Hi there, i have refoiled my solostatic elements just because of this reason. i had distortion when i listen at low volume. now i refoiled them that went pretty well they look need and are all with the same tension no wrinkles nothing. but! i listened yesterday when computer whas of and i stil have some nasty distortion when listening at verry low volume. especsially piano sounds strange , when i turn up the volume a bit it disapeares and the sound will get fuller.
in my opinion it cant be the elements because they made thist sound before but after replacing the foil its back again.
so option 1 transformer sucks ? option 2 my capacitator between the tranformer and my amp causing this?
i tried without the cap so it has nog low cuf of frequency right now , and it looks like its not there or i cant hear i because theres more low tones as well.
anybody has ever encountered the same ? or maybe knows where i can find the problem. because option 1 looka almost impossible the transformer can't die half it either working or it aint. (its an audio tranformer of 1:60) and option 2 i never had a problem with a cap.
any ideas are welcome because before i wrap up the whole thing with a front and sides i want it to work properly otherwise, it will get anoying.
in my opinion it cant be the elements because they made thist sound before but after replacing the foil its back again.
so option 1 transformer sucks ? option 2 my capacitator between the tranformer and my amp causing this?
i tried without the cap so it has nog low cuf of frequency right now , and it looks like its not there or i cant hear i because theres more low tones as well.
anybody has ever encountered the same ? or maybe knows where i can find the problem. because option 1 looka almost impossible the transformer can't die half it either working or it aint. (its an audio tranformer of 1:60) and option 2 i never had a problem with a cap.
any ideas are welcome because before i wrap up the whole thing with a front and sides i want it to work properly otherwise, it will get anoying.
Attachments
Foil?
Perhaps you mean mylar film? The diaphragm is a polyester film.
I am not sure if you have a commercial loudspeaker or a home made loudspeaker??
No matter, the film needs a very high resistance coating for the ESL cell to work.
If you just used clear film it has no coating.
You need a coating.
If you do a search there are many threads about coatings and how to apply & test.
Distortion often means low high voltage "bias".
Also, if you have a good coating, you may not have a good connection to the diaphragm.
_-_-bear
Perhaps you mean mylar film? The diaphragm is a polyester film.
I am not sure if you have a commercial loudspeaker or a home made loudspeaker??
No matter, the film needs a very high resistance coating for the ESL cell to work.
If you just used clear film it has no coating.
You need a coating.
If you do a search there are many threads about coatings and how to apply & test.
Distortion often means low high voltage "bias".
Also, if you have a good coating, you may not have a good connection to the diaphragm.
_-_-bear
Are you using the "volume control" of that computer to turn the volume down to low levels? If so, that's the problem. (If not, ignore the rest of this post!)
On nearly all soundcards, the volume control is done by using smaller digital values for the signal, which means as you turn down the volume the resolution decreases and the relative distortion increases.
Playing 16bit audio with the digital volume set 30dB below maximum output level means you are listening to at best only 11bit audio (which will sound bad ).
On nearly all soundcards, the volume control is done by using smaller digital values for the signal, which means as you turn down the volume the resolution decreases and the relative distortion increases.
Playing 16bit audio with the digital volume set 30dB below maximum output level means you are listening to at best only 11bit audio (which will sound bad ).
bwaslo said:
I always use volume control on my PC(I have an amp that has no volume pot.) and never noticed any distortion at low levels.
WrineX : I suggest you to test each component of your system. Try using different audio source , amplifier.For now , it is difficult to tell what component is causing distortion.
>I always use volume control on my PC(I have an amp that has no volume pot.) and never noticed any distortion at low levels.
Maybe you have one of the (few) cards that use a digitally-controlled analog volume control or an external analog volume control. But otherwise, the math is not really debatable (think about what is happening -- it is not difficult to see that if some of the upper bits of the 16 are never other than zero because of digital attentuation, then your system can't possibly have 16bit resolution) . Who knows, you might be surprised what it would sound like if you were listening to full 16 bit, or even 14bit, of resolution. Some people think telephone audio (about 8bit) is undistorted, too, depends on what the listener thinks is objectionable.
Maybe you have one of the (few) cards that use a digitally-controlled analog volume control or an external analog volume control. But otherwise, the math is not really debatable (think about what is happening -- it is not difficult to see that if some of the upper bits of the 16 are never other than zero because of digital attentuation, then your system can't possibly have 16bit resolution) . Who knows, you might be surprised what it would sound like if you were listening to full 16 bit, or even 14bit, of resolution. Some people think telephone audio (about 8bit) is undistorted, too, depends on what the listener thinks is objectionable.
my soundcard has never been a problem on my normal speakers, i have a audigy platinum 2 one of the few beter moddels so that cant be the problem, i changeed my crossover so the panels will play lower notes as well, and it looks like it solved the problem, but i am not so sure because the lower notes also mask the distorted frequency. i still hear it every now an then but me room mates never hear anything so mayby im mental or im to precise.
and indeed the sound only ocours with low level and vanish at higher volume
and indeed the sound only ocours with low level and vanish at higher volume
If you connect a headphone to the speaker terminals with a 100 ohms resistor in series you should be able to hear the distortion through the headphones, if you don't the distortion doesn't come from the amplifier.
The panels should also be connected.
Be sure to turn the volume all the way down before connecting the headphones and turning on the amp.
Then turn the volume up very slowly so you don't damage the headphones or your ears.
The panels should also be connected.
Be sure to turn the volume all the way down before connecting the headphones and turning on the amp.
Then turn the volume up very slowly so you don't damage the headphones or your ears.
Hi,
I never encountered aprob like Yours, but if I understand Your post right, the problem doesn´t occur when You leave out the coupling cap??
Well then we could definitively exclude core saturation because of some DC-Offsets of the amp at low volumes.
Too we can exclude a high resonant Q formed by the LC-resonator circuit of tranny inductance and the cap´s capacitance.
This could lead to elevated excursion levels....but regardless of volume level and should rather present a prob at high levels of playback volume.
To me it sounds like a funny effect of the coupling cap itself. Have You tried out other caps instead?
jauu
Calvin
I never encountered aprob like Yours, but if I understand Your post right, the problem doesn´t occur when You leave out the coupling cap??
Well then we could definitively exclude core saturation because of some DC-Offsets of the amp at low volumes.
Too we can exclude a high resonant Q formed by the LC-resonator circuit of tranny inductance and the cap´s capacitance.
This could lead to elevated excursion levels....but regardless of volume level and should rather present a prob at high levels of playback volume.
To me it sounds like a funny effect of the coupling cap itself. Have You tried out other caps instead?
jauu
Calvin
i tried to lower the crossover frequency and it looks like its gone but as i said it could mask the anoing sound. i personally think it has to do with the resonance frequency of my panels. maybe they are to tensioned. maybe i can run them in or something , put them against eachother one out of fase and let them play for few days when im not home. could give it a try 
WrineX
I don't have an answer but I have experienced something very similar, or the same! A friend's pair of Final 0.3s both have distorted sound at very low volumes. Just as you have pointed out it is most noticeable on piano. Most of the time it is not an issue for my friend as he listens at higher levels, but because the problem becomes progressively more obvious as volume decreases I know I would be listening for it during quiet passages if the Final 0.3s belonged to me (I use Quads but as a keen ESL DIYer I would like to know the cause of the problem).
I have upgraded the input capacitor but the problem remains on both speakers. I have wondered about the transformer (and pretty much everything else) but I have not found an answer despite much deep thought.
Do you have a picture of your transformer, just in case it is the same as that used in the Final 0.3?
Tim.
I don't have an answer but I have experienced something very similar, or the same! A friend's pair of Final 0.3s both have distorted sound at very low volumes. Just as you have pointed out it is most noticeable on piano. Most of the time it is not an issue for my friend as he listens at higher levels, but because the problem becomes progressively more obvious as volume decreases I know I would be listening for it during quiet passages if the Final 0.3s belonged to me (I use Quads but as a keen ESL DIYer I would like to know the cause of the problem).
I have upgraded the input capacitor but the problem remains on both speakers. I have wondered about the transformer (and pretty much everything else) but I have not found an answer despite much deep thought.
Do you have a picture of your transformer, just in case it is the same as that used in the Final 0.3?
Tim.
i dont have a picture, but im sure there not the same because my tranformer is made in the early 70's and the final are newer. its indeed noticable with piano and sometimes with female voice. i noticed i cant hear it as much as a week ago. but i dont know its me addapting to the sound or its going away for real. i really think i has something to do with the mylar tension, could be the resonance frequency in de audible range or maybe that the tension of the mylar is preventing the mylar to move like it should with the low current provided and get distorted. also i recon people said the final sounded a bit harsh this also is a side effect of a to strong tensioned membrane. its still guessing because i really dont wanna re foil the elements again.
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