[mfsoa]

Hi Gerald,

I'm in the verge of putting my VAC PA100/100 up for sale, at the lower end of your price range.

I think it's had the $1300 upgrade to the PHI 300 front end. (There is sticker on the back that says "Factory S upgrade" - I can contact VAC and ask exactly what this means if needed)

Where are you located? I'm in NJ if you want to try it out.

-Mike

[doug s.]

Given all the positive talk around Active bi-amping, I just want to learn what active crossovers are folks using out there.

Also, is it require that one must remove the passive crossovers when going active?

Gerald

marchand x-overs are hard to beat, for the price.  (and even not considering price.)  and, i know, at higher price, woodsyi (rim) liked the tubed marchand x-over even more than the s/s iterations.  i now use a deqx, which adds dsp eq into the mix.

and yes, the passive x-over needs to be bypassed.

doug s.

[geraldedison]

Mike,

Thanks for your offer, unfortunately my timing is off.  Over the weekend I placed an offer on an older pair of VTL 450 MB and the seller accepted it.

Gerald

[geraldedison]

Doug,

Thanks for the Marchand recommendation.  They do look good, but their price rivals that of my pre-amp... I may have to look for something more entry level to start...

Another thought I have is that my pre-amp does have two sets of outputs and the second set of amps that I use to drive my bass are a pair 1000W subwoofer amps similiar to the ones offer on the VMPS site.

I'm thinking if I can just get a filter to cut off the low frequency going to my amp that drive my uppers and mids, that should take a load off of the amp already.  As the subwoofer amps already have filters to do the same for the higher frequencies...

Anyone know of something simple and hopefully affordable to just filter out the lower frequencies in front of my amp that drive the uppers & mids?


I figure this way I'll still be able to take advantage of the buildtin crossovers until I have the budget to go active.

[doug s.]

Doug,

Thanks for the Marchand recommendation.  They do look good, but their price rivals that of my pre-amp... I may have to look for something more entry level to start...

Another thought I have is that my pre-amp does have two sets of outputs and the second set of amps that I use to drive my bass are a pair 1000W subwoofer amps similiar to the ones offer on the VMPS site.

I'm thinking if I can just get a filter to cut off the low frequency going to my amp that drive my uppers and mids, that should take a load off of the amp already.  As the subwoofer amps already have filters to do the same for the higher frequencies...

Anyone know of something simple and hopefully affordable to just filter out the lower frequencies in front of my amp that drive the uppers & mids?


I figure this way I'll still be able to take advantage of the buildtin crossovers until I have the budget to go active.

for hi-pass passive x-overs, you can get stuff from this company:
http://store.hlabs.com/pk4/store.pl?view_product=10

i would recommend getting the set-up that allows for 24db/octave attenuation, as 12 db slopes are not wery steep.

re: cost of marchand x-overs, the tubers are quite expensive, but the s/s units are not so bad - the xm9ll, for example is ~1/3 the cost of a bryston 10b, but is at least as good, if not better...

also, i couldn't help notice your preamp, as you specifically mentioned it in cost comparison to x-over.   i owned that preamp; try this one; you may be in for a pleasant surprise.   aa

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1264032899&/melos-gk-1-pre-amp

doug s.

[geraldedison]

Thanks Doug for the tip on the high pass filter and the pre-amp.

I actually heard a Melos pre-amp in an awsome setup this weekend with Accuphase amp and that fancy aluminum speak which I don't remember the name for but start with a Y and a couple of initials.

It sounded great, but don't know how much was due to the pre-amp.

Do you know if that pre-amp has balance outputs; I'm trying to migrate to a balance setup and if that pre-amp has a balance setup, I would be most interested.

Gerald

[doug s.]

gerald, i know some melos preamps offered balanced ins/outs; i don't know about that one specifically.   but, the seller might.     my first melos - a ma333r - was balanced, but i traded it for an unbalanced iteration, as i wasn't using the balanced features, and much preferred having 6 inputs instead of 3, which the single-ended ma333r offered.  (plus i got the porzilli tube wolume pot installed at no charge, for making the trade!)     that first melos was what replaced my slp98; it was quite a lot of years ago, and i still have no desire to change out my preamp. 

best,

doug s.

[geraldedison]

that's quite a endorsement for the Melos pre...

I do want to sell my cary before picking up another pre.  So I may have to let this one that's beings listed pass.  Just want to work out my budget.

Gerald

[doug s.]

that's quite a endorsement for the Melos pre...

I do want to sell my cary before picking up another pre.  So I may have to let this one that's beings listed pass.  Just want to work out my budget.

Gerald

regardless of what new (used?) preamp you may get, (or amp for rm40, or speakers or any other gear, for that matter), i would recommend, if at all possible, to keep your present gear for comparison, prior to selling.  that is truly the best way to determine what works best for you, in your system.

doug s.