Gravity Well Of A DarkStar

markC · « **Reply #1220 on:** 2 Jan 2007, 03:22 am »

I will be trying the 1mh, 10 ohm later.

I would also suggest a .68 mH coil and a 6.8 r. Worked best for me. Rooms and systems are different, so trial and error is what it's all about IMO.
Can we purchase the phase plugs Dave?

corloc · « **Reply #1221 on:** 2 Jan 2007, 03:48 pm »

"PS. Chris, can i quote your comment above?"

Yes,

I glad I got mine in walnut, Dave had a beautiful cherry finish used on them. I take pics later.
Both of my dust caps were off center.

"I would also suggest a .68 mH coil and a 6.8 r. Worked best for me."

Hmm, that is a new one to me. What is your system?

planet10 · « **Reply #1222 on:** 2 Jan 2007, 08:05 pm »

Instead of using an LR circuit after the amp, has anyone tried a PLL circuit before the amp? I'd expect this to have all sorts of benefits over circuit after the amp.

http://www.t-linespeakers.org/tech/bafflestep/passive-BSC.html

dave

scorpion · « **Reply #1223 on:** 4 Jan 2007, 03:50 pm »

Very interesting link, Dave, should appeal to a lot of fullranger owners in its step down - step up possibilities.

I for one would love to have some comparison made between phase plugged and regular units as well as the use of LR-circuits and not of both kinds. Chris seams to be someone to tell about the differences and perhaps some more of you Canadians. You should stage a B200 OB festival.

My units still sit provisionally in my Ciare baffles and that is because they perform so formidably good so I have a hard time to decide how to eventually care for them. To me the B200s have improved with more playing hours on them not only in the high end but also in definition and separation (probably the same) most amazingly. With equalization they make surprisingly good bass of surprisingly good quality. And then I let them fall of a bit below 60 Hz not to press the to hard. All in all I think any speaker constructor would have a really hard time to beat them regardless of price considerations.

I play with 1 mH + 6.8 ohms LR circuit but I dampen the back treble wave a bit with felt which does it for me.

I should also have said: I have played my B200s with Sonic T-amp (Auricap for input capacitors) an 845 SE Chinese amp (of by others witnessed good quality) , a NAD 1000 + 216 amp combination and the S5 push-pull valve amp. I have had extremly even response
from these four sets and I don't hestitate to say a very good one. I do not think that the B200 is so dependent on any driving as soon as it is a good one.

/Erling

mcgsxr · « **Reply #1224 on:** 4 Jan 2007, 04:49 pm »

The mods that Wayne performed were the then current (March 2006 as I recall) FULL mods, so all digital and analog mods.

This thread outlines the system at the time, and the break in etc.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=26304.0

As for separate OB bass baffles, I have done that, and enjoyed the results, when the bass baffle was centered between the full range baffles. I only tried the 12's in each full range baffle, as I cannot leave well enough alone sometimes... which is why I love this giant thread too!

markC · « **Reply #1225 on:** 4 Jan 2007, 10:45 pm »

Quote from: corloc on 2 Jan 2007, 03:48 pm

"I would also suggest a .68 mH coil and a 6.8 r. Worked best for me."

Hmm, that is a new one to me. What is your system?

System consists of modded Jolida cdp, modded Decware tube pre, hybrid, (tube & mossfet), monobloc amps-300W+, B200's in cork covered 30"w x 40" h baffles and 2x 15" infinite baffle drivers mounted in a wall between the listening room and a crawl space driven by a 360 w plate amp.

scorpion · « **Reply #1226 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 05:17 pm »

I have to report about my Trends Audio TA-10 amp. It is ver 1.1. Unfortunately I may have to replace it with a new one because only one channel is functioning in its integrated mode. But as a power amp it does two channels. And how it does them. Quite amazing. I thougt I had good amplification as stated above. However this creature runs circles around the other amps. It is like a kind of every note amp and there seem to be complete 'darkness' between notes. Most enchanting. I never heard anything like this before. You wouldn't trade the B200s for anything in the world with this kind of sound. May bee switching amp designers have something to learn from Trends Audio.

I can imagine how Vinnie R has it with his Signature, that must be even better, because I can drive the TA-10 into distortion easily.

/Erling

shep · « **Reply #1227 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 05:49 pm »

Mind if I step into this discussion

I brought this up not long ago but got a resounding silence. So maybe this time and place is better. I have a Trend also, modded to the hilt. It's been playing nonstop for a week. It's an absolute joy and maybe the most satisfying purchase I've ever made. The question I posed was again hinted at in someones comment that class D (I'm lumping this together with chip amps even though they are not the same) sounded sterile and emotionless. This is certainly not what I'm hearing.
I have a hard time understanding such different reactions, which leads me to believe this issue is one of implementation (isn't it always...) I would like to open this up and hear how you understand these totally opposed views. You being anyone with experience of the various types we've been hearing and hearing about. Thanks

scorpion · « **Reply #1228 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 07:35 pm »

shep,

I have an ordinary T-amp which I modded with the same value input Auricap caps. It turned into a quite different and better amp.
When I say that I have had experiences that amount to more or less the same and not at all bad performance from my amps, I mean it.
This should be interpreted as a good point for the T-amp. My amps have given me a very consistent presentation.

However this TA-10 (unmodified) just contradicts it all. It is so much better in all respects if not to too hard driven. One can of course exagerate, but I do not think I am doing this. This is an amazing amp. Depending how it works out with a replacement I will probably exchange input caps for Auricaps. Just to try. In ver 1.1 Trends Audio have taken modifications into account.

But value for money I think is (just that) amazing !

/Erling

shep · « **Reply #1229 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 08:16 pm »

http://www.michael.mardis.com/trendamp/modded.htm
I'm a bit of a whore

but M. MArdis is a wizard! This isn't the first time I've said this here but since no :wink:one was listenting...this amp is a killer; a tiny, gentle killer. I have had a lot of gear pass thru my hands in 30 years but nothing like this diminuative thing with a heart as big as THAT! which brings me back to my question, please! can any one speculate what is going on, between the "Sterile, emotionaless"
reaction and mine/ours?

scorpion · « **Reply #1230 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 08:31 pm »

Shep,

I am no good witness. I think we should call for Vinnie R himself. He for one should be able to put words to our experiences !

Come in, Vinnie ! I hope that you are not too disturbed by our praise of TA-10, I think good switching amps with higer output is the future,
as you proove with your designs.

/Erling

shep · « **Reply #1231 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 08:35 pm »

where is he when we need him? That said, he does have a bias

Do you mean not objective when you say "witness"?

nodiak · « **Reply #1232 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 08:46 pm »

Hi shep, As to your question of the difference in reactions to gear my experience is that there is so much else in the system that it's difficult to make absolute comments on one piece. I think this is along with your comment about implimentation. I used a gainclone integrated for awhile and felt it was very lively with my the other gear in my system, while another amp I had was much more dull. Someone else with the same two amps felt it was the other way around for him, and I completely believe him.
That situation taught me alot about the fact that we sense/hear things at least a little differently, and maybe more importantly are emotionally satisfied with different sonics, etc. I absolutely believe we react differently to the same auditory tone because the physical parts of our ears have variations, along with variations in our nervous system and emotional make up. I know I'm sensitive to the high treble that others require to feel they're getting enough detail from their equipment.
Besides our individual differences theres #1 - the way the same equipment sounds in different rooms.
And then there's the different music we enjoy.
Also what's the variation of tolerances between the same model of a component - if we had three of the same model of amps/speakers/etc. would we hear a difference when we switch them? Same with the parts - caps, wire, etc.
Maybe it's all variations on variable themes

!
Don

shep · « **Reply #1233 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 09:15 pm »

Now there's a headache in wings, just thinking about that makes me weak in the knees! I think I answered my own question: implimentation...hitting on the right combo, synergy. Somepeople get it right (Vinnie), some don't. Old story: not all tube amps sound alike etc.

nodiak · « **Reply #1234 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 10:44 pm »

shep, hopefully no aspirin needed! I'm only mentioning that there are probably some variations in the gear, room, and us people that can compound and add to our different perceptions. I'm not making any dramatic point that when we compare gear and tastes there's nothing to talk about!
Don

shep · « **Reply #1235 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 11:06 pm »

Je sais...I just had this vision of a room full of clones and trying to decide which sounded best...rows and rows of speakers and caps and cdp's and I couldn't get out until I made a choice. AudioCircles anonymous where are thou?

nodiak · « **Reply #1236 on:** 11 Jan 2007, 12:30 am »

may as well stay in a room like that awhile and get saturated with the music, then grab whatever gear's closest and make a run for it before senses go into shock

shep · « **Reply #1237 on:** 11 Jan 2007, 10:24 am »

Now there's a sensible man!

mcgsxr · « **Reply #1238 on:** 11 Jan 2007, 12:50 pm »

I believe I am the guilty party that nodiak is referring to - owning 2 of the same amps, and feeling the opposite way about them!

I had a gainclone, and a JVC EX-A1 and for me, found the JVC superior, but it could be the rooms, or the heads the ears are attached to!

I have had extensive (I think) experience with digital amps - 3 Panny receivers, 2 JVC receivers, 4 different iterations of the Teac AL-700P (stock, and in various states of tune, Bolder, Vinnie etc) and can say that there are several things afoot, for me.

1 - the cohesive nature of the mods - you can swap some parts, but not really improve how it all comes together
2 - the speakers - some of those amps mentioned were fantastic with my old Totems, or my Boston Acoustics cheapies, or the DIY Cable KIT41 I built, OR the b200 Visatons I use now - BUT NONE were great with all
3 - room, ears, likes and dislikes

How all 3 of those come together is what ultimately seems to drive what synergy people like.

Today, I use an old Magnavox single ended EL84 amp on my b200 DIY open baffle speakers, with a Bolder modded SB3 as the front end. Best sound I have owned. Looks like dung, but in the dark in my basement, who cares?

See my gallery for pics of the various amps, and the different configurations I have run in the last 2 years of experimentation, before settling on this solution.

shep · « **Reply #1239 on:** 11 Jan 2007, 01:34 pm »

Thanks for the share. So I guess I got lucky. Just a point though: What is the likelyhood of finding an amp that sounded equally good on such varied speakers and systems? I must remind myself that I/we are talking about an amp that cost less than 200$, as if it were in the same league as it's bigger brethren. Wharever it's failings are they are truly insignificant compared to its strengths. As there are others who have just purchased or are going to, this amp, maybe there will be more even-handed comparisons than my psycho (proud-new-dad syndrom)-babble. This may be a wee bit difficult since to date I'm the only one with a totally modded version. I trust the soldering gun and that over-powering need to tweak will change this. aa