ClarityCap + Hiquphon = really good treble?

[andy2]

I've just finished building a pair of monitor that use Seas W15Cy001 and Hiquphon as tweeter. For xover, I use Clarity Cap and Goertz foil. These combination produces perhaps the best treble that I've ever heard. May it's the Clarity cap or the quality of the Hipuphon or both but the treble has both transparency and smoothness that sometimes do not nessecary go together.
Overall, I don't think I've heard anything this good. Granted that I never was able to own really expensive speakers but the closest I can compare to is a pair of Living Voice Avatar which used Hovland caps and ScanSpeak 950000 tweeter. The LV treble probably is a little bit sweeter but the ClarityCap + Hiquphon is more transparent. I supposed if I used Mundorf then I would have both sweetness and transparency.

My speakers are based one of Troels' design:
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/W15.htm

And after listening to the W18 and now the W15CY, I am even more amazed at how these Seas magnesium drivers can reproduce the human voice with so much emotion.

[ScottG]

Originally posted by andy2
I've just finished building a pair of monitor that use Seas W15Cy001 and Hiquphon as tweeter. For xover, I use Clarity Cap and Goertz foil. These combination produces perhaps the best treble that I've ever heard. May it's the Clarity cap or the quality of the Hipuphon or both but the treble has both transparency and smoothness that sometimes do not nessecary go together.
Overall, I don't think I've heard anything this good. Granted that I never was able to own really expensive speakers but the closest I can compare to is a pair of Living Voice Avatar which used Hovland caps and ScanSpeak 950000 tweeter. The LV treble probably is a little bit sweeter but the ClarityCap + Hiquphon is more transparent. I supposed if I used Mundorf then I would have both sweetness and transparency.

My speakers are based one of Troels' design:
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/W15.htm

And after listening to the W18 and now the W15CY, I am even more amazed at how these Seas magnesium drivers can reproduce the human voice with so much emotion.

Good to here someone pleased with their creation!

BTW, what was the grade of the ClarityCap?

[andy2]

Originally posted by ScottG



Good to here someone pleased with their creation!

BTW, what was the grade of the ClarityCap?

I used the top-of-the-line SA range. They are quite cheaper compared to Hovland or Mundorf.
Here is a picture without finishing veneer. I plan to purchase some veneer on-line and learn how to do veneer next.
http://www.geocities.com/hai_vu1/MiniMonitor/Mini.JPG

[johngalt47]

Andy2:

What are the other components in your system? Did you change anything else in the speakers from the original design?

[oldbar]

I am in the middle of buiding a 3way project using the SA claritycaps .
The drivers are vifa tweeter Xt25TG30-04.
Midrange peerless 850467phase plug .
Bass peerless 850146.

I emailed Tony Gee with the website Humble Homemade HIfi and he is testing the PW.PX .SA at the moment and he said that they seem promising.
I am hoping that my poject will be finished in January if I have enough time .
The only problem I am having is with the phase plug and having the sound just right .

[ScottG]

Originally posted by andy2



I used the top-of-the-line SA range. They are quite cheaper compared to Hovland or Mundorf.

Good to know. I haven't ever seen anyone comment on the sound of their capacitors (particularly the SA grade).

Yup, I've looked at 'em B4 (andre at e-speakers is carying them in the US). They look very good for the price. I even think the lesser range polys (when considering capacity) would be economically feasible for power supplies in amplifiers (with a low value bypass of the SA grade).

[andy2]

Originally posted by johngalt47
Andy2:

What are the other components in your system? Did you change anything else in the speakers from the original design?

My front end stuffs are pretty budget: Nad320BEE and NAD 540cdp. These speaker will sound much better with tube.

I didn't change a thing in his design. The only thing I left out in the xover is the 2.2mh - 22uf - 10ohm notch filter which I thought just added cost but have small effect to the sound. Overall, these speaker just sound so transparent but very smooth with a lot of see-through quality but at the same time have a laid-back character that will let you relax.

The Hiquphon is really a good tweeter. They sound very transparent but very smooth. I also built the TJL and while the TJL is very good but I thought it is somewhat let down by the Aurum Cantus G2si tweeter. I guess the tweeter is OK and others have a very high opinion of them but to me they lack presence and sparkle when compare to a good soft dome tweeter such as the Hiquphon or the Scan 95000. I hope Troels will design a xover for the W18E with a different tweeter some day.

[tktran303]

I'm surprised that you didn't feel the need for the midrange notch filter. What did Troels think about this omission?

If I've done this correctly, this is the transfer function, with and without the midrange notch filter.

You have extra output from 700Hz to 1.5KHz which is midrange and lower treble.

Could this be why the TJL sounds recessed in comparison?

[andy2]

Originally posted by tktran303
I'm surprised that you didn't feel the need for the midrange notch filter. What did Troels think about this omission?

If I've done this correctly, this is the transfer function, with and without the midrange notch filter.

You have extra output from 700Hz to 1.5KHz which is midrange and lower treble.

Could this be why the TJL sounds recessed in comparison?

Although we exchanged emails about the W15 monitor, I actually forgot to let him know about the omission of the notch filter. Troels did mention he will use the pictures in his website.

Personally, I usually prefer a slight lift in the midrange so to give vocal a little bit of freedom from the rest of the soundstage.

[tktran303]

Here is is:

Andy's W15 monitors



Nice work!