Looking for a great loudspeaker system

Russell Dawkins · « **Reply #20 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 02:50 am »

I would think the SP Tech Continuum 2.5s would fit your budget. With the 30% off sale, you could go with the upgraded woofers and caps and still be below your $6000 price point.
Plus your amp would have to break a little sweat - you don't want to make it too easy for them, do you?
for prices:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=21980
Russell

MarkM · « **Reply #21 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 03:04 am »

I second Selah Audio. I have a pair of Selah Audio RC3R mated with your T-8 pre. Nice combo.

For full range, the Peridot might fit the bill, worth a look.

aln · « **Reply #22 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 01:18 pm »

You may want to consider upgrading the crossover in the B&W 801's themselves. North Creek Music has a custom built crossover that has been sold for years. The greatest limitation in most speakers, in my opinion, is the crossover parts. By adding the crossover upgrade you will maintain a reference, but will improve it's performance.

Dan Kolton · « **Reply #23 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 03:21 pm »

aln,
Aren't you aware that Frank did a superb crossover upgrade for the 801s some years ago when he was a dealer? I think that B&W incorporated at least some of his mods.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #24 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 03:42 pm »

Quote from: Russell Dawkins

I would think the SP Tech Continuum 2.5s would fit your budget. With the 30% off sale, you could go with the upgraded woofers and caps and still be below your $6000 price point.
Plus your amp would have to break a little sweat - you don't want to make it too easy for them, do you?
for prices:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=21980
Russell

Hello Frank..I agree with Russell, if your looking for an excellent "test" speaker to hear what your equipement can do, that would be the one. It hides nothing. Good luck !!

Chris[/list:u]

aln · « **Reply #25 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 04:03 pm »

I am well aware of Frank's modification of the crossover network for the 801. However, it certainly makes sense to see what others have done in the field of crossover design. North Creek has been making this upgrade for the 801 and 802 for years. As I said, the weakest part of most speakers is the crossovers themselves. I have all the early "Audio Basics". It was Franks article on damping speakers with modeling clay that started me in this audio field many years ago. I first modified a pair of Infinity 1001, then a pair of 2000's, than a pair of monitors....

avahifi · « **Reply #26 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 04:10 pm »

I really appreciate all the comments and recommendations you guys are providing. Thanks and keep them coming. A web link to the recommended product would be useful.

Frank Van Alstine

Bill Baker · « **Reply #27 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 04:16 pm »

SP Technology Loudspeakers

http://www.4sptech.com/

avahifi · « **Reply #28 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 06:10 pm »

Stuart, I cannot make the Green Mountain web site work for me at all using Internet Explorer for the Mac. I hope his speaker are better thought out than the web site as that is not a very positive introduction.

Frank Van Alstine

avahifi · « **Reply #29 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 06:12 pm »

The Green Mountain web side does not work with Safari either. Oh well. FVA

audioferret · « **Reply #30 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 08:19 pm »

I can't believe noone has mentioned the Sonus Faber Grand Piano.

$6,500.00 pr
30-20K, 90SPL, 3Ohm
Sounds incredible
Gorgeous as Hell

http://www.sonusfaber.com/pdf/Gp.pdf

konut · « **Reply #31 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 08:42 pm »

Thanks for the IM Mr. V.A., very thoughtful. AV123 has a viable contender. May I suggest the Reference 3 http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=38.1

ricmon · « **Reply #32 on:** 14 Dec 2005, 10:41 pm »

Also check out Aerial Acoustics. Some of their models exceede your price point but Mr. Kelly and Mr. Marshall are very very talentent enginers and I can attest to the build and sound quality. Excellent!!!

http://www.aerialacoustics.com/Aerial/

JLM · « **Reply #33 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 12:23 am »

The Green Mountain Continuum 3 looks impressive. Wish I had more information on the drivers. Price looks to be out of Frank's range. Would present a relatively easy load, perhaps not what an amplifier manufacturer wants. Every multi-driver speaker I've owned in the past 29 years have been phase coherent, 1st order.

The SPTech Timpiece 2.1 is also impressive. A tougher load and priced more in Frank's range. My favorite speakers have always been transmission line designs, which they also support.

The others to me look too "goofy" for Frank to want.

konut · « **Reply #34 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 02:24 am »

Quote from: skrivis

Quote from: konut
Thanks for the IM Mr. V.A., very thoughtful. AV123 has a viable contender. May I suggest the Reference 3 http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=38.1

Unfortunately, it has 4th-order x-overs and some odd super tweeter for sounds only heard by bats. Color me skeptical.

Its called a magnetostat tweeter. They sell it separatly as well to add on to any speaker system. http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=74.1 Please allow me the latitude to reprint a post I made in a thread on the AV123 forum regarding this tweeter.

"I do not own the ERT or any other 'supertweeter'. I am contemplating the purchase of one though since I do own a single driver speaker that MIGHT benefit.
Its essential to understand some of the mechanics of music to grasp what a supertweeter might do. Most instruments produce complex sounds. By complex I mean that in addition to the 'fundamental' frequency which is predominant, there are also overtones or harmonic frequencies produced that allow us to make the distinction between a french horn or a trumpet, a flute or pan pipes, a bass clarinet or bassoon. These overtones represent a small percentage of the overall output of the sound of a particular instrument yet allow us enough clues as to what is actually being played. By the same token, frequencies above 20,000hz represent a small percentage of the musical spectrum. There are some instruments that do have a significant portion of their content above 20khz. http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~boyk/spectra/spectra.htm This page also cites the paper by Oohashi and the observed effects of reproduction above 20khz.
I am a baker by profession. If I forget to put the vanilla in a recipe, usually less than 1% by weight, the flavor, to me, is noticeably 'flat'. Then again there are some people who think instant coffee tastes the same as freshly ground gourmet beans. As usual YMMV.
Just my .02 cents, + or - .02 cents margin of error

BTW, I prefer Sumatran full city roast, espresso grind, brewed in a Bodum Mini-eSantos."

As to the 4th order crossover, I find that the proof is in the pudding. If its implimented crappy, it will sound crappy. If the designer knows what they're doing, you wont be able to tell weather its 1st order, 4th order or mail order, it will just sound 'right'.

warnerwh · « **Reply #35 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 02:52 am »

You'd find the Vmps RM 40's can do what you need. These are extremely transparent especially compared the the B&W's. My dream speaker a decade ago had actually been a pair of 801's. I've heard the new and old B&W's and like them both but neither can hold a candle in the transparency department to the VMPS. No way a cone can follow a signal like a planar that I'm aware of. With the Constant Directivity feature you're going to need to spend some money to outdo them in the transparency department.

Believe it or not some old Dunlavy's aren't a bad choice either. I've only heard the IVa's but they were very good. Best of luck to you on your search.

Aether Audio · « **Reply #36 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 03:47 am »

Quote

Unfortunately, it has 4th-order x-overs and some odd super tweeter for sounds only heard by bats. Color me skeptical.

Quote

No way a cone can follow a signal like a planar that I'm aware of.

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue22/sptech.htm

avahifi · « **Reply #37 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 02:25 pm »

I urge my readers here to go to the following link and read this article carefully. It was written by my speaker engineer (who unfortunately is living and teaching college in Turkey at this time and is not now able to do loudspeaker design for me.

http://www.birotechnology.com/articles/VSTWLA.html

The article expresses reservation to the commonly used vertical array of mid - tweeter - mid.

I would be interested in comments regarding Mithat's thoughs about this.

You are welcome to address Mithat directly at mithat@birotechnology.com.

Frank Van Alstine

Karsten · « **Reply #38 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 02:55 pm »

Quote from: avahifi

The article expresses reservation to the commonly used vertical array of mid - tweeter - mid.

Frank Van Alstine

Interesting reading. I do however doubt this is an issue with the SP Tech speakers in this configuration. The woofers only covers up to 600 Hz, so it will probably be difficult for the MTM configuration to give problems in the 1 kHz region.

I'm not an expert in speaker design but I'm sure Bob has some comments to this.

Brg,
Karsten

Q · « **Reply #39 on:** 15 Dec 2005, 06:37 pm »

Quote from: Skynyrd

Frank,

Although rarely mentioned here on Audocircle, some of the Legacy line deserves a recommendation. Legacy Focus are about $7000. Legacy Classics about $4000. Solid engineering. Probably too many drivers for you, though, right?

The VMPS stuff does some things right. Hmm...Let us imagine... Brian Cheney and Frank Van Alstine pinching putty on difficult-to-reach passive radiators and offering capcitor upgrades together...
I wish the audio world was big enough for both of you together, but I'm ...

I owned the Legacy focus and the Classic...Poor speakers at best. While they DID a good job at lower midrange punch, everything else was poorly executed. I've heard the VMPS 40s and others....Legacy speakers couldnt hold a candle to them. HOWEVER....I will tell you that the WHisper did a superb job with imaging,...if you could get by that upper midrange ringing and sloppy bass! Why Bill D. would put nice, expensive Eton drivers next to bargain basement ribbons and woofers is beyond me. ...You'll notice in thier later designs they dropped the etons and went with much cheaper drivers....
good Luck
Q