Does anyone have the patience to help me with a Linn Valhalla upgrade?

Hello, I know this subject has been done to death and I am reading through the old posts - and https://andydoz.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-comprehensive-linn-valhalla-repair.html

Let me tell you my situation. I purchased a perfectly working un modified valhalla.. i tested it, all good, but I knew it was a bit dated. It worked and I checked all the HV and low V. All good ( 300+v on caps ) motor span no probs. Caps looked old.

My plan was to replace things one at a time, starting with R1, testing at every stage to ensure it still worked.

I know this post will offend some people as I am looking for a hand for something thats been done a 1000 times

I first changed R1 to a inrush varistor - I made the mistake of not do ing this one thing and re checking, as was my plan. One thing replace, check next thing.

At the same time as R1 I also changed R2 & R3 with 7w 15k wire wounds as I thought "why not - easy "

Well after the 2 changes the valhalla no longer works. I get no 300+v DC on caps on C1, and basically a dead board.

I have traced the HV with my meeter the varister seems OK, fuse OK. I think I maybe burnt a copper track with the big resistors.

Can anyone give me a hand fixing this? I have a scope ( that I know how to use ) a mulimeter and I probably even have a isolation transformer somewhare .

My goal is to have a valhalla in an external box I can use between decks & do a real comparison butween a basic supply ( .2uf 90deg cap based phase shift ) and a DIY geddon so see if a moron like me could actually hear a difference.

If anyone is up for helping I would be greatful.

Thanks

Chris

(Informal) Chat with Dr. Earl Geddes of GedLee Audio

Last week I asked Earl - in a thread here - if he would be willing to come on my YouTube channel and talk about a few different topics ranging from nonlinear distortion to how reviewers can do better. He obliged. It was a great opportunity to talk to someone who I truly admire and respect. You’ll have to excuse me for occasionally “fan-girling”. 😉 😀

YouTube

* I'll try to add bookmarks to this when I get the time

Personally, the discussion was very beneficial for me as it gave me some ideas on areas I can improve my reviews. If you watch you’ll see we talk about compression and I mention that I perform what I would consider a “dynamic” test. He suggested doing long term compression and convinced me to add that back in to my arsenal. So I’ll be incorporating that in future reviews but in a different manner than I had done before.

I also was simply unaware that - due to masking - our ability to hear distortions of a loudspeaker are lessened as we increase output. This makes me think that it might be more beneficial to test HD components at lower SPL.... or potentially just not worry about it altogether. (I already provide 86dB and 96dB @ 1m HD components for loudspeaker/transducer tests)


I have to thank Earl again for joining me and helping me (us) understand the various aspects of nonlinear distortion and I appreciated his insight in to the other topics we touched on.

NAD C352 Integrated Amplifier 120v 60Hz to 240v 50Hz

Hello,

I moved to a country with 240v 50Hz so my NAD C352 originally built for 120v 60Hz need to be converted to be used without step down transformer.

I am wondering if it is possible to convert to 240v 50Hz by simply replacing suitable toroidal transformer. The transformer itself does not have any sticker indicating voltage rating but NAD logo on top only.

When I read service manual, the part number are two (one is C and the other is AH version, not sure what the differences are).

Can any one enlighten me if it can be done by replacing transformer or it is a lot more than that? (hope it is simple swap).

If it can be done, then which transformer do I need to get?

To save time, I attached service manual for reference too.

Thank you so much and any help would be hugely appreciated.

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Best budget capacitors for speaker crossover restoration

Hi Everyone,

I bought a pair of B&W DM2ii speakers, which look great to my eyes. Really nice condition in Teak & generally they sound pretty good, but the sound is a bit hollow on some music, and the treble could do with being a bit brighter, although the actual situation isn't too bad TBH. All drivers are working well, but I feel a recap or refresh of the crossovers is required after 43 years.

These speakers have 9 caps on each crossover, so 6 pye electrolytics for the LF & MF, and 3 film (metallised?) caps for the HF. As mentioned it would be good if a little bit more sparkle was restored to the tweeters.

I have been looking at various on-line shops in Europe & UK, and I must admit it's pretty confusing between the different makes & types, with some big price differences for polyproplyene caps depending on the make & model. Basically this is a pocket money hobby for me, and I don't want to spend too much on restoring them, so I am looking for the best sweet spot between cost & quality. This is my plan :

LF & MF :
Use good quality electrolytics. My considered options are ALCAP low loss, ALCAP 100V, or Mundorf E caps
The advantage of the ALCAP range is that they have the exact same capacitance capacitors as the original caps (ex 80uf, 30uf, 20uf etc) whereas all other makes including MKT types, tend to have a nearby equivalent but not the same capacitance (ex 82uf, 33uf, 22uf)
Can anyone advise what would be best, or any alternative ideas ?

HF :
The orignal capacitors are 3 square rectangular film type caps (5uf in series, 2.2uf & 0.47uf in parallel), in close proximity to other components, and maybe it would be a squeeze to use some large Polyproplyene caps.
My options here are Mundorf Mcap, Jantzen standard Z cap, SCR MKP or Solen MKP, or even WIMA MKP type film caps which would fit the board.
Again, can anyone advise what would be the best compromise ? I want to brighten up the tweeter a bit, but dont want to go overboard or regret it afterwards. I guess trying to be as close as possible to original sound is the target.

Many thanks

Sugden A88

Hi, I bought this very rare 110v A88 for spares to repair a broken 240v one. Because of it's voltage, it had not , I think, been used much. The nextel was all gloopy and it looked terrible. I converted it to 240 volts, according to helpful instructions from Sugden. Unused for many years, it worked beautifully first-time (after passing the light-bulb test)! A tribute to Sugden build quality! The sound is sublime- clearly Sugden, but also very fast, a bit like Naim! It's a slightly odd design, I think, with 2 transformers (in series?), and puts out 80w into 8 ohms and 150w into 4 ohms. Patrick Miller at Sugden told me that they had been specially made for export to Nigeria, but the buyer was fraudulent, so they were sold in the UK and US markets for a brief period instead. Sonically it is just excellent! I am working from an A44 schematic, which is similar, but with only one transformer. I have 2 amps to make one out of, one working nicely (though with a slightly quiet left channel) and one very battered and intermittent. I am not brilliant at electronics, but really want to restore one to perfection. I have 4 questions, firstly does anyone have any recommendations about capacitor make to preserve the sonic signature? Secondly, does anyone know where one could get small bits re-coated with nextel (or should I just go with paint or powder coating?), thirdly, how do you re-label the dials on the front after re-surfacing the coating? I could just try to re-case it all, but that seems wrong really! I have included some pictures! Thanks for any help or comments
Jo

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Got an old broken receiver from the 60s, repaired it but the noise floor is still to high.

It is an AM-320 from palace audio, it only had a broken powersuply cap. So when I replaced it I was like: "Wow that was easy" but noo!

I mean, it does work now. But the noise floor is terrible (like 50% signal 50% noise)...
I was wondering if I could get some guidance for where to look next... Maybe the potentiometers make bad contact or the transistors grew to old and need replacement??

I would love to get it running, it would be my first "old vintagy" amp.
However, making a full repair (replacing every cap, etc) wouldnt appeal much to me lol...



Here are some photos: (The transistors are: AD162 and 25B474)

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1956-58 Airline Console 1.6 ohm output?

The Wards Airline Radio/Phono Console that I'm in the midst of reclaiming has got two 8" woofers, one model 2620(4 ohm tested), with ribbed paper cone, model 2620A with flat cone(4 ohm tested) and one 3.5 inch tweeter model 2621(8 ohm tested) All AlNiCo drivers. Unsure of the make of speakers, I assume they're Jensen's, due to Wards long standing use.

Anywho, the Beast, which I've dubbed the old gal, has the speakers wired all in series at a calculated 1.6 ohm impedance. I attempted a different audio path after recapping, and new tight tolerance capacitors. I tried each combination, of wiring methods, all, sounding terrible, so I ended back up at the 1.6 ohm impedance.
First impressions: At 4 ohm, single woofer, not bad. But definitely not letting the amplifier do it's work. At 4ohm Series parallel, I get the feeling that something is getting left on the floor. So back I go, to 1.6 ohms...this thing is amazing! I made an alligator clip audio out to test the different input paths and the input switch, put on a lil Buddy Holly and just sat there. In awe of the crisp, yet ultra lifelike reproductions of the human voice this thing is capable of, in fact, when "Love Me Tender" by Elvis began to play, it brought a tear to my eyes. There is soooo much emotion that comes through this magic box, that my Technic SU-900 just can't compete with.

Q: Measuring Frequency Response of PP Output Transformer

Hi !

What is the optimal schematic to connect push-pull output transformer to the signal generator in order to properly measure frequency response? Generator is Digimess FG200 capable 7V rms, output impedance 50 Ohm. Transformer secondary loaded with 10 Ohm non-inductive resistor (I don't have 8 Ohm non-inductive). RMS voltage on secondary is being measured with oscilloscope.

Right now I simply connected transformer primary straight to the generator.

Transformer is quite bug, 3.9K 60W push-pull with cathode feedback. Leakage inductance (with 8 Ohm tap shorted) is 4.39 mH (cathode feedback off), and 4.64 mH (cathode feedback in series with primary). Top -3dB frequency is 77KHz.

With current setup its seems I can't catch up resonant frequency - there should be a resonant peak but till 260 KHz there is a just continuous drop. It makes no sense to go beyond that frequency.

12% CFB have little effect to the final numbers so IMHO it can be kept disconnected - please correct if I'm wrong there.

Thanks in advance for any suggestion(s).

PWM 10 Amp constant current source 24-96V?

Posting this @ diyaudio, obviously many great minds reside here....

What circuit topology would you recommend for:....designing a SMPS/PWM based current source power supply to drive a 1ohm inductive load (motor field winding) from 24-96VDC at 10A, and the ability to vary current is a plus....

I did have a PWM circuit measuring the volt drop via feedback across a 0.055 ohm resistor in series with the load, and the resistor heat dissipation was very high, so I'm looking for other options..circuit worked very well for a while....also had peak starting current eventually burn the resistor and blow the MOSFET!

Also had an idea of using an inductor in series with the load, and measuring that, , maybe a sensor, or even just making a 96Vin/10Vout power supply instead (10V/1ohm=10A)

Ideas and comments welcome!!!

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Markaudio CHR-90

I'd like the introduce the latest Markaudio full range driver - the CHR-90. Available in both Grey and Gold this new driver will suit many projects requiring a driver of this size. There will be several enclosure designs to whet the appetite of the DIYer soon. Keep you eye out here.

It has been mentioned here before but this is the first time it as available outside the of the east. It took a while due to Coronavirus and then Brexit to get them here.

Markaudio CHR-90 Full Range Speaker Driver | KJF Audio

HOT Totem Pole transistors, alternatives?

What bipolar transistors would you recommend for robust totem pole outputs at approximately 22khz or higher? Should I use heatsinking? Do I need TO247 sized bipolars to drive these massive MOSFETS?

I'm building a TL494 based SEPEX motor controller that is switching huge 11X (eleven paralled) IRFP90N20D MOSFETS, with 10 ohm gate resistors on each MOSFET, and I'm using 6A darlington Sanken TO-220 drivers for them, and also smaller 5A TO-126 audio transistors driving one pair of IRFP90N20D Pin a typical NPN/PNP totem-pole arrangement. They are getting REALLY HOT. I'm rebuilding my circuit over again with single side prototype board, because I discovered the double-sided prototype board has issues with capacitance and shorting, even though the circuit works, which is adding to the heating. I never had issues with plain prototype board, but the green double board looks nice, and was a nightmare to work with!!!

Before I rebuild this circuit on to new prototype board, what recommendations would you make?

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Modify PAM8403 and TPA3116D2 to high watt

I have implemented PAM8403 and TPA3116D2. Let's use the PWM signal to increase the high volts in the circuit I designed. It works well. I recommend it to work in the line, the short range speakers are safe and sound good. But if using a long cable, it should use a filter core.

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Hard wiring a H/K SB16 wireless sub

Hi all,
I've got a bit of an odd project on my hands here...
I picked up an old Harmon/Kardon SB16 powered subwoofer. It appears to work (power light comes on), but it's meant to pair with a sound bar via bluetooth, so it has no physical connections at all.
I'd like to try to hack in a set of inputs (RCA for preference) by finding a tap-in point on the board(s) somewhere. I'm sorry if this is the wrong place for this, but since the connections are all attached to the plate amp built into the sub, I thought it would be appropriate. Please feel free to move if there's a better place to discuss.
Anyway, I popped it open tonight, and got some good photos (I hope) if the internals. I can take shots of any specific angles if it will help.
I'm guessing that the wired connection, if possible, will need to be made somewhere on that board that also has the wireless module and antenna, since the other boards appear to be dedicated to power, control, amplification, etc...
I made up a simple lead with probes on the ends, and thought about hooking it up to a low-level input, like my phone, and touching various places with the sub powered up to see if I got any output, but that sounded like a very good way to fry my phone and/or the amp. 😱

Is there a better way to determine where I might be able to tap in a wired input for this?
Photos attached for reference. The first couple are just for context. More available upon request.
Thanks!
-Mike

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Volume Control wiring

Hi. I've built my own streaming amp step by step. Starting with a digital streamed source I controlled volume via my phone (app). All fine - no ground hum at any volume. Then I added an EIZZ 3 position input selector - outputs L, R, Common Ground. Again, all good, no ground hum. Finally I've added an ALPS RK 27112 pot. No matter how I configure the ground connections, I get hum at low volume levels. At the moment I've connected left and right channel ground pins on the ALPS to the EIZZ CommGnd, and the amp L/R Ground wires. I've read a lot on the Internet, but nothing seems to explain how to configure this. Any ideas, or links to further reading greatly appreciated.

Thanks

TEZLA AUDIO TZ-6000.1D Goes into protect

Hi All,

Does anyone have any experience with Tezla Audio amps, a TZ-6000.1D, in this case. I am sure there are others that use a similar circuit. The Output MOSFETs are both N and P Channel MOSFETS.

The amp came in with a note that it will not start up and goes into protection. The following has been checked:
  • No blown Power Supply (PS) MOSFETs / Gate resistors
  • PS drive looks fine for all PS Sections
  • It is a regulated PS, that reduces PWM once +-100V is reached on rails
  • +- 12V Supplies working for preamps. (this does go down to 11.4 when main PS is regulating)
  • +- 9 V supplies to the driver card, even though the silk screen indicates +-12V
  • No blown Output MOSFETs.
  • PS will only fully start up with the Driver Board removed or with drive to the Outputs disabled
  • Audio signal gets to the input pin of the Driver Board as expected

I have not been able to identyfy and find any schematics for the driver board, but have been able to determine the following:
  • Bottom SOIC8 is an OPAMP. (A) pins 1,2 & 3 is the audio side, (B) pins 5, 6 & 7 generate the triangle wave
  • Middle SOIC14 is likely an LM319 Dual comparator.
- Pins 7, 9 & 10 generate the square wave clock feeding TL072 (B) to generate the triangle wave
- Pins 4, 5 and 12 functions as the integrator.
- Top SOIC8 seems to be a dual N and P channel MOSFET, as far as I can tell

With no feedback (Outputs disabled) the voltage on pin 4 would be above/below the triangle wave with no PWM output. There would be a squae wave at the input circuit and this was expected with not feedback.
With local feedback TL072 pin 1 to 2, I could get the LM319 to produce the PWM as expected. In order to not drive the Outputs, I removed the top SOIC 8 from the driver board.

I am not familiar with this driver bord. Is there a shutdown/mute circuit that I need to confirm is working as expected?

It seems like the oscillations start before the power supplies have stabalized.

Any advice / thoughts?

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Modwright KWI 200 panel controls defective

Hi.
I have a Modwright kwi 200 where the volume and input selector at front panel are not working, or not working like intended i should say. Remote control works like normal. The panel knops will both only select either "cd" input or "bp" (bypass). If I use the remote the amp is playing like it should.
I have looked for a diagram or service manual but I find nothing...
Is there a solution for this problem, so I can fix it myself?

Thank you.

IanCanada Asynchronous I2S/PCM FIFO Kit

I bought this ages ago for a DAC project that never materialized. I'm not entirely sure of what's in the bag anymore so it seems better to take a picture and just list out what I can see:

  1. Async I2S FIFO Kit w/ Single XO Board attached (plus what seems to be an 11.2896MHz oscillator pre-installed)
  2. I2S Reclocking Circuit
  3. I2S to PCM Converter Board
  4. Digital Isolator Board
  5. I2S/DSD Isolator
  6. Battery Charging circuit?
  7. Assorted u.fl/power cables as part of the kit
Let me know via DM if you're interested, I'd prefer to keep this together if possible. I'll take extra pictures if anyone needs them.
1650968404573.png

B&K microphone power supply - help needed

I've got myself into a possible problem.
I bought a B&K 4000 series mic. It was cheap - on ebay $250 (1300 dollar mic). It was a measurement mic used in a lab, complete with the base/preamp. Flat as hell, basically omni. I figured it might sound good for recording (was I crazy?), but I need a good measurement mic anyway, so I bought it. A B&K is going to be quality gear - so I took the risk. This is a prepolarized mic, so it does not need polarization voltage, only a little current to run the "preamp" - in the base of the mic (the 2671).

It has BNC a connection. 2 wires. Turns out the correct power supply costs like 500 bucks. yikes. I forgot it might not be a standard phantom power (48V).

So, the question is, how can I build my own power supply? The issue is not the supply voltage/current since I can look that up - (I assume I can get a wal-wart that will be close enough from an electronics supplier), but the conversion to xlr (the 3 pin connector which is the interface to the mixing colsole). Which of the two wires is hot (signal or ground), and how do I keep the current out of my board? If I apply current to the ground, it will short. If I apply it to the hot, I will hurt my mic pre or the mic, maybe. But the power supply has to use one of those wires. B&K can not answer these questions in their support (they tell me to buy the power supply). I don't know exactly how phantom power works - so this will give you an idea of my state of ignorance.

Solid State Relay for an amplifier mains power switch

I expect this has been discussed but the search is not working for me.





Regarding if a Solid State Relay for an amplifier mains power switch degrades the musical sound quality from the loud speakers during music play?


Everything else I've used does in the various, but generally very revealing Hi-Fi systems I've tested with.


Have you personally tried an SSR and what was the effect on the sound from your loudspeakers. Did it have a negative effect, if so what? How did it compare to relays, mechanical switches, mercury switches, huge contactors, anything else you tried?

Please let me know what methods have been found to be the most transparent way to switch the amplifiers mains power on / off.






For switching on/off power to domestic amplifiers, e.g., 100W to 300W per channel stereo and mono amplifiers. 500 to 1000VA Transformer, 40,000 to 100,000uF. UK 240 Volts 50 Hz AC.

Whilst there are a lot of people who's very limited experience has them believe that cables, plugs, switches, have no effect, others know the fact that they all do modify the music, and sometimes in a big way.

I've been making mains cables and attempting to get a transparent mains supply for decades.

The best by very far that the test system sounded was to solder a 25mm² 'super spur' direct to the amplifier transformer with no plugs, switches, fuses, tracks, anything, other than an appropriate fuse at the meter board after the distribution block in it's single carrier, that also acted as the switch by simply pulling it out of it's carrier. Neutral with no switch, just going into the distribution block. The installation being compliant with the UK 16th edition regulations.

Obviously that's not a practical way to operate a domestic hi-fi, so I made and inserted various switches at the amplifier between the spur and the transformer, all had a very disappointing and damaging effects on the tonal balance and realism of the sound quality.

Also that means soft starting and DC, etc., protection that cuts the mains supply is not possible without severe compromise of the sound quality.

I made a 16 pole main relay, contacts bridged with 2mm² copper rod at the contacts, hopeless.

Spent £70 for a high current mercury switch from industrial cookers, just as bad as the multi pole relay.

I somehow fitted and soldered the 25mm² conductors into an IEC plug with the socket pins soldered to the transformer lead in wires, terrible. IEC plugs for me have been bad for the sound, even the ridiculously expensive ones.

So, to my request for help and the point of this post....

I've not yet tried sold state relays.

The high repetitive current ones are expensive and I don't want to waste a further load of money if the tests have already been done and the results were not any good.

Thanks. 🙂








Note: My personal preference is that this thread is maintained as an informative useful resource for anyone looking for information.

To keep it tight, clean and meaningful the chaff has to go or it dilutes the meaningful content about the subject of my enquiry.

Wharfedale Super 10/RS/DD as studio monitors?

I've got a pair of Wharfedale Super 10/RS/DD. To my ears they sound somewhat similar to my NS10's, having rather forward midrange but I've never tried mixing on them. If anyone has experience with these, would they be good enough as a studio monitor? I was thinking making smaller encolsures, the originals are huge, nowhere to put them on the desk or even in my small room.

NXP i.mx RT600 as a USB DSP

Hello everyone,

I'm looking to build a USB DSP to accompany my Class-D AMP I build a few months ago. It uses an Infineon ma12070p chip and is basically the reference design for a fully digital two-channel amp with I2S input. link
The idea is to have 2 active desktop/bookshelf speakers with full streaming capabilities (USB, Analog IN, Digital IN and maybe some network streaming options) with DSP crossover and room correction, feeding a 2-channel AMP over I2S.
While looking for options I started with an implementation based on the FreeDSP project (aurora) using an ADAU chip for the DSP and an XMOS 208/216 for the USB I2S stream. Due to the availability of the parts, the ADAU implementation is not so attractive anymore, and the XMOS chip is generally very expensive and I don't like the provided IDE.

I came across the NXP I.MX RT MCU chip family and was wondering if this would be the candidate. The RT600 has an M33 and a HIFI4 cadence core. The documentation seems good and chips are available. Instead of an expensive evaluation kit, the teensy 4.1 can be used, it features a very similar chip from the same family. Depending on DSP processor power and IO functionality, the RT1024 could be used, if I choose to hand solder.
The chips can be programmed in C-like language and have support for Zephyr, so there should be a community out there to help with that.

Has anyone tried these chips for a DSP/DAC project or is interested in doing so? Every help is appreciated.

Best Fabian

JBL PB12 subwoofer, Class D amp, dead.

One of my friend just gave me a blown PB12, there is a class D module amp, where everything seems to be in.
The circuit seems to be repaired and looks like there was a lot of rework from factory. I know this unit never been opened by a redneck or so, my friend dont even have screwdrivers.

So, is there some schematics that i could get, or some inputs. I do think that the source of the problem is the module, wich is a small heat sink and some urethane molded behind it. When i turn it on, the woofer pops in with huge hummmmmm. Dead for sure.

Sources for this part?

It seems that there is a lot of bad coments on this subwoofer.
?

Thanks

Pat Allen

FIRST DIY SUB - 15" in progress, pics. Check my design before I seal it up?

More pics, calcs, and WinISD files here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/o2xls2ha7ibzuoo/AAB3Lj5jyOo4v97BEQAqN11Ea?dl=0 theres a subboxpro link in the txt

This is my first TV, speakers, and subwoofer ever. Please review and lmk what you think so far.

I bought a Dayton 15", a Crown XLS 602 to drive it, and a minidsp to control the signal with EQ and bandpass filters.

this is the speaker: http://www.loudspeakerdatabase.com/Dayton/DCS385-4

I did a lot of research but am still a rookie. The background is: I was reading about getting some decent speakers on the internet, got the jbl 530s on sale and then read I should get a sub to go with it, and people said I could build my own for cheaper and they'd be better. I watched youtube videos and read around and like fun project to do and went down a rabbit hole and now I have this. I even built the TV console custom to fit this dimension sub underneath. I learned about winisd and added some EQ for a flat profile while not breaking xmax. Oh also the port velocity, its under 20. But that's all I really checked, I don't know what the rest mean really so if anyone experienced here wants to take a look and help it would be appreciated.

All the port panels and braces are still unattached, so I'm wondering if y'all have any comments before I finish the port side of the box and seal it up. I could still change the tuning frequency/port length a bit or add more bracing. I am gonna round out the port corner and seams with liquid nails. This is going underneath the shown TV console I built so the box is strictly limited in the given dimensions/volume.

My goal for the sub is when I'm playing videogames or watching movies, when an explosion or something goes off it will go "boom" and sound good. Just kidding, the TV is only used by my wife to watch The Real Housewives....

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Constant current microphone that is P48 compatible - how does it work?

Isemcon have a line of ICP (4 mA constant current) microphones that are P48, in fact also P24 and P12 compatible. They claim that they can be used with no degradation of performance with 12 to 48 V phantom power. The adapter is a straight connection of pin 2, while pin 3 is simply grounded.

This is the data sheet. The information is the most detailed for the 7001 model, but they are all electronically the same:
https://www.isemcon.net/ashop/datasheets/iSEMcon-IEPE-CCPmic.pdf

This is an independent review of the ICP mic and the real P48 version that comes with an XLR connector rather than BNC. The ICP version was tested with aid passive adapter:
https://www.isemcon.com/datasheets/iSEMcon EMM-13D082.pdf

It shows that ICP version used with P48 has 10 to 18 dB higher harmonics in the range of 100 - 120 dB SPL. Beyond that, there is little difference, with the P48 version being only about 1 dB better.

I get that the built-in 6.8k resistor with P48 can be seen as a constant current source, and if the drive electronics in the mic have sufficiently low output impedance (< 10 R in this case), there will be little degradation of the signal.

I also get that the sensitivity is slightly higher if the CCS is set to a higher current because this means the ampflification of the internal source follower is closer to unity. And I get that sensitivity decreases towards P24 and P12 because there is a lower current and because the feed resistor is lower than with P48.

But why would the mic care about the compliance range of the CCS? This is specified at 18 - 30 V. I get that you don't want too high an upper limit because it may blow the mic amp on startup. But why would the sensitiity depend on the limit? The output will stabilize at 7 V +/- 2 V. At that point the amp won't know whether the CCS compliant is to 18 V or to 30 V, and 18 V should be sufficient to insure +/- 6 V signal swing.

The marketing gibberish is of little help: The built-in prepolarized microphone cartridge controls an AC/DC-Zener Diode circuitry with an output impedance as low as 10 Ohms

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Building the Ariel

Hello everyone!

In 1999 I discovered the Ariel speakers so that in 2000 I bought the speakers to make them. Then I realized that I had neither the skills nor the tools to build them. So I stored my speakers for a better day.

In 2020, I lost my job. And since we were in the middle of a pandemic (and here in France we were confined) I thought that my chances of finding a job quickly were handicapped by a number of important factors (the first being my age). So instead of wasting my time looking for a job I couldn't find, I decided to go back to school. I am now a proud cabinetmaker.

A few days ago my 14 year old son decided that there was no other way to listen to music than on vinyl. So he spent some of his savings on a turntable which is pretty good quality if I am to believe what I have read about it.

So I have a son who needs quality speakers, speakers in perfect condition still in their packaging, the skills and tools (including access to a 5-axis). It's time to build the Ariels!

I'm going to build the 6c version. I reproduced the plans in FreeCAD to make them a bit more to my liking (and especially to the thickness of the French plywood). I have two questions:

1- in the plans it says "1/2 cedar". Is it really solid wood? And which cedar is it? Red cedar?

2- After finishing the plans, it was obvious that my revelator could not fit in the space provided. I then realized that I did not have D2905/950000 but D2905/990000. What is the impact on the speakers ? And in particular on the filter ?

Thanks

What is a kenotron?

So I'm picking out a 6V rectifier tube for a pre Amp and see that 6X5GT fits the bill as I have many of them in stock from old tube caddies. And its a 6S base so 6AX5 will fit it too and I have many of those too. Then I see the Russian tube 6C5S is a substitute for 6X5GT. But the Russians call it a Kenotron, USA calls 6X5 a rectifier. Whats up with that? Is a Kenotron in any smallest way different than a rectifier?

https://frank.pocnet.net/sheets/127/6/6X5.pdf

https://frank.pocnet.net/sheets/113/6/6C5S.pdf

Recommandation for PP about 30-40W with 4K OPT w/o UL.

Hi,

I bought a few days ago an old Push Pull tube amp from a console and I intend to build something fun with it.

The single PT uses SS diodes and provides a B+ of about 450-475Vdc

The OPT are rated 40W, 4K ohm with 4, 8 and 16 ohm output. These OPT do NOT have UL tap. The OPT used to drive 7027A tubes.

I don’t like the sound of pure penthode without global feedback so I guess I’m looking at a triode strapped scenario of something similar. I don’t mind using tubes that were not designed for audio, I have had good success with sweep tube and the like, 807, etc. I’m also open for suggestion with using Russian tubes either as output tubes and/or driver. I do enjoy the 6P3S-e in one of my SE amp.

I’m aware that the usual tubes for 4k push pull is EL34 but would there another tube I could use based on your experience ? Most of my tubes stuff are SE power amp except for a push pull class A EL84 which provides 10W/ch, I really enjoy it but would like power on my 4 ohm speakers.

What I’d like to build now is a more powerful amp, something with guts 😉

Thanks in advance for some recommandations.

Eric

Jl Audio 300/4 repair

Hey, I have a JL 300/4 with a broken channel, that broke last week. It looks like what's in red is shorted , and have a couple of resistors to replace too that have gone with it.

But I can't find what's in red and can't find anything. I can find what the tops transistor are but this one I have no idea.

Does anyone have any clue?

Thanks in advance

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Particular sounds

Login to view embedded media good morning gentlemen in this official video of the song "watch out of this" by major lazer, I heard some particular sounds the first goes from minute 1:07 and in particular from minute 1:11 to 1:15 and the other sound to minute 1:58. you may notice that hearing them seems to make you paralyze or bring you into a hypnotic trance, what are these particular sounds called?

Cracking open tweeter

Had a set of old tweeters that I decided to refresh the Ferro fluid because it very gummy. When dabbing out the old fluid the center of the magnet shifted so it was no longer a symmetrical gap for the voice coil to drop. I ended up prying up the center when trying to get it centered again.

Ended up prying the whole thing up. Any ideas on the best steps forward?

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Equalising gain in an active set up

Imagine you have a 3 way speaker and you want to Tri-amp it using an analogue active crossover. The amps are not all the same and let’s say that 2 of them have 20dB gain but the 3rd one has 26dB gain. What I am trying to get my head around is this; if I use a dedicated volume control to effectively reduce the gain of just that amp from 26dB amp to 20dB and permanently leave the volume control at that level of attenuation, have I effectively reduced the gain to 20dB for all input levels, or will the attenuation in dB be different as I vary the input level ie turn the volume of the source up or down ?

Not easy to describe, hopefully you will get my drift . . .

For Sale Patrick Bateman specials (aka Unitized Image Control waveguides)

As seen in this thread. These are the best ones John (Patrick Bateman) printed. I bought them off him and as seen in the thread, sanded smooth, painted & top-coated them. They are roughly 8.5”W x 6.5”H x 3.25”D.

The Gento midrange drivers are included (eight in total); all that’s still required is tweeters for the pair: SB19ST

These could be used towards a great, one-of-a-kind active monitor setup using DSP.

I paid $199 for the pair and that is what I would like to sell them for. Buyer covers shipping. CONUS only.

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Schematics needed for knight KG 895 integrated stereo solid state amp, i can’t find a schematics for this amp , can some help!

Hi , i cannot find a schematics for my KNIGHT MODEL KG 895 Solid state stereo integrated amp , I tried hifi engine.com they don’t have it , I can’t find anything on this amp online , can some help it , it will be much appreciated ! Thanks. Sikander you can email a copy at salihingoro@gmail.com

Canada Was Offline Today

Today Roger's Telecom of Canada was down again with an 18 hour outage. In addition to Internet and mobile phones, a huge number of services were affected such as ATMs, transportation, payment terminals, etc. So 10 million wireless subscribers and 2 million retail subscribers were dead in the water, annoyed, and disappointed. I am surprised it took so long to find root cause of the problem and resolve it.

This episode shows how fragile these eggs-in-one-basket do-everything-for-you systems are in the modern world.

I have Internet and TV from Roger's but wireless phone from Bell. So when the Internet died, I could verify on my phone ... yup Rogers is broke again.

Differential circuit from high level or low level input with switch selector

Hi! I started designing the circuit below in order to acquire car audio signals to my processor over ADC channels.

I want to scale down the audio source from high level or low level signals using a slide switch.
The idea is that both low level or high level signals can be plugged into the same "RCA" connector. Then, I would use the slide switch to select from "LOW LEVEL INPUT" or "HIGH LEVEL INPUT". I could not find any schematics like this.

Case 1 - High level input expected to max 10Vrms at RCA connector. This is the CH+ and CH- from car audio radio (wires that would go to speakers).
Desired: Differential outputs INN and INP need to be scaled down from max 10Vrms input to 5Vpp output differential.

Case 2 - Low level RCA audio source expected to max 4Vrms at RCA connector. This is the signal and GND of low level RCA cable.
Desired: Differential outputs INN and INP need to be scaled down from max 4Vrms input to 5Vpp output differential.

Note: Using single supply in all op-amps adding some offset at non-inverting input.

I assembled the circuit but it isn't good at all. Circuit has noise and its bandwidth is limited from 50Hz to 17kHz only. (Expected 15Hz to 20kHz range).

Could I get some inputs and recommendation of changes to fix those issues? I see that there are some failures in the approach.

Any help is very appreciated.

Thanks.



1657997622783.png

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For Sale Viborg pure copper Chasis mount XLR jacks for sale (new, never used, gold and rhodium plated available)

I bought a bunch of the Rhodium plated Viborg pure copper chassis mount XLR jacks for a project and then decided I didn’t want Rhodium and bought a bunch of the gold plated ones. And then I realized I couldn’t afford them all and just used Neutrik.

So my loss is your gain. A few of them were installed onto a chassis, but never soldered to wire, and never plugged into anything. So they are all like new in their original boxes.

These sell for $17-$18 each on Aliexpress

I’ll sell them for $10 each.

I have:

GOLD PLATED
male 16
female 6


RHODIUM PLATED
male 18
female 6

You can buy as many as you want. Shipping is free. Paypal Fees are extra.

Thank you!
Whitney

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Domes on Horns vs Compression Drivers on Horns

For the past couple years I've been getting good results with domes on horns, so I thought I'd post some data that demonstrates why they work surprisingly well.

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

In this corner, we have a Tymphany DFM2535R00-08 compression driver. It sells for $42. Here's some specs:

diaphragm diameter: 3.72cm / 1.46"
VC diameter: 3.55cm / 1.39"
"sensitivity" on spec sheet: 107.8dB
power handling: 30W

sb19st-c000-4.jpg

In the other corner, we have a SB Acoustics 3/4" dome tweeter. It sells for twenty bucks. Here's some specs:

diaphragm diameter: 2.2cm / 0.86"
VC diameter: 1.9cm / 0.75"
"sensitivity" on spec sheet: 88.5dB
power handling: 30W

PDo2Qp6.png

Here's a measurement comparing the Tymphany DFM-2535R00-08 on an 18Sound XT1086 vs a SB Acoustics SB19 on the same horn.

Same volume level, same horn, different drivers.
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Summer / Consolation Amplifier: 1995 Adcom GFA-5200

My two DIY amp projects, F5 and BA w BJT outputs have stalled for now, but look what fate (and craigslist) brought to me: a cute little Adcom GFA-5200 (an all-mosfet amp which NP designed, so that's why this post is here). I especially wanted the 5200, as it has a single output transistor per rail (whereas the 5300 has duals) and a single pcb with lots of empty space to work around. This will make a nice little summer amp to drive the top of my ESL hybrids, especially once I've completed my to-do list.
After a major vacuum, minor check-up, and revealing photo-shoot, I've punished it for over a week (making sure to test and re-test the thermal protect) playing the SL3's full-range. So far, no real guts in the bass and not so silky highs in stock form, but it shows promise.

Any chance of someone showing me a schematic?

Here's my immediate wish-to-do list:
Replace all the electrolytics
More PS caps (in the space thoughtfully reserved for them)
Thermistor to protect switch
New rectifier bridge made from 15A soft-recovery On-Semi MSR diodes and moved off-board
Re-route input leads (as they now take the scenic route close to the transformer!)

Long-term:
More heat sinking (and maybe redesign the cover to yield more space)
Bottom-mounted fan in silent housing
Transistor clamps + Kerafol insulators
More bias
Transformer-shielding and chassis-bracing steel plate

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16C-B28 Sweep tube data?

I purchased a lot of compactron tubes from an eBay seller which included a number of Raytheon 16C-B28s and 1 Westinghouse 16CB28.

All appear to be NOS.

These are 12-pin tubes with anode top cap, and obviously designed for use as TV horizontal outputs.

I cannot find any tube data for these on any of the regular web sites -- anyone have a datasheet or further information on these?

Thanks,
Charles

Paraline physics

I have gone through the explanation of paraline lens, where a 2:1 ellipse is used to create a linesource of height equal to the ellipse's major axis.
But I also think that the sudden change of direction of sound waves will also will result in filtering of high frequencies. I suspect this might be the reason why Danley line sources don't go till 20 kHz, while point source synergies do.
1) What parameter of the paraline determines the low pass characteristics?
2) What parameters determine the lowest frequency the lens can be used for?
3) What is the directivity of paraline sound at various frequencies? (Danley's site shows extreme wide dispersion of 120 deg but is I am not sure if this occurs evenly across all frequencies)

@Patrick Bateman @SpeakerScott , if you could be so kind as to...

3way Discovery or...

Hi!

Wanna begin with new project of 3way speakers. Classical scheme - 10" + 5" + tweeter. Preffering sealed box. Budget about 350-400 euro on speakers set. Basic idea on discovery series 26W4534 + 15M4624 + some tweeter suitable. As alternative 3way on Seas Prestige. Say H1411 + MCA15RCY + some tweeter.

Need your advices and suggestions about best combinations in that price range.

Bipolar PSU Recommendations

I missed the timing window for paying for the Salas BIB group buy because I became ill so I need recommendations for an effective relatively compact PSU kit or at least PCBs with documentation capable of outputting +-30V at 600mA which I'll be using two of to power two SS Dynahi boards. What do you guys recommend, apart from the S22 which is too big?

EDIT: Here are the detailed specifications I want:

1. I'll be using a separate transformer so no need to worry about that. I just need the rectification and AC/DC converter section.
2. I want there to be either user-adjustable voltage with a pot or documentation which helps me chose the voltage through part selection without tooooo much hassle.
3. No positive/negative tracking required. Separately adjustable rails are fine. Don't really care how this part works.
4. Must be capable of an output of +-30V and be capable of at least 300mA of output current continuous per rail, preferably 500mA to allow for overhead.
5. Separate PCBs for the positive and negative sides are fine. The total volume of the combined positive/negative rails must however be smaller than the AMB S22 (6' by 3.5' by 1.5'.)
6. I don't care about what devices are used (BJTs, ICs, JFETs, MOSFETs etc are all fine) as long as it performs well.
7. Must perform at least as good as classic LM317/337-based PSUs in terms of output noise and ripple. Ideal performance roughly on par with the S22, Salas BIB, Goldenreference Low Voltage, etc.
8. Must be readily available in at least bare PCB form with adequate documentation.
9. I will however consider ones which have good, easy to follow documentation which require me to use e.g. protoboard to create the PSU. I'm an idiot, so treat me as such. 😛
10. Must cost at most the price of a Salas BIB to build.

So far, the ones I've found so far are the Salas BIB (which I unfortunately missed the group buy for), the S22 (it's huge though so ideally I want something smaller) and the goldenreference low voltage (GRLV) by Kevin Gilmore (very limited availability just like the Salas BIB unless I do up my own boards and/or start a group buy).

A Zen Split Load Amp

This design is taken from TubeCad.com. 6watts @ 8 ohms. Serious Iron for 6 watts. See Attached images for some enjoyment 😱 I designed this amp to replace my 2a3 Set.

Dwight

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(Paid) We are looking for someone who can help us with our woofer project

We are searching for a long time for someone who can help us to optimize our woofer model. Of course the work is paid.
Briefly about the actual job: We work in FEMM with an axis symmetric model. We have certain goals and mechanical properties that we want to achieve with the woofer and need someone to help us adjust the model to achieve them.

We would like to clarify the rest in a personal conversation.

Technics SU-V4 Schematic query

I am about to embark on repairing this amplifier and I have downloaded the schematic from hifiengine https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/technics/su-v4.shtml

Looking at the power transformer and rectifier area the centre tap of the transformer secondary is shown connected directly to the -48V rectified output rail. Surely this must be incorrect since it means diodes D404 and D406 are directly across each of the output windings. Normally I would expect the centre tap of the transformer secondary to be connected to the 0V (GND) rail at the mid point of the main filter capacitors C403 and C404.

Can anyone offer an expert opinion?

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  • Locked
Cannot direct message any member, so i can't order boards..

Hi

I am a new member. and i need to PM my paypal adress to ClaveFremen..

It seems i can't do this and i need to do this in order to buy My_Ref Fremen edition boards..
There are still some boards right now, but i don't know how soon they will be gone.

Could a mod help me here, or tell me how i can make my PM option available?

Best
Jarkko

Amber 5500 audio analyzer

I have been aware of these for years and one at an attractive price came up so I grabbed it. It is huge and heavy. by far the heaviest analyzer I have encountered. Also the deepest at something like 20".

This one mostly works. Having gone through some basic testing it seems that out of range signals on the input generate error messages. (Made it cheaper on eBay.) The generator seems really good with all the harmonics below -120dB at first look. I'll go back and check. The analyzer side notched really deep but has a serious 3rd harmonic issue at around -80 dB. The metering all seems OK. The internal batteries were all toast (no surprise).

I was promised a manual to scan which I will do and share when it gets here.

Below is a picture showing the internal organization and loopback distortion.

I'll share more as I progress.

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  • Locked
Soekris DAM1021-12 board (Lampizator Edition)

Unique proposal

Soekris dam 1021 - 12 board from Lampizator Golden Atlantic DAC ( 10000 eur msrp)
all mods were done by Lukasz from Lampizator in the Lampizator factory,
and the board was just removed from the DAC without adding any additional mods!

Board checked and works perfectly

220eur

Please send me PM if any questions

la02.png



la03.png


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Photo from https://6moons.com/audioreviews2/lampizator2/2.html


la01.png

CD lens distance

I have one old Onkyo CD player on repair desk. I acquire this unit from last owner who tried to fix laser pickup reading problems. Unit comes to me without functional laser pickup (laser is not functional, no beam). I find replacement and after puting on cd mechanism I got the beam but after some investigation discover that last owner moves down cd spindle turntable. Now CD when I put on spindle lay on laser unit. My big question is: what is proper distance between laser lens and surface of CD media. Thank You all for help...

DML: Tectonic Exciters

Hi All,
I'm brand new to this community... hope this is the correct forum...
I recently bought a pair of Tectonic exciters, 32mm 30W, and have been testing and measuring them on different panel materials and shapes.
THEY BUZZ!
I am driving no more than 1W at a time, and have rolled them off at about 300Hz, 12db/oct. I'm getting mechanical buzzing on them, even when not attached to a panel, at about 370Hz and 650Hz.

Anybody else had this problem? Any suggestions?

Sony TA-F444ESX Power Transformer

Looking at fixing this amp, had the protection (red) light come on just before it stopped working, now won't turn on.

Found that there are no blown fuses and getting power to the transformer but only getting 5V on one secondary winding and nothing on the other so need to replace the transformer.

The only info that I can find is as follows.

Sony Es audio transformer- 1-448-632-11 (0.5kVA)
I have the E model with voltage select, only require 240V though.

Just wondering if anyone knows what the secondary design output voltage should is?

Also, If i was going to replace and eliminate the voltage select function would this effect any of the protection circuit function?

Unfortunately I can only find extremely blurry copies of the service manual and from what I can make out it doesn't appear to have this data in it.

Experimenting with my first scratch build - is this going to end in tears?

I've ordered a RS225P (8" paper cone woofer) and GRS 8" "slim" planar, along with the crossover components modeled in XSim. Hopefully I can cross the planar over low, around 1khz, but we'll see. Lately I've been itching to play with a ribbon or planar of some sort, I have an old pair of Infinity bookshelves with EMIT tweeters and they just sound like magic to me, despite the limited bass and dynamics of a small bookshelf.

WuJ20fO.jpeg
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ESL Build based on Jazzman's

Thanks to @CharlieM and @bolserst firstly.


I've started my journey on building some ESLs mainly inspired by Jazzman's blog.


A little bit of background, I got interested in ESLs back in 2014. Went to listen to some MLs and ended up buying some parts back in 2014. At the time I was thinking about perforated panels, but actually ended up buying 500 metres of wire. Things didn't progress much and I gave the materials away.. I got the bug again a few weeks ago (2021)! Managed to get the materials back and ordered the rest of the ingredients and made a start today. Really pleased!


Thought I'd post some pictures and try and keep a record of progress on this thread.


I don't think anything will be ground breaking here, but might be interesting for other future builders who want some inspiration and some pictures to refer to.

esl-project-1.jpg


esl-project-2.jpg


esl-project-3.jpg


esl-project-4.jpg


esl-project-5.jpg


An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


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Matching directivity , low/mid waveguide ?

Trying to understand how designers " match " directivity of the mid-HF unit to the low/mid section .

Having difficulty to find info about that although it seems to be partially in every thread around here ( i might not be using the correct terms, please let me know what i should be looking for in the search/google )

I stumble upon Altec paper on directivity/driver circumference and their " ka " value ..that helped somewhat to understand what is happening.

But then i'm still back at the following point :

1658812870213.png


If this is approximately what would be considered near " optimal " ( Dutch 8c i think ..sorry took it on google image )

Why is it that all i see around is stuff like this :
1658812982489.png

or the NS15 of much respected dr Gedes :

1658813077389.png


where we can see that the directivity starts falling from 1K down .. ( i know this is a super good design i'm simply using it as " best case " here )


So shouldn't the 400~1Khz or something like that fall in line with the directivity of the mid/HF like the 8c does ?

I'm trying to understand how can the directivity be "matched " it it just starts going when it crosses over to the woofer . 🤔

I haven't been able to find many examples, but i've seen a few " mid/low " woofer WAVEGUIDES in pictures .. doesn't work good cause of size ??
Surely a woofer could achieve better matched directivity to some lower extent using a similar waveguide than the HF unit is ? at least i'd assume so lol

I'd like to read more on directivity between the low and mid/high crossover point , if you guys have some pointers or papers or just good threads about it i could read in the coming week , would be mucho appreciated 🙂

Thanks again for your patience, time and sharing !!
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Shipping cost - USA to France

Not sure if this is the right forum to use.

I'm buying a s/hand Puffin from the USA. It ways under 500 gram so even with good packaging I doubt it will weigh more than about 750 grams. With insurance, what is the cheapest way to ship. I don't need to receive it 'yesterday'.

Bear in mind that I will have to pay an French/EU import charge of 20% on the whole deal, not just the product. FedEx/UPS demand this import cost at point of delivery plus I believe a service charge as well. Is USPS the cheapest solution, no answers from theory thank you.

DIY sub with limited speaker choices

Hi,

I'm on a journey to improve my system in my living room.. It is reasonably large room with a total volume of 140m3.
Current equipment:
  • Receiver: Anthem MRX 520
  • Front: Kef LS50
  • Sub: 10inch Whaferdale SW 150 (that's the one I want to replace!)
  • Back: Kef egg (not using them much)

I'm mostly listening to music but do enjoy a good movie now and then. Not playing loud (wife and kid are limiting the db!). I'm looking to improve the sub to bring a bit more low and presence to the room. The current sub is good for music but I think a bit small to move enough air for the room.

I'm based in New Zealand, and everything (when there's something) is very expensive here. I wanted to go with a SVS SB-1000 pro which cost 1500 NZD (=920USD!!!)

I like woodworking and DIY and have all the tools, so can definitely build my own sub. Problem, we only have car speaker drivers available here and shipping cost and tax duty doesn't make import possible (for a 15 inch, it cost more than 300 USD to ship, + 15% tax)
My aim is to build something better than the SVS-SB1000 with the same budget.
I found 2 potential drivers:

Powered with a Behringer NX3000D, and a box made of plywood (I don't like working with MDF!).

I'm more into bass details rather than power, so was thinking it is better (and easier) to go with a sealed design.
I don't want to go higher than 120 liters for the box.

Below the WinISD results (blue the alpine, red the rockford).
Also attached my oddly shaped living room with potential placement for 2 subwoofers (in red)
The 15 inch is of course the clear winner in term of SPL, and could for sure benefit from a bigger box (I might be able to slightly extend the box and stuff foam inside to gain some volume ....).

And this for the same price than the SVS (I'm not counting my own time involve in the building process, because I do like doing this 🙂 )

Now the questions:
1) Do you see a problem with those results or using those drivers for home use?
2) With the behringer integrated DSP, could I get a flat frequency from 25hz (ideally 20) to 120? is 100db loud enough?
3) Both those driver are around the same price, so I'm wondering if the alpine is better built and would provide a more detail sound? Or is it just, bigger is better, go with the rockford? I'm not looking for power here (my current 10 inch very old SW 150 isn't reaching max power (I think 🙂 )
4) Or should I just go with the SVS-SB1000 because it would provide a better sound?

Thanks for reading and for your advice.
Alex
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Need help with B&W CDM 1 SE’s

I have a pair of 25 year old CDM 1 SE’s driven by a Bryston B60 amp. To my ears (admittedly aging) they sound flat with little base and muted highs. I have read that the ferrofluid in the tweeters is known to dry out and requires changing every decade or so. Would doing this make a significant difference, or just a subtle one?

I’ve also seen several entities which advertise upgrades for the speakers at a cost of $300-$400 dollars. If anyone knows what parts would be required, and whether it would be a worthwhile thing to do an upgrade of the crossover, I’d love to hear ideas and feedback.
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