Well, Best Buy got my $50. They had 3 pairs left. I got one. They now sit in a room with 6 other pairs of speakers. (Bookshelves and towers.)
At least they are much better than the Persidan's I got from Radio Shack for $40. I really just wanted the boxes anyway. (Persidan) After 20 minutes of listening to the stock speakers, I removed them and replaced them with better drivers I had sitting in boxes.
But the Insignia sound like they have much more potential and looking at this and other forums...mods will be popular.
They have been playing for 8 hours straight. Some say they will break in better in a few days. So far, I don't regret the purchase.
At least they are much better than the Persidan's I got from Radio Shack for $40. I really just wanted the boxes anyway. (Persidan) After 20 minutes of listening to the stock speakers, I removed them and replaced them with better drivers I had sitting in boxes.
But the Insignia sound like they have much more potential and looking at this and other forums...mods will be popular.
They have been playing for 8 hours straight. Some say they will break in better in a few days. So far, I don't regret the purchase.
will the lowther driver work in the insignia box ?
http://www.lowtherloudspeakers.co.uk/homeindex.html
http://www.lowtherloudspeakers.co.uk/homeindex.html
Joking?
The limited XMAS is a drawback. Best results seem to come from either real horn loading or TQWT type.
The Insignia lloks like BR loading.
Some report good results using Lowthers in a bass reflex cabinet. Others report there is no bass. I get bass from mine in large folded TQWT.
George
zuki said:
The limited XMAS is a drawback. Best results seem to come from either real horn loading or TQWT type.
The Insignia lloks like BR loading.
Some report good results using Lowthers in a bass reflex cabinet. Others report there is no bass. I get bass from mine in large folded TQWT.
George
(same post of mine on diymobileaudio.com)
I made the purchase of these speakers today since there has been much talk about them on several different forums.
My impression, the build quality of the speakers from the outside is superior than most sub 100 speakers. I like the curve side panels and really like the front black metallic baffle. Construction is not what you would expect from a $50/pair speakers. They would put those mixing monitor speakers to shame in terms of looks.
Onto the sound, out of the box driven by a pioneer elite dvd running optically to the deq2496, then onto the dcx2496, then to an older akai amp, the speakers sounds a bit rugged in the midrange and highs. The voices sound blanketed/covered and thick. The highs is what you would expect from a metal dome. Peaky in certain areas and can leave a bit of fatigue after awhile.
On the plus side, bass/midbass is more solid than what I would expect from this small speakers in my rather large living room. The soundstage is what you would expect from a fullranger type of speaker.
After a bit of listening (2 hours?), I went ahead and measured the response. As suspected, the midrange and highs is a bit rugged. But, not as bad as a measurement i saw from diyaudio.com. The speaker seems to roll off around 70hz. After a quick auto eq and hooking my paradigm 10" bandpass sub to the system, the speakers definitely made improvements.
For someone who loves to build speakers as much as I do, this is one of the best purchases I've made in awhile. I love how it looks and how it sounds now thanks to the eq. The speakers can definitely pass for a 200-300 pair due to how it looks and sounds. My comments about the speakers above are direct comparision to my dipoles and the TMM that I built, which are in the living room right now.
I'm planning to make speaker stands for the speakers and probably will keep them in the living room as a backup speaker (in case somehow I blow up all my speakers and equipment? lol)
If anyone's interested. I can probably post some measurements that I can get from the deq2496
I made the purchase of these speakers today since there has been much talk about them on several different forums.
My impression, the build quality of the speakers from the outside is superior than most sub 100 speakers. I like the curve side panels and really like the front black metallic baffle. Construction is not what you would expect from a $50/pair speakers. They would put those mixing monitor speakers to shame in terms of looks.
Onto the sound, out of the box driven by a pioneer elite dvd running optically to the deq2496, then onto the dcx2496, then to an older akai amp, the speakers sounds a bit rugged in the midrange and highs. The voices sound blanketed/covered and thick. The highs is what you would expect from a metal dome. Peaky in certain areas and can leave a bit of fatigue after awhile.
On the plus side, bass/midbass is more solid than what I would expect from this small speakers in my rather large living room. The soundstage is what you would expect from a fullranger type of speaker.
After a bit of listening (2 hours?), I went ahead and measured the response. As suspected, the midrange and highs is a bit rugged. But, not as bad as a measurement i saw from diyaudio.com. The speaker seems to roll off around 70hz. After a quick auto eq and hooking my paradigm 10" bandpass sub to the system, the speakers definitely made improvements.
For someone who loves to build speakers as much as I do, this is one of the best purchases I've made in awhile. I love how it looks and how it sounds now thanks to the eq. The speakers can definitely pass for a 200-300 pair due to how it looks and sounds. My comments about the speakers above are direct comparision to my dipoles and the TMM that I built, which are in the living room right now.
I'm planning to make speaker stands for the speakers and probably will keep them in the living room as a backup speaker (in case somehow I blow up all my speakers and equipment? lol)
If anyone's interested. I can probably post some measurements that I can get from the deq2496
Metal dome tweeters?
"The highs is (sic) what you would expect from a metal dome."
Where did you buy your speakers? Both pairs I purchased have soft domes.
I hate to harp on this since I'm not a member with fancy test equipment, but has anyone tried doubling up two pair of speakers? My preference is still to place the speaker cabinets 180 degrees apart front to back. This is merely experimentation on my part to hear what I can hear. And, my response is based on nothing more than what my ears tell me. But, with the cabinets placed side by side and positioned as dipoles, I find the sound engaging enough to make the purchase interesting if not a "find" at $90 for the two pair. As stacked pairs or as dipoles the speakers would appear to even out some of the rough high frequency response which is found in just one pair of speakers. Since I don't have the ability to test this assumption, I would be interested in the results should anyone with an itch to measure the doubled pairs post a response chart.
I've used the speakers on three different amplifiers this past week and so far I have run into no problems with the parallel connection. I've run both McIntosh tube amps and a solid state integrated along with the little Italian T amp. The speakers are sufficiently poised enough to allow differences between the amps. Not large scale comments about "air", performer's breath taking, ambience or anything you would equate with far more expensive speakers. But, enough to tell me the Mac tubes still come off the best. If you are after music which presents the essence of the performance event, minus the small details of how it is performed, this speaker is not a bad choice. It does quite well when doubled and run on the T amp. There is suffficient volume to make the system work for all but the most ardent rockers. And, with the Autocostriure making about 15 watts per channel the sound is quite good for the money spent. The soundstage has the same width as most other speakers I've run in this room which is to say it reaches beyond the 15' side to side dimensions of the room and pushes the rear wall out of the way. Placement of performers is stable for the most part if lacking in three dimensionality of each instrument. The dipole placement helps this out a bit and creates a deeper, more "realistic" soundstage which begins a few feet behind the speaker. Stacked as doubled pairs some close mic'd instruments exist forward of the speakers' plane.
I've not run these speakers with a subwoofer as I find most subs a distraction. I'm in the process of building a small sub for the HT system based on the Adire Extremis 6.8 and I'll give it a try with the Insignias if I can work out the efficiency differences. The only other amp I have on hand that I'm interested in running with the Insignias is the Sonic Impact T amp. Since the speaker does well with the Autocostriure amplifier I see no reason to expect any difference from the SI T amp and can see this making a great little office system with a $30 amp and $45 speakers.
"The highs is (sic) what you would expect from a metal dome."
Where did you buy your speakers? Both pairs I purchased have soft domes.
I hate to harp on this since I'm not a member with fancy test equipment, but has anyone tried doubling up two pair of speakers? My preference is still to place the speaker cabinets 180 degrees apart front to back. This is merely experimentation on my part to hear what I can hear. And, my response is based on nothing more than what my ears tell me. But, with the cabinets placed side by side and positioned as dipoles, I find the sound engaging enough to make the purchase interesting if not a "find" at $90 for the two pair. As stacked pairs or as dipoles the speakers would appear to even out some of the rough high frequency response which is found in just one pair of speakers. Since I don't have the ability to test this assumption, I would be interested in the results should anyone with an itch to measure the doubled pairs post a response chart.
I've used the speakers on three different amplifiers this past week and so far I have run into no problems with the parallel connection. I've run both McIntosh tube amps and a solid state integrated along with the little Italian T amp. The speakers are sufficiently poised enough to allow differences between the amps. Not large scale comments about "air", performer's breath taking, ambience or anything you would equate with far more expensive speakers. But, enough to tell me the Mac tubes still come off the best. If you are after music which presents the essence of the performance event, minus the small details of how it is performed, this speaker is not a bad choice. It does quite well when doubled and run on the T amp. There is suffficient volume to make the system work for all but the most ardent rockers. And, with the Autocostriure making about 15 watts per channel the sound is quite good for the money spent. The soundstage has the same width as most other speakers I've run in this room which is to say it reaches beyond the 15' side to side dimensions of the room and pushes the rear wall out of the way. Placement of performers is stable for the most part if lacking in three dimensionality of each instrument. The dipole placement helps this out a bit and creates a deeper, more "realistic" soundstage which begins a few feet behind the speaker. Stacked as doubled pairs some close mic'd instruments exist forward of the speakers' plane.
I've not run these speakers with a subwoofer as I find most subs a distraction. I'm in the process of building a small sub for the HT system based on the Adire Extremis 6.8 and I'll give it a try with the Insignias if I can work out the efficiency differences. The only other amp I have on hand that I'm interested in running with the Insignias is the Sonic Impact T amp. Since the speaker does well with the Autocostriure amplifier I see no reason to expect any difference from the SI T amp and can see this making a great little office system with a $30 amp and $45 speakers.
di/bipole
Yes, at this point they are wired in phase, in parallel. And, there's sufficient bass to play most music. Thanks for the correction. While we're on the subject, why would I choose one over the other beyond the matter of bass cancellation? I understand the different polar patterns each version creates and how they are used when the speakers are placed as rear surrounds in a multichannel system. But, to my knowledge, I've not seen an explanation for making a choice when the speakers are used as front mains. Is the choice made merely to accomodate simpler placement within the room?
Yes, at this point they are wired in phase, in parallel. And, there's sufficient bass to play most music. Thanks for the correction. While we're on the subject, why would I choose one over the other beyond the matter of bass cancellation? I understand the different polar patterns each version creates and how they are used when the speakers are placed as rear surrounds in a multichannel system. But, to my knowledge, I've not seen an explanation for making a choice when the speakers are used as front mains. Is the choice made merely to accomodate simpler placement within the room?
Re: Re: Re: Metal dome tweeters?
I would actually rank heil above seas and vifa, but since it's becoming more rare. I had to settle for seas and vifa on my other projects. The vifa ring radiator is really not that bad.
planet10 said:
I'd have thot Heils would make it hard to listen to SEAS & Vifas
dave
I would actually rank heil above seas and vifa, but since it's becoming more rare. I had to settle for seas and vifa on my other projects. The vifa ring radiator is really not that bad.
Insignia Notch Filters
If I were rebuilding the crossover, should I install John Krutke's notch filters beteen the speaker terminals and the crossover, or would it be better to place the notch filter with the larger values between the the iron core inductor and the woofer, and the one with smaller values between the tweeter resistor and the tweeter?
If I were rebuilding the crossover, should I install John Krutke's notch filters beteen the speaker terminals and the crossover, or would it be better to place the notch filter with the larger values between the the iron core inductor and the woofer, and the one with smaller values between the tweeter resistor and the tweeter?
Re: Insignia Notch Filters
Hi Fred,
The notches are designed to go before the crossover. A quick splice into the wire connected to the positive terminal should do it. That's certainly not the only way to improve this system, but I chose the way that allowed the stock crossover to remain in place and unmodified.
Danny Richie has a version that replaces the whole crossover, though it's roughly double the cost. I do like his method of stiffening the sides with water putty though, That's the next thing I will try if I can find a local vendor selling the stuff.
http://www.gr-research.com/insignia.htm
FredT300B said:
Hi Fred,
The notches are designed to go before the crossover. A quick splice into the wire connected to the positive terminal should do it. That's certainly not the only way to improve this system, but I chose the way that allowed the stock crossover to remain in place and unmodified.
Danny Richie has a version that replaces the whole crossover, though it's roughly double the cost. I do like his method of stiffening the sides with water putty though, That's the next thing I will try if I can find a local vendor selling the stuff.
http://www.gr-research.com/insignia.htm
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