Upgrades to the Salk HT3...

F-100 · « **Reply #20 on:** 28 Apr 2005, 04:53 pm »

Congratulation Marbles!!!
I've never seen such a beautiful craftmanship .... Make me drooling too.

jsalk · « **Reply #21 on:** 28 Apr 2005, 07:09 pm »

Marbles -

Here is a picture of a pair I just finished. They are curly bubinga with African bosse pommele front baffles and trim. The plinths are bubinga pommele.

This batch of veneer was slightly more brown than the 3D waterfall bubinga I am using for your speakers. And the pattern is curly rather than waterfall. But the slightly more brown coloration goes well with the reddish/caramel colored bosse. Ah, the world of woods...

- Jim

jsalk · « **Reply #22 on:** 1 May 2005, 04:27 pm »

As long as this is on the topic of options, I thought I would post a picture of the passive/active wiring option.

The bottom two sets of binding posts feed the crossovers. The woofer crossover is wired to the lower set and the midrange and tweeter circuits are wired to the top set of bottom posts.

The outputs of each crossover is fed to a swtich. Each switch is also combined with another set of binging posts. The top three sets of binding posts are wired to their associated switches and the output of the switches feed the drivers.

So when the switches are in the down position, inputs to the two bottom sets of binding posts are fed to the crossovers and through the switches to the drivers.

When the switches are in the up position, the passive crossovers are completely removed from the circuit and the top three sets of binding posts are connected directly to the associated drivers (for use with an outboard active crossover and amps). This will allow for future use of a DEQX-type system for a combination of active crossovers and room correction.

- Jim

brj · « **Reply #23 on:** 1 May 2005, 05:31 pm »

Nice clean arangement, Jim!

Is this going to be the "HT3a" arrangement, or is this just a custom option and the HT3a will have just the 3 sets of posts and no passive crossover at all?

I know that some people get particular about switches in the signal path... did you evaluate different switch options?

Thanks!

jsalk · « **Reply #24 on:** 1 May 2005, 07:42 pm »

brj -

The HT3a will have just three sets of binding posts and no switches. There was simply no way to avoid switches in this set-up. The passive crossovers must be completely removed in order to use the active option and switches were the only way to accomplish it without resorting to internal re-wiring.

But this set-up allows both passive and active use and can actually be used to switch back and forth to do A/B comparisons (provided you have an adequate number of amplifier channels).

I am finishing a similar pair for myself right now and will begin development of the active crossovers via DEQX soon.

- Jim

dhwilkin · « **Reply #25 on:** 3 May 2005, 01:20 am »

Quote from: jsalk

Marbles -

Just to get you in the mood, here is a pair of HT3's in the finish you ordered (except your's will have a piano gloss finish).

- Jim

Drool... man, I wish I could hear those. Anybody in NC got them?

jsalk · « **Reply #26 on:** 3 May 2005, 02:58 am »

Quote from: dhwilkin

Drool... man, I wish I could hear those. Anybody in NC got them?

dh-

Not yet, but there will be a pair in Charlotte in about 45 days provided the ebony wood arrives soon.

- Jim

Bingenito · « **Reply #27 on:** 3 May 2005, 11:19 am »

dhwilkin

The pair that Jim is referring to in Charlotte, NC is mine.

Email me at bingenito@carolina.rr.com and I will schedule myself a reminder to contact you when the speakers arrive and are setup properly.

Bryan

jcoat007 · « **Reply #28 on:** 3 May 2005, 01:00 pm »

I travel to Charlotte on business, and I would be very interested to hear them too.

zybar · « **Reply #29 on:** 3 May 2005, 01:03 pm »

If there is anybody in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT) that wants to hear the HT3's, give me a shout.

I assure you, you won't be disappointed.

George

Bingenito · « **Reply #30 on:** 3 May 2005, 01:14 pm »

Anyone that wants to hear them just email me at the address I listed in the earlier post. Title the email "HT3 demo" I will contact you and we can arrange a demo.

This is also a good opportunity to hear some Blue Circle gear and a Sim Eclipse limited edition.

Once they are setup correctly and broken in I will more than likely host a get together for those interested.

dhwilkin · « **Reply #31 on:** 3 May 2005, 01:46 pm »

Thanks Jim & Bryan, I expect I'll be taking you up on that offer.

brj · « **Reply #32 on:** 4 May 2005, 02:39 am »

Anyone have a pair of HT3's in Atlanta, GA that they wouldn't mind letting me hear? I'm in town on business for a couple of days and I haven't been able to find a pair anywhere at home...

Thanks!

Marbles · « **Reply #33 on:** 13 Jul 2005, 02:05 am »

Jim mentioned today that he has recently finished a pair of HT3's that had all Sonicaps in the XO. He thought it an improvement..in fact he might make that his standard...

My HT3's will be finished this weekend with the following audio upgrades:

Sonicaps in the XO plus teflon bypass caps on the larger caps.
Ridge Street Poima! internal wiring and jumpers.
Black Hole 5
extra bracing
Cardas "patented" binding posts

The BH5 and extra bracing can only help the lower and mid frequencies become even more clear and focused.

The binding posts and internal wire will make my external Ridge Street speaker wire basically go from amp to the drivers.

It remains to be heard wether the bypass caps will make any difference..but for $155 what the hell...

Jim stated he has very high hopes for my speakers

With the high gloss laquer finish, I'm pretty sure they will sound as good as they look.....

ekovalsky · « **Reply #34 on:** 13 Jul 2005, 02:43 am »

Marbles those should be very special. The Cardas "patented" posts -- assuming you refer to the double posts with single tightening knob -- are my favorite. I had them on my JRDG amp and really miss them. My TacT amps have expensive WBT posts (that had plastic safety shields which were a bitch to remove) and I don't like them nearly as much. The Cardas posts will only accept spades but you probably already know that.

I think it is a good idea to use the same wire internally and externally. I have seen a few speakers where the internal wires were brought out through small holes and connected to the external portion of the binding posts. The speaker cable spades then directly contacts the internal wires, thus effectively bypasses the binding posts. Maybe something to think about ...

Keep us posted !

Marbles · « **Reply #35 on:** 13 Jul 2005, 02:49 am »

Eric, that's exactley the way my binding posts will be set up. In fact Jim has to make a slot in the cabinet just below the binding posts (it is ribbon wire) and then the wire comes out of the cabinet and turns up at a 90* angle into the binding posts. The external wire will then sit on the internal wire in the binding post, and as you say, take the binding post out of the signal path.

These binding posts normally use the metal tubes to help keep them from turning in the cabinet as well as be the conduit for the internal wire. With mine, the metal tubes have been replaced with wooden dowel to keep the posts from turning.

kyyuan · « **Reply #36 on:** 13 Jul 2005, 03:48 am »

All the HT3 pics look absolutely gorgeous

kschac · « **Reply #37 on:** 13 Jul 2005, 12:04 pm »

The HT-3's with upgraded caps in the crossovers that Jim just completed are mine. I ordered them back in February but we had to wait for the upgraded caps to be delivered. But they should be shipping today and it's possible they will be here by Friday for some weekend listening (I hope so because I will be too busy at work for any listening next week).

Jim mentioned to me that he had A-B's the new speakers to his reference pair and thought the new ones, although not broken in, were a bit more transparent in the mids and highs. I also opted for a switchable active/passive option in case I want to use an active crossover one day (such as the DEQX system).

The speakers are makore with Mexican cocobolo baffles -- similar to (but, I think a bit nicer looking than) the HT-3's in the home theater setup that Jim posted a few days ago. Here are a couple of pix:

I will post listening imprssions after they arrive.

Marbles · « **Reply #38 on:** 13 Jul 2005, 12:57 pm »

Quote from: kschac

.

Very nice baffles.

zybar · « **Reply #39 on:** 13 Jul 2005, 01:03 pm »

Quote from: kschac

The HT-3's with upgraded caps in the crossovers that Jim just completed are mine. I ordered them back in February but we had to wait for the upgraded caps to be delivered. But they should be shipping today and it's possible they will be here by Friday for some weekend listening (I hope so because I will be too busy at work for any listening next week).

Jim mentioned to me that he had A-B's the new speakers to his reference pair and thought the new ones, although not broken in, were a bit more transparent ...

When the switches are in the mode of using the passive crossovers, do you need to jumper between the binding posts?

I am trying to decide if I go this route or just have the crossovers externally in an enclosure.

George