All Acoustat panels can give

[bear]

Bolerst, wow, good stuff!

I'll not get to look at all that for a few days...
...but iirc, many years back I looked at the output - don't recall if it was with or without the speakers, or how I did it - and noticed a time difference when looking at a pulse input between the HF and LF xfmrs... ie. something that would result in a "smeared' signal. Small, and I don't recall the difference in msec or usec, but it was there. Just something else to chum the waters with.

 

[bolserst]

...noticed a time difference when looking at a pulse input between the HF and LF xfmrs.

Hmmmmm...interesting.
I'll have to take a look to see if it is anything other than the usual HP vs LP crossover filter time delay. Even with an ideal 1st order filter, the peak of the LP step and impulse response is delayed relative to the peak of the HP. But, this is what is required for the HP & LP to sum to a perfect impulse.

Do you recall if you measure with both HF & LF transformers driven together? or independently.
Also, were you measuring at the output of the mixer? or the HF and LF inputs to the mixer.

 

[bear]

15 or 20 years back... so no clue.

_-_-

 

[Mendel24]

Glad to hear your back playing with Acoustats again tyu!
Does the Spectra models have fuses for both the high and low frequency transformers? Seem to remember seeing a few fuses inside the interface. Does anyone know the value of those fuses? Other than bypassing, has anyone tried any of the premium "audiophile" fuses in those spots, or a contact enhancer like Walker SST? These might give you much of the improvement of bypassing the fuse all together.

 

[tyu]

Hi.....how it going....I put up this Spectra 44 sepup tran .....your 22...33 all look like this...you tran are wired to be one tran.....see the older 121...two diff.trans........see yours....like 44 there only one fuse......you can hear a diff with the fuse out
............... ......But...........you kill one... two tran...good luck...I don't fool around with this old ....hard to fix-find...get....but hay...I kill more than one tran....do what you well..............you know...you wont no less you go...right....it was not that big a gain....no fuse....for me......have fun

 

[Mendel24]

Hi.....how it going....I put up this Spectra 44 sepup tran .....your 22...33 all look like this...you tran are wired to be one tran.....see the older 121...two diff.trans........see yours....like 44 there only one fuse......you can hear a diff with the fuse out
............... ......But...........you kill one... two tran...good luck...I don't fool around with this old ....hard to fix-find...get....but hay...I kill more than one tran....do what you well..............you know...you wont no less you go...right....it was not that big a gain....no fuse....for me......have fun

Thanks for the info. Only one fuse inside the interface? Do you know the value by any chance? I know the one accessible on the back of the interface is 5amps. I do not intend to bypass the fuse, only upgrade, given that the fuse does appear to affect the quality of the high frequencies.

 

[tyu]

Look.....there the 5amp this is were put diff fuses.....that's it...........as for the 2 fuse in the bias.....there like1/8 watt...I have put biger fuses in there rolled the top end down......not for me......BUT
.less see...if you have a early Spectra...that have the same bias tran an fuses. the 121...as....you see in this first pic..........see the small tran an fuses...
if you have the 12-15v wall wort that pluges into the wall then pluges into the interfaces.....you have no fuse inside....pic 2 looks like that bias setup...from 11-1100s.....
I just pic up a pr of ML Ascent....I have had 4 pr now....I paid $40 for the pr...bad panel............I got open up ...... the bias wire had pulled out of the panels......there playing now..... sound great.....these were some of the last of this type.....that have there new vary vary then mylar.....WOW....best topend I ever had.....out of any esl.....

 

[tyu]

My gess is these high end fuses......are the Bees Wax filled ones....sweet honey tone type?
only $275...ea....good luck...have fun

 

[Mendel24]

My gess is these high end fuses......are the Bees Wax filled ones....sweet honey tone type?
only $275...ea....good luck...have fun

Haha sweet honey! Actually I was thinking Hi Fi Tuning gold on sale at Partsconnexion for $12 each. I put them in for the 250ma tube fuses in my Rogue amp and easily heard the improvement. Cheap to try and it can't hurt.

 

[tyu]

Like the HV Bias in ESLs.....WAY over looket..............at how much diff thay CAN make to the tone........
As I posted about the MLogans.....I pick up for a song...having vary then mylar, an give the best topend I have ever got out of any ESL panel......it was not diff mylar...the caps in the bias string were changed......from the brown chep polyprop.....to a blue Wima type
cap........this one thing tip the sound Way up into a opener...wider...deeper....image...........night & day diff........keep at it youll get there thanks for your input on the fuses....

 

[tyu]

As for the setup of my Spectra 3s.............the 3s were setup like in pic 1....but I found thay sounded much better....running the 3 panels ....1 hole panel for lows...1 panel for mids...1 panel for highs.....
But now I run all the panels....on the full rang output only.....this sounds best to me...... a none Spectra setup.....but uses the Spectra MK2123 to drive full range has a sound of it own.......still minny ways.... to get great sound out of Acoustat panels

 

[Mendel24]

Just to follow up, I replaced the cheap 5 amp fuses in my interfaces with 4 amp classic gold fuses. Noticeable increase in clarity. Definitely worth the 25 bucks, but now I wonder what those $100 fuses would sound like.....
Never mind.

 

[tyu]

Look you only live ones...or twice.....but I well say....if you are looking for real clarity....pull all the screws (out ) of the panels but 2 at the bottem...in each panel.....I have done this with my 2+2s...night/day diff in sound.....not just lose....pull them out...
Any added mass to these panels turns the output down.....also I now beleave that the medal screws are pulling output down ....by being to close to the 5k bias on these panels....the image in the sound stage has got biger...the tone is vary real....killer mod
good luck....have fun

 

[moray james]

I used to replace the steel lag bolts with large nylon machine screws for a nice improvement. I have a friend who has been running loose Acoustat panels for decades now with no frames at all ir leans the lower panel against a small wooden frame and hangs the top panels (1+1 configuration) from the ceiling. he has always had better bass than I ever got with reinforced wooden frames.

 

[tyu]

Well it ezey to see....what going on...the way Acoustat panels are made ...the mylar gose all the way out ...under the screw holes.......an under the rest of the frame....any added mass has to change the mylars tone.......I too had my 3s setup.... just leaning back.....no frames...no screws at all......great bass...is right..............
But I got 2 pr of 2+2s.......all stock to start over moving thought mods....
good to see your posting......here..
hell it good see your post anywhere.......hehe

 

[Daudio1]

TYU, I don't know why you are posting a picture of my modded Spectra 1100 Interface (1st pic in post #47), without crediting me, but I am not pleased.

Yes, I am sure it is my picture (from my web site), with the 2 Solan caps replacing the original electrolytic, but most because of the added binding posts and heavy input wire (to bypass the long path through the woofer box).

Bit of a weird greeting for my return to DIYAudio after more then a year

BTW, I have parted out those 1100's so those Interfaces are available (plus the woofer xovers with Alpha core inductors, panels, misc hardware, etc.)

Dave A

 

[tyu]

"without crediting me, but I am not pleased".......
Wow....good luck with that.............have the moderarder remove the pic......
the pic was only to show there no fuse used the Spectra...11-1100 interfaces an the bias was diff..........not like there are in the 121 interfaces used on the bias tran. ac input...
Sorry .....it was not to say any thing about your work...or parts upgread....
all I can say is once a pic on the web.....it well come up with every search....
but I well say .......looks killer...an I bet it sounded much better than the stock pr of 11s...
I owned....an thanks for posting it...I did see any name on it......but if that makes you unhappy..... you best not post anymore pic....once on the web....it here forever... an I gess.....welcome back

by the way your link dose not work.....for me anyway....but just as well people well just copy the pic....

 

[moray james]

ai cjheck i and follow along...

Well it ezey to see....what going on...the way Acoustat panels are made ...the mylar gose all the way out ...under the screw holes.......an under the rest of the frame....any added mass has to change the mylars tone.......I too had my 3s setup.... just leaning back.....no frames...no screws at all......great bass...is right..............
But I got 2 pr of 2+2s.......all stock to start over moving thought mods....
good to see your posting......here..
hell it good see your post anywhere.......hehe

don't think that I have much to contribute. I like reading your threads/posts because I know that you do. Leaning them back makes for way more bass than upright. I used to believe (because I was told) that they had to be vertical not so. Having fun with Karlson K-Tues right now. Horns ribbons and electrostat's are the only place where it is at. Love ya buddy.

 

[tyu]

Moray............Like for ever I thought that the panels sounded Better off the floor10-15"....but like with my first pr of the Acoustat Xs...they sound there best when the panels set on the floor.........But Not in a Box like the Xs.................................
One things for sure...I see all these Acoustat comeing up for sale now....
if the owners ever heard a pr of Acoustats... with most of the screws pull out of there panels...
I bet they.... would Not be saleing...... these great speakers......sure the size is tuff....but I have found only ML can even get close to the Acoustat ESL sound......An not at Acoustat prices..........

 

[Mendel24]

OK tomorrow some screws are coming out!
Why not, my wife always says I have a screw or two loose.
Costs nothing, takes 5 minutes and I can always put them back.
I will report my findings.
Long Live Acoustats!