Both are shipping. I have sent out quite a few. I was gone to China for several weeks but I am back now and will try and get some photos and data posted. From a business sense GedLee is in a mess. The website is a shambles and there are so many things that I need to update that I just can't seem to get arround to.
While it's possible that 2nd order distortion was "sweetening" the treble with the tube amp, it seemed to be something else.
Here's an example.
A few months back I listened to a set of Lambda Unity Horns, with TAD compression drivers and a single ended 300B tube amp driving them. The Unities seemed to have a more extended treble than the Summas. I chalked this up to the TAD compression driver, which has more high frequency output than the B&C in the Summas. The TAD costs over eight times as much as the B&C, and I'm not about to pony up an extra $2000 just to get another quarter of an octave.
So I was a bit shocked to notice that the Summas, with the tube amp, had a lot of the magic of the Unity + TAD combo.
Long story short, these speakers are very revealing. Not "revealing" in the traditional sense, which is this audiphile idea that you have to use uber-expensive gear in every link in the chain.
No, they're revealing in a more rewarding way, the kind of speaker which allows you to swap pieces around, and hear differences quite readily.
Keep in mind, I would have never said this a year or two ago; the gear that I used in 2007 wasn't able to resolve these kinds of differences. In fact, I didn't believe that they even existed. As mentioned earlier, I was powering these with VERY low rent electronics.
Correct, I'm using the 2809ci with my Nathans.
Coincidentally I also happen to be fixing/upgrading an Adcom GFA-535 at the moment and plan to give it a go at the Nathans. There's also a pair of DIY tube monoblocks in my future which I had not intended to use with the Nathans but I'll probably at least hook them up and give it a try.
Matt
You'll like this.
I have not been able to get good photos of any of my speakers and I have tried. Two grand later I have all new camera equipment and I am finally getting some good photos. Check out http://www.gedlee.com/Harper_pic.htm I am actually going to photograph a sub tomorrow. Did the Abbey today - came out great. It's not easy, but it is doable.
Aww they are cute, like mini Abbey's. Haha, when I first clicked the link only half the picture loaded, and I thought i was looking at a picture of my Abbey's.
Good to hear that a very expensive camera investment has paid off. From the photographer side of me, yes a camera and lighting can make a huge difference. Point and shoot digitals have gotten to be really good for the money, but they don't compare with what can be done (in knowledgeable hands) with an SLR. Between the lower loss in the optics, the larger and more sensitive imaging chips, and more sophisticated internal DSP, images of things like products can be made to look much cleaner with a good slr.
I am sorry you had to spend 2000 dollars to get to the point you needed to for these. Hopefully you can take lots of nice pictures in China and make it a more justifiable investment.
Good to hear that a very expensive camera investment has paid off. From the photographer side of me, yes a camera and lighting can make a huge difference. Point and shoot digitals have gotten to be really good for the money, but they don't compare with what can be done (in knowledgeable hands) with an SLR. Between the lower loss in the optics, the larger and more sensitive imaging chips, and more sophisticated internal DSP, images of things like products can be made to look much cleaner with a good slr.
I am sorry you had to spend 2000 dollars to get to the point you needed to for these. Hopefully you can take lots of nice pictures in China and make it a more justifiable investment.
Probably not a very nice comment but honest (hope that is of some value in a broader context): Lighting on the speaker is good but the fabric in the background looks awful. The Abbey picture shows ugly compression artefacts. Overall looks is very unprofessional.
The Harper's woofer shape is ugly as hell.
Best, Markus
The Harper's woofer shape is ugly as hell.
Best, Markus
I think the octagon woofer looks kind of cool, and the inset into the baffle makes it look anything but unprofessional.
Nevertheless I expect the SAF of any exposed woofer is low, as well as making it vulnerable to damage.
Earl, is there a grill option to cover the woofer (and did you get my PM)?
Nevertheless I expect the SAF of any exposed woofer is low, as well as making it vulnerable to damage.
Earl, is there a grill option to cover the woofer (and did you get my PM)?
Not at all. But don't you see a difference between these two pictures?
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
The last one was done with the photo function of a DV cam, daylight and some Photoshop.
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I have done this before by simply pushing a grill cloth into the gap between the woofer and the baffle. Personally it ruins the look for me, but it will protect the woofer. I am going to redo the baffle when the current parts run out to have it mount from behind. This will hide the screws, but the cone will still be visible. Then it's an easy matter to just put a grill in before mounting the woofer.
I like your background but my photo and lighting. I'm not sure that the grey background would work so well with the flat black speaker. A little more photoshop experince and I can have both.
And Markus, wouldn't this have been a better conversation on the side?
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So the woofer being mounted from behind was an Idea I had thought would be great for this speaker. Besides hiding the look of the gasket and screws, you could round over the lip of the cutout so it better matches the waveguide. Do you think this could be a possibility. I was thinking that if not done carefully the screws could protrude through the front of the cabinet within the roundover, but as long as the front is thick enough, it shouldn't be a big issue. Alternatively you could embed t-nuts in the baffle, which would probably allow a shorter screw to still be secure.
You understand correctly. I don't see the seal as being an issue. There is a compressible gasket on the woofer. At any rate "sealing" is over blown anyway. Do a study and you'll find it takes a pretty big leak to have any effect. In fact, my studues have shown that small leaks are beneficial. I don't even use gaskets on my back panels anymore, there is no point. Its a completely sealed cabinet that would be a problem (unless you want to use your speakers to tell the weather.)
Matt's got my biggest concern correct. With a roundover, this section is very thin. I may have to invent some good way to mount the woofer. With eight screws I am not sure that they need to be very deep. Just enough to catch probably.
grill fastener
What about these grill clamp fasteners to clamp the woofer against the baffle. This way the actual fastener is moved away from the edge, probably enough to avoid the thin wood. I've never used this method, but I see it recommended by the Open baffle supporters a lot.
If you can make something better for less, all the better. Maybe a full ring that has a similar effect (Clamping the woofer).
What about these grill clamp fasteners to clamp the woofer against the baffle. This way the actual fastener is moved away from the edge, probably enough to avoid the thin wood. I've never used this method, but I see it recommended by the Open baffle supporters a lot.
If you can make something better for less, all the better. Maybe a full ring that has a similar effect (Clamping the woofer).
Even car manufacturer hire people to take pictures of their cars. You can't be good at at every detail of your business. On the other hand it's completely up to you to decide what's "good enough".
Probably yes. I tried it in the past, you know that.
Had the hope that you do better than http://www.linkwitzlab.com/ or http://www.musicanddesign.com/ to name two other ugly sites.
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