John Curl's Blowtorch preamplifier part II

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jan.didden said:
'The lower frequency end of its operating range can be described with Small/Thiele resonant parameters; in the next frequency band up to the Coincidence Frequency, it works like a pistonic driver; next an overlapping band follows where pistonic movement is progressively replaced by bending waves until all radiation is generated purely by bending movement in the cone - due to dispersion and the cone’s special shape, the Coincidence Frequency is spread over an extended frequency range, rather than occurring at a single frequency like the Dipole Frequency; the last mode of operation commences above the bending wave band at the Dipole Frequency when the first standing wave occurs and where modal break-up begins.'
I think, to an extent, that describes the natural behaviour of conventional drivers too. However, seems Dicks has embraced this and made use of it, rather than trying to avoid it, or live with it. Interesting !
 
From Linkwitz, Constant directivity loudspeaker designs:

I was quite impressed with the wide dispersion, clarity and neutrality of these speakers when I heard them at an AES Convention a few years ago. Only wished they were not vented. The horn compression driver is an ingenious dual diaphragm design by Alex Voishvillo for extended high frequency coverage and low distortion at high output levels.
Not exactly ecstatic about them ...
 
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How is this different than the Ohm Walsh driver?

The Walsh is referenced in the patent iirc. The way I understand it is that the idea is similar but the implementation is different. I don't think the Walsh changes ops mode with frequency but is designed to act as a bending wave transducer in is working frequency range, while the DDD cameleons from pistonic to bending to another one I forget.

The reason I brought this up is to add another slant to the discussion on cone behaviour and breakup.

Jan
 
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I think, to an extent, that describes the natural behaviour of conventional drivers too. However, seems Dicks has embraced this and made use of it, rather than trying to avoid it, or live with it. Interesting !

I think that is true, what I remember from talking to him, which was mid-80-ies last century (Man do I feel old when I type this ;-), that he had the idea to turn a disadvantage into an advantage.

Jan
 
Frank, I have a question for you.

Because you do as you do, I understand that you will by neccessity talk about models which were not so hot but were convinced to improve. On occasion, when something was mentioned, you were underwhelmed. I get all that.

But I would like to know what you were impressed with regarding loudspeakers, CD players and amps. Just a few examples will do nicely. Manufacturer and price of no consequence.
 
Jan, these drivers are bound to fail and one of the reasons is that the resonances that occur above break up store energy which is released after the signal to the drivers has ended. I'd really like to see waterfalls of either the German Physiks or the Ohm Walsh. The latter has been reviewed by Stereophile, but without measurements. Anybody aware of something in the public domain, section www?
 
Dejan, I've already mentioned a few instances of units that in standard form have impressed me, in posts at various times. But I will repeat them again ... I would note that overall the standard has improved, it used to be that almost everything was a disappointment, but now I come across good'uns at times, ;).

As source, music servers and good DACs tend to do better than players, and Lampizator and Weiss did well. The Swiss CH Precision CD player stood out, good also were AVM, BMC and MBL 1621/1611.

Amplifiers, the standout was Bryston 28BSST, also Technical Brain TDP-Zero - you'll like this, no GFB, superb square wave performance, and 19k/20k IMD, I was just looking it up a couple of hours ago! - also Viola Audio Lab., AVM, Magtech, BMC.

Loudspeakers I'm far more lenient towards, because their behaviour is very dependent on what's driving them - I've been impressed by MBL 101E, Magnepan MG3, Evolution Acoustics, Dynaudio.
 
As a simple demo of what I'm talking about, here's a rough phone recording of a brass orientated group busking, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn9nqspOcgU. Quick, is this the "real" thing, or a JBL M2 or other typical playback system doing the soundtrack?
That video is gold, made my day, thanks for that.
I agree that YouTube videos are useful for evaluating systems, remotely as it were.
Those JBL's are seriously hot in the mid/highs, which can be ok if they are dead clean, but those JBL's also have really serious bark on a few notes...ear bleeding...fail.

Dan.
 
AQuick, is this the "real" thing, or a JBL M2 or other typical playback system doing the soundtrack?
It is an awfully recorded and bad sounding live performance, what the point ?
This said, when you listen to live recordings (made by some cameras) of some hifi system playing, it is surprising how you can discriminate huge defects that you don't noticed by your ears alone. Cheated by the volume, or other pleasing artifacts ?
I can hear something very bad in the male voices in those JBL M2 whatever the place where the recordings was made. Nasal and distorted.
 
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