Are Balance Controls Still Necessary?

[fdegrove]

Hi,

What do you guys think of them? Are they dynamic enough to use as a reference for dynamics?

Oh, yes they are...just don't feed them with pancake flat boring electronics...

Not that you really need Edgar horns to enjoy wide dynamic range but I see your point.

Cheers,

 

[Positron]

how many octaves?

Since Bruce doesn't have his website up yet, how many octaves does the horn portion actually cover? I heard he uses a Fostex tweeter. Is this true? Do you know what the crossover frequencies are?

 

[Brett]

Email him and ask . He's a very generous and helpful guy.
bedgar@socal.rr.com

In case you didn't know, Dick Olsher reveiwed them a while back on enjoy the muzak
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0300/edgarhornslimline.htm

As for being a reference, they're undoubtedly good (I've never heard them) especially for the size and $ but I don't see them coming anywhere near a Titan.

 

[runeight]

Thanks for the input folks. I'm losing the balance controls even as we speak . . . .

 

[Positron]

Titans etc.

I have a friend who heard the Slimlines and Titans. Seems his opinion is that the Titans had a problem or two, sonic wise. But take that with a grain of salt.


Don't need DHTs and SE amps to get great sound. Since I am a manufacturer I can't say a whole lot, except the 2A3 amp I heard a few weeks ago (good review by TNT) didn't sound that great on the Slimlines. The amp would have sounded really bad on the Fostex speakers (cabinet designed by Fostex I am told) my acquaintance had (went down to hear the Fostex's at his house).

 

[fdegrove]

Hi,

Don't need DHTs and SE amps to get great sound.

Agreed 100% and you need horns either...

Cryptically yours,

 

[Positron]

Agreed

FD, or anyone else, I wonder if you have had any listening sessions with System Audio, particularly the 1270 or 1280 models?

I changed the internal wire to another brand (they were using zip cord), a couple of caps and resistors. The response seems really flat, quick, dynamic, and the bass, well, I can play Titanic soundtrack, deep bass and all and all seems pretty good.
Wonder what anyone elses impression is.

Thanks.

 

[mrfeedback]

Individual channel mute controls (switches) can be useful for comparing the two channels.
A mono switch can be useful also, as can L/R reversal switching.
Balance control is not required.

Eric.

 

[fdegrove]

Hi,

FD, or anyone else, I wonder if you have had any listening sessions with System Audio, particularly the 1270 or 1280 models?

Sorry, Steve I haven't heard those speakers yet.

Eric,

I agree that a mute switch is useful.
Individual left/right mute switches aren't necessary if you use individual stepped attenuators IMHO.

Cheers,

 

[dhaen]

Yes the stepped attenuators are a nice idea
Frank, the preamp attenuators I mentioned earlier are actually detented pots who's wipers run right onto the zero ohm part of the track. Probably not easy to find, hence the switched type is better for diy.

 

[fdegrove]

Hi,

Frank, the preamp attenuators I mentioned earlier are actually detented pots who's wipers run right onto the zero ohm part of the track.

Thanks, John...I didn't even know those pots existed.
Interesting.

Cheers,

 

[runeight]

The ones I have are called M-N tapers and half of the pot is conductive, each channel in opposite directions. So when the pot is set at midpoint, there is no resistance in the circuit. Turing the pot increases the resistance for the channel you want to attenuate without affecting the other channel.

 

[fdegrove]

Hi,

So when the pot is set at midpoint, there is no resistance in the circuit.

That's how I understand a good balance pot should be.

Note that there's always some resistance due to wiper contact resistance and then there's the extra cabling as well.

Cheers,