AudioCircle
Other Stuff => Archived Manufacturer Circles => AudioKinesis Loudspeakers => Topic started by: Duke on 5 May 2010, 05:50 am
-
I recently completed a pair of custom Planetarium Alphas in Walnut. The "custom" version of the Planetarium Alphas includes a built-in downfiring low-Q sealed box subwoofer, for situations where there simply isn't sufficient real estate available for a full-blown Swarm. If the space later becomes available, a pair of Swarm subwoofer modules can be added.
In this shot you can see that the enclosure is actually six-sided, with some of the angles 90 degrees and some of them 45 degrees. This makes it pretty easy to set the speakers up with 45 degrees of toe-in by eyeball.
(http://gallery.AudioAsylum.com/cgi/gi.mpl?u=2112&f=CustomAlphaWalnut1s.jpg)
The woofer is a new model that just came out about a year ago. It's about 1.3 dB more efficient than the original Alpha's woofer and has over twice the linear excursion of the original. The high frequency section has been adjusted accordingly.
Here's another shot:
(http://gallery.AudioAsylum.com/cgi/gi.mpl?u=2112&f=CustomAlphaWalnut2s.jpg)
The circular cut-out you see in the base is how the down-firing subwoofer is mounted and removed (if need be). The two subwoofers (one in each speaker) are driven by a single shelf-mounted amplifier that delivers about 500 watts total into the two of them, which are wired in series to present an 8-ohm load. If a second set of external subs are added, the wiring can be switched to series-parallel and the amp will then put out roughly a kilowatt into the resulting 4-ohm load.
Here's (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=74071.0) the thread on the original Custom Planetarium Alpha system, in black-stained oak, in case you're interested. There is a nominal upcharge for the walnut.
-
They look absolutely lovely Duke. I can't wait to hear them.
Many thanks.
--Jerome
-
Duke,
Awesome as always! :thumb:
Maybe I'll get to hear them at RMAF this year?
-
Maybe I'll get to hear them at RMAF this year?
Not that pair. They belong to me. 8)
--Jerome
-
Not that pair. They belong to me. 8)
--Jerome
Yes! Congrats and make sure you report back on your thoughts.
:dance:
-
Looks great! That makes two of us :) Congrats Jerome!
-
Congrats on your purchase Jerome.
These look beautiful and I bet they are going to sound great.
I look forward to reading about your initial impressions.
George
-
The speakers were delivered today. :thumb: As you can see they were very well protected in the crates. Duke packed foam around the speakers to keep them safe and sound during their cross country journey from Utah to Connecticut. FedEx Ground took very good care of them.
(http://www.indierockfan.net/pics/NewSpeakers1.jpg)
(http://www.indierockfan.net/pics/NewSpeakers2.jpg)
(http://www.indierockfan.net/pics/NewSpeakers3.jpg)
(http://www.indierockfan.net/pics/NewSpeakers4.jpg)
Thanks Duke, for getting these speakers to me and for being tolerant of my occasional bouts of speaker anxiety. I'll post a review in the Critic's Circle but not until I feel they have been properly broken in.
--Jerome
-
Now that's the way all loudspeakers should be shipped,,, my hat's off to Duke. :notworthy: Those babies are drop dead gorgeous and I have no doubts that they'll even sound better than they look Jerome, especially with jazz. 8)
I hope you will ultimately be very happy with your loudspeaker selection Jerome. :thumb:
Cheers,
Robin
-
Happy listening !!! :beer:
-
Jerome....
How goes it with the Planetarium Alphas ? Any comments....thanks. :thumb:
-
Jerome....
How goes it with the Planetarium Alphas ? Any comments....thanks. :thumb:
Yeaah,, what he said. :lol: Hope all is well in jazzland Jerome. :D
Cheers,
Robin
-
Hi Guys,
I'm still breaking the speakers in, so at this point I don't really have anything to say. I haven't had as much time for listening lately as I would like since work has been keeping me extrememly busy.
I should be ready to write up a review in a couple of weeks.
--Jerome
-
I have posted a review here....
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=82340.0
--Jerome
-
I have posted a review here....
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=82340.0
--Jerome
Extremely well written and very informative Jerome.
Glad to see how well this worked out for you.
George
-
Jerome,
Be prepared for many, many, many years of aural pleasures. Duke delivers. Controlled directivity is where it is at.
Anand.
-
Would someone please explain to me why a on-topic and relevant post was just sent to the waste bin from this thread? :dunno:
A PM would be fine.
--Jerome
-
Would someone please explain to me why a on-topic and relevant post was just sent to the waste bin from this thread? :dunno:
A PM would be fine.
--Jerome
I don't know anything about it, Jerome - I didn't see it or do anything; my only knowledge of it comes from your post quoted here.
Duke
-
I would also like to know why these posts were deleted. Whomever deleted them, don't PM anybody but please tell us publicly.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=81235.0 (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=81235.0)
This is not the first time I have seen deleted posts that for the life of me, I just can't figure out why.
Steve
-
Srb, thanks for the link.
Larkston, did I send you some longer center port sections to try? I don't recall doing so. Longer ports would lower the tuning frequency, causing the bass to start rolling off a bit higher but more gradually. Probably 1/4 to 1/3 of my customers end up using longer ports than what I normally provide, in cases where their room acoustics and/or amplifier interface results in overly heavy bass. Let me know if you would be interested.
-
It turns out that Larkston deleted his own post. I didn't even know members could do this. I am also embarrased to admit that I didn't know that when a member deletes his own post it goes to the IGWB.
Sorry for the false alarm. :oops:
--Jerome
-
Srb, thanks for the link.
Larkston, did I send you some longer center port sections to try? I don't recall doing so. Longer ports would lower the tuning frequency, causing the bass to start rolling off a bit higher but more gradually. Probably 1/4 to 1/3 of my customers end up using longer ports than what I normally provide, in cases where their room acoustics and/or amplifier interface results in overly heavy bass. Let me know if you would be interested.
Yes I am interested, but let me say that I did not mean for my previous post to come off as being harshly critical of your speakers--I'm enjoying them very much--but I did want to agree with Jerome that yes, there is a break-in period and all good things take time, yadda-yadda. I actually thought I posted in the wrong area--since I quoted Jerome's remark from the review thread and posted it here. I removed it thinking nobody had noticed, and came back today to see I was wrong. Sorry about all the mayhem I may have caused in the process. :duh:
-
Yes I am interested, but let me say that I did not mean for my previous post to come off as being harshly critical of your speakers--I'm enjoying them very much--but I did want to agree with Jerome that yes, there is a break-in period and all good things take time, yadda-yadda. I actually thought I posted in the wrong area--since I quoted Jerome's remark from the review thread and posted it here. I removed it thinking nobody had noticed, and came back today to see I was wrong. Sorry about all the mayhem I may have caused in the process. :duh:
Frankly Larkston, I saw no reason for why you deleted your post. I basically stated the same thing in Jrerome's thread and I enjoyed the fact that I wasn't alone with the reasons why I enjoyed Jerome's review so much. It was honest w/o the usual fanbased sugarcoating that consumes the bulk of most AC reviews. Not only did Jerome fully explain issues that could affect anyone, more importantly he explained the steps both he and Duke took or were willing to take to rectify them. In the end, this will only help others down the road and for me that's what AC is or should be all about,,, helping others with the sharing of information & experiences. :thumb:
Cheers,
Robin
-
I'm learning from both of you, Jerome and Larkston, about break-in on my speakers; theoretically I should know it all, but obviously I don't.
-
Yes I am interested, but let me say that I did not mean for my previous post to come off as being harshly critical of your speakers--I'm enjoying them very much--but I did want to agree with Jerome that yes, there is a break-in period and all good things take time, yadda-yadda. I actually thought I posted in the wrong area--since I quoted Jerome's remark from the review thread and posted it here. I removed it thinking nobody had noticed, and came back today to see I was wrong. Sorry about all the mayhem I may have caused in the process. :duh:
No harm done, so don't sweat it.
The first couple of weeks after taking delivery I felt like I was going around in circles. I would change something, then it would sound good for a few albums and very soon I found myself needing to do something about the bass. After bugging Duke a few times about it I had to recall the break-in period with my Omegas and it was only then that I realized that I simply had not given it enough time. With my crazy busy work schedule I concluded that I was freaking out when there were only about 30 to 40 hours of playing time on the speakers. After that I had the speakers playing at listening volume whenever I was home. I have about 110 hours on them now and things are definitely much better. I can also tell that the sound is continuing to evolve, but more slowly now then it did a few weeks ago. I will need to make a few more minor adjustments but I am going to hold off on that until the drivers have 200 hours on them. The important thing for me now is that the sound is reasonably stable and I don't feel the need to get up out of my seat every 30 seconds to adjust something. Because of this I have been enjoying the speakers a great deal more than I did the first couple of weeks after delivery. A few hours ago I listened to a 1956 vinyl pressing of a jazz record with Shelly Manne and Andre Previn -- it was glorious. I am confident that many more moments like this are in store for me with these speakers.
--Jerome
-
Yep, this is a very old thread. Eight years old, in fact. All I wanted to say is that I still have these loudspeakers. Indeed, this is the longest I have hung on to a speaker system. Everything else in my system has changed since I bought these Audiokinesis speakers. I have gone through:
1. Three power amps
2. Two preamps
3. Six phono preamps
4. Five turntables
5. Four DACs
Still very happy with my speakers and have no plans of changing them out.
--Jerome
-
what is your current line up? I have had the Audiokenesis Prismas for several years as well with no swap out plans.
-
Does it matter? :lol:
--Jerome