Amps for best synergy for PHL Manger / Raven

[BrianGT]

Originally posted by Nelson Pass
Since I have some experience with PHL and Ravens, I can tell you that you will be dealing with something a little higher than 2 ohms on the tweeter, and you will want to consider that.

Also, there is no way that a 10 inch PHL is going to reach up to a Raven. The 10 inch is good to maybe 1K, and I personally would not try to use a Raven below about 5.

Having said that, both products are superb within their ranges; you simply have to consider a midrange driver between them.

I am looking to make a 3way with the Raven R2. Given a Raven R2 crossing over at 5k, do you have any suggestions to fill the midrange gap? I was thinking about the PHL 6.5" 1120 mid:
http://www.e-speakers.com/PDF's/1120.pdf
I am also looking for a woofer that goes lower then the PHL 10" drivers, as they seem lacking.

--
Brian

[herm]

Here's a surplus guy selling PHL 15"

http://www.mojotone.com/surplus/Speakers.html

Although they don't seem to go much lower that the 10"

[Peter Daniel]

I have 2 Ravens R2 and 4 pcs. of PHL1230 Woofers. I bought them at least 4 years ago and somehow didn't have a chance to implement them yet. Maybe this summer?

[thylantyr]

So to return to the original questions, does anyone have suggestions for best driving these superb drivers.
Tube amps, Gainclones, an Aleph 2 or Aksa, or otherwise.

Using high sensitivity drivers tend
to reveal noisy amplifiers, so my
first criteria on pre-amp/amplifier
selection is to find a low noise
solution ...


.... whichever brands you like,
is what works best ....

[rick57]

Peter I was considering the Esg1, which is $499. Still very expensive, but I love the sound of ribbons, and what else can handle 1.8 kHz up as well (except perhaps the Seas Millennium, which is nowhere near as sensitive). That's a rhetorical question.

I've decided to go ribbon PHL for the left and right. So thanks all for the concern about my driver matching and cost, but the questions asked were all about *amps* to best drive speaker types, especially the more critical ribbons and Mangers.

I think an Aleph would be great for PHL (or a lot of other brands), and probably for ribbons too - correct me if anyone has found better - or cheaper.

So any *gainclone ribbon* users out there?
and any *Manger users*??


TIA

[Peter Daniel]

It is probably best to use same amp type, both for midrange and Ribbon. Aleph would be fine here if you are not concern with large heat dissipation. Aleph 2 would be too much but you could use Aleph3. Gainclone is fine as well and it all depends how much money and work you want to invest into that.

[rick57]

> Aleph 2 would be too much but you could use Aleph 3.

You're right, Aleph 2 would be overkill for a tri-amp with speakers this sensitivity.
If I were to go Aleph, I believe that 30 is better than 3, if a design is around (I think so).

> Gainclone is fine as well and it all depends how much money and work you want to invest into that.

My 'emerging hunch' is that that a well executed Gainclone for mids and treble, is at least 80% of the quality for (subject to components chosen) maybe a third the cost.

IIRC, some people 6-12 months ago were intending to use Mangers. Perhaps they never did.

For the Manger, probably should build an Aleph, and compare to the Gainclone. (It'll take a while).
The Aksa - the only one of these I've heard - IMHO is great for mids and bass, but has some harshness c. 3 kHz.
As the Manger (93 dB) is lower sensitivity than the PHL (98 dB), the Aleph 2 would be better here.

Any comments?

TIA

[Peter Daniel]

Depending how loud you play your music,with 93dB drivers, Aleph5 should be good enough.

[thylantyr]

Peter I was considering the Esg1, which is $499. Still very expensive, but I love the sound of ribbons, and

what else

can handle 1.8 kHz up as well

This one..... hehehe

The company operates this tweeter
down to 1.2khz. $600 ea.

I have five, need three more for
my mini line source project.

http://www.stageaccompany.com/cdload.html

Esg1 is more mechanical user friendly
than SA tweeter. I have to get
some machined enclosures for my
SA's so it's easy to mount, provides
magnetic shielding, and looks

... perty....

more cost.

Sounds like a fun project, Esg1 + PHL,
plus Lambda TD15 <---- awesome

[thylantyr]

--and any *Manger users*??

Since Andre from E-speakers.com
sells them, did you ask him
for comments ?

I don't remember which thread
I read this, but I read somewhere
that someone said Mangers are
not very loud, prehaps max spl is
between 100 - 110 db. I don't
know how this would mate with
the other drivers which can output
alot more ?????

I guess this is a function of
"volume knob",........ hehe