The subtle brilliance of Brian

John Casler · « **on:** 29 Jan 2003, 05:23 am »

Ok that may be a little thick, but here is just an example of a small feature that many would have overlooked, but not our Senor Cheney.

Some of my clients have repeorted that their LRCs have one potentiometer shaft that sticks out slightly and certainly more than the others.

Is it a defect? No, I don't think so....

It is so you can reach behind the LRC and "know" which pot you are adjusting without having to move the speaker.

I think the longer pot is the midrange (at least it is on mine)

This certainly is a big help when you need to adjust one or the other and you don't want to take the speaker down (from your RPTV or direct view set) to check which is which.

Just another "detail" that makes the VMPS line what it is.

Regards,

John Casler

VMPS LA CA USA
SUMMIT Audio Video
bioforce.inc@gte.net
http://my.register.com/summitaudiovideo.com/index.html

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Jan 2003, 04:03 pm »

Ah yes, another stroke of genius.

We have two suppliers of level controls. One carries only long-shaft parts and the other only short-shaft parts. The former regularly runs out of stock, the latter is always stocked up.

We try to use two short or two long shaft parts per speaker, to avoid those one-is-longer-than-the-other complaints. Shafts that is. On the level controls. So right now we are sending either both short or both long, and you have to look carefully. Mid control is always on your left when seen from the back of the speaker.

John Casler · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 Jan 2003, 05:57 am »

Pssssst Brian....

I'm trying to build your mystique

And on mine the Midrange is on the top and the treble on the bottom, but then it depends on the orientation of the speaker. (I was talking about the LRC)

I still like the long shaft being the midrange

All the best

John

tmd · « **Reply #3 on:** 5 Feb 2003, 08:00 am »

The tweeter shafts on my 626's are too short to put on the knobs that came with them so I am absolutely sure which adjustment I am making. I still know I have adjusted the tweeters five minutes later as those nice grooves are imprinted in my fingers

Subtle brilliance indeed.

(I did buy the kits so maybe it was something I did incorrectly.)

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #4 on:** 5 Feb 2003, 04:31 pm »

The level controls are best adjusted with a screwdriver. Your fingers can't sense the movement from one winding to the next, and you really can't see it. Very small adjustments are the key.

One supplier includes a large, useless knob with the controls, which we don't use and you should try to.

tmd · « **Reply #5 on:** 5 Feb 2003, 10:14 pm »

Duh! Now why didn't I think of that

On another note, I still can't hear the difference a quarter turn makes on these things, so I might aswell use the knob that does fit on the midrange. I definately don't have golden ears

John Casler · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Feb 2003, 12:53 am »

TMD,

Golden ears "do" tarnish with age and thank goodness the adjustments on the VMPS let us adjust for that and our personal tastes.

If you want to hear just what incredible clarity you may be missing, or if you wish to tune your system for what your "golden eared" friends can hear, try this:

When sitting in the sweet spot, cup your hands behind your ears. This is more like what you used to be able to hear.

It is like putting "bi-focals" on your ears.

Now you certainly can't listen that way all the time, but it certainly gives you some insight into just what MidRange and HF clarity the ribbons are capable of.

The bad new is when you remove your hands you realize what you used to be able to hear, is not what you hear now.

Using this method will also allow you to "hear" those "micro-adjustments" and what effect they have.

You might also find that when listening, seriously, that looking slightly down as in lowering your head, may improve your aural acuity. Most pina (external ears) are shaped so that collecting sound waves from the upper portion is more effective. (doesn't work for everyone)

Most be a slow Friday to be writing this kinda stuff.

Regards,

John Casler

VMPS LA CA USA
SUMMIT Audio Video
bioforce.inc@gte.net
http://my.register.com/summitaudiovideo.com/index.html

Ravi · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Feb 2003, 02:10 am »

John interesting theory about the hands cupping behind the ears, but IMO, you're hearing should never have been that good unless you had the worlds largest ears. And personally, its almost irritating how well you can hear when cupping your hands behind your ears.

John Casler · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Feb 2003, 02:23 am »

Well if your hearing is still good, it will be rather "bright".

If your hearing has seen (heard) its better days, then "cupping" can just give you an idea how sensitive the hearing still is. since all it does is "collect" more sonic information and channel it to the same tympanic membrane.

I certainly don't mean to do it all the time

It is just an experiment and a sensitivity tool if needed, for sensing the differences in micro-adjustments.

Much like you would put on a pair of glasses to adjust fine detail.

All the best

John

nathanm · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 Feb 2003, 07:05 pm »

I'm surprised there haven't been ear-augmentation surgical procedures offered to people given the popularity of plastic surgery these days. Maybe one day you'll be able to get your ears 'upgraded' to 80KHz bandwidth! Finally you'll understand why your dog runs out of the room for certain songs.

MaxCast · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 Feb 2003, 07:31 pm »

Hmmm, silicone mouse ear implants....nah, my wife would think I was crazy for sure. Plus, my kids would make fun of me.

Juan R · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 Feb 2003, 03:27 am »

If you have cryptotia(loop ear), there is a procedure to correct that deformity, by definition is some kind of augmentation.

Brian Cheney · « **Reply #12 on:** 18 Feb 2003, 05:29 am »

About 10 years ago at CES I acquired a pair of leather ear flaps called "Serious Listeners". They enhanced the quality of my music listening considerably. I don't know if they're still available.

Ravi · « **Reply #13 on:** 18 Feb 2003, 07:13 am »

Brian, if my inlaws ever saw me wearing 'Serious Listeners', they would laugh their way into the insane asylum. They already think our hobby is a little crazy

John Casler · « **Reply #14 on:** 18 Feb 2003, 07:44 am »

Brian,

I didn't know that they sold more than that one pair when I purchased from a classified ad in "Absolute Sound" years ago.

Gee, if you bought a pair then we know they sold at least two.

My Doberman ate mine. Damn Dobermans love those leather chews.

So much for my Serious Listeners

They did work great at concerts when you were up in the cheap seats.

Just slapped em on and it was almost better than front row center.

'Course it could have been the "atmospherial" enhancements wafting through the venues of that period that also seemed to offer improved aural abiities.

Those were the days when Dinosaurs like the Electrovoice Patricians, the JBL Hartsfields and Altec Voice of the Theaters were becoming relics and the Infinity ServoStatics, Quads, DQ10s and Magneplanar panels were begining to make their way.

But then I digress......

Still miss that dog.

Regards,

John Casler

VMPS LA CA USA
SUMMIT Audio Video
bioforce.inc@gte.net
http://my.register.com/summitaudiovideo.com/index.html

nathanm · « **Reply #15 on:** 18 Feb 2003, 04:47 pm »

What about wearing a version of those plastic horns they put on dogs so they don't lick their surgical wounds? Ah-ha, now we're onto something! Why put horns on the speakers when you can horn-load your head!?

"Now presenting, The Avant-Gourd Head Horn, only $12,000 in your choice of automotive paint! Sure people will laugh and think you're some kind of weird Trekkie, but they won't be hearing the midrange smoothness and liquid treble like you!"

tmd · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 Feb 2003, 10:42 pm »

Good God, you are all barking mad!

I do like Nathans idea though. In fact, tweaking an existing product like that is perfect, especially when you can order it in whatever colour you like. Sign me up Nathan.
John, I have been doing a lot of playing over the past week with my 626s. One thing which really surprised me was the effect of removing my active crossover. If that is the difference, anyone who is relying on the passive crossover in the speakers is crazy. I only have a cross at 160hz between woofer and the rest but the music sounded so lifeless when I removed it.
Also, in a completely different piece of experimentation, I substituted a bottlehead foreplay for the usual passive pre. I found that I could then hear quite small movements of the controls on the speakers. I had to remove the pre for a while as it isn't well. It is now in casualty. It will emerge renewed at some future date when I will tweak again.
Neil.