Pioneer HTZ-940DV

GUNN · « **on:** 15 Sep 2004, 02:42 am »

I was at Best Buy the other day a had listen at an odd looking HT system with these speakers that had thick metal-like diaphragm. I was stunned at the sound at these speakers and the got really loud and clear for being in an open air environment. I am doing a search on the internet trying to look for just the speakers but it seems that they are just being sold as a whole set. The speakers are noted as NXT SurfaceSound Technology.

Has anyone else heard of these.

bubba966 · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 Sep 2004, 03:20 am »

Quote from: GUNN

The speakers are noted as NXT SurfaceSound Technology.

Has anyone else heard of these.

I've not looked at that model yet, but today I just got a pair of stick-on speakers using NXT technology (I'm sure it's the same tech).

And mind you, I'm just using the transducer temporarily taped onto the inside of a cardboard box! And I've been messing around with them and the construction of the box since I wrote that post, and they keep sounding better. In fact, they're starting to sound so good, that if I can get them to sound just a little bit better, I might start selling off my front speakers (M&K S-125's) and replace them with these NXT based Sonic Impact's.

So if I'm getting such killer sound from a damn FedEx shipping box, I can imagine that the one's in the Pioneer HT in a box set that you were looking at sound pretty damn good.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Sep 2004, 03:26 am »

Is my calendar off? Is it April 1st?

Aren't you at least gonna either cryo the box, vitrify it with glue & dried macaroni, or use the shipping box from a Halcro amp?

Now I'm gonna HAVE TO TRY THEM- that strains credulity!

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Sep 2004, 03:28 am »

Crap! That amp costs just over 1/3 what my P-wave did!

bubba966 · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Sep 2004, 03:38 am »

Quote from: Rob Babcock

Is my calendar off? Is it April 1st?

Uhh, nope. No joke. FWIW, I've been having a very, very hard time that a piece of cardboard can sound like this.

Quote from: Rob Babcock

Aren't you at least gonna either cryo the box, vitrify it with glue & dried macaroni, or use the shipping box from a Halcro amp?

When I was talking to Ed about these things this evening (he'd sent me the pair I have now), he'd suggested a few different things to try. Unfortunately, they'd all require a $ outlay as I don't have a source for anything he'd mentioned.

But I will be trying more things with the FedEx boxes. I just need to pick up a few more.

Rob, if you've got a Halco box to send me, I'd certainly try it.

But I'd bet the damn box would cost waaaay more than the transducers...

Quote from: Rob Babcock

Now I'm gonna HAVE TO TRY THEM- that strains credulity!

Yup, you need to give them a try...

Quote from: Rob Babcock

Crap! That amp costs just over 1/3 what my P-wave did!

I know nothing about the amp in the post I mentioned above. But the stick-on speaks that Carl mentions in the post are beyond belief.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Sep 2004, 04:01 am »

What are you driving them with?

bubba966 · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Sep 2004, 04:37 am »

Quote from: Rob Babcock

What are you driving them with?

Just my old Pioneer. Nothin' fancy.

Still finding it funny to be running $20 speakers off of a $2,500 receiver w/a $6,000 DVDP as the source.

Something about that just seems wrong...

GUNN · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 Sep 2004, 05:19 pm »

I saw those sonic impact stick-on speakers at target yesterday on fire sale for ~$13 I got two pairs of them.

How big are those Fedex boxes that you are using and where did you stick those things?

bubba966 · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 Sep 2004, 08:29 pm »

Quote from: GUNN

How big are those Fedex boxes that you are using and where did you stick those things?

First try was the FedEx Express Large box. It says it's for 2 stacks of 8 1/2" x 11" documents. Box dimensions are 12 1/2" x 18" x 3". They're placed on the inside of the box (using temporary double sided tape so I can remove them to try them in other configurations), about 1/3 of the way down. You'll want to punch a small hole in the box opposite of where you place the transducer to run the speaker cable through. So when the box is all sealed up, the transducer will be on the side facing you, and the speaker cable will be coming out of the back of the box.

Today, I'll pull them out of the large box, and try them in the FedEx Express Tube (6" triangular shaped box 38" long) and see what that's like.

Ed Schilling · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 Sep 2004, 11:14 pm »

guys, you are in for a treat. My buddy Joel built a set of "two way" Fed Ex boxes and a PVC stand that will make any owners of Magnepans freak out. I am not kidding and it is way past 04/01! Sure they have limitations...the good news is they have a polyswitch built in and so far I have not been able to kill them. They will shut off if the power reaches a "smoke level". The Fed Ex boxes are of a type cardboard that seems to work very well. Foam core works well too for making a big "planar". You'd be shocked at a pair of Fed Ex boxes singing to a $20 SI amp! Yea, I know, sounds insane....that is what I thought.
Ed

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #10 on:** 16 Sep 2004, 11:18 pm »

Cue Twilight Zone theme!

I'm gonna have to try 'em...

bubba966 · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 Sep 2004, 12:09 am »

Ok, tried the FedEx "tubes", and as Ed told me today, they don't sound as good as the FedEx Large boxes do.

They do blend better with my subs though.

Guess the Tubes have better low end response than the Large boxes...

Next up, Global Priority Mail boxes.

bubba966 · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 Sep 2004, 12:20 am »

Quote from: Ed Schilling

My buddy Joel built a set of "two way" Fed Ex boxes and a PVC stand that will make any owners of Magnepans freak out.

Hey Ed, get some pics of Joel's 2 way FedEd speaks. I gotta see those...

And here's an amusing bit for you. My step-bro stopped by on his lunch break to pick up a copy of the Star Wars Trilogy. He didn't have much time, but I made him listen to a bit of a Sarah Mclaclan song that was mostly an insturmental song.

He says "man, that sounds good" (BTW, he sells quality audio gear, so he listens to pretty decent stuff all of the time). I asked if he'd care to know what he was listening to. He says "yeah, what is it". I then told him he was listening to the FedEx Tubes, not any of my M&K's. He said "no way, you're shitting me, right?". I told him I wasn't feeding him shit, that he was listening to a damn shipping box, and not regular speakers. He picked one of them up and looks it over (all the while it's still playing), and still can't believe he's listening to a FedEx shipping tube...

Thanks for the entertainment Ed!

GUNN · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Sep 2004, 04:03 am »

Hey, check these guys out, looks like a slightly different transducer but more it's a different idea.

http://www.hiddenspeakers.com/range/67

bubba966 · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 Sep 2004, 07:34 am »

Quote from: GUNN

Hey, check these guys out, looks like a slightly different transducer but more it's a different idea.

http://www.hiddenspeakers.com/range/67

Yup, basically the same transducer, just made to look fancy on a sheet of glass with a $3,722.06 price tag!

If you can get a set of transducers at Target for $13, that must be some pretty fancy ass glass for $3,709.06...