[James Romeyn]

I can't help but want to pat myself on the back for thinking of this.

Since going to the oxo/trt upgrade for my RM30C-CDW (true magic), I was wondering about that big ole oxo box sitting outside & behind whatever stands may be supporting a pair of 626R.

Then I thought about Casler's great suggestion of using a pair of piano black empty partsexpress.com speaker enclosures as stands...which made me think how smart it would be to just stuff the oxo parts inside the speaker-box-turned stand, converting it into a dual-use stand/oxo enclosure.  Is this not a heck of a dual-use combo? 

Another benefit of the oxo on this particular model is that Brian made a dozen or so biwire/biamp special order 626Rs for my customers, then got sick of the pain-inducing job of stuffing all the extra parts into the tiny space in the speaker.  The oxo has lots of room for this option.  626Rs w/ 200WRMS bipolar plugged into the woofer & 50W tube or MOSFET on the waveguided ribbon array is something to behold.   

I doubt it's practical, but the coup'de grace upgrade would be an automatic self-coupling 6-pin termination between the bottom of the 626R & the top of the stand/oxo; something that automatically coupled when the speaker was sited atop the stand/oxo.  Never happen, but I can dream right?

More likely the stand/oxo inputs could be my recommended 2-pairs of nylon binding posts (280 Hz split).  The stand/oxo outputs would consist of 6 wires in a jacket, exiting a hole near the top/rear panel, traveling up to the 3-pairs of nylon binding post inputs on the rear of the speaker.  The two L-pad knobs would also be sited on the stand/oxo rear panel, just below the output wire harness, in a vertical line, mid below treble. 

Oh, BTW, I just saved you about $175pr msrp for the oxo boxes. 
     

[Brian Cheney]

More work for Mother.  Sigh.

[John Casler]

I can't help but want to pat myself on the back for thinking of this.

Since going to the oxo/trt upgrade for my RM30C-CDW (true magic), I was wondering about that big ole oxo box sitting outside & behind whatever stands may be supporting a pair of 626R.

Then I thought about Casler's great suggestion of using a pair of piano black empty partsexpress.com speaker enclosures as stands...which made me think how smart it would be to just stuff the oxo parts inside the speaker-box-turned stand, converting it into a dual-use stand/oxo enclosure.  Is this not a heck of a dual-use combo? 

Another benefit of the oxo on this particular model is that Brian made a dozen or so biwire/biamp special order 626Rs for my customers, then got sick of the pain-inducing job of stuffing all the extra parts into the tiny space in the speaker.  The oxo has lots of room for this option.  626Rs w/ 200WRMS bipolar plugged into the woofer & 50W tube or MOSFET on the waveguided ribbon array is something to behold.   

I doubt it's practical, but the coup'de grace upgrade would be an automatic self-coupling 6-pin termination between the bottom of the 626R & the top of the stand/oxo; something that automatically coupled when the speaker was sited atop the stand/oxo.  Never happen, but I can dream right?

More likely the stand/oxo inputs could be my recommended 2-pairs of nylon binding posts (280 Hz split).  The stand/oxo outputs would consist of 6 wires in a jacket, exiting a hole near the top/rear panel, traveling up to the 3-pairs of nylon binding post inputs on the rear of the speaker.  The two L-pad knobs would also be sited on the stand/oxo rear panel, just below the output wire harness, in a vertical line, mid below treble. 

Oh, BTW, I just saved you about $175pr msrp for the oxo boxes. 
     

OK now we have the 626ROXO (floor stand)

At 22" high it will be just about right.

The Skylan and Sound Anchors are between $350 and $700 so going 626ROXO seems like a no brainer

[James Romeyn]

I forgot!  The oxo/speaker stand also serves as a 2pi space-beard!  How great is that!!!!!!!!!!

Somebody please order HET/Makassar/TRT/BH5/OXO immediately & report back to class! 

[John Casler]

I forgot!  The oxo/speaker stand also serves as a 2pi space-beard!  How great is that!!!!!!!!!!

Somebody please order HET/Makassar/TRT/BH5/OXO immediately & report back to class! 

  The beard function is the reason I suggested them in the first place.

We will have a surprise for everyone in about 2 weeks that will make this even more attractive

But right now, MUMS the word.

[Brian Cheney]

I hate surprises.

[John Casler]

I hate surprises.

 aa aa aa aa

[ted_b]

WOW, this is a very interesting thread.  As you guys know, I've been a VMPS owner for the past 20 yrs, first with the great tall SuperTower IIA/r Special edition behemoths, and then with the great RM/X's.  I used an RM30C for my center channel, and a pair of 626R's for my hirez music surrounds.  Well, it became pretty obvious that the RM/X's were oversized for my room, and I sold them to a great guy down in Columbus, OH area.  I sold the RM30C, as well.  My thinking was that I would get away from the VMPS sound and try something else.

While searching for my next set of main speakers I used the standard stock spiral tweeter 626r's as my mains in a temporary setup.  They sounded great, and imaged quite well!! 

I had become enamored with the idea of active speakers and soon settled on a pair of ATC 150ASL active pro speakers.  They sound great, but also are quite large and overpower the room somewhat, although the lack of distortion and the smooth fr is quite amazing.  As I continue to search the loudspeaker world, and play the field, I have had Ridge Street Audio install a set of their new Sason speakers as my mains, and am burning them in as we speak.  They sound very good so far, but are not active speakers....dunno if that will raise an issue during my 45 day eval or not.  However, the "new VMPS" attitude is intruiging me, especially as it relates to OXO's, 626r's and CDWG's.  Could the 626ROXO you've just invented hours ago become a true active configuration; i.e. an active crossover before the amps, with dedicated tri-amplifiers seeing only the load of each driver, and the active crossover incorporating some sort of DSP or digital EQ?  I'd love to think about a 5.1 all-626ROXO active speaker lineup!  The use my Velo SMS-1 to dial in the subs...Hmmmm.....

[John Casler]

Oh, BTW, I just saved you about $175pr msrp for the oxo boxes. 
     

Actually they are $175 "a piece" = $350 pr

[ted_b]

Oh, BTW, I just saved you about $175pr msrp for the oxo boxes. 
     

Actually they are $175 "a piece" = $350 pr

The 22 inch high gloss black Dayton ones you mentioned are only $99 each, right?

[John Casler]

I had become enamored with the idea of active speakers and soon settled on a pair of ATC 150ASL active pro speakers.  They sound great, but also are quite large and overpower the room somewhat, although the lack of distortion and the smooth fr is quite amazing.  As I continue to search the loudspeaker world, and play the field, I have had Ridge Street Audio install a set of their new Sason speakers as my mains, and am burning them in as we speak.  They sound very good so far, but are not active speakers....dunno if that will raise an issue during my 45 day eval or not.  However, the "new VMPS" attitude is intruiging me, especially as it relates to OXO's, 626r's and CDWG's.  Could the 626ROXO you've just invented hours ago become a true active configuration; i.e. an active crossover before the amps, with dedicated tri-amplifiers seeing only the load of each driver, and the active crossover incorporating some sort of DSP or digital EQ?  I'd love to think about a 5.1 all-626ROXO active speaker lineup!  Hmmmm.....

Hi Ted,

As you might know, I have been encouraging Brian to develop a "digital x-over system" for some time, but with so much going on, even getting manufacturers for the CDWG for most speakers, is difficult.

However, we did get the "Direct Drive" boxes on line, now we have the OXO, and Brian currently has a DEQX on hand that he will be working with between now and CES.

(Oooops did I say CES? )

We don't view the digital X-over and room correction system as most do.  We still think that the creators, may not have done all their homework (at least the type of "homework" we'd like to see/hear)

BUT.... the TOOLS they have produced can be used in many different ways and have capabilities not available via other methods.

Additionally if we use a DEQX system, not only the crossover, but the L-PADS disappear as well, because they are not needed.  All would be done via the electronics.

Brian Cheney as witty and clever as he is, is more a mystical speaker designer, who has forgotten more than many will ever learn, but he doesn't use a slide rule and microphone.  He uses his head, and the ears that came with it.

To this end, I expect this Sonic Sorcerer, will design something a little off the path followed by most, but a delectable sonic delight still the same.  With all the abilities to play with slopes, phases, FR's bandwidths, balances, and all, I expect us to be stunned into sonic submission

Now if B, does find that magic, that I can only assume is in that box, I think we will hear musical happenings far beyond what we can imagine.

Having conquered a major portion of the Directivity Problem, he will now have a tool to make the sound even more seemless and real.

If all goes well, we should be listening to speakers that will "FLY" you to any musical adventure you want.  

But not only that, but in our new "configuration" customers will have the choice of buying the Speaker BOX size they like, and then picking up either the passive OXO, or the digitally active OXO.

It doesn't get much better than that.

[John Casler]

Oh, BTW, I just saved you about $175pr msrp for the oxo boxes. 
     

Actually they are $175 "a piece" = $350 pr

The 22 inch high gloss black Dayton ones you mentioned are only $99 each, right?

Jim was quoting the MSRP which is $174.99 each.

PE does discount them to $99 each.

[lonewolfny42]

Jim was quoting the MSRP which is $174.99 each.

PE does discount them to $99 each.

Info link.......in black finish...

[brj]

Doesn't putting the crossovers in the speaker stands once again subject the crossovers to the speaker cabinet vibrations that you were seeking to avoid in the first place?

[John Casler]

Doesn't putting the crossovers in the speaker stands once again subject the crossovers to the speaker cabinet vibrations that you were seeking to avoid in the first place?

My primary motivation for offering a two box solution (Speaker box and X-Over box) had nothing to do with vibration, since that didn't seem like a huge problem, and "most" speakers have their electronics in the box.

I saw the opportunity to gain the freedom to establish more intelligent "upgrade paths", and an easier manufacturing process (although B, might disagree).

I always have people who break L-pad shafts, want to upgrade caps, or who want to change to the CDWG, or MidWoofer upgrade, and all of these are much easier if the customer can just send the box in (and not the whole speaker) for any changes.

Also for DIY types who want to make these changes themselves, it is "infinitely" more user friendly with the OXO box than performing surgery on the speaker through though the woofer opening.

The side benefit of slightly reduced vibration of both cabinet and internal air vibrations and pressures was simply "icing on the cake".

If used as a stand, some of the mechanical vibrations might still be there, but far less than the original.

[ted_b]

John,
I agree that the DEQX and others are not perfect, and haven't focused enough of their energy and processing power on the actual sound of the crossovers.  They seem more interested in room correction, per se, and that art is still quite a bit in it's infancy (this is an unfair and simplistic statement, but suffice it to say that there are others ways to skin this cat, so it doesn't surprise me that Big B is thinking in a different direction).  Although my DEQX experience was quite flawed (cuz I was trying it with passive RM/X's), the overall sound of the dacs weren't that impressive.  I can't speak about the crossovers cuz I didn't take advantage of them, and the room correction was fine, but the speaker correction was problematic due to the size and hybrid nature of the RM/X's driver array. 

I'm mainly interested in an active crossover capability, with some EQ, that can allow dedicated amps to be selected based on their 1) compatibility with each others sensitivity and gain capabilities, and 2) their own power and sonic needs of the specific driver they are powering.  Having a sweet tube amp drive the ribbons, another smaller one to drive the tweeter, and a simple ballsy SS or class d drive the lower frequencies, all the while dialing in a powered sub that fills in the lowest frequencies via room interaction/bass management software from the SMS-1.  Wow.  Three 626ROXO-actives up front, and use my 626R's for my rear surrounds, throwing a set of CDWG's on them and a decent 2 channel amp driving them.   

[brj]

Hi John - thanks for the comments.

I understand that there are probably additional motivations for such an approach, but my comment was made with BC's comment on microphonics and outboard crossovers in mind, quoted as follows:

Outboard crossovers are nothing new here.  They're standard on the ST3SRE system and have found application in smaller speakers.  My experience had been that the extra wiring and connectors negated most advantage from the elimination of microphonics and other phenomena.  Well, at least this time round, I was wrong, a rare admission for me and my various alter egi.

No criticism implied... just a question regarding the effect on what appears to be the most likely sonic benefit of the OXO.

[James Romeyn]

I forgot!  The oxo/speaker stand also serves as a 2pi space-beard!  How great is that!!!!!!!!!!

Somebody please order HET/Makassar/TRT/BH5/OXO immediately & report back to class! 

  The beard function is the reason I suggested them in the first place.

We will have a surprise for everyone in about 2 weeks that will make this even more attractive

But right now, MUMS the word.

No surprises for jimmy!  I thought it was not till mid-Dec?

[James Romeyn]

Oh, BTW, I just saved you about $175pr msrp for the oxo boxes. 
     

Actually they are $175 "a piece" = $350 pr

Jimmy was referring to the pair of small oxo boxes....

[James Romeyn]

Doesn't putting the crossovers in the speaker stands once again subject the crossovers to the speaker cabinet vibrations that you were seeking to avoid in the first place?

Vibration that leaches through into the stand is probably attenuated on the order of 100x.  The difference between being inside the box vs. inside another box coupled between its top & the speaker bottom is great.