Peter's Super Alnico Monitors with matching powered woofers

pstrisik · « **Reply #20 on:** 23 Oct 2015, 02:53 pm »

Here are some photos of unpacking and setup on my homemade stands. The stands are made from Home Depot materials. Metal tubes are filled with sand. Base is 1.5" solid red oak. Each stand weighs 22lbs! But, they are temporary as the monitors will sit on the powered woofers after they arrive.

You can see the Super Alnico Monitors and Original Super 7 XRS' side by side, both in zebrawood.

More listening last night was very satisfying. Compared to the Super 7 Alnicos, these have even better imaging, definition of instruments, transparency, high frequency extension. Slight edginess that may be due to need for more break in. They had 20 hours from the factory. About 25 now. Should have 50 by the end of the weekend. I've done tons of tube rolling to optimize with the 7's. It may be that I just need a slightly warmer tube in one spot or another. But, it's great to have the confidence about these for the long run. Very minimal doubts compared to any newly acquired equipment probably ever.

One thing I notice is some experiential understanding of what is meant when "speed" is mentioned. I noticed almost immediately that the music was more alive. It seemed that the speakers were keeping up with the music more than I've heard prior. I guess it is that thing called PRaT (pace, rhythm, and timing).

I also noticed more dynamics (micro, macro, I'm not sure). It's like more use of dynamic range - illustrations are when a pianist emphasizes a note/chord or when the tom-tom is struck. It just jumps out more.

Thank you Louis; you are a master!

Anyway....... here are some photos to peruse:

FireGuy · « **Reply #21 on:** 23 Oct 2015, 03:35 pm »

Real Nice!!!!

The level of finish and performance of Omega is astounding.

Canada Rob · « **Reply #22 on:** 23 Oct 2015, 07:40 pm »

Lovely speakers Peter - hard to beat that Zebrawood. I noticed you have a Panamax line conditioner like mine. I've had mine for years - named it "Judy Blue Eyes".

StevenZ · « **Reply #23 on:** 23 Oct 2015, 07:41 pm »

Those came out beautiful! Congrats!

pstrisik · « **Reply #24 on:** 23 Oct 2015, 08:08 pm »

Quote from: Canada Rob on 23 Oct 2015, 07:40 pm

Lovely speakers Peter - hard to beat that Zebrawood. I noticed you have a Panamax line conditioner like mine. I've had mine for years - named it "Judy Blue Eyes".

Yeah, since I no longer have a VCR that will blink 12:00the Panamax now serves as my alert that we had a power outage. I keep it dark. When the power blinks off, the Panamax comes back in that vibrant blue!

........Peter

Canada Rob · « **Reply #25 on:** 23 Oct 2015, 11:45 pm »

Quote from: pstrisik on 23 Oct 2015, 02:53 pm

Slight edginess that may be due to need for more break in.

Peter, mine had no edginess right out of the box. All Omegas are extremely transparent and will reflect everything upline. Different people have different experiences with the same model speaker because likely no two people have the same combinations of equipment, or room acoustics. My Alnico Monitors are smooth as butter top to bottom, yet dig so deep into a recording. My guess is, like you say, tubes - a little rolling here and there might smooth things out.

BTW, what are you running for a source? We so often focus on amp and speaker synergy, but not on the equally important component, the source, whether digital or analog.

pstrisik · « **Reply #26 on:** 24 Oct 2015, 12:09 am »

Quote from: Canada Rob on 23 Oct 2015, 11:45 pm

Peter, mine had no edginess right out of the box. All Omegas are extremely transparent and will reflect everything upline. Different people have different experiences with the same model speaker because likely no two people have the same combinations of equipment, or room acoustics. My Alnico Monitors are smooth as butter top to bottom, yet dig so deep into a recording. My guess is, like you say, tubes - a little rolling here and there might smooth things out.

BTW, what are you running for a source? We so often focus on amp and speaker synergy, but not on the equally important component, the source, whether digital or analog.

Rob.... Louis emailed and said to expect smoothing with some hours. We'll see. I have so much flexibility with tubes in Dennis Had's amp, that dialing in for my taste will be no problem.

My source is a Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6. Basically a streamer with their DAC Magic Plus built in. I have all my music ripped to NAS. I did try a half dozen DACs over a couple of years and this was the most pleasing, least irritating (and best imaging) of all I tried. I need to update it because of the streaming technology, but I'm going to try their Azure 851N streamer. Higher quality parts and supposedly even better DAC. We'll see about that. If I still like the sound of the SM6 DAC, I can return it to Crutchfield and get the CXN - the later generation of what I have now and same DAC inside. (DAC Magic Plus uses dual Wolfson chips, the 851N uses dual Analog Devices chips).

These were also my initial impressions. Give me a couple of days of listening to settle in. Sometimes just having something sounding different takes an adjustment.

........Peter

beowulf · « **Reply #27 on:** 24 Oct 2015, 08:32 am »

Those are beautiful Peter, I can't wait to see them with the bass modules installed.

pstrisik · « **Reply #28 on:** 30 Oct 2015, 04:24 am »

I'm there now!

Edge is gone - volume of sound bloomed - 98% fallen into place. It took some more hours, one switch of a rectifier and brain adjustment.

No lookin' back now!

I always tell myself to wait a few days before posting because I know it and I will settle in much more. .... But I can't help it!

Canada Rob · « **Reply #29 on:** 30 Oct 2015, 05:55 am »

Congratulations Peter,

They're a great speaker. I sure love the sound of mine.

Ultralight · « **Reply #30 on:** 31 Oct 2015, 06:13 am »

Yes, with the Alinicos, I noticed in particular an apparently larger dynamic range swing and greater resolution than any other speaker I had. The dynamic range and resolution made the Alnico superb for me.

Quote from: pstrisik on 23 Oct 2015, 02:53 pm

Here are some photos of unpacking and setup on my homemade stands. The stands are made from Home Depot materials. Metal tubes are filled with sand. Base is 1.5" solid red oak. Each stand weighs 22lbs! But, they are temporary as the monitors will sit on the powered woofers after they arrive.

You can see the Super Alnico Monitors and Original Super 7 XRS' side by side, both in zebrawood.

More listening last night was very satisfying. Compared to the Super 7 Alnicos, these have even better imaging, definition of instruments, transparency, high frequency extension. Slight edginess that may be due to need for more break in. They had 20 hours from the factory. About 25 now. Should have 50 by the end of the weekend. I've done tons of tube rolling to optimize with the 7's. It may be that I just need a slightly warmer tube in one spot or another. But, it's great to have the confidence about these for the long run. Very minimal doubts compared to any newly acquired equipment probably ever.

One thing I notice is some experiential understanding of what is meant when "speed" is mentioned. I noticed almost immediately that the music was more alive. It seemed that the speakers were keeping up with the music more than I've heard prior. I guess it is that thing called PRaT (pace, rhythm, and timing).

I also noticed more dynamics (micro, macro, I'm not sure). It's like more use of dynamic range - illustrations are when a pianist emphasizes a note/chord or when the tom-tom is struck. It just jumps out more.

Thank you Louis; you are a master!

Anyway....... here are some photos to peruse:

pstrisik · « **Reply #31 on:** 28 Nov 2015, 06:54 pm »

Just an update on my experience........

Haven't received the woofer modules from Louis yet, but am enjoying the monitors immensely. Everything has fallen into place running them with the Marchand active xover at 90Hz (just with regular subs right now). Any signs of that initial edge is gone. I had turned down the supertweeters at first because of that, but I now have them turned back up (behind the monitors facing the ceiling as can be seen in a couple of the last photos above). Realism and imaging are just blissful. I haven't changed a tube in two weeks! (A sign of contentment for me

).

Hope to have an update and pics with the woofer modules soon.

If I get the motivation, I may try the Bantam Gold powering the monitors. It now powers the supertweeters, so it would be a bit of rearranging.

.......Peter

finsup · « **Reply #32 on:** 28 Nov 2015, 09:50 pm »

Peter, may I ask that you post a pic of your current speaker set-up? I presume the Super 7 XRS' are also there?

pstrisik · « **Reply #33 on:** 29 Nov 2015, 01:05 am »

Quote from: finsup on 28 Nov 2015, 09:50 pm

Peter, may I ask that you post a pic of your current speaker set-up? I presume the Super 7 XRS' are also there?

The next to the last photo is current with the monitors on my home made stands (waiting for the woofer modules, which will act as stands, like in the first post with the photoshop mockup). The Super 7 XRS' (alnicos) went back to Louis to be sold after he checks them over.

........Peter

pstrisik · « **Reply #34 on:** 28 Jan 2016, 11:42 pm »

At long last!

Here are some photos of my new woofer (mid-bass) modules that arrived yesterday. I have them physically set up, but not yet connected (darned work week!). I'll get connected, configured, integrated this weekend.

It may be placebo from my hopes and excitement, but I swear the monitors are shining even more set on the woofers as bases even without the woofers operating yet. They are only about an inch lower, compared to when they were on stands, and tilt back is very slight, but it seems like fullness and soundstage have increased along with that sense of transparency and finesse. I suppose it’s possible with the more solid bases and the slight tilt.

I have Herbie's fat dots between the woofers and monitors and between the monitors and top stone slabs.

More technical info about the overall strategy and design earlier in this thread.

Louis did an amazing job. Notice how the grain matches and runs continuous between top and bottom cabinets!

(Replies appreciated, but no need to quote the photos please)

Canada Rob · « **Reply #35 on:** 29 Jan 2016, 01:11 am »

WOW!!! Peter, are those ever nice. Jelly, jelly, jelly!!!

Canada Rob · « **Reply #36 on:** 29 Jan 2016, 01:16 am »

If these were at the recent CES being exhibited by almost anyone but Louis, they'd be $50,000 a pair. Just check out Stereophile's coverage of CES 2016 and you'll see what I mean. This is no exaggeration.

rajacat · « **Reply #37 on:** 29 Jan 2016, 01:54 am »

Very nice!

I bet they sound exquisite.
$50,000?

I doubt it.

G Georgopoulos · « **Reply #38 on:** 29 Jan 2016, 01:59 am »

Quote from: rajacat on 29 Jan 2016, 01:54 am

$50,000? I doubt it.

Canada Rob,stop the B.S. it doesnt help Louis at all...

pstrisik · « **Reply #39 on:** 29 Jan 2016, 02:32 am »

Quote from: Canada Rob on 29 Jan 2016, 01:16 am

If these were at the recent CES being exhibited by almost anyone but Louis, they'd be $50,000 a pair. Just check out Stereophile's coverage of CES 2016 and you'll see what I mean. This is no exaggeration.

Maybe I should go to CES and exhibit them!

I ain't givin' them up! And I have full confidence that they will sound exquisite (thanks rajacat!) Feeding the confidence is the extreme flexibility in this design.

.............Peter