[OzarkTom]

A DAC is going to be added also. Room correction could possibly be added. Less parts and cables will give even better SQ. Maybe this could be common someday. It could also have the Alexa app added.

Meridian does this as for a DAC, but they have to do it at each driver. That makes the expense much higher.

[mresseguie]

Severe weather tried really hard to keep me from experiencing my newest (and first ever pair of OB) speakers, but UPS came through this afternoon to deliver my Caintuck Betsy baffles.

Randy's (Caintuck's) packaging is fantastic. I may borrow part of his method the next time I ship gear. 

It took me all of 40 minutes to put everything together. I was impatient, so I did not solder the copper wires to the clips. [Shock! Horror!] I crimped the clips onto the copper wire instead.
Because my Apollos are in my living room, and because these speakers need a solid 100 hours to burn in, I placed them in my family room. Way back when I first 'discovered' AC's existence, my audio system was in our family room because it was the only place my wife would allow it. [She finally caved last year and told me to put the main system in the living room.  ] Our family room was dreamed up in an audiophile's worst nightmare. It's nearly square with a cathedral ceiling facing the wrong way; a wide open space leading into the breakfast nook/kitchen, and an open area above to the second floor hallway. This gaping opening sucks all bass out into a parallel universe. All the furniture in this room is very reflective. To be very candid: It sucks.

Yet here I have placed my new OB WB Alnico speakers....and.....I'm powering them with my inexpensive Nuprime IDA-8 amplifier. My source is my old iPad2. There's a 3.5mm earbud connector plugged into the iPad. The other end is terminated with red and black RCA connectors which are plugged into the back of the amp. The speaker cables are 12g Blue Jeans cables.

The two speakers are 6 feet from the front wall and five feet apart (center to center). I can easily adjust their positions if people recommend it. They sit on a rug which sits on the floating wood floor.

And....it sounds......wonderful.

And that's all I'm going to say for the nonce. [What an odd word.]

 

[OzarkTom]

Decware also sells the Betsy baffles. You might check out Decware's plans for the DNA Horns. The plans are 20 bucks and it takes less than $400 in parts to make them. That could be your next speakers.

[StevenZ]

Severe weather tried really hard to keep me from experiencing my newest (and first ever pair of OB) speakers, but UPS came through this afternoon to deliver my Caintuck Betsy baffles.

Randy's (Caintuck's) packaging is fantastic. I may borrow part of his method the next time I ship gear. 

It took me all of 40 minutes to put everything together. I was impatient, so I did not solder the copper wires to the clips. [Shock! Horror!] I crimped the clips onto the copper wire instead.
Because my Apollos are in my living room, and because these speakers need a solid 100 hours to burn in, I placed them in my family room. Way back when I first 'discovered' AC's existence, my audio system was in our family room because it was the only place my wife would allow it. [She finally caved last year and told me to put the main system in the living room.  ] Our family room was dreamed up in an audiophile's worst nightmare. It's nearly square with a cathedral ceiling facing the wrong way; a wide open space leading into the breakfast nook/kitchen, and an open area above to the second floor hallway. This gaping opening sucks all bass out into a parallel universe. All the furniture in this room is very reflective. To be very candid: It sucks.

Yet here I have placed my new OB WB Alnico speakers....and.....I'm powering them with my inexpensive Nuprime IDA-8 amplifier. My source is my old iPad2. There's a 3.5mm earbud connector plugged into the iPad. The other end is terminated with red and black RCA connectors which are plugged into the back of the amp. The speaker cables are 12g Blue Jeans cables.

The two speakers are 6 feet from the front wall and five feet apart (center to center). I can easily adjust their positions if people recommend it. They sit on a rug which sits on the floating wood floor.

And....it sounds......wonderful.

And that's all I'm going to say for the nonce. [What an odd word.]

 

Dying to know what you think of them now that you've put a little time on them.  Hope to hear back soon.

-Steven

[mresseguie]

Steven,

Hello and thanks for the nudge.

In short - I like them. They're my first OB speakers, so I have can't say they're superior or inferior to brand X or Y OB speakers, but I do like them. I have tried them in two systems in two rooms and discovered that synergy (and room perhaps) changes how they sound. That is not a surprise, I guess. Anyway, I already mentioned above the first system using my Nuprime IDA-8 and iPad. The second system is my reference system with Don Sachs amp and pre, SW1X DAC, Ciunas USB to SPDiF converter and iMac streaming Tidal. I expected the WB speakers to sound amazing in this system, but they sounded flat and thin.

They're back in the first system in the acoustic nightmare family room, but now my source is an Oppo BDP-103 connected by an inexpensive optical cable. They sound even better now - so much so that I pulled my boxed up CDs out of storage and I am experimenting with different genre of music. Not too surprisingly, I think, acoustic instruments, female vocals, male vocals, and less complex(?) music sound better than symphonic, rock, and hip hop music.

I'm glad I bought these and the Betsy baffles from Randy at Caintuck Audio. They have a very different flavor to my Meniscus Audio Adelphos monitors and my Apollos.

Will these replace my Apollos? Heck, no. Will they remain with me? Heck, yeah! Will my wife have a fit when she sees them sitting in the middle of the family room? Absolutely!  Fortunately, they are very easy to move.

AC member Gregfisk is coming down for a visit next week. I'll invite aldcoll, and I'll see if I can get a few others to come for a G2G. Then, others can add their comments to this thread if they wish. Greg is bringing two amps (a modded Hafler and an Apollonia (sp?) 1200as2 amp, I believe) and his Lampi Atlantic DAC, so we can get more flavors to try.

If I think of more to add, I will, but this is pretty close for now.

Michael

[ejfud]

I’ve been living with these drivers in my Reso cabs for a bit now and I’m really enjoying them.

A mod I recommend is removing the dust cap and using a phase plug. It opens up the top end nicely.

[FullRangeMan]

Remove the dust cap will allow dust start came in the VC and gap, getting the use of grids critical.

[ejfud]

Remove the dust cap will allow dust start came in the VC and gap, getting the use of grids critical.

The plug covers roughly the same area, so I don't see a problem. I have several drivers that have had this done for over 15 years and they show no signs of an issues either.  I guess I'm willing to gamble a bit to get a better sounding driver.

[FullRangeMan]

The plug covers roughly the same area, so I don't see a problem. I have several drivers that have had this done for over 15 years and they show no signs of an issues either.  I guess I'm willing to gamble a bit to get a better sounding driver.

Plugs cover just the pole piece, dust/wet will came in between the pp and cone/VC.