Hawthorne Audio Silver Iris / something for me?

robert1325 · « **on:** 2 Jan 2007, 06:43 pm »

Hi, i've got a trends ta-10 t-amp coming very soon and after reading about t-amps with the silver iris OB's , I'm wondering if I should get a pair ( I live in the Netherlands)

My room is 12 by 12 ft. and they can only be about 75 to 80 cm's high. My music taste is very eclectic ( John Coltrane / T-rex / Joanna Newsom/ Arcade fire)

The Baffles from the TNT review would fit in my room.

My current speakers are very detailed ( more so than my dads B&W 801 s2's ) boxxed mini monitors that only go down to 70 hz and are 90db/8ohm efficient....

Future plans would be a Charlize T-amp or a 2a3 based SET ( maybe some other SET)

Any comments?

Thanks,

Robert

Brad · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 Jan 2007, 09:34 pm »

Hi Robert,

I really like the sound of my SI's, driven by a vintage Scott 222 integrated.
I listen to a wide variety of music - jazz/blues/rock/metal/chick vocals
They sound really good on everything I have listened to so far.

I think a T-amp would drive them really well, especially in the lower end - good bass control.

A SET (2a3 or 45 or 300b) or even a RedWine Sig 30 might be a terrific match.

robert1325 · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Jan 2007, 09:46 pm »

Thanks, Have you had any experience with a small room and low baffle ? (75 cm)

shep · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Jan 2007, 10:21 pm »

Robert, I just gotta tell you! after passing the 100hr mark, those little transmission lines I told you about
"made in Holland" are real sweet hearts. You really should hear them before making a decision. Plus they are supposed to sound great with the Trend (mine is somewhere between Hawaii and France right now)

Brad · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Jan 2007, 01:40 am »

Hey Robert,

Can't help you on the small room (mine is appx 27ftx16ft), but they sounded great on their shipping boxes for a few weeks while they were breaking in (and waiting for their lazy owner to make some baffles). No baffle and appx 6" from the floor.

tminus · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Jan 2007, 02:04 am »

I have the Hawthornes w/ the auggies. I do like them. I like OB sound allot. But my experience with it tells me your room is too small for it. I think you will missing so much of the true flavor of OB sound in that size room you'd be chasing your tail somewhat. You might check out some single driver horn designs, or some smaller OB's, like the HE1.0.

Happy new year
Patrick

tminus · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Jan 2007, 02:16 am »

I should have recomended this in my post: check out hornshoppe horns. Ed has a demonstrable talent for making horns that excel in making big sound in small spaces.

www.thehornshoppe.com

You aren't "from round thar" but he'll talk to you. His horns work good in corners. Since you're rm is small and square, that's right where your drivers are going to end up, I'd say. Check it out.

Brad · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Jan 2007, 02:40 am »

Just reread your post (12x12 room).
I'm going to have to agree with TMinus - that may not be enough room for them to 'breathe' properly..
They should be out away from the walls.
Still, with a low baffle, properly located, you might have a pretty good result.

Too hard to tell without trying it.
How much is shipping to the Netherlands?
The SI's are fairly inexpensive.

The Horns are an excellent choice - and also very easy to drive.

Not quite as efficient as the Hawthornes, but then no crossover to deal with.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Jan 2007, 04:57 am »

Here's a fellow in a smallish room (13X19) and listening in less than ideal conditions.
He has two listening positions in the same room.
His findings (although very good) are interesting to say the least.

http://www.hawthorneaudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5487&sid=3ddd8a7e6e1681cfc2698f63cea43d42#5487

......But he sounds pretty happy. aa

Personally, I've got the Coaxials and Augies both, and love them very much.
The drivers can be had "Finished", or "bare" in case you like to tweak. (like me)

Technically a square room is less than acoustically ideal regardless of it's size, but I've read of folks who have made "bad" rooms sound good. I would think a 12X12 room could be made to work, regardless of the diameter of the driver.

Bob

hurdy_gurdyman · « **Reply #9 on:** 6 Jan 2007, 10:27 pm »

If space is a problem, the new 10" SI Coaxial's and Augies's should be availabe in about a month or so, as well as some surprises I'm not at liberty to talk about. Let's just say that smaller rooms have been being thought about.

Dave

robert1325 · « **Reply #10 on:** 6 Jan 2007, 11:31 pm »

I've just ordered the 15 inches

At least it's a simpler setup, can't afford a good pre-amp....

Tthere seems to be mixxed thoughts about OB's in small rooms... I've had B&W dm603s3 floorstanders that where to big and didn't image as well in my room, there was also a bass problem. So of I went and got some bassless monitor speakers of higher quality, not good enough for someone who loves movies and all kinds of music. ( preffered my B&W's)

Then I began reading about OB speakers , the things that people said about them where really making me

apart from the bass problems wich the SI's don't seem to have

I would also like a SET Amp in the future, don't know how good the Trends ta10 t-amp will be.

Thanks for all your responses !

robert1325 · « **Reply #11 on:** 6 Jan 2007, 11:33 pm »

Should I cancel my order and wait for wathever the surprise is? If the surprise needs a pre or any expensive behringer stuff it's no use for me ( want to keep it very simple.

hurdy_gurdyman · « **Reply #12 on:** 7 Jan 2007, 12:09 am »

The SI Coaxials have been used successfully in smaller rooms. You give up a bit in that big OB soundstage, but otherwise they can do fine. A bit of playing with location and/or room furnishings can make a big difference.

No pre or other electronics stuff coming or needed that I know of (but then, what do I know).

Dave

robert1325 · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 Jan 2007, 08:57 pm »

Only about a week before they come, I'm very curious and nervous at the same time !

To bad it's gonna be such a busy week at school, all those tests

The trend ta-10 is sounding better and better, It does distort a bit with noisy music on my 90db/8ohm speakers..... Hope the SI's solve this

Robert

hurdy_gurdyman · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Jan 2007, 11:27 pm »

Robert,

The SI's aren't going to distort on anything played at sane levels.

Dave

shep · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 Jan 2007, 12:59 pm »

Robert, Maybe someone can explain this to us/me. My tl's are not more sensitive, yet they play to shattering levels and the T-amp doesn't clip. I guess there's more to this than meets the ear. Something to do with the type of drivers or the crossover?

robert1325 · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 Jan 2007, 02:34 pm »

Must be an independance dip or something? it does not distort very fast, but you can hear the sound gets a bit to rough when you open up the volume. This is distortion right?

scorpion · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 Jan 2007, 03:16 pm »

Robert1325,

Calm down ! Nothing can go wrong with the Silver Irises. We have the same amp, something like 'Shep-2/3' (Shep has the first one modified by Panomaniac/Michael Mardis). Silver Irises will work in a smaller room, no doubt. I have heard them in such a environment and they were fine. Personally I prefer my B200 OBs for their more direct sound, but the Irises are very good too. It is more a matter of taste. And they will do bass perhaps a bit better.

Back to the amps. Of course you can easily drive the Trends Ta-10 into distortion. But you would reach sufficient SPLs before you do. I have found the Trends to be a bit better as a Power Amp soundwise, bypassing the volume control. All in all it is an amazing amp.

/Erling

robert1325 · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 Jan 2007, 05:18 pm »

thank you for giving me hope again

I to find this an amazing amp, just with my current speakers not suitable for every genre...

My current speakers are not very forgiving , they sound bad when the recording is bad

some people like that, I don't....

hurdy_gurdyman · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Jan 2007, 05:52 pm »

Quote from: robert1325 on 16 Jan 2007, 05:18 pm

My current speakers are not very forgiving , they sound bad when the recording is bad some people like that, I don't....

This is one of the main reasons to own a Siver Iris. Most recordings are at least listenable with them. Be sure and give them a few hundred hours break-in time, as they can be a bit hard right out of the box.

Dave