[LittleWoodenBoy]

First post.

As a teenager I was a budding audiophile.  Life got in the way, and I've made some compromises.  Along the way, I also became a pretty good woodworker (mostly acoustic guitars), and recently started working towards getting better audio in my life.  I started with Danny Ritchie's XLS Encores and am very impressed with them, but they are so inexpensive.  Now I can't stop wondering what I can get investing in more expensive parts.

Mike

[JerryM]

Welcome to AudioCircle, Mike. 

[FullRangeMan]

Welcome Mike
Any photo of Maple platform to heavy amps?

[ArthurDent]

Greetings & Welcome to AC Mike   

[LittleWoodenBoy]

One correction -- I started with a Rythmik sub.  That went so well, I went to the Encores.

[Phil A]

Welcome to AC!

[roscoe65]

First post.

As a teenager I was a budding audiophile.  Life got in the way, and I've made some compromises.  Along the way, I also became a pretty good woodworker (mostly acoustic guitars), and recently started working towards getting better audio in my life.  I started with Danny Ritchie's XLS Encores and am very impressed with them, but they are so inexpensive.  Now I can't stop wondering what I can get investing in more expensive parts.

Mike

I own Rhythmik usbs and a pair of XLS Encores.  One upgrade (that I do not have) is the Mills/Sonicap upgrade.  This should be about $150 in parts.  You could get a local tech to change the caps for about $100 or so.  This would be a better increase in performance than a $250 pair of speaker cables.

[LittleWoodenBoy]

I own Rhythmik usbs and a pair of XLS Encores.  One upgrade (that I do not have) is the Mills/Sonicap upgrade.  This should be about $150 in parts.  You could get a local tech to change the caps for about $100 or so.  This would be a better increase in performance than a $250 pair of speaker cables.

I hemmed and hawed about the caps.  The decision ended up being made for me, when my buddy ordered two sets and gave one to me in exchange for making him boxes (He got floor standers.  Mine are small.)  I spent a few years soldering for a living, so I've got no problem swapping them out if I go that way.

But when I said more expensive parts, I was thinking of new speakers with more expensive (and therefore better???) drivers rather than cables and the more esoteric upgrades out there.  I spent enough time around the audiophile world to believe some of that can make a difference, but not until most everything else is already very good, and that's not where where my system is these days.

Every year at RMAF, there are open baffles that really impress me, so I'm drawn to Danny's X-Statiks or his OBs, but then I really just like the look of the Seas iDunns, and of course I keep finding myself back at Troels Gravesen's site, and then there's the DIY paper horn...

[roscoe65]

I would be careful about conflating "expensive" with "better".  Just because Danny's drivers are inexpensive doesn't mean they are not great drivers.  In fact, they do well in more expensive iterations.  Likewise Omega Super 3 speakers are modestly-priced at $700, but will hold their own with much more expensive electronics.

Simple speakers can be and should be affordable.  As the cabinet size and parts count go up so does the price.  That being said, the Encores like a little power and would also benefit from a subwoofer (or two).  Before trading the Encores I would spend $1,000 on a pair of Rhythmik F8's.

[LittleWoodenBoy]

Oh yes, expensive isn't always better, but often it is.  I am loving these Encores, but want to do something.  I already have a 12" Rythmik sub which sounds great and integrates with them well.  (DIY, sealed, significantly braced, and topped with granite -- sounds better when I stand on it, but 300 pounds of granite is expensive)  What I probably need the most from an audio standpoint is a better amp.  My low end Marantz AV works, but I bet is the weak link.  Scratch that.  The cheapo amazon bookshelf acting as a center channel is probably worse, but I care less about tv.  I wonder how I could make room for a real center channel under the TV...  Hmmm.  If I removed some drawers, I could have a 28x5 space...  That seems slimmer than most centers I've seen.  Hmmm....  Time to go poke around the interwebs.

Mike