[jrebman]

Hi folks,

This is my first post on the DAM board, though I certainly recognize most of the names here even if you don't recognize mine.

My situation is that I am blind, and while I do a good deal of my own work here, I need to do some surgery on a pair of Fostex drivers to install a pair of Planet-10 phase plugs in them and I'm afraid that this will require a bit more of a delicate hand than I can manage.

Is there anybody out there willing to visit me in Boulder to remove a pair of dust caps from the center of a pair of FE-166e drivers and install the phase plugs for me?  We can work out any number of things for compensation -- I make a hell of a margarita, can give you food, drink, money, whatever... and you can sit here and listen to my new Visaton B200s and Signature 70 amps break-in .

Thanks for any help,

Jim

[BradJudy]

Jim,

I'm probably the closest DAM member to you since I work in Boulder.  I'm sure we could arrange a time for me to stop by and do a bit of driver surgery for you.  Do you already have all of the parts and tools you need? 

It would be interesting to hear the B200s too. 

[BradJudy]

Actually, I should say that AudioFerret and I are probably tied - we live in the same area and both work in Boulder, IIRC.

[mcgsxr]

Here is a play by play of what needs to be done, to retro those onto the b200, as provided by Dave at Planet 10.

http://homepage.mac.com/tlinespeakers/FAL/B200-surgery/B200-surgery.html

I don't have a set, but look forward to any feedback around how hard it was, and how much better it sounded etc.

Oh, and nice combo, the b200 and Vinnie 70's!

[jrebman]

Brad,

Cool!

Yes, I have lots and lots of tools, so I'm sure among them we could find the right one(s).  I don't have the actual plugs yet, but depending on the whims of Canada air post, could have them sometime next week.  I can just let you know when they come in, and then we can work it around your schedule.

Thanks much, and I'll be in touch,

Jim

Actually, I should say that AudioFerret and I are probably tied - we live in the same area and both work in Boulder, IIRC.

[jrebman]

Mark,

I may eventually do the B-200s, but I'd like to see who else might have done this and what results they got first.  Right now I'm talking about the FE-166e's in my Abbys, and I have it on good word from another Abby owner who has done this that it does take care of the main issues I have with them.

I also really need to get a lot more hours on the B200s before even thinking about how or even if, to tweak them.  I'd probably start with something a little les drastic like a BSC.  Mine, btw, are in the aperiodic, Snell/AN-e proportion cabinet made by Louis at Omega -- otherwise known as the Revolutions.

Thanks, it is a nice pairing, but both the amps and the speakers need a whole lot more time on them.

-- Jim

Here is a play by play of what needs to be done, to retro those onto the b200, as provided by Dave at Planet 10.

http://homepage.mac.com/tlinespeakers/FAL/B200-surgery/B200-surgery.html

I don't have a set, but look forward to any feedback around how hard it was, and how much better it sounded etc.

Oh, and nice combo, the b200 and Vinnie 70's!

[BradJudy]

Jim,

I just realized that I think we may have even met before.  I do IT work on the UCB campus and your name sounds familiar.  Doing a quick search, it looks like you used to be on campus too and our paths may have cross in the assistive technology realm. 

[jrebman]

Hmmm, possibly -- but I'm not sure where.  Did you work for Howard in the AT office, or possibly in the what I hear is the now more or less defunct CSOPS?

I was a grad student and researcher in the L3D Center and spent most of my time in the CS wing of the engineering center, or hanging out with the Cognitive science and cognitive psych folks in Muenzinger.

Did you have anything to do with the annual AT conference?  I gave a talk or two over the years, but haven't done any presentations for a few years now -- maybe next year I'l be doing something on tactile graphics and tactile perception.

Audiophiles pop up in the strangest places .

-- Jim

Jim,

I just realized that I think we may have even met before.  I do IT work on the UCB campus and your name sounds familiar.  Doing a quick search, it looks like you used

 campus too and our paths may have cross in the assistive technology realm. 

[BradJudy]

Jim,

I, along with a couple of others, did the work that created the AT office and Howard's position. 

I attended the AT conference once, but have drifted away from AT stuff over the years. 

[jrebman]

Did you work with Henry then?

When Henry took over for Ruth Fink the first thing he and I did was to find some money and start strategizing on how to get something like a real AT lab going.  I was on the panel that interviewed people for Howard's job, and I have to say I was the lone dissenting vote on that one .  And I will say that my worst fears did come true and that's why I eventually had to throw in the towel -- couldn't get textbooks, class notes, none of the very few things I really needed external support on.  Now, had I been deaf or LD, well...

Well, it's all water under the bridge at this point and the people there who I respect the most, also respect me and my work and still call me when something interesting comes up.  Keeps me busy still, and I still have an office on campus out on Marine St. but getting back in the classroom seems like a long shot at this point -- especially now since my fiancee is a prof at D.U. and I can get free tuition and they have a great cognitive neuro psych program there.

But back to things audio... yes, looks like the phase plugs should be here next week -- weather permitting, that is, and I just may have my tools all organized by then too .

-- Jim

[BradJudy]

Yes, I worked with Henry and Ruth - I was on the committee that selected him to replace Ruth when she retired.  After a while, Henry left and went to DC, then Terry Bodhaine took over.  Sadly, she died from cancer a few years ago.  Now Cindy Donahue is in charge of that office. 

Let me know when the plugs come in.  It looks like there won't be many tools needed.  Let me know if you find you need something you don't have and I might have it. 

Interestingly, my office is also on Marine St on east campus.  It's a small world. 

[jonestes4]

Jim, (and Brad)
Just noticed your post regarding the upcoming surgery. I would be very interested in either assisting or just looking over your shoulder during the process. I too have the B200s and I will probably finish my rough version of an Open Baffle for them today - with a little help of the snow today.  I was considering the surgery on my B200s and installing a phase plug too.

I am also  building a aperiodic cabinet for the B200s to see which design fits best in my listening area.

BTW I am in the area, Lakewood to be more specific. Glad to see signs of life in the DIY audio world here. Please let me know if I can be of assistance -- even as a listener.
John

[BradJudy]

John, Jim is doing surgery on his Fostex FE-166e's, not B200's, although I imagine the process is very similar. 

[mcgsxr]

Jonestes4 - I would be very interested to learn of the comparison of the b200 in an OB (as I have always run them), vs the aperiodic.

Could I beg you to post your thoughts (whenever they are ready!) over in the Open Baffle Circle, where the other fanatics can follow along?

Thanks, good luck with the open baffle, feel free to PM me, or post over in the OB Circle, where the like minded hang out!

[jrebman]

John,

You are certainly welcome to the party, and as Brad said, I'm only doing the Fostex drivers this time -- there is a pretty good chance I'll do the B200's down the road sometime as well, but I do need to get a few hundred hours on them before I make any decisions about that.

I'm kind of at a loss as to where to seek more opinions and experiences about the B200 phase plugs -- I don't want to post in the Omega forum because the B200 is hardly specific to Omega speakers, even if that is what I happen to own, so I'm kind of left with 2 channel audio, the lab, and open baffle (again perhaps too specific and not completely relative to my situation.  I'm sure there are AC'ers out there that have done this, and I'd like to get some sort of discussion going on all this, just not sure where to foment the discussion.

Anyway, I'll let you know when the plugs arrive and we can plan from there.

-- Jim