[musiclear]

After years of buying what I thought were great systems and then having to tweak them to get the open deep sound stage that I could listen to all day, but just missing the mark a little here and a little there. I realized that I needed a known master and professional who could end my streak of "almost right" and "if I did this different" experiments.
So I checked around a bit and Philip Bamberg's name came up again and again as one of the best out there who has quietly and consistently pushed the envelope of accuracy.

For a reasonable price Phil agreed to help me reach audio nirvana with an old system I had tossed aside in disappointment. The drivers were the Scan Speak 8545K and Scan Speak 9300 and came out of a Borealis kit. He said he has worked with my drivers before and that he could bring my system into complete amplitude and phase alignment. That will get my drivers to display all they could into an open sound stage and accurate musical representation of what the recording engineer had intended.

What makes this easy for us is I have a modified Behringer DCX and he agreed to send me the program to make sure I am completely satisfied with what he did before we go passive. He said this is part of his normal development routine anyway. If all goes well, I'll know I can trust him to build my dream system. Starting with an existing rework, no matter what happens, I have a relatively low investment in a really good bet. And chances are I will end up with a really nice set of upgraded speakers. Besides, it’s even easy to do a before/after comparison this way.

After some back and forth emails and phone calls, I shipped him my speakers. Phil said he will need them for only a week or two. I will wait with great expectations to see what Phil can do to coax these old pair of drivers into bringing music to life. I finally turned to someone I believed could take a set of drivers and get real music out of them.

[JeffB]

Good luck, I hope this works out for you.  I have auditioned a lot of speakers, and I often feel they have a frequency boost around 1 to 3kHz.  Honestly I am not sure of the exact frequency range, but I think this boost becomes fatiguing if listened to for a while.  This is a range where the human ear is very sensitive, the cross-over is at work, and baffle step correction is at work.  I have started paying a lot of attention to characteristics of speakers that don't seem to have this boost.  I have two single driver systems that don't exhibit this.   So perhaps there is something to the mantra of the best cross-over is no cross-over.  However, even the single driver has a baffle step to worry about, and many people complain about shout in the single driver designs.  My last two car stereos did not exhibit this boost.  These both had cross-overs, but no need to worry about baffle-step.  I was just on vacation and heard an outdoor PA system that had 4 QSC speakers back to back.  This setup had a bit of bass boost, but the midrange was anything but boosted.  Bi-poles don't need baffle-step correction either.  Although, I don't know what to call this setup, sort of an omni-pole.  I am beginning to think that the biggest problem may be the baffle step correction, and since this is dependent on speaker distance from the rear wall and perhaps floor reflections, getting a design that works in your own home maybe difficult.  There is also the issue of cross-over slope, but I have heard a first order cross-over design speaker that some people love, and I didn't like it all.  I also wonder if the distortion levels of the drivers come into play.  I think my very inexpensive speakers may blur the sound a bit which acts to smooth it out.  Low distortion drivers may tend to show off problem areas more easily.

[jackman]

You picked the right guy. Phil Bamberg is supremely talented.  I'm confident your speakers will exceed your expectations.  Phil won't boggle you with typical audiofool snake oil.  He is a good guy, and I'm a big fan of his speakers.

Keep us posted on the progress of your project.

[musiclear]

So far, every interaction between Phil and I has left me understanding a lot more of the real nuts and bolts of crossover and speaker design that I never even knew to think of.  He seems to be very pragmatic at taking care of every detail along the way to make sure everything sums appropriately in a way that allows the music to flow.  I don’t think he can gloss over issues that other people might.  He seems to be way to perfectionistic to do anything less than what is right.  I really look forward to hearing what he does with this project

[JLM]

I had a positive experience with Bob Brines (Brines Acoustics) who took my concept (based on years of amateur surfing and thought) and turned it into one of the speakers he now offers (mine being the first).  It is a thrill to have a professional working directly for you.  I hope your experience will be as good as mine.

BTW, the best crossover is no crossover (being a big fan of single driver design).   

Wondering why you'd want to go passive?  IMO the 2nd best crossover is low voltage (part of an active design).

[Carl V]

Phil is a great guy who has a good deal of experience with those drivers.
Back in the day they were very popular. And well regarded...still are in fact.

I built the North creek speakers you were disappointed in.  Curious
how you like the re-boot so to speak.  I also have an 8545 & Seas T25
combo....Selah inspired.  I've listened to the Odyssey version of your
drivers...as well as Fritz Carbon 7.  Nice drivers.  Will your speakers remain
in the Borealis boxes? George Short's Box designs are stout.

Have fun.

I had a LR2 & LR4 XO and I believe Phil recommended I try a BW3...it's been
many years ago...I forget the details...now.

[musiclear]

A short time after sending Phil my old system of the Scan Speak 8545 and 9300 drivers mounted in cabinets, I receive them back. After opening the meticulously packed box I noticed that he had cleaned everything so they look new again. Thanks Phil. I had in fact, sent him a system that was old, came from storage and somewhat dusty with bits stuck to the tweeters, and looking fairly well neglected.

There were a couple wires on the tweeter had pulled and broken a couple terminals during the trip to him. I really should have mounted the crossovers in the box better. In these particular tweeters, when the terminals get broken off, there is not much to solder to, so Phil cleared out a little bit of the plastic so that he could rewire the tweeters. Phil also mentioned that he was none too impressed with the large gauge stranded wire that I had used previously and replaced it with a much higher quality, 20 gauge which he claimed was more appropriate for the tweeter.

It was late when I hooked it all up and programmed my Behringer dcx 2496. I was very excited and sat down for a listen. Unfortunately, it was rather late and my wife had gone to sleep in the next room. I didn't want to wake her and desperately wanted to hear how the crossover work had affected the sound.

Since the volume very low, there was a lot I couldn’t hear, like bass. I could tell that there was lots of “air” though. But the balance just didn’t seem right. It was so bright. I was starting to be a bit concerned about what Phil had done. Not another builder who over drives the tweeter to get sizzle and detail? God I hope not. I tried to chalk it up to being late. I’d listen again in the morning.

The next morning I had the option to crank it up a bit but my goodness, my ears felt abused and I was thinking to myself, what have I done? And what had Phil done?! I took a couple of weeks of my life a few hundred bucks and entrusted my project to a well-respected designer only to have a system that I couldn't listen to.

What a bummer!! I thought I was back to square one. I started to think, forget this DIY stuff. I’ll just get myself a nice pair of commercial speakers and be done with it all.

After a brief conversation with Phil, I was very pleased to find out that I failed to program the DCX correctly. I missed a 3.5db of tweeter cut. Ooops. And I had put 0db in one of the midrange EQ bands instead of the 15db of cut called for. Double oops. I was in fact listening to a speaker with almost no crossover between the mid and tweeter. How do you feel like a supreme idiot?

After correcting my mistake in programing, I sat for my first real listen. Wow….. What I was listening to now was a supremely accurate, open and very pleasant presentation with a super deep sound stage. I was hearing the brass in the orchestra deep and well into the next room. The room came alive. Rebecca Pidgeon was slightly off center and the positions of all the instruments in the room were clearly and precisely placed as if I was in the recording studio. This is good I thought. This is real good.

Since I’ve just got the speakers up and running, I am still looking forward to getting fully into my musical options, but wanted to give you my first impressions of Phil Bamberg’s work. I will say, he just lets the music out of a set of drivers. For some reason, unknown to me, he is able to unleash some sort of magic so the drivers join in unison and allow music to flow unimpeded into the room.

The recording environment is transplanted into my living room in a way I have never heard before. It really is amazing to me how this happens, but in one moment, I am in Germany listening to Pink Floyd live in an open air concert and in another moment, I am in an intimate Jazz bar listen to a singer, bass player and drums. I can almost smell the smoke. Then again, the environment changes to a well damped recording studio and I am again, there. This is really amazing to me and I truly appreciate what Phil is able to do.

I’ll give theses speakers a week of listening and see if there is anything I would hope for and then Phil will design a passive crossover off the DCX design. I really like this option of trying out a design before getting the passive done.

In the meantime, I’ve talked with him about integrating my stereo subs with these satellites.  A two way is great for certain kinds of listening, but being able to take the bass out of the woofers and integrating with a nice set of stereo woofers will help fill in the bottom end and give some nice impact a 7” could never provide. 

This is a process.  What has turned into a very exciting process now that I have heard what Phil has done with these satellites. I look forward to hearing what he can do to integrate the sub section with these now very nice sounding satellites.

[jackman]

Great write-up!  I'm very familiar with Phil's skill as a speaker designer and I'm not surprised by your experience.  I've got Phil's older series 5 MTM's with active subwoofer stands using the DCX and passive xovers for the monitors.   They completely disappear and the music simply flows from these speakers. 

You might want to just think about picking up Phil's floorstanding Scanspeak speakers or the demo Series 5's with active subs and be done with it.  Those speakers do everything you want and they look cool.  Just a suggestion...

Looking forward to following your experience integrating the subs into the system.  This is something Phil does as good as anyone I've ever heard.

Cheers

Jack

[musiclear]

Over the past week or so, I have been working at integrating my subs with the satellites with Phil’s long distant help.  They are getting dialed in pretty well.  Thanks Phil.  My wife came back from a trip to her parents and sat down to listen last night for the first time.  It took a few seconds and she turned and looked at me with a smile on her face and said, “It sounds like we are listening to the concert from the audience rather than a nice pair of speakers.”    I said, “That’s what this is all about Darling.”  She turned back continuing to listen and smiling the whole time.

I personally was listing to an orchestral piece and was so taken I heard myself say, “wow”.  No one there to talk to, just a gut response.

[jackman]

Very cool stuff!  If you are ever in the Chicago area and would like to hear how well Phil integrates bass with monitors, you are welcome to come over and hear my system.  On his way to Iowa, Phil stopped by with the Omnimic (which I just purchased this week) and dialed in my DCX, making some minor adjustments.  The bass is extremely articulate and powerful.  Honestly, I have never been happier with my system.  Phil Bamberg knows how to dial in bass.

3D imaging, and wide & deep soundstage, and transparency are hallmarks of Bamberg's design.  I also noticed he has a new version of the Series 5's for a very reasonable price on the website (http://bambergaudio.com/products/series5/series-5-mtm.php).  Haven't seen or heard them but if they are like my MTM Series 5's, I highly recommend them!

For the money, I think the Series 2's (~$2,800) are one of the best speaker bargains anywhere.  They offer a level of performance, without gimmicks, well beyond their price.  I wish more people had a chance to hear these speakers. 

Here are my 5's in my old system, previous house: 

[musiclear]

I love the finish.  Really nice style.  I was thinking I wish I could hear his original designs.  If I do get to Chicago, I will definitely look you up.  And, if you find yourself down in Florida, please stop on by.

Right now, I’ve got the satellites running with an old pair of Lambda Acoustics 12” woofers in a 4ct box.  They sound great, but they are huge.  I’ve been considering adding a nice 10” in 1.75cf rather than the 12’s in 4cf, but honestly, it sounds so good now, I am a little hesitant to make changes.

Around the time I unpacked Phil’s rework of my drivers, I had an opportunity to listen to some Aerial 20T’s at a high end shop locally.  They had the right wire and the $10,000 a piece 300w mono blocks and the whole thing. 

The salesman auditioned Keith Jarrett  “The Kohl Concert” and it was a real nice listen.  That was the first time I had heard of Keith Jarret.  The sales man was surprised at that as “Hasn’t everyone heard of Kieth Jarret? “  Anyway I really liked the 20T’s and the album a lot. 

Today, Amazon delivered my own copy of the concert and I am amazed to hear so much more out of this system than the $30,000 Aerial 20T’s.  To be honest, the set of 20T’s I listened to had some scratches from shipping and the salesman offered them to me for a mere $20,000 for the set.   I wouldn’t want to misrepresent the deal…..

Somehow, Phil had designed in smoothness, openness and clarity and  I could absolutely hear into the music deeper with what Phil had done than the $30,000 a pair speakers with another $40,000 worth of electronics.  I have no idea how he does it.  But he does.

[jackman]

I'm not surprised. I've compared Phil's work with so many other speakers I've lost count.  IMO, he has the perfect balance of great details, transparency and great bass integration.  All of his designs have these qualities but they get better as you move up the food chain.  His Series 6's, his latest design, are on my list to audition.  I've seen the cabinets and they are stunning in person. 

Those Lamda based subs are very cool and high quality.  Dialing in subs correctly is not easy but once you have a full range system, there is no going back. 

Best of luck!

Jack

[musiclear]

I've got Phil working on a potential dual 10" bass section to replace the lambdas.  Those lambda drivers are really nice, and take up a lot of real estate on the floors.  I am hoping to get more detail in the mid bass/lower midrange with lower distortion in a 1.75cf box rather than the 4cf box I am looking at now.  I guess we shall see what the master has in store.