Orion fine tuning

PT914 · 11th February 2005, 07:51 AM

Have been listening to the Orions for at least a month. I can only compare it with my previous speakers, Linn Keltiks which are active too. The Orions are way better with music. One thing I was disappointed with was the hiss from the speakers at idle from the active crossover. The Linn only had a hiss from the woofer. The Orion hiss was coming from the woofer and the midrange driver. Hiss was audible at 8 inches from the speakers, but knowing that it was there, I at times could make out the noise from where I was listening, about 8 feet. So, I built another crossover board using Panasonic PPS film caps, ECHS, they're 2% tolerance also but kind of expensive. This cut the hiss by more than half. I also built a power supply that raised the crossover voltage to 15v. It also sounds much better, sorry I am not a descriptive audiophile. I'm planning on building a 18v power supply and see what that does seeing that the op-amp data sheet shows a lower noise and distortion rating for 18v.

Anyone else have a problem with hiss with the Orions.

Philip

Pan · 11th February 2005, 12:30 PM

Why not a battery supply?

/Peter

PT914 · 11th February 2005, 03:20 PM

Peter,

The power supply is +15 and -15 volts. I have to research the negative supply part.

Philip

Davey · 11th February 2005, 04:15 PM

Philip,

Hmmm. The "hiss" from your crossover should easily be swamped by the idling noise of your power amps. The outputs on my Orion crossover are totally quiet and don't contribute anything to the total noise.

I take it you've listened with your power amps turned on and the crossover turned off?? What was the result of that?

Cheers,

Davey.

joe carrow · 11th February 2005, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PT914
Peter,

The power supply is +15 and -15 volts. I have to research the negative supply part.

Philip

If you take six 6v batteries connected in series, your ground will be the connection between the two batteries in the middle of the line, and positive will be the outermost positive, negative will be the outermost negative.

I agree that your amplifiers are worth checking out, and possibly putting on battery power supply. I hear that battery powered amps are noticably quieter than most power supplies.

Joe

PT914 · 12th February 2005, 06:23 AM

Thanks joe and Dave for your suggestions. You were right, it's the amps that is causing the residual hiss, but that's alright. The amps are just built kits and pieces are temporarily placed on boards and the transformers I guess are to close to signal wires. I'm glad I found this out before I made a case for them.

I'm glad I tried the PPS film caps for the crossovers. I cannot go back to the original caps, they sound more like the "transistors sound" and the PPS sweeter like tubes, but then again, I might be influenced by the fact that I have to justify all this additional expense. I did leave the original board in for a week to brake it in but it never got better.

Thanks for your help again,
Philip

Drew Eckhardt · 14th February 2005, 09:11 PM

My Orion cross-over doesn't increase the noise floor when plugged into the power amplifiers.

11th February 2005, 07:51 AM	#1
PT914 diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: N. Calif.	Orion fine tuning Have been listening to the Orions for at least a month. I can only compare it with my previous speakers, Linn Keltiks which are active too. The Orions are way better with music. One thing I was disappointed with was the hiss from the speakers at idle from the active crossover. The Linn only had a hiss from the woofer. The Orion hiss was coming from the woofer and the midrange driver. Hiss was audible at 8 inches from the speakers, but knowing that it was there, I at times could make out the noise from where I was listening, about 8 feet. So, I built another crossover board using Panasonic PPS film caps, ECHS, they're 2% tolerance also but kind of expensive. This cut the hiss by more than half. I also built a power supply that raised the crossover voltage to 15v. It also sounds much better, sorry I am not a descriptive audiophile. I'm planning on building a 18v power supply and see what that does seeing that the op-amp data sheet shows a lower noise and distortion rating for 18v. Anyone else have a problem with hiss with the Orions. Philip

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11th February 2005, 12:30 PM	#2
Pan diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2002	Why not a battery supply? /Peter

11th February 2005, 03:20 PM	#3
PT914 diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: N. Calif.	Peter, The power supply is +15 and -15 volts. I have to research the negative supply part. Philip

11th February 2005, 04:15 PM	#4
Davey diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Bremerton, WA.	Philip, Hmmm. The "hiss" from your crossover should easily be swamped by the idling noise of your power amps. The outputs on my Orion crossover are totally quiet and don't contribute anything to the total noise. I take it you've listened with your power amps turned on and the crossover turned off?? What was the result of that? Cheers, Davey.

12th February 2005, 06:23 AM	#6
PT914 diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: N. Calif.	Thanks joe and Dave for your suggestions. You were right, it's the amps that is causing the residual hiss, but that's alright. The amps are just built kits and pieces are temporarily placed on boards and the transformers I guess are to close to signal wires. I'm glad I found this out before I made a case for them. I'm glad I tried the PPS film caps for the crossovers. I cannot go back to the original caps, they sound more like the "transistors sound" and the PPS sweeter like tubes, but then again, I might be influenced by the fact that I have to justify all this additional expense. I did leave the original board in for a week to brake it in but it never got better. Thanks for your help again, Philip

14th February 2005, 09:11 PM	#7
Drew Eckhardt diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Menlo Park, CA	My Orion cross-over doesn't increase the noise floor when plugged into the power amplifiers.

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