ex Sydney, and the Klimax around $20K. Hmmm, ahem.........
These new digital components were projects led by Ivor Tiefenbrun's son Gilad and could well represent their new foray out of the analog formats. For myself, I cannot see why they cost so much, but maybe that's just me. Lots of people have a lot of money to splash around, branding is apparently everything, and marketing is certainly expensive..... but that all means that the retail cost is largely comprised of marketing costs; staging exhibits in expensive hifi shows around the world, and paying for the retinue of staff to make it all happen.
Cheers,
Hugh
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Andy, I have a mid 80's Linn LP12, Valhala, Ikok III, and a Denon DL160, yet to fit a 103R, going through Hughs Phono stage, GK1 and early 55 AKSA and TLB speakers. My digital source is a NAD Master series M55 universal player.
By the way, have you changed the resistors in the phono stage yet? I would love another persons opinion on the mod.
As for the Linn system, the speakers alone where AUD$80K, full active 4 way, 5 speaker system. No imaging, depth, speed etc, but they where very good at compression and headaches even at very moderate levels.
I did not hear the digital gear, just the LP12 with lastest everything.
It was an interesting afternoon.
Mark
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Andy, I have a mid 80's Linn LP12, Valhala, Ikok III, and a Denon DL160, yet to fit a 103R, going through Hughs Phono stage, GK1 and early 55 AKSA and TLB speakers. My digital source is a NAD Master series M55 universal player.
By the way, have you changed the resistors in the phono stage yet? I would love another persons opinion on the mod.
Mark
Hi Mark,
Aah, so you do have an LP12, same as the dealer! :D Of course, the cartridge/arm makes a difference but presumably they had the latest Linn cart? Don't know about the Denon DL160 but a mate of mine loves his 103R. :D
No I'm sorry, I haven't changed the GK-1 phono stage reses yet ... because I've just come out of a 5 month exercise upgrading my amps to Lifeforces and I want to listen for a few months, before I do anything else! :D I remember your posts about that but can you possibly email me directly as to the details of what you did? (redwood dot andrew at gmail dot com)
I have to put the teflon caps into my GK-1 at some stage, so I will get stuck into it then.
Regards,
Andy
PS: Have you heard about my CF-composite subchassis for the LP12 (if you can't afford a Keel! :D )?
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Andyr
Yes I have heard about the chassis, but I would prefer to get a newer design. I think things have moved on from the 70's designs such as the Linn.
Now for something completely different.
A couple of years ago I stayed with hugh for a couple of days while I had to go to Melbourne on family matters. Hugh and I had a few coffees at his favorite hang outs and one day he brought his beloved bike down with him. He insisted that I ride it back to his place, which I did and had a wonderful time doing it. Great bike. Anyway a large number of years ago I had 2 Moto Guzzi's. A Le Mans III that I bought new in 1983 and an original 1975 LAPD single seat 850T3 Californian. The Calli gained a normal seat so my girlfriend could fit on the bake and the Le Mans nded up very modified and VERY fast! Then one day I asked the girlfriend to become my wife while we where riding the Le Mans down to Wonthaggi, and we had our Honeymoon on the Calli riding around South Oz and Kangaroo Island.
Move forward 21 years and both bikes are long gone and replace by 3 equally expensive rug rats.
So Last Saturday, I grabbed said wife, put some jeans on her and took her for a tet ride on one of these;
http://www.motoguzzi.com.au/bellagio.html
Absolutely fantastic, goes, handles, comfortable and enjoyable.
Now all I have to do is get one, but the problem will be I will also need to replace the Le Mans III. Fortunately these are now available:
http://www.ghezzi-brian.com/ :green:
Audio and Soda Michaels, once tested, always drunk!
Mark
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Mark,
Wonderful story, all the better for your wife being a fellow biker. When Sri tested the water with a small ride to the cafe a year or so back, at the first roundabout I leaned the bike over about five degrees to hear a shocked exclamation, 'I don't like it, keep it upright!!'
I fell in love with the old Guzzi V7 from the mid-sixties, loved the layout and ethos of the Guzzi, and yes, the Ghezzi-Brian has been a quiet obsession of mine for some time now.
And did you see the reviews on the new four valve Guzzi heads? Finally, they rev out!!
Perhaps you need an MV Augusta, or the new Aprilia V4???
Cheers,
Hugh
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Is the new Portishead album a classic in the making?
I certainly think so, check it out.
Nick
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Please don't mention Guzzi's here. :duh:
I have only ever riden one, once, and I still have nightmares. God I thought I was going to die. Sorry i can't remember the model but it was around 600cc with interconnected front and back brakes, this was about 20 years ago - late 80's.
I need a drink. :lol:
regards
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I went to buy a Guzzi once...only it was more like thirty years ago so I can't remember the model either. Perhaps fortunately the bike didn't feel at all right - I'm tall and it just didn't fit. I bought a Velocette instead - now there's a fine piece of machinery! Don't know whether they ever made it to Oz...
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Hi Martyn,
Velos made it too Oz, the 350 KSS was for some years my favorite. Archetypally British, with a Frog name, but somehow better engineered than the BSAs and even the Matchless. I liked the AJS too. Last model here was the Thruxton, which was a truly watershed bike, but difficult to start.
Velos were very popular in Australia in the fifties for their marvellous handling and idiosyncratic fish tail exhaust. They certainly appealed to me, though a little small for me.
Greg,
I'm sorry to hear of your dreadful experience. Not nice. What do you ride now?
This is the most OT thread we've ever had. Anyone for tennis??
Cheers,
Hugh
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Remarkable! It's getting close to be the Guzzi thread.
Please may I have membership on the basis of having owned a Le Mans Guzzi some 27 years back. Great bike, except in the air when they really do try to rotate around their crankshaft :o.
The linked brake system caused you some grief then Greg :)?
Best exhaust note ... a friend of mine used to own a Manx Norton [500cc single cylinder OH cams] with a megaphone exhaust, unregistered of course. We'd occasionally get it out and do a run or two in the suburbs of Melbourne. It was so loud you had to either scream or laugh. KSS Velo ... ooh yes!
jules
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Jules,
A good friend of mine from years back, Bob Jolly of Adelaide, raced a Manx from 1966 to 2006 - forty freakin' years would ya believe - and would now be in his early sixties. He was a wild man.
Back in the sixties, 53 bhp at 7200 rpm was very high performance on a racetrack. I saw Bob racing open class at McNamara Park in Mt Gambier about two years ago, and almost everything passed him on the straight. But on the corners, he caught them again....... good rider, still slim, unlike yours truly...... :lol:
The Manx was beautifully engineered, with an unusual bevel drive a la early Dukes to the cam gear. But when I gaze at my Kwaka ZRX, with its exquisitely engineered engine/transmission/electrics, I realise they have come a long way indeed. The ZRX pulls 122 bhp at 8500 rpm, yet pulls smoothly in fifth gear from 1500rpm - that's just 43 kph!! This sort of tractability is a revelation compared to an older bike, but sadly it's not evident on the liter monsters, which don't get going until at least 4000 rpm.
Guzzi has been a bit more sparing with the split braking system in recent years, putting it only on their cruisers. Silly idea, keeping the brakes separate gives you a chance of better control on a much greater range of surfaces, sort of like a human ABS.
Cheers,
Hugh
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Any AKSA owners out there that are into classic sports cars? :drool:
No?
Just me then! :roll:
Ron
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Hmmm, none of us have the boodle, perhaps?
C'mon Ron, what sort do you have? Aston? TVR? Jensen? Lotus? Healey? :lol: :drool:
BTW, my daughter, Soraya, is presently living in London, in Willesden Green, arrived a week ago, fancy that??
Sadly she is as interested in hifi as I am in garden snails...... :roll:
Cheers,
Hugh
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Hugh, my father bought a KSS brand new for 60 pounds way before I came on the scene, It was his reminiscing and old photos that led me to my Venom after my Triumph twin, then once he had sat on it and all the old memories came flooding back, he went and bought another Venom like mine. He never did ride it much - just a typical second childhood thing. I always wanted a Thruxton but never did have one (sigh).
Ron, funny you should ask that! I no longer have any bikes (although I often think about getting one), but I do have a '67 Jag. In true DIY fashion and mainly because this was the only affordable route to ownership, it came as a kit - dismantled for restoration, subsequently abandoned, then finally sold "as is" (a rusty shell on wheels and lots of cardboard boxes). Now if I could ever figure out how to add a photo to a message...
I used to lust after a gal who lived in Willesdon Green...just how far OT can this get?
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So, we have the "Original" Soraya in London! I hope she enjoys her stay.
Does she have anything in common with her namesake?
As for cars, I have a 1968 Lotus Elan +2. It was bought as a going concern, but was hit from behind a couple of years later. It's now nearing completion of its restoration, and yes, it has cost lots of £ and time to restore!
In case anyone doesn't know what one is, have a look here: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=953
Cheers,
Ron
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Any AKSA owners out there that are into classic sports cars? :drool:
No?
Just me then! :roll:
Ron
Never really had the loot to be seriously "into" classic sports cars but I did own a Lancia Montecarlo for a few years - bought it in 1980 (1 of only 5 in Oz, at that stage). Unfortunately, having only 2 seats meant that when my daughter was born in 1983 ... it had to go! :bawl:
It was a sensational drive! aa
Regards,
Andy
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Hi Andy,
The Monty was a real sportscar, and the precursor I think to the all-conquering Lancia Stratos Rally car.
OK, I admit it! I too had a Lancia Beta, but mine was the HPE variant.
A beautiful machine, but not built for the British weather I fear. The dreaded Tin worm ate mine in a few short years, and by the time it completely melted away only half the electrics were working. BUT... the generation of engines in both our vehicles and the Fiat supermirafiori were designed by a Ferrari man during a sabattical, and boy did he get it right!
Cheers,
Ron.
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when I was a student i had an MG midget, although i was 6feet+ tall
now I am the proud owner of what is to me a classique: the Alfa 164 3.0 literV6
bought it new and cannot take part from it
I have bought years ago a strange multi metal ( copper looking) tube with a loose piece of metal in it ( you can hear it when you shake it, but it does not fall out)
and you have to place it in the gasoline tube ( input of the engine) as close to the motor as possible
What it should do is pre-ionise the gasoline so it becomes more "+" and when it is atomized above the pistons the tiny mist of gasoline will repel itself easier from itself ( erghh miss the right English words)
The effect is the gas expands much more quickly and spread more evenly above the pistons. So more power or more efficient. The motor new is advertised as 200 hp. after a check i had 205 hp but the check was after 100.000 miles on the motor
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Hi Andy,
The Monty was a real sportscar, and the precursor I think to the all-conquering Lancia Stratos Rally car.
OK, I admit it! I too had a Lancia Beta, but mine was the HPE variant.
Cheers,
Ron.
Hi Ron,
Well, well - another Lancia owner ... no wonder you like AKSAs too! :thumb:
Yes, I had a Beta coupe for 4 years. That's how I got turned on to the Montecarlo! :D But I must admit the no-power-steering of the Beta was a real PITA!
And I've always had a niggling desire to own a Lotus ... but never got around to it. :D However, I did go and investigate the 4-seater, tailgate model a decade ago ... the Elise?
Regards,
Andy
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2002 Nissan 200SX is as close as I come to 'classic sports car'. Very sweet 2.0 litre 4.
Andy, I had meant to compliment you earlier on your new amp enclosure... looks very nice. When I swap out to Lifeforces, I will change to a "chest of drawers" concept (I find modifying the amp modules in particular, quite fiddly in my current set-up).
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Andy, I had meant to compliment you earlier on your new amp enclosure... looks very nice. When I swap out to Lifeforces, I will change to a "chest of drawers" concept (I find modifying the amp modules in particular, quite fiddly in my current set-up).
Thanks, marcus ... as I said, your setup inspired it! :D
If you've had a look at my Gallery pics ... I'm not sure it comes through that the front and back panels are hinged at the bottom, to make it easier to get at the LF modules on the front panel (ie. directly behind the Maggies) and the XO boards on the back. However, I made a major error in using a 2-shelf heatsink for the 3 LF modules (LF100 on the top; LF55 & LF25 on the bottom) ... the shelves are a bit too close together, so undoing/doing up the bolts used to anchor the modules to the heatsink is fiddlier than I would like! :(
Come up for a listen sometime!!?? :D
Regards,
Andy
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As for cars, I have a 1968 Lotus Elan +2. It was bought as a going concern, but was hit from behind a couple of years later. It's now nearing completion of its restoration, and yes, it has cost lots of £ and time to restore!
In case anyone doesn't know what one is, have a look here: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=953
Cheers,
Ron
Very nice. I very nearly bought one about five years ago, but the gelcoat was quote badly cracked and crazed. The car was otherwise quite sound, but it would nave needed too much time and money to bring it up to scratch. When I get the current batch of projects out of the way (maybe in five years time) I'm going to build either one of the Lotus 7 look-alikes or maybe an AC Cobra. I'm a believer in Colin Chapman's approach to performance, but the seven has so little space and weather protection that a Cobra might be more practicable. We'll see (and we'll see what my wife has to say about it too).
I've never owned any of that temperamental Italian machinery, other than a Fiat X1/9 which was great fun even though various parts did tend to explode from time to time, although most of it comes from a fine racing ancestry. The Nissans are pretty decent cars as far as I can tell - the early Datsuns (can't quite remember the models - 280ZX?) were rather like a Japanese scaled-down E-type.
Here's a link to mine: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=1430 (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=1430).
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The best sports car I've ever owned was a Lada Niva. Two doors, fat tyres, all wheel drive, Russian made using licenced Fiat mechanicals........a hoot from go to whoa (which often wasn't too far apart).
I somewhat foolishly swapped it for a stroked V8 Land Rover Series 3 .......which went a hell of a lot faster than the Lada but (even with all wheel drive) went round corners like a Labrador on lino. Not easy to manage whilst one seast is a mere foam block.
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Cars, ye gods, now where talking...money... time...girlfriends.....
While I had the 2 Guzzi's, I also had 2, 1 registered (1967) and 1 for bits (1966), Prince Skyline GT's.
It will be interesting if anyone here has ever heard of them, but I will not be surprised if some have!
Mark
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MORE NOISE REQUIRED....... :lol: :lol:
A friend bought the new Alfa 159, a 2.4 litre 5 cylinder turbo diesel. Remarkable car, very smooth, incredible power.....
Guzzi has just released the Griso 8V, which has four valve heads (quattrovalvole!!). Reviews are very favourable, it's a wonderful engine with all the Guzzi soul but huge power all the way to 8000 rpm - now with OHC, it really revs.
MV Augusta has released a 1078 four cylinder, which is evidently a beautiful bike, incredibly well balanced with a lovely engine.
Kawasaki's new 1000 cc sports bike is the best yet, with traction control to keep you from killing yourself on exit from corners.....
The new RC8 from KTM, a Vee twin sports tourer, is a disappointment, gearbox bad, heavy on fuel, and not a good top end.
Harley's new 96 CID engine with six speed gearbox (??? :roll:) is apparently quite a good motorcycle, particularly the Fat Bob. I must say I'm amazed.... took 'em a while...... :nono:
My Cressida is now up and running again, and perfectly, too. Have been considering a turbo for it, however it won't fit:
My new VSonics are considerably better than I ever expected, but the 884 Peerless 8" drivers are proving difficult to obtain in Oz.
The US sub-prime crisis is maturing into a very nasty economic glitch in the US. Any thoughts from our US members on what is to come?
Cheers,
Hugh
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MORE NOISE REQUIRED....... :lol: :lol:
My Cressida is now up and running again, and perfectly, too. Have been considering a turbo for it, however it won't fit:
My new VSonics are considerably better than I ever expected, but the 884 Peerless 8" drivers are proving difficult to obtain in Oz.
The US sub-prime crisis is maturing into a very nasty economic glitch in the US. Any thoughts from our US members on what is to come?
Cheers,
Hugh
Hugh,
Good news on the Cressida. It's been on holiday for a long time!!!
I'll email you soon with news and such.
Steve
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MORE NOISE REQUIRED....... :lol: :lol:
My Cressida is now up and running again, and perfectly, too. Have been considering a turbo for it, however it won't fit:
My new VSonics are considerably better than I ever expected, but the 884 Peerless 8" drivers are proving difficult to obtain in Oz.
The US sub-prime crisis is maturing into a very nasty economic glitch in the US. Any thoughts from our US members on what is to come?
Cheers,
Hugh
Hugh,
Good news on the Cressida. It's been on holiday for a long time!!!
I'll email you soon with news and such.
Steve
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Hugh,
I really got to respect diesel when motoring around Europe a couple of years ago, pity the fuel doesn’t have the same price advantage in Australia though. With Alfa and Jaguar etc well and truly in the diesel fold, I wonder when Aston Martin and Ferrari will follow. Somehow they (and motor bikes) don’t seem to quite go together with diesel though Mercedes led the way some time ago with racing versions. Not sure when Subaru will follow either but I do love their current boxer engines.
Re the Aspen 'not enough noise' bit, have you had enough of a break from your current orders to do much napkin jotting? Bet the delighted feedback from the GK1 upgrades is making you think about pre amps again but is it enough to capture your attention while the Aztec, headphone amp etc are still rattling around in your brain. No rush though as the upgraded beast is a sheer delight! :drool:
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Subaru have just launched a 2 litre turbo-diesel boxer engine. I have been told by my dealer that it is very good, and I really should test drive it. :wink: The real problem with diesel is the fuel quality. Unless you use Euro grade fuel, you will smoke like a truck, bypassing many of the environmental benefits.
Mike
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diesel was NEVER invented to enhance motordriving in the sense of enjoying the drive or sport
ONLY economical reasons lie behind it
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Interesting Mike,
I need to check but I don't think it's available in the Australiam Subaru lineup as yet but no doubt it will be if it's not there now. :)
I agree from a driver of old point of view Kyrill but there is a certain beauty in the greater thermal efficiency of diesel. We need to be careful here or we'll get Hugh going on large marine diesels and he'll be totally sidetracked from hifi component R & D.
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Yeah,
Don't get me started - industrial, and particularly marine diesels, are a real hobby of mine.....
In this modern world of solar and fuel cells, turbines and electric motors, the reciprocating diesel engine remains the most efficient form of tractive power known, with some engines (the Wartsila-Sulzer RT82flex) delivering as high as 51.5% thermal to mechanical conversion with complete reliability. Gasoline engines are nearing the end of the line in their development, and very soon we will start seeing medium range electric cars as Lilon battery technologies come on line.
I agree with Kyrill to a degree, but we are being overtaken by events, and economy will soon outweigh performance considerations.... and there are some continents where diesel is far more expensive than gasoline because indigenous crudes are just too light - like Australia.
Cheers,
Hugh
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I've been a diesel driver for years and think very highly of an engine that can do quite so much on so very little. My own little VW ute dates from 2001, is longer, wider and has better load capacity than a Land Cruiser ute while also weighing in at nearly two tonnes......and yet putters around town using around 8L/100km, less than our own Subaru Forester.
Having driven the Discovery3 with its 2.7L turbo diesel V6......I'd love to try the twin turbo version found in the hi-spec Jaguar & Peugeots....
Despite this.......diesel makes no sense as an vehicle fuel when it is 20 cents per litre more than vanilla unleaded. The margin is better when compared to the hi octane unleaded required by many new Euro cars but still not brilliant. Add to that the often higher service costs........and the economics don't make much sense.
That said I'd still compare by driving the diesel & petrol versions of any car I was interested in......because sometimes the petrol engines aren't a patch on the TDi's....especially in the smaller cars. And bigger cars, a medium sized TDi can be relentless in a way that can only be obtained by a monsterous petrol V8...which the car may not be available with....which is outstanding for a long distance tourer.
......but I can't even afford a new car.
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Seano,
A resounding agreement.......
You'll be impressed to see I've updated NEWS on the website...... :lol: :lol: :nono: :nono:
Recently I drove my cousin's turbo C5 Citroen and at 110 kph on the open road it was peerless, the relentless thrust you speak of EXACTLY describes the feeling, no question at all. A most perceptive comment...... :drool:
Kyrill,
Driving conditions in continental Europe are very different to Australia. We have a huge country with generally good roads and intercity distances of 1000 kms are common. Yet our government has discovered radar guns, and on the pretext of driver and passenger safety (we have a very good record, in fact) the roads are cynically used for revenue, so we have speed nazis at every stretch. If you are caught doing 63kph in Melbourne, 3 kph over the speed limit, you are fined $US160 with demerit points added to your licence. So people here do not speed, and the open road speed limit is 100 kph, rigidly enforced. So, in this country we appreciate the marvellous bottom end and midrange of a turbo diesel, where in Europe, because of the unrestricted autobahns, you appreciate the top end, which is apparent in almost every automobile design from all the EU countries.
I don't think I agree that there is no pleasure in driving the new diesel autos; I think they are just superb. My only criticism is the truck-like noises at low speed, which remind me of my days on a farm with the primitive agricultural diesels of the fifties and sixties, and the unpleasant smells and residue when filling up at the fuel station. If you get diesel on your fingers, it quickly appears in the car, and louses up the cabin with it's terrible smell.
I'm reminded of a wonderful saying amongst IT consultants: 'Never make categoric statements, as someone will ALWAYS prove you wrong'.
Please forgive me, I'm being a smartarse again...... :oops: :wink:
Hugh
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ha ha :wink:
compare apples with apples "So, in this country we appreciate the marvellous bottom end and midrange of a turbo diesel," this with the marvelous power of a 3.V six cilinder turbo gasoline motor. volvo, Audi and others
i rather enjoy their "bottom" at cruising speed than the sophisticated truck engine ;)
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Kyrill,
Do you like turbo gasoline motors? I do not, they are very peaky. The WRX of Raptor's that I drove recently was one of the best I've experienced - it went like my motorcycle - but there wasn't much power below 3000rpm as Neil also noted. This meant you had to keep changing gears, which is great for a young guy, tiresome for old buggers like me (and you???). Yet putting an auto on a turbo gasoline engine seems somehow to be missing the point. Also, there's no getting away from the fact that turbos on gasoline engines run much hotter than diesel turbos, and this means more maintenance, and the spooling up is irritating.
I've just built and tested two LF100s and I'm knackered..... time for a tipple :wine:
Cheers,
Hugh
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seano get that blardy rangie back on the road :duh:
or convert it to an Isuzu 4BD1 :thumb:
sports cars? bleh... gimme my 88 landrover 110 anyday!!
all torque and no action in here :)
sorry for the atrocious pun!
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I would dearly love to!! However, too many other priorities lie ahead of it......a bathroom and other currently underway reno's come to mind.
I'm not inclined to throw a 4DB1 at it...........too heavy for starters - the front suspension would need even more new bits!! And since this thing will probably be a toy then I might as well treat it like a toy. So I'm thinking of swapping in a 4.6L V8 or stroking the existing V8 out to 4.2 with electronic ignition and hooking up to a 5 speed rather than the curent four speed.....too many choices.
One thing is for sure......it's going to lose a few body panels and a few inches in length.
Must admit though.......I'm also intrigued by the possibilities of electricity being involved somewhere.
Regardless, we are likely talking a couple of years before I address the Rangie. A shame I know but that's the way things stand in scrub at the moment...
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Seano,
I had a Rangie which finally ran out of grunt. The engine was repleced with a P76 donk. Just a bolt in job. I used two Volvo 240 series fuel injection units, one for each bank. The economy was improved by 5-8 MPG and the torque was much better. The rangie was finally rolled and the motor is now in a Bolwell Nigari that competes in club races at various curcuits, Winton especially.
Cheers,
Laurie
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Now you guys know why Laurie and Hugh get along so well.......
Hugh
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volvo's? P76's? or club racing?
I'd like to see that in a cressida :)
toy rangies should be v8 powered I guess... go the stroker when funds allow Seano!!
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Nah,
You'd be better off to put in the L76 6 litre Gen IV from GM - I saw one in a box recently here in Melbourne and the owner, a race car driver, told me it cost him $4K, BRAND NEW and complete.....
AND they are light (all alloy), fuel injected and coil over ignition, very small, at 270Kw with awesome economy. A smaller motor physically than the 1UZ-FE Toyota 4 litre - I measured it. Would easily fit into the Cressida engine bay.
This is probably the most refined small block which will ever be made. Hybrid's are just around the corner, and the engines will rapidly shrink and specialise for constant speed operation.
Cheers,
Hugh
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Have to admit that a GM motor has crossed my mind. Bang for buck and all that. What scares me off is the electronics that are required.
It's well known that the Prince of Darkness lords over any Rover product......what is not well undestood is that the Dark Prince is so ingrained in the Rover psyche that he can work his magic on wiring of virtually any heritage unless a total exorcism is conducted. I've seen this done two ways - the first involved the car burning down, the second way involved replacing the entire loom......neither strikes me with much joy.
I have experienced the joy (nay downright fear) of the 4.4L P76 engine. I had one in my Stage 1 with twin Strombergs and Genie Headers and an erratic approach to auto electrickery......imagine a Series 3 Land Rover (where one is seated on foam blocks) capable of winding its own speedo out one and a half times whilst relying on what were essentially four small camp ovens filled with wooden blocks to slow you down. I had a wonderful time once charging past Bucketty whilst trying to keep a BMW 5 series V8 in my rearview mirror....old mate was most alarmed that his flash new car was stuggling to punch its way past a clapped out looking house brick........he made it eventually but at a highly illegal speed.......
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Seano,
You must have had a very easy time with the Rangie's electric department. 'Cause Murphy was in full time residence 24/7 in mine and I don't think that he would have any time for any other Rover.
I had my P76 motor (new) worked over by Repco during their last days of their association with Brabham. The Repco/Brabham version was the penultimate performance motor in the evolutionary chain of the Buick 3.3 motor. The P76 motor was the last in that line. My motor had all the balancing treatment, Mahal pistons and other goodies, exhaust extractors and a completely redesigned inlet setup etc which enabled it to put out 337 bhp at 4500 rpm and 482 bhp at 7500rpm. It was a very smooth motor which could pull out tree stumps from idle. At idle I frequently attempted to start it as it was so smooth and yet it was very spirited motor and one could crawl along in peak traffic at over 35 degree temperature without a problem. I finally rewired the Rangie as I got tired of wondering where the frizzling wire smell was coming from. During the 70's there was not much on the road that could blast off the Rangie in a straight line. No fun at all in the corners though!
Ah, those were the days.
Laurie
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You blokes have me quite worried now. I never realised that one had to to have V8 Rangie qualifications or experience to own or operate Aspen kit. :scratch: I don't really want to have to join another forum or buy any Lucas canned smoke in future. :roll:
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Nah, not worth moving to another forum you'll more than likely get some other form different "experiences"???
I just jump very quickly from the chair and follow the cooking plastic smells eminating from the system. The memory must kick in from a bygone era. One thing I have found is that the LF100-11 can't be stopped by a complete short at the output terminals due to a wonlky plug. Called burning the system in?? The other amps I have would have ended in the council collection by now if they were treated like that.
Laurie.
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Lyn,
I really don't think with your pristine 1972 Aston DBS you need to be concerned about club membership.... :lol:
Most V8s are not as powerful as the 4 litre Vantage motor anyway!! :drool:
Cheers,
Hugh
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Quiet again. Harumphh...... this should change. :icon_twisted:
I see Tapis crude is down $US15 in the last week in Singapore. So much for moving to green energy, huh? Anyone for lead acid batteries? Now they are REALLY green :roll:
Something I saw recently on a forum post which might amuse:
The beatings will continue until morale improves........
I think this existential statement does have some contraindications, particularly where child rearing or animal training is concerned. Any amusing comments?
Hugh
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The last time I contrainedicat it ran away.Can you tell meow to use your big word as I'm feline idadequiet?
Cheers,
Marty.
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Certainly you can have some comments Hugh. I am not as eloquent as SuperMart with my own words so I thought I'd provide a link to someone who clearly has not had enough beatings as he is clearly a non conformist and holding society to ransom with his arrogant and unthinking stance. Next time you travel overseas to a hifi show Hugh, I hope you have a better attitude to the establishment than this: :duh:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1234193.ece
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Hi all,
Here it is one month to the day since I submitted the previous post and you can’t tell me there has been NO NOISE (whoops, sorry for shouting) at all around AKSA HQ in a whole month. There’s more more noise in a library…
I even got the red warning..
Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 30 days.
Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic.
Hullo, anyone there….
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Hi!!!!!!
I'm here!!!!!!
Trying to work hard, finding it difficult with all this rain, in the depths of a cold, cold winter.
I hope people are enjoying their AKSAs/Lifeforces/Sorayas. I will be asking questions later......
Hugh
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How cold is it Hugh ? :scratch:
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Hi Chris,
Great to see you!
It's around 12C max at present; night temperatures drop to 4C. No snow below 500m, however.
Nothing on NYC in December, I'd reckon..... but cold for Aussies, we have up to 44C (110F) in summer and like a bit of warmth. Melbourne cold is dank, moist, and seems to get to the bone, however. Inland areas are much drier.
Cheers,
Hugh
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Inland areas are much drier.
The word you are looking for, Hugh, is......chrispy.
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Thanks Seano,
Would that be 'crispy'?
Enjoying SNA? Looking forward to govt purchase of Darling Farm, with all that loverly water?
Hugh
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Hmmmmm. Must be too early in the day for you Hugh. There was a play on words - you were replying to Chris. Get back in the shed and leave word smithing to the prose- another play on words for you.
Cheers!
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tics to the Supermart!!
As for the purchase of Darling Farms.......well that's just one of the properties with water up for grabs around Bourke. There are three around the town plus 'Toorale' downstream and 'Beemery' upstream....all for sale. The latter are being sold by Swire Group because they are predominantly grazing properties, despite the fact there is significant irrigation development on both.
And of course there's 'Cubbie Station' to the north.
Truth be told......buying irrigation water back off agricultural users in a river valley (barwon/Darling) that only contributes 17% of the total annual water volume in the Murray River is, quite honestly, laughable. Especially when the reason offered is to 'save' the Lower Lakes. Even more laughable is mooting the purchase of Cubbie when it lies on a tributary of the Darling (Condamine/Balonne/Culgoa) that itself has historically contributed just 17% of the total annual water volume in the Barwon/Darling......that's 17% of 17%......honestly, that's just plain dumb!! By all means they should buy the water back for the environment.....but they need to be honest about which bit of it. And I'll wager that the Culgoa River floodplain grasslands, Narran Lakes and Cuttaburra Basin wetlands aren't half as sexy as the Lower Lakes....because no-one (well, almost) lives there.......whereas the Lower Lakes...
If the Big Town wants to save the Lower Lakes (and one would really hope they do) then they are going to have to work harder and pay much more to get that water......because they are going to have to get that water from the Murray catchment itself......which means from the Victorians & New South Wail-ians. Ewww.....won't that be pretty!!
.......local issues on an international forum.......<sheesh> :oops:
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Still a water problem in Oz.....sorry to hear that.. :?
http://www.waterquality.crc.org.au/consumers/Consumersp2.htm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080825020144AAVvf4o
http://www.environment.gov.au/land/pressures/salinity/index.html
http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/reader/welcome.aspx?linkid=104579&keybold=water%20conservation
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Thanks Marty, Sean,
Very articulate, well argued.
Chris,
The problem is for reasons of chemistry and aggregated suphates in the river beds, long term drought releases these toxins into the water, and once stagnant for a few months it slowly becomes quite acidic, almost like battery acid. This kills all aquatic life, of course, and since Oz is so dry and so many farmers depend on this water for irrigation it has huge repercussions for food production, and in one case, Adelaide, city water supply. It truly is a dry continent.....
Australia, the Mediterranean and areas of Florida, Italy, Bangladesh and the Nederlands will be severely affected by global warming and rising sea levels. Food supply in particular will diminish in selected areas world wide (while increasing in others, chiefly near the Arctic), and we will see a new kind of refugee fleeing starvation. With an already high world population, the future is going to be well, interesting.
OTOH, in southern Oz we've just had heavy rains, the sun is shining, oil is at $115 a barrell, and God is in his Heaven.....
Get back to work, Hugh.......
Hugh
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Thanks Hugh....good luck ! :thumb:
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Hugh,
This site at the moment seems decidedly quiet. Perhaps it’s because many like me have been too busy listening to their systems of late to have time to contemplate further change/upgrade or whatever. Or simply no need to change. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to take this week off work and have been able to spend quite a few hours on most days simply enjoying music. In fact, this post will be short as everything is warmed up and waiting for the next session. Mmm…. Think it will be Vinyl this arvo.
What can I say that I haven’t already on this forum? The latest GK1 upgrade has about 80hrs up now and has bedded down very nicely indeed and the whole system including the Soraya is exquisitely sweet, rich, clean, detailed is oh so listenable. Makes me think though that it can’t just be me that is so pleased by their Aspen gear. Hugh, you may have to make it a condition of sale that purchasers have to jump on the forum and post their thoughts ASAP and at least once after hooking it all up. Those amps you have been building his last week or so for example. Anything for a bit more NOISE! :thumb:
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Lyn,
You are so right. Folks, you are commanded to talk about your rigs, let us know in exquisite detail how you are all foaming at the mouth after a truly rewarding listening session with Aspen products. :drool: :lol:
Compulsory. :nono: No one to be spared. :icon_twisted: In fact, the beatings will continue until morale improves......... :tempted: :deadhorse: :dance: :jester:
Hugh
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Hugh.....
You left off this smiley..... :whip: ( :jester: )
By the way....coming to RMAF this year ?
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Chris,
Thanks for the answer - yes, the whip, the whip, faster.......
I cannot justify the cost. I had committed with Wayne, in fact, and then things got slow with the sub-prime crisis, and there were no sales to the US. In October, it will still be a month before the election, and the financial climate is not looking good, and I cannot imagine that lots of people will be keen to spend their hard-earned until these issues resolve, and that could take another six months at least.
It is regrettable, no question, as I would have LOVED to have gone. I fell in love with Colorado, wonderful state, the mountains, cities and towns were exquisite. The other issue was products; I needed to spruce up the appearance of my amps, and the metal work productionising is very expensive and shipping a nightmare. Given the costs of 2007 I decided not to, but I hope to be back next year.
Hope you are well and business is brisk, Chris.
Hugh
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Even after the morale improves Hugh, keep the beatings going – once obtained, must keep it up! No relapses.
I have just been playing a Stephane Grappelli ‘On The Road’ with the Dis Dizley Trio LP for the first time in 25+ years. Was recorded at the Sydney Town Hall in Sep 74. Remember the concert well because I (and my wife) saw them live in the Melbourne Town Hall a few nights later (or earlier – not sure). It’s a superb recording by the ABC with the tapes then processed at the Armstrong studio in Melbourne. It felt like I was there again, very immediate and involving. Great fidelity – love it – thanks for your part Hugh.
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... this post will be short as everything is warmed up and waiting for the next session. Mmm…. Think it will be Vinyl this arvo....
yes, the whip, the whip, faster.......
Hugh, keep the beatings going – once obtained, must keep it up!
Are things getting rather kinky around here or is it just me? :lol:
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LOL.
Darren, I have no one to blame for my words but myself though Hugh will have to answer for his. :oops:
And to think I was going to mention how relaxed and sleepy I was after the last session. :nono: Thank goodness that didn’t get out. Last time I try and create a bit of noise around here…
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Chris,
Thanks for the answer - yes, the whip, the whip, faster.......
I cannot justify the cost. I had committed with Wayne, in fact, and then things got slow with the sub-prime crisis, and there were no sales to the US. In October, it will still be a month before the election, and the financial climate is not looking good, and I cannot imagine that lots of people will be keen to spend their hard-earned until these issues resolve, and that could take another six months at least.
It is regrettable, no question, as I would have LOVED to have gone. I fell in love with Colorado, wonderful state, the mountains, cities and towns were exquisite. The other issue was products; I needed to spruce up the appearance of my amps, and the metal work productionising is very expensive and shipping a nightmare. Given the costs of 2007 I decided not to, but I hope to be back next year.
Hope you are well and business is brisk, Chris.
Hugh
Hugh,
A few weeks ago, it all would have been much cheaper for you to come. However with oil back down, The American Dollar has been gaining in value against the Australian Dollar (seems it started right after my recent purchase :duh: ), so as of right now it's back at the value it was last October. Now while that does make it more expensive to come to the US, hopefully the Dollar's new strength will slowly boost the economy. (But first we need to deal with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Lehman...which could take a while)
-West
I would add that it seems the AUD is doing very poorly right now against all currencies. What's going on Down Under?
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Ah, West,
You are back from vacation!! You are so close to throwing that switch!
I may be wrong, but I suspect that the drop in the AUD is merely the financial markets factoring in the predicted slump in commodity demand which will inevitably pass down the line from the sub-prime crisis. The Oz economy is powering on with the commodity boom, as you know, and we now have almost a split economy; the mineral boom in the West, and the general population in the East. It is now looking more and more likely that Europe will downturn as well, and British housing has already dropped 8.8% in the last year. If both Europe and USA suffer depressed spends, then China will be forced to lower production. This will affect Oz severely....
The study of markets reveals mass hysteria and herd instinct, since most downturns are the result of a loss of confidence rather than a shortage of goods or money. Can't change it, have to live with it!
Cheers,
Hugh
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Hugh,
Not yet...Tomorrow! :drool:
Yes, hysteria and herd instinct are a major problem. I am all for a free market, but in some ways I did support the speculation bill just for this reason. Even though the actually economy may be alright, the market can take a huge turn for the worse by miscalculated speculation. I will use oil as an example. The supply & demand hasn't changed much, but look at the spike that happened recently. This can happen to many commodities (the speculation bill that didn't end up getting passes was only for commodities).
It is interesting though how with the global economy no market is spared from another’s downfall. (Well, Usually :?)
-West
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Folks, you are commanded to talk about your rigs, let us know in exquisite detail how you are all foaming at the mouth after a truly rewarding listening session with Aspen products. :drool: :lol:
I've actually just completed a major upgrade to my system. The first for nearly five years and pretty much the most expensive single investment in hi-fi to date.
For quite some time I have recognised that my sturdy old NAD 502 CD player was not an ideal CD source in this day and age. However, being so reliable (unlike so many players these days) I had no great motivation to let it slide. Except for the right product.
Through an Oz based hifi forum, a couple of recent 'for sales' caught my eye. The first was for a Rega Apollo, a top loader CD player derived from the Rega Planet (a CD source I had long desired) which was being offered at about half local retail value - unfortunately efforts to attract the attention of the vendor weren't that successful and I missed out. Shortly after, a much better offer came up - this time for an Australian made source and a much more practical one at that.
What I managed to score (again at abut half the local retail price) was a Redgum RGDAC5. A digital-analogue converter. Made in Melbourne, on the other side of the city from Hugh, by Redgum Audio www.redgumaudio.com, a company that also seems to have a very singular approach to hifi....
The RGDAC5 is the top spec Redgum DAC. There is also a CD version which differs by having a computer DVD drive inserted in the box along with the power supply and remote control circuits to drive the thing. It differs from the RGDAC2 in that each channel has a discrete DAC circuit based around the Burr-Brown PCM1702 20bit DAC whereas the RGDAC2 has a single Burr-Brown PCM1710U Dual 20 bit DAC.
Once it turned up in the Post from North Queensland (in factory packing that looked nearly bullet proof) it was quickly inserted in the system........where big changes were wrought.
If anyone remembers what it was like when they first heard their GK-1.......then that's what this DAC did. Unfortunately, my GK-1 isn't in play at the moment....so I've got the pre portion of a Yamaha integrated doing the duty. No matter....the result was pretty special. Big lift in detail especially in the mid range. Enourmous lift in clarity which has given a greater sense of space between notes. But the single greatest most noticeable change happened in the lower frerquencies - the bass notes have gone from a 'boom' to a 'bam' - tighter, faster and much less bloom. Now I really like bass and my first impression was that the DAC had taken the energy out of the bass but that proved not to be true - the energy is still there but without the wild wobble - which after this long living with it is taking some getting use to.
It hasn't all been roses. The digital input chip, a Cirrus Logic CS8412, decided on the first night that it didn't like the change of climate and left on a permanent holiday.....leaving the DAC in silence. I suspect that my stand-in IC (not a dedicated digital IC) may have had a hand in the journey but I can't be sure. After talking to Redgum (who correctly diagnosed the problem over the phone) I tried to source another chip locally....and failed. The CS8412 is a long defunct chip (being only 2 channel) and the larger CP version of it (as fitted to the DAC) is akin to rocking horse manure. I unwittingly purchased a smaller CS version for SMD mounting but another forum member has recently volunteered his steady hands to fit it up to an adapter. I ended up sourcing the right package from Redgum at a fairly spectacular price but it was still cheaper than sending the whole box back down to Melbourne and back. A quick flick and we are back in business.
So the DAC sounds wonderful and was a really useful addition. Now though there's another project. First is to replace the distinctive Redgum timber fascia with one of my own - like the one on my N100+. The next is to permanently fix the fascia to the metal case (the timber fascia folds down to reveal the power switch - it's pretty but not practical) and front mount the power switch. But only after I sorted out the GK-1!!
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Seano,
Congratulations - you are now hardbitten, approaching Stage 4 as we speak.
I will expect you to reveal your new $US350K Wavac 100W single ended amp some time in the next five years......
I know Ian Robinson and Lindy of Redgum. A very decent couple, nice approach to it all, and very pleasant to chat to. Ian has a long and illustrious background in high fi, going back forty years. Heck, he's older than I am!!
Cheers,
Hugh
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I've actually just completed a major upgrade to my system.
Lovely to hear Seano. :thumb: Glad the new DAC has worked out so well. Your story does remind me though of the ‘hell’ of indecision I went through about a year ago in trying to decide on whether to stay with a CD spinner (had an old Technics 5x carousel but needed better), a separate DAC or a SB3 or similar based digital feed. So it wasn’t just a matter of comparing CD players, but an initial decision on whether I even wanted to continue to spin individual silver discs.
Incidentally, though we ended up going different routes (I went with an Arcam CD36), my joys were similar to yours. Admittedly, my system does also include the wonderful GK1 sonics in the circuit but the bass 'boom' to 'bam' change you describe does make a huge difference. I used to primarily concentrate on the mids and treble in seeking better sound but my thinking has now done somewhat of a 180 and I’m convinced that good accurate base is equally if not more important and completely underpins good musicality.
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The study of markets reveals mass hysteria and herd instinct, since most downturns are the result of a loss of confidence rather than a shortage of goods or money. Can't change it, have to live with it!
As a guy who trades shares quite a bit all I can say is - ABSOLUTELY. Learn to live with it and you can make money from the markets. Try to fight it and - glug glug. Get a copy of Austin Donnely's Sensible Share Investing for the full gory detail.
Thanks
Bill
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CERN Scientists fire up their super collider today.
So what are you doing for the last day of the earth?
"So long and thanks for all the fish".
Cheers,
Ian
Actually I'm looking forward to seeing some doomsayer red faces tomorrow.
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CERN Scientists fire up their super collider today.
So what are you doing for the last day of the earth?
"So long and thanks for all the fish".
Cheers,
Ian
Actually I'm looking forward to seeing some doomsayer red faces tomorrow.
What.....no link... (http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/09/08/lhc.collider/?iref=mpstoryview)... :lol:
"A Bigger Bang"..... The Stones
(http://bluestormmusic.com/store/images/rollingstones_biggerbang.jpg)
Almost forgot... :duh:
The YouTube rap.... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j50ZssEojtM).. :lol:
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News report on the ABC this morning suggested that the "black hole" could swallow up Europe and maybe even more of the earth :lol: Presumably this is a new sort of mild mannered black hole since any normal self respecting one would make a dent in our galaxy.
jules
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CERN Scientists fire up their super collider today.
So what are you doing for the last day of the earth?
"So long and thanks for all the fish".
Cheers,
Ian
Actually I'm looking forward to seeing some doomsayer red faces tomorrow.
Actually its just a test at lower velocity...just to make sure they got all the sections polarity right. Early next year is when they plan to smash the protons together at full speed(close to the speed of light).
So you got some time to get your affairs in order. :lol:
I would love to see a "black hole" devour the earth, maybe the earthlings will be transported to another dimension. Oh yeah... :lol:
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I regret to inform you all that recent action by the Noise Abatement Society has been all too successful, and forum members present are asked to take up all manner of digital clatter to remedy the situation........ :lol:
We should all be grateful that the Hadron Collider chose to blow itself up for simple operational reasons, rather than chose Europe, and ultimately, the world. :duh:
We might be in economic depression, but WE are not depressed, and LIFE goes on, and WILL improve, and we are encouraged to CHATTER, commensurate with our esteemed class and chosen pastime....... aa aa
Hugh
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I have decided to follow the ultimate upgrade path, it has and will cost me a small (large?) fortune but the lump of diamond involved has considerably lowered the background noise! :lol:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=42049.msg558516#msg558516 (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=42049.msg558516#msg558516)
Her name is Kate, shes a Capricorn and I thought it was about time.
As a result my system will no longer be changing (Not even Platinum caps, sorry Hugh and thanks for the advice) but I'm sure I'll be happy listening to christmas carols like i was last night, pipe organ and all. The neighbours must hate me.
Nick.
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forum members present are asked to take up all manner of digital clatter to remedy the situation........ :lol:
*bangs a few token electrons together*
The current financial situation certainly is interesting, as a mortgage owner I'm cheering because of the interest rate drops - I'll be paying less with each repayment than I was when I took out the loan. It's making my finances quite interesting because I can almost afford to live without a flatmate, a tempting proposition but one which may see me counting pennies which is something I loathe to do.
I've been watching the share market with a keen eye as well, because if that's going to take off I might stick some cash in there instead of my loan and see if I can make some short term gains. So far I haven't been convinced enough that we have reached the bottom to start gambling, and unfortunately this crisis is now entrenched which means recovery may not be a rapid bounce-back anyway.
In other news (as if anyone cares but at least it's audio related!) I recently finished a stereo install in my car - a gradual work in progress over the course of a year or so. Stage 1 was a Nakamichi head unit, and AVI speakers (component speakers in the front, just the mid woofers in the rear). AVI are a fantastic Canadian brand for those not in the know, and I thought it sounded great until I got around to installing a Precision Power amplifier that was gathering dust at a mate's house and offered to me (Stage 2). This brought quite a nice improvement in clarity (as long as I kept the gain low to avoid alternator whine) and the obvious volume benefits. The addition of a subwoofer (12" Peerless Precision Automotive - 822008) in Stage 2.1 was what really blew me away though. Taking the bass duties away from standard leaky doors and giving them to a big cone has thrown me forwards into complete audio bliss. The only thing I can do now to improve my sound is dynamat my doors!
Previously I was forever fiddling with the head unit's controls and getting annoyed because the tonal balance changed depending on volume. Now, it's a balanced system and it sounds great when quiet and even better when the volume's up.
The best part is, I still have full use of my boot space thanks to a custom fibreglass enclosure for the sub (which I deadened with dynamat and acoustic foam of course). The sub sits way over in the corner and the 822008 suits the box size perfectly.
Happiness - for the mere price of $3200 (not including the amp which was a loaner - a 6 channel beauty like that would not be cheap!).
Now is the point where I embarrass myself by saying that I was listening to an amazing guitar solo the other day, stereo in the car set to 11/10 still with stunning clarity and thinking it was the Aerosmith album I had recently bought, when it turns out it was Lynyrd Skykyrd!!!!
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There has not been much noise around on this thread. Everyone must be too busy listening to their favourite music on their wonderful Aspen/Aksa gear to contribute. It has been many months since I put my spanner in the Aksa circle.
Well here goes. During the last few months I have had the priveledge to hear the new Soraya amp powering the vsonic speakers. In all my years in the hi fi business I honestly say that the Soraya amp is one of the best I have ever heard. But the vsonic speakers are really something to listen to. I think that the vsonic speakers are exceptional because they deliver music without any complaints even at extremely loud volumes, they just get louder while the detail, imaging, and the sheer cleaness of a good recording remains. This could be that the Soraya really controlls the speakers but the speakers have to be outstanding for you to hear the slightest decay and crystaline purity of the top end notes. While the mids are naturally uncanny, aprticularly when playing music with female voices where even the slightest nuance of shade and feeling envelopes the listener. One becomes totally absorbed in the music because there is nothing to detract from the experience, the sound is so pure and clean. Now the vsonics are transmission lines that really work. I think they are the best transmission lines not withstanding that they are a two way speaker that can provide a pure clean uncoloured bass with slam and depth that many vastly more expensive brands of speakers only aspire to.
I also heard the final version of a woofer extender as i am told to call it. Other may call it a sub woofer but the difference is that it plays music in a extremely clean way from the pulsing thunder of a 32' organ pipe and a bass guitar being played as low as they go to the lingering decay of a lightly stroked double bass. It appears that the woofer has bees carefully tuned to provide a seamless bass extension for the vsonic speakers.
The woofer is in a seperate transmission line enclosure only slightly larger than the vsonics, basically 4' wider and 4' deeper and the same height to house an amazing Peerless 12" driver. I have not heard a dedicated transmission line woofer before. I was literally blown away when it was cranked up when a DVD movie was played. It even knocks the sox of the usual HT thunder boxes because it is so clean and articulate.
Anyway i hope that these few humble comments fire up the AKSA appreciation society.
Keep up the good work guys.
Barry
I am a fan of the Aksa amps and the vsonic speaker system. I have "seen the light" some may say.
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Nick,
I loved this: "Her name is Kate, she is a Capricorn, and I thought it was about time".
I agree, there comes a time when a young man's heart turns to..........
I congratulate you both, and wish you a hearty wedding in due course!!
Sparkie,
Many thanks for your lovely comments. We try, Laurie and I, we really try!!
Cheers,
Hugh
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We try, Laurie and I, we really try!!
Yeah.....try to remove every ounce of remnant self control from potential customers!!
I'm having an interesting time here.....doing my best to plan an upgrade path whilst remaining committed to other more important priorities (such as a house that really needs finished walls).
The Vsonics are mine....well they will be. The Vbass could be mine too. I've also got my hand up for a few AKSA N+ modules as well. And then another Aussie audio manufacturer (another personable bloke in a shed) has gone and assembled a very desirable looking media centre http://www.aslanacoustics.com.au/Reference%20R1.htm that strikes me as very good value for money.....
....the only financial crisis I'm aware of is one of my own making!!!!
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You may have noticed that I've been in "lurk" mode here for some time. I've been off playing with the tube boys.
A little while ago I had a call from a local retired gentleman who had some reasonably expensive Audio Space AS-6M 300B Push Pull Tube Amps. He was'nt happy with them and asked if I could do a "spiff up" on them.
He dropped the two monoblocks off one Saturday and I sent him home with my AKSA55N+ and 55 Lifeforce Amps on loan.
The Audio Space Amps were fairly typical of what comes out of China at the moment, Aesthetically very nice but a compromised implementation of a design straight out of the 1960's. Well "spiffing" them up was reasonably easy and they were returned 2 weeks later sounding 1000% better. At this time he reported that he really liked the 55N+ and that to him (and me) it sounded very tube like - and from the personal point of view of a "tube man" he preferred it to the LF55.
Two weeks later I heard from him again. He'd flogged the Audio Space Amps on E'Pay and had bought a 2nd hand AKSA 55 Nivarna Plus. He had decided the the 55 N+ was a better "tube" amp than the spiffed up 300B Push Pull. The 2nd hand 55 N+ was then delivered to me to make sure it was up to spec. As it tuns out it had never had the Power Supply Upgrade done so I did that and he is now totally happy.
For around 1/3 of the cost (or less), with no ongoing maintenace cost for periodic replacement of tubes etc. he has an amp which totally satisfies his "tube" sound preference and out performs the Audio Space 300B Push Pull Monoblocks.
So any "tube" amp lurkers here - maybe what you need is some 55N+ amps. From personal experience I can tell you that bettering the sound with a "real" tube amp is neither easy or cheap.
Cheers,
Ian
P.S. Hugh - If you want to shift this to its own thread or to Testimonials - feel free.
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You may have noticed that I've been in "lurk" mode here for some time. I've been off playing with the tube boys.
A little while ago I had a call from a local retired gentleman who had some reasonably expensive Audio Space AS-6M 300B Push Pull Tube Amps. He was'nt happy with them and asked if I could do a "spiff up" on them.
He dropped the two monoblocks off one Saturday and I sent him home with my AKSA55N+ and 55 Lifeforce Amps on loan. The Audio Space Amps were fairly typical of what comes out of China at the moment, aesthetically very nice but a compromised implementation of a design straight out of the 1960's. Well "spiffing" them up was reasonably easy and they were returned 2 weeks later sounding 1000% better. At this time he reported that he really liked the 55N+ and that to him (and me) it sounded very tube like - and from the personal point of view of a "tube man" he preferred it to the LF55.
Two weeks later I heard from him again. He'd flogged the Audio Space Amps on E'Pay and had bought a 2nd hand AKSA 55 Nivarna Plus. He had decided the the 55 N+ was a better "tube" amp then the spiffed up 300B Push Pull. The 2nd hand 55 N+ was then delivered to me to make sure it was up to spec. As it tuns out it had never had the Power Supply Upgrade done so I did that and he is now totally happy.
Cheers,
Ian
A fascinating story, Ian. What a pity so many people who love good sound - and chose tube amps because of it - will never ever get to see (hear!) how a 55N+ will deliver more (and control their woofers better! aa
BTW, when you mean "the Power Supply Upgrade done" do you mean the upgrade which was part of the '+' upgrade kit or do you mean the Lifeforce dual-rectified PS (with a resistor in front of the last cap) which I installed with my LF upgrade and you could certainly use with 55N+s? If you didn't install this - you should! :thumb:
Regards,
Andy
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Andy,
I meant the "+ Kit" Power Supply Upgrade. I did make a minor mod, I used MBR20100CT Schottky diodes ($1.85 each from Jacar). These are physically identical 2 diode with common cathodes connection in a TO-220 pack as what is provided as standard BUT are 100V 20 Amps Rated Schottky Diodes.
NOTE: That 100V rating is not sufficient for use for the 100W units with the higher rail voltage but is fine for the 55W Units. (Diodes in the Bridge arrangement need to be able to withstand 2.818 times the transformer RMS voltage - that is, the peak to peak transformer voltage )
Cheers,
Ian
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Thanks Ian,
Fascinating story, I had some part in this thanks to you, but it is interesting how this reveals the two camps - the lush, tube sound v. the tight, detailed sound of good SS. There is no doubt that the most universally appealing amp of all, however, is that which combines all these features. I might add that the power supply used for the 100LF helps too, and seems to take any harsh edges off the SS sound.
For myself, I am always surprised how the THD distortion paradigm has survived to this day when there is so much evidence around from people's preferences that it does not correlate well with highly rated subjective assessment.
I just sold a LF55 to the head cellist of the Swiss Romande Orchestra who is already the owner of a 55N+. I will be very interested to hear Karl's thoughts on the comparison. This man is one of the foremost musicians in the world, and a personal friend of Jean Hiraga, would you believe. (Sorry Karl, I hope you can forgive a little name dropping, but you are rather important to Aspen!!)
I am immensely pleased with the VSonics, Seano, and recently bought the rights from Laurie for the transmission line sub woofer, which seems to have more grunt than a pig farm, and none of the malodorous downside......
Cheers,
Hugh
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Hi,
I'm the local retired gentleman.Everything that Ian said is true.To non AKSA/Aspen owners do yourself a favor and try to listen to these amps.The proof is in listening,a sonic revelation.
To Ian And Hugh,thanks for your kind support and time.You are both truly GENTLMEN.
Also,Ian's "Baby Huey" is sonic revelation too.
PS. Ian when you have your new workshop finished and caught up with your backlog of projects then I might hassle you to build a GK1 for me.
Regards,Les.
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For myself, I am always surprised how the THD distortion paradigm has survived to this day when there is so much evidence around from people's preferences that it does not correlate well with highly rated subjective assessment.
I'm surprised an intelligent man such as yourself can't grasp a simple concept, Hugh. THD stands for Total Harmonic Distortion, and Distortion is bad therefore the lower the THD the better!! :lol:
Basically it's a yardstick by which people who only know how to measurebate can compare amplifiers. Those who have trained their ears and are discerning listeners will trust the musical experience over a single figure. It's like saying an amplifier of 150 watts RMS is better than an amplifier of 50 watts RMS because there's more headroom for transients. Yeah maybe, but it only tells a very small part of the picture. Same with THD!
I find Rod Elliott's SIM (Sound Impairment Monitor) to be an interesting idea. Basically it's an op-amp subtractor that gives you the difference between the output of an amplifier and the signal applied to the input. Any kind of distortion should show up! Without getting too involved I think the difficult part may be coming up with a consistent and objective way to use this to compare amplifiers, as there seems to be a bit of "tuning" involved to set it up for a particular amp and this might limit its chances of performing an apples to apples comparison.
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Well, guys!
Where's all the noise gone? :drums: :banana piano:
Everyone sitting at home drooling over their new Soraya amps - or? :drool:
Or has all the attention moved to DIYAudio? 8)
Hugh, how is everything in Rosanna - baking hot? :flame:
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Hi Jens,
Yeah, quiet as a churchyard, c'mon guys, MORE NOISE!! Remember our youth? Same again, please......
I am frustrated by my web edit software, it's not able to access my website for some badly needed changes. Can't understand why, must talk to West.
It's been good for the last week, prior to that we had two weeks of 35C+ temperatures, rather early, hottest November on record. It's all a bit galling, don't enjoy the heat, but must say I didn't seem to mind this time.
Off to get my cat chipped, should be a whole lotta love......
Cheers,
Hugh
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Off to get my cat chipped, should be a whole lotta love......
You're making your cat digital??? :nono: Hugh, I never thought I would hear such sacrilege from an old analogue man. :scratch:
Everyone sitting at home drooling over their new Soraya amps - or?
You bet Jens. :drool: No 'or' about it. You should hear some of the tracks from your old compilation CD on the Soraya 09. I'm still get that lovely feeling of excited anticipation each time I switch it on for a session. aa
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No no, it's not a digital conversion.. it's a performance mod. Just don't ask where they put the chip :green:
Holy thread revival, 1 year no posts. I have completed my car audio installation in that time - Nakamichi head unit, AVI split speakers (I blew one up the other day cost me $375 to replace 1 woofer :duh: ) and a Peerless 12" sub in a custom enclosure. Sounds pretty damn good for a car system, given your environment is compromised from the start. Home system is still my homemade Vifa P17WJ/D25AG speakers, AKSA 55 and ESP pre-amp, although Altronics have a new pre-amp kit available that I can get wholesale for $200. I couldn't even buy the parts for that so I am going to give it a bash and see how it sounds!! The hi-fi system is basically doing home theatre duty these days, although I do sometimes sit down and listen to a CD to relax :)
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Geoff,
The Altronics preamp is very accurate, and focussed. Should sound OK, but won't much engage, if you get my drift.
Nice car system...... and my cat does need a performance enhancement, it's so timid I call him Wooser.
Cheers,
Hugh
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That's about what I expect from seeing the specs, although my current pre uses a cheap rotary switch and crackles when I change sources whereas the altronics one uses relays and also has a motorised pot so it will be much more convenient for HT. I'm already using opamps (OPA2134) so it can't get much worse, right? :green:
I might build a little valve module to warm the sound up a bit, just for shits and giggles. Would put it as a buffer stage between the CD player and pre-amp. If I ever get around to building new speakers then I'll revisit the rest of my system but that won't happen any time soon :lol:
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I'm already using opamps (OPA2134) so it can't get much worse, right? :green:
Swap in an OPA2107. You might even find it engaging....
FWIW,
Paul
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I have just returned from being away for a few days.....
Getting your cat chipped is all well and good, but the only time my cat was imprisoned in the local pound, none of the attendants could hold the little guy down long enough without being scratched to pieces to run the scanner over him!
I am still interested in what "hot ups" might be available for the power supply of the Lifeforce 55 (epic) build I am undertaking. Ginger mentioned some cheapish Schottky's which I gather have no recovery time, although I doubt anyone could hear the difference with the 25ns of the spec'ed diodes. Would adding some bypass caps across the 4700uF Nichicon Golds do anything? I have some 4.7uF film caps I picked up for a dollar each one time to try out.
Ian
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Try it, Ian,
See what happens, not too difficult to do it. You will find that bypassing is a black art, and difficult to predict.
Cat scarcely noticed the chip insert. No blood, no scratching, little pain, I was surprised. I found myself wondering how long it would be before we humans too need a chip to declare our citizenship..... after all, we've delayed 1984, Orwell's seminal novel, for 25 years now, can't go on forever.
Hugh
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Swap in an OPA2107. You might even find it engaging....
Cheers for the tip, Paul! Looks like the Altronic one uses op-amps too so I will give the 2107 a bash and see if it helps the sound.
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Everyone sitting at home drooling over their new Soraya amps - or?
You bet Jens. :drool: No 'or' about it. You should hear some of the tracks from your old compilation CD on the Soraya 09. I'm still get that lovely feeling of excited anticipation each time I switch it on for a session. aa
Well, Lyn - I'm pleased to hear you are still using my compilation :D
I'm still working on a new one - and have in fact just come across a couple of tracks that might be good candiates. Still need 6-7 more tracks, but it's moving along albeit slowly :wink:
I did have a brief listen to the new Soraya at Hugh's when I visited (thanks again, Hugh and Sri) a little over a month ago. It sounds magnificent, and I've been wrestling with various ideas on how to be able to afford one or two for my system ... :drool:
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No no, it's not a digital conversion.. it's a performance mod. Just don't ask where they put the chip :green:
Holy thread revival, 1 year no posts. I have completed my car audio installation in that time - Nakamichi head unit, AVI split speakers (I blew one up the other day cost me $375 to replace 1 woofer :duh: ) and a Peerless 12" sub in a custom enclosure. Sounds pretty damn good for a car system, given your environment is compromised from the start. Home system is still my homemade Vifa P17WJ/D25AG speakers, AKSA 55 and ESP pre-amp, although Altronics have a new pre-amp kit available that I can get wholesale for $200. I couldn't even buy the parts for that so I am going to give it a bash and see how it sounds!! The hi-fi system is basically doing home theatre duty these days, although I do sometimes sit down and listen to a CD to relax :)
What on earth are you doing wasting your money on an Altronics unit when the best preamp you could ever want is Hugh's GK-1 kit?
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The system is mainly doing HT duties these days. I currently have a pre-amp with manual 5 source select, and the equivalent GK-1 is $1200. The Altronics unit cost me $200 wholesale, and it has remote control input select and volume which is far more convenient than what I have. Considering the quality of the sources I usually use (media PC) it's not worth the cost, I'd be feeding the GK-1 garbage. A wonderful unit, I have absolutely no doubt, but I mainly listen to music in the car these days. If my priority was listening to music in the loungeroom I would not hesitate.
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A wonderful unit, I have absolutely no doubt, but I mainly listen to music in the car these days. If my priority was listening to music in the lounge-room I would not hesitate.
Aah, sad, Geoff. I suggest you should retire yourself from this thread and go join a "Car Audio Doof Doof" thread. :P
Then again, you could (if you don't already have one) buy a vehicle that would enable you to incorporate a GK-1 and some LFs into its music system? :lol:
Regards,
Andy
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I have one CD that is labelled "Doof music" actually :lol: this kid who used to work for us took an interest in my system so I told him to burn me some music. It's quite funny.
There will be plenty of time to sit perfectly still in "the sweet spot" when I'm old.. (http://lostbytes.net/smilies/thefinger.gif)
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Geoff,
You can enjoy that time now if you overeat, drink too much and eschew exercise........
:lol:
Cheers,
Hugh
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:rotflmao:
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There will be plenty of time to sit perfectly still in "the sweet spot" when I'm old..
Geoff,
I know what you mean but I've been re-evaluating my own version of that stance a bit of late. My hearing is holding up very well but last week, ironically when using earplugs for protection whilst using a noisy saw bench, I happened to push some wax deep into one ear canal and up against the ear drum. No problems, it's out now but for a couple of days, I was inadvertently learning just how bad it will probably be for both ears one day.
The loss of high freqs was frustrating enough but what annoyed me most was the complete collapse of a realistic sound stage and the 3D depth the Soraya does so brilliantly for stereo. No sweet spot at all. It made me realise what a cranky old coot I'm going to be when my hearing does go. :x Normal conversation and background music were not so much of a problem but I do so love to escape into my stereo world with my eyes closed - and that was taken away. :duh: So for the last few days with my hearing fully back again I've been appreciating my system more than ever and using it as much as I can. I'm just hopeful that Hugh doesn't have much in the way of further upgrades in the pipeline as I would be a very soft touch at present with a strongly reinforced 'use it while you can' philosophy. :D
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Hi Lyn,
Those days are already behind me unfortunately, and may account for my change of stance - one or two too many nights in clubs with music too loud has left me with tinnitus so the softest subtleties of sound are lost on me now. It did make me quite cranky for a few months, causing myself permanent damage like that, but then I realised I'd do it all again, because I was busy chasing after the fairer sex at the time :P (and I have worn ear plugs in clubs before - and since - getting the tinnitus.. but even wearing plugs after it started it was still worse the next day so I'm not really sure it's a complete panacea).
Have had a wax blockage myself too, and I know just what a revelation it is to have clear hearing again. Unfortunately there's no cure for a 14kHz sine wave in the brain. Win some lose some I guess, probably explains why I like the doof doof now it's all I can hear :lol:
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THD and all that, since Hugh made reference above.
Back in 1997 Lynn Olsen wrote an excellent article on amplifier distortion (Glass Audio Vol9 No 4)
In his introduction he wrote:
"....the subjective correlation between the total harmonic distortion (THD) measurement and what you actually hear is close to zero".
He then went on to give an excellent analogy:
"The fault is not with the subjective perception of the listener, but with the measurement itself. There is nothing very new in this; you can measure all you want, but a mass spectrometer is not going to find a lot of difference between lunch at a high school cafeteria and the best dinner at a four-star restaurant. To foolishly assert that the mass-spec. machine is right,.....,is an example of simple ignorance trying to cover its nakedness with a fig leaf of science."
The following summarises, in my own words, what he had to say.
To attempt to make some correlations between harmonic distortion measurements and perceived sound you need to first separate Even harmonics and Odd harmonics and view these as separate sets of data.
Even harmonics are generated by asymmetrical distortion mechanisms and odd harmonics are generated by symmetrical distortion mechanisms.
As an example, look at the differential amplifier on the front end of the AKSA 55, the LIFEFORCE and just about every SS amp from the last 30 years. To reduce the Even Harmonics you must balance the currents in the 2 transistors such that there is little or no asymmetry. Once this is done the residual distortion will be odd harmonics due to the symmetrical nonlinearities in the 2 devices.
This fundamental concept is important, and we get some big clues when we extend are consideration of distortion to include Intermodulation Distortion (IM).
Let us, for example, consider 2 frequencies in the important 1 to 5 kHz region.
For example use 3kHz and 4kHz:
Most of us understand that superimposing these (mixing in a non- linear system) will produce new frequencies and we often refer to these as sidebands. This is too simplistic.
The maths works like this:
Take 2 sinusoidal signal (well we use cosine rather than sine to keep the maths simple)
Signal 1 = a1(cos x)
Signal 2 = a2(cos y)
From output = a1 cos(x) + a2 cos(y)
Exapanding this and substituting in the trigonometric identity cos(x) + cos(y) = 1/2(cos(x+y) + cos(x-y)) and a lot of tedious algebra later we end up with an expression for:
1) the 2nd order term , For the superposition of 2 signals of x = 3KHz and y = 4kHz then four(4) new frequencies are created, 2 off 2nd harmonic terms and 2 off IM sidebands :
2x = 6kHz , 2nd harmonic of x
2y = 8kHz , 2nd harmonic of y
x + y = 7kHz , IM sideband
x - y = 1kHz , IM sideband
2) The 3rd order term gives six (6) new frequencies. 2 off 3rd harmonics and 4 off IM sidebands
3x= 9kHz , 3rd harmonic of x
3y = 12kHz , 3rd harmonic of y
2x + y = 10kHz , IM Sideband
2x - y = 2kHz , IM Sideband
2y + x = 11kHz , IM sideband
2y - x = 5kHz , IM Sideband
The important thing to note here is that the 2nd harmonic distortion results in new intermodulation product frequencies (sidebands) which are remote from the original frequencies. (1kHz and 7kHz)
The 3rd harmonic results in more intermodulation products, two(2) of which are very close to the original frequencies. (2kHz and 5kHz)
To exaggerate this (but still a valid example) see what happens with 14kHz and 15kHz
2nd order IM terms are 1kHz and 29kHz (very remote from the original 14 and 15kHz)
3rd order products are 13kHz and 16kHz (very close to the original 14 and 15 kHz)
Higher order terms produce even more IM Sidebands
I might be wrong (because I did'nt extend the algebra past the 2nd and 3rd order terms) but I think the 4th order will produce 6 IM sidebands and the 5th will produce 8 IM Sidebands.
Then consider other sources of a signal with which we can intermodulate.
One of the most important will be the 100Hz (120Hz in the US etc) residual power supply ripple which depending upon the quality of your power supply may well have 200, 300, 400Hz etc. harmonics as well.
At this point the "stray" IM products can run to thousands.
This is why a no feedback single ended triode amp with 2% of 2nd harmonic distortion but no 3rd, 4th, 5th etc can sound stunning and why an SS amp with 0.001% THD distortion which is primarily odd (and high) order distortion can sound awful.
It is also why some amplifiers which sound lovely with folk or jazz music which have a lower number of simultaneous tones (sparse spectra) can sound seriously rubbish when reproducing large choirs and orchestras (many closely spaced tones).
So what can we do about it?
The answer is simply to follow the established "popular wisdom".
1) Keep Power Supplies super clean
2) Don?t allow high order harmonic distortion products
3) What harmonic distortion there is should be even harmonics ONLY
So here is my theory / explanation / WAG,
In short, higher order harmonic distortions produce many more Intermodulation Sidebands
Even harmonic distortions create IM Sidebands remote from the original frequencies
Odd harmonic distortion produce IM Sidebands close to the original frequencies.
Any of this make sense to anyone?
Cheers,
Ian (Ginger)
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Hello ginger
Yes, it's make sense.
Jean Hiraga did a paper about that subject 30 years ago, but there was no math, only experiments, showing that an amplifier with monotonic decrease of the distortions harmonics with a dominance of the even harmonics, do sound much better. In the 70's and early 80's, the Denon PMA-700, Audiotec, Radford SS amps, and Sugden was some of those good amps, especially Audiotec and Radford SS amps.
Nelson Pass did showed in a graph, using AP tests equipments, that a low gnfb amp will have less high order harmonics distortions.
A LTP with balanced currents in the 2 transistors and with a low symmetrical nonlinearities will have low even and odd harmonics with monotonic decrease, and using a phase lead cap will made the gnfb more stable at pole frequency, and all those things give an amp with less high order harmonics distortions and with a better resolution and a better sound stage.
As a side note, the Intermodulation and product frequencies in the preamp and amp folowing a non-os Dac, and cause by the HF noise from the 44khz of the non filtered non-oversampling Dac are why this type of Dac are not very good with large orchestral music and cause fatigues with this type of music.
Bye
Gaetan
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Ian (aka Ginger!) and Gaetan,
Many thanks for your posts. Makes terrific sense to me. I strive to do amps with lower odd than even; difficult with PP Class AB, but it does make a difference.
Recent Clio test with the Soraya at 20W 1KHz into 8R showed these results:
H2 = -78dB
H3 = -87dB
H4 = -89dB
H5 = -89dB
H7 = -94dB
THD = 0.014%
These levels are not especially low, as many modern amps will do better than 0.005%, but they do not sound as good as amps with the majority of their distortion even order, such as single ended triodes, as the larger H2 levels do acoustically mask the odds to a degree. At the risk of sounding a bit self-righteous, this came as no surprise to me, but vindicated my design approach over quite a few amps now.
My opinion, and it is just that, is that THD correlates to the subjective listening experience about as well as the color of the paint on an automobile correlates to its performance. This is heresy, of course, and many will disagree, that's cool, but I have tailored my amp distortion characteristic to accord with my beliefs and the general consensus seems to be that they sound good. I feel that the time is rapidly coming where the low THD dictum will no longer appeal to the the purist, engineering set, as many are now aware of the strange pscyhoacoustic issues which lie at the foundation of human aural perception. I do feel that low THD amplifiers are fundamental in servo and instrumentation applications.
Cheers,
Hugh
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An interesting read, thanks guys!
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I feel that the time is rapidly coming where the low THD dictum will no longer appeal to the the purist, engineering set, as many are now aware of the strange pscyhoacoustic issues which lie at the foundation of human aural perception.
Cheers,
Hugh
Mmmm, not sure I agree with you, Hugh! :lol:
I know where I stand on this matter but there seems still to be a lot of argument about tube distortion vs. ss distortion ... which means that the participants (or should I say the "fundamantalists"? :D ) will never accept that any distortion is a good thing. :D
No problem, IMO .. let them listen to their crappy-sounding amps! We know we're backing the right horse! :lol:
Regards,
Andy
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Hi Hugh et al,
I think this thread may have to be re=titled 'QUIET IN HERE!!' I'm sure there is much a buzz at Aspen HQ but the sound insulation seems to be working very well. Come on Hugh, there must be something up your sleeve you can tell us about.
I've got little to say personally as all the minor changes to my system of late have been of non-Aspen origin though still amazed at the underlying refinement instilled by my current Soraya. So what is happening with everybody else in the Aspen community?
Not so quiet at my place a few minutes ago though. Lots of 2cm or 3/4 inch hailstones crashing down on the roof for a few minutes. What a din but no damage I can detect. Perhaps the hail also made it noisy at Aspen HQ which is only about a 10 min drive away. How's your roof Hugh? :duh:
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Hi Lyn,
Yes, too quiet by halves.....
I'm working away on the next model, a higher power Soraya, 150W per channel, to top the range.
In this endeavour I'm working with two others, Colin Brown, and Jon Pippard. Soon there will be something to announce, and it will be really quite something.
I was driving west of Melbourne when the hailstorm struck. A couple of thumps on the windscreen threatened to break it. The freeway was covered in water, in some low spots to a depth several inches. Traffic slowed to a crawl for a time. Fortunately it passed in about half an hour, but it was traumatic on the roads and many drivers cars stopped beneath bridges to avoid denting their panels. As far as I can see my car is undamaged, but it was certainly a surreal experience.
Be assured that though the forum is quiet, Aspen is busier than ever......
Hugh
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Hi Hugh,
You were lucky. An acquaintance was on the road and had every panel of his near new Subaru dented and the windscreen smashed.
Anyway, really interesting news about the amp so keep the noise up.
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Fortunately.....we missed Melbourne's hail. But we missed most of the rain event too. Damnit.
I too have been quiet on the AKSA front. My GK-1 remains in pieces...awiaitng its upgrade caps and what have you.....plus a re-wire and and a re-case.
But real life gets in the way....but in a good way.
My thinking is that I may end up sending the tube board and extraneous parts to Hugh and he can put them together for me whilst also doing an idiot check (as in what idiot soldered it like this!). That way I know the thing is done right if not at least finally done!
Might also have to talk to Hugh about a power supply for the old 100N+ too....
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Seano,
I was caught driving westward when it struck, hail the size of large marbles, fortunately nothing broken or dented, but harrowing indeed, lots of cars under bridges, waiting it out...
Never mind, the flood from QLD moves ever southward and will hopefully fill the Darling River.
It's amusing, SE QLD hit by crippling drought, now outback towns completely inundated, incredible. Climate change anyone? Charleville's river peak easily exceeded the 1890 flood, so this is more than a 100 year flood..... still, it has happened before.
Go easy on sending me anything. I'm snowed under with work, of the worst, most difficult kind. Amps are a delight, preamps are a nightmare, so speak first with me to find how the land lies.
Power supplies are not so bad.
Some time ago one of your posts on DIYaudio was removed, why was that? I'm sure you were misread......
Cheers,
Hugh
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Yep....they didn't know how to handle my bespoke kind of sarcasm and shit stirring. Fear was enhanced by the fact I was a 'new' poster.
I got a please explain email that amused me so much that I couldn't respond without even more shit stirring.....which kind of negated the entire effort of contrition - so I let it slide.
No bruises, no bark lost.