Dude where are my speakers!! Diffraction Felt Tweeter Surrounds WOW !!!

topround · « **on:** 9 Oct 2007, 10:26 pm »

OK I ordered some felt tweeter surrounds from diffractionbegone.com.
Spoke to Jim and he sounded like the real deal AND he offered all AC members a special price of 29.95 a pair for the felt tweeter surrounds.

Just got them today and WOW!! They really work.

After 3 songs this is what I hear.

My speakers disappear, imaging improves... alot
Sound is way more natural, piano has weight, drums have weight(strange)

I did a high volume job on a song that can get a bit rough and WOW handled it with ease and it sounded so natural. Maybe it is system dependent but damn I am ordering another pair for my GR research av2's. Very clean and natural warm sound. So real .

Give it a try, we spend hundreds on tweaks here is a cheap one that I think works, if you don't like it send it back for a full refund... let's see the magic clock, or colored pebbles in the corner tweak do that!!!

Just some preliminary thoughts.....more to follow

More to follow

mike

satfrat · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Oct 2007, 11:23 pm »

NOW I'm psyched!

Where's mine Jim? J/K

They'll get here when they get here. I ordered 4 Surrounds for my 4 Lorelei's, not that I feel they need them mind you. My Lor's have already done a marvelous job of disappearing in their bottomless pits of depth perception BUT,,,,,, just curious I guess. My concern here is will these Surrounds image my Lorelei's in such a way as to pull them out of their depth (don't want that by all means) or will they only add to the depth with an even sharper depth perception? Intriging to say the least and Jim's substantial price reduction was enough to push me to action. There's really not much more I can do with my system as it stands now and I don't play the merry-go-component game that is an audiophiles fortay. So I wait,,, will these Surrounds stay or go back home?

To be continued,,,,
Robin

topround · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Oct 2007, 11:46 pm »

Robin,
you seem to have many tweaks!

This one will surprise you, it surprised me.

I like it! For me it helped make the speakers disappear and make the soundstage very real.

Sonny · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Oct 2007, 11:51 pm »

Quote from: topround on 9 Oct 2007, 11:46 pm

Robin,
you seem to have many tweaks!

This one will surprise you, it surprised me.

I like it! For me it helped make the speakers disappear and make the soundstage very real.

Mike, did the felt reduce any of the edginess or high frequency glare???

topround · « **Reply #4 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 01:13 am »

Sonny,
yes it did reduce glare and edginess.
It seems like it cleaned up the high end, taking off the edge and allowing more info to be clearly represented.
I don't understand the acoustic science behind it, but it works.
Two little velcro tabs attach to the top of the surround felt, making it easy to remove and reattach.
Give it a try, if you don't like it send it back.

F-100 · « **Reply #5 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 01:31 am »

Isn't this the same concept that VMPS had been using on their speakers??

texendo · « **Reply #6 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 02:12 am »

I've done a similar tweek to my last four sets of speakers for about 4 bucks. Go to your nearest general store of any sorts and get some of those adhesive wool felt dots that you place underneath a lamp for instance to keep it from scratching the finish on a table. Place one of those dots on each screw that secures each of your drivers. Makes an absolute sick helluva improvement at any cost, much less 4 bucks. The cosmetic impact on your speakers is negligible as well. If for some reason you shouldn't like it, it's very reversible.

topround · « **Reply #7 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 02:37 am »

Larks Tongue
You may want to throw a nice Mundorf cap on that tweeter, say silver in oil if it would fit.

Also the surrounds help, hot or not. I look at all the money I have spent and 30 bucks is nothing, nothing. I think you will like what you hear.
Damn if you don't like it send it back!
BTW those Mundorf caps are wonderful.
My next speaker will have a completely Mundorf crossover

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #8 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 04:35 am »

F-100- Hi. Yes. I believe it's the same principle. I recently sent out some narrow panel strips for the midrange planars on the next size up VMPS. I can let you know what the customer says once he replies.

Tex- I confess that I'm a little surprised by your experience. My theory is that there is more work to be done than 4 small spots of wet wool (the industry trade name for wool mixed with synthetic fiber) can handle but your acclaim for your mod is powerful. But if you think you're wetting your pants now . .

Thought it appropriate that I answer F-100 and I don't actually know if you would experience an improvement or not, Tex, but I suspect you would, quite obviously. What I can tell you and all is that I've been to the country store, too, and experimented with different grades and shapes before arriving at what I use and make available. And I cut to any specifications so long as I believe that it wouldn't be detrimental to the result.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #9 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 05:00 am »

Not to upstage Jim's stuff as it likely works as intended...but Andrew Marshall of Audio Ideas has sold a product called The Imager for almost 30 years that works similarly. I bought a pair for the same $20.00 that they charge today almost 20 years ago for my (then) bookshelves and was rewarded with better imaging as a result.

They're on a version II now I see...

http://www.audio-ideas.com/reviews/aig-tweaks.html

For $20 or $30 a pair, it's probably a very cost effective tweek in many instances. Except mine today as I have a top-mounted Linaeum tweeter

F-100 · « **Reply #10 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 05:11 am »

Hi Jim,
I'm interested in your product. What would you recommend for my Mini Strata? One set for the tweeter and another for the midrange planars? Thanks.

Jim N. · « **Reply #11 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 05:30 am »

Quote from: TheChairGuy on 10 Oct 2007, 05:00 am

Not to upstage Jim's stuff as it likely works as intended...but Andrew Marshall of Audio Ideas has sold a product called The Imager for almost 30 years that works similarly. I bought a pair for the same $20.00 that they charge today almost 20 years ago for my (then) bookshelves and was rewarded with better imaging as a result.

They're on a version II now I see...

http://www.audio-ideas.com/reviews/aig-tweaks.html

For $20 or $30 a pair, it's probably a very cost effective tweek in many instances. Except mine today as I have a top-mounted Linaeum tweeter

I have used these for 18 months on my Loreleis and I like them. Can't beat the price. They blend in fairly well with the tweeter. It's difficult to tell that they are an add-on.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #12 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 05:59 am »

Those rings that The Chair Guy is referring to are made from neoprene. I’ve done my homework. To give respect where respect is due, the copywriter makes no mention of absorbency and that’s good because neoprene is buoyant. It’s what they make wet suits out of and it can’t be very expensive to begin with because of where it comes from . . old tires. I’ll stand on the acoustical properties of felt. If it’s good enough for piano hammers, well, you know. I imagine that those rings are interrupting the waveforms that spread across a speakers surface somewhat (i.e. that’s all it could be doing). My little contribution does quite a bit more than that. There won't be anything coming off your baffles to be reflected, diffracted, or to intersect with anything, hence no early reflection mixing in with the primary signal at your listening position. Heck, there is even a curtailment of energy hitting your side walls. And that, my friends, is the reason behind what you would hear analytically and feel emotionally. And you'll love the improvement, I have no doubt. Anybody using those devices can and should upgrade, is what I say.

F-100- Allow me to respond to you by PM tomorrow. Thanks.

Adamay · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 06:33 pm »

Hi Jim. You have a PM.

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #14 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 06:44 pm »

Mucho Info here on lesser synthetic felt vs. good high wool content felt, like Jim uses. Boo for neoprene, it doesn't even register.

http://speakerdesign.net/home.html

EDS_ · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 07:12 pm »

Quote from: TheChairGuy on 10 Oct 2007, 05:00 am

Not to upstage Jim's stuff as it likely works as intended...but Andrew Marshall of Audio Ideas has sold a product called The Imager for almost 30 years that works similarly. I bought a pair for the same $20.00 that they charge today almost 20 years ago for my (then) bookshelves and was rewarded with better imaging as a result.

They're on a version II now I see...

http://www.audio-ideas.com/reviews/aig-tweaks.html

For $20 or $30 a pair, it's probably a very cost effective tweek in many instances. Except mine today as I have a top-mounted Linaeum tweeter

Hi Chairguy,

I cannot, I think anyway, use the wool sheeting on my Spendors and use their grill covers. So I ordered three sets of the neoprene rings. One set will be applied to my Spendor S5e and two sets to my Hsu horns in my AV system.

I'll report back with my thoughts.

Thanks for the tip.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 07:17 pm »

Great link ooheadsoo

Felt has long been used for this purpose...anyone remember the old Spica speakers from the 80's? Outrageous imaging was their forte....both for their time-aligned/driver cabinet design and substantial use of felt for diffraction purposes

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1196705081

satfrat · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 07:22 pm »

Quote from: Jim N. on 10 Oct 2007, 05:30 am

Quote from: TheChairGuy on 10 Oct 2007, 05:00 am
Not to upstage Jim's stuff as it likely works as intended...but Andrew Marshall of Audio Ideas has sold a product called The Imager for almost 30 years that works similarly. I bought a pair for the same $20.00 that they charge today almost 20 years ago for my (then) bookshelves and was rewarded with better imaging as a result.

They're on a version II now I see...

http://www.audio-ideas.com/reviews/aig-tweaks.html

For $20 or $30 a pair, it's probably a very cost effective tweek in many instances. Except mine today as I have a top-mounted Linaeum tweeter

I have used these for 18 months on my Loreleis and I like them. Can't beat the price. They blend in fairly well with the tweeter. It's difficult to tell that they are an add-on.

Hi Jim N, just a thought but for the price of minimal return shipping, you might want to A/B these wool squares on your Lorelei's. Not saying that what you have now doesn't improve your imaging but aren't you curious to hear if that imaging can't be made optimal? For the $5 return shipping, WTF!

Robin

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Oct 2007, 08:04 pm »

You're welcome - do let us know how they fare. The originals really worked on my old 3D Acoustics bookshelf speaker from long ago.

Those Hsu horn bookshelves are interesting little buggers for the money....

It would be interesting if anyone could A vs. B the neoprene rings for $29 pair versus the felt squares from Jim Goulding for $30.00. The difference is negligible if indeed the felt works better

John

Quote from: EDS_ on 10 Oct 2007, 07:12 pm

Hi Chairguy,

I cannot, I think anyway, use the wool sheeting on my Spendors and use their grill covers. So I ordered three sets of the neoprene rings. One set will be applied to my Spendor S5e and two sets to my Hsu horns in my AV system.

I'll report back with my thoughts.

Thanks for the tip.

satfrat · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 Oct 2007, 12:44 am »

Quote

It would be interesting if anyone could A vs. B the neoprene rings for $29 pair versus the felt squares from Jim Goulding for $30.00. The difference is negligible if indeed the felt works better

And you would know this how?