[TheChairGuy]

Just when I thought there was no more to do with my LX-8's, there was, at least, one more thing to do.

My current backround on this project is as follows:

* Bought on ebay for $192.00 in June 2003.  Have always thought highly of the dipole Linaeum tweeter, and I'm a newbie to speaker projects.

* Parts Express Vinyl Damping sheets VE-1 (#268-035) inside and out(doesn't look too bad, as it has 'gator' appearance).  Sides and bottom only.

* Stuffed about 1/4 bag of Acousta-Stuf (bought from Parts Express #260-317) into each speaker cabinet.

* Purchase 18" High Mass Metal Stands from Parts Express (#240-747) and fill with sand.

At this point, barely $325.00 into the project, crappy crossover and all, these speakers are better than my Vandersteen 1C's (no slouch in the budget realm, either).  Vandy's are replaced in July.

Next, using the 4th order Linkwitz active crossover circuitry in the Norh MultiAmps, I bypass the crappy internal passive crossovers with the active ones (set at 2 Khz - best choice for 8" poly woofer).  Once done, the sound is as pleasant and dynamic as anything I've heard in a monitor under $1500.00.  In my limited listening experience, at least  

The next mods were, a huge thanks to Frank van Alstine for this one, Plast-i-Clay.   Bought at AllArtSupplies.com for the whopping price of $1.51 lb (+ shipping from MA); I buy $30.00 worth.    I cover all around the inside (especially the corners to create rounding) and bottom (for mass loading).  I also fully cover every inch of the outside of the stamped steel speaker basket.  I also mass loaded the bottom of the speaker cabinet (inside) with a few lbs. of sand, packed and sealed tight in a baggie.  This speaker started out life as a 15 lb. lightweight made of particleboard; now weighs nearly 30 lbs. each.

Used some constrained layer damping on the rear and inside stampings..bought from, you guessed it, Parts Express (Cascade Audio Engineering V-Max #268-286)

The sound, outstanding at this point.  As good as anything I remember guffawing under $2000.00.  Total cost: $360.00.

The Vandy's are long retired now, and I added a NEAR BOOM-2 passive (80hz cutoff)  sub (powered by an AudioSource Amp3) and I am enjoying the tunes a lot, every single day.

But wait, there's more...............

[TheChairGuy]

So I can modify what I got, but some things I'm stuck with.  The Peerless 8" woofer actually is decent, but you're not gonna' be struck with the thought that they are Scan-Speak beauties, ever.  So, you make do with 'decent' and move on.

 

Something has always bothered me with these speakers (and the Vandersteens and Cambers before them) - a 'discontinuity' of sound.  It's a sort of 'breakup' of sound most noticeable at highly dynamic passages.  I can't explain it   , but I've heard it on many inexpensive speakers and attributed it to 'cone breakup' or something.  I had a Quad 10L in my possession for several months, tho, and didn't hear this phenonomen (I set up a small system for my Dad, and they looked great in his place in the awesome Rosewood, so he's got 'em now)

I've been doing a lot of reading on connectors and their properties.  Turns out (no surprise to many of you I know) that silver, followed by copper are the best commonly available conductors. Well folks, cheap speakers use mostly brass binding posts acting as a virtual wall for current passing thru to the cones. Brass is only 28% as conductive as copper.  More copper = worse sound; all other things equal.

The Quads, as a $700.00 monitor built in China and designed by an audiophile company has a nice Kevlar woofer....and primarily copper binding posts.  Good companies design those posts right from the start; Radio Shack doesn't.

Eliminate the binding posts (a big thanks to Ric Shultz of Electronic Visionary Systems for posting several helpful tips on his site), and have clearer, unbridled access to the music!!!

Replacing my very much loved LAT International SS-1000D cable bound to the binding posts and I run a 3.5' section of Kimber 4TC (same wire I have running to the tweets directly - no binding posts) from amp directly inside to woofer tabs. The music is to die for now - with cheap Peerless woofer and all, it reminds me of the excellent listening session I had with a few very high dollar monitors over the years   For the bargain price of $360.00

Here's how it looks and if anyone is DIY'ing their speakers...skip the damn binding posts if you can.  The payback is HUGE.

 

Bottom line; connectors suck. Eliminate as many as you can and be rewarded with one step closer to the music.

Enjoy all!

[TheChairGuy]

Well, I had a full day to evaluate in the 'binding post bypassed' mode and in all ways it was a success.

While the neat Linaeum tweeter handles the airiness of violins and flute well, I had a problem listening to them previously (as well as high range piano notes) before yesterday.

Perhaps the crappy brass (or whatever) binding posts most affected the upper midrange, causing a glare and that 'discontinuous' sound I've been hearing for months.  It is simply not there anymore and what is left is smooth, solid tone, fleshier and unrestricted...it sounds like a big leap towards approximating the real event...without having to spend one plug cent more in gear.

Overall, a splendid experiment...one which I highly suggest to you that can do it within confines of your present system.