PASSWORKS AXO custom - first listening impressions
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am more than surprised! After two hours of listening I can say that especially the details and microdynamics in the music are satisfying my ears in a way I can not really describe in words. I am at the beginning of an acoustical journey with the diyAudio/Passworks AXO custom.
In the beginning I had problems getting the system loud enough. I remembered articles I read about gain structure. I thought the AXO (single ended) and my amps do not want to fit. Most of my amps are complementary classA- amps (Nelson Pass F5-T-Monoblocks, BA-3 poweramp with complementary output boards). But I also tried my DENON POA-4400 A Monoblocks and others.
I tried different setups:
source - AXO - poweramps
source - preamp - AXO - poweramps
source - preamp - AXO - 2 preamps - poweramps (more gain
)
My loudspeakers I used for this test are not LXminis! It is a 2-way d'Appolito influenced selfmade speaker. 30mm dome mid/tweeter combined with two 16cm midbass - chassis. Efficiency is around 90 dB/W/m. Although it is not all dialed in perfectly - I can say:
It sounds fantastic!!! I had some doubts about my customized filter settings and in the microsim and LTspice simulation I had a little bump down - 1.5 dB at my crossoverfrequency of 2500 Hz (summed signal). I have to test a lot more. And listen to different kinds of music.
This 'baby' is super! Thanks a lot to Nelson Pass and all other involved persons. One of my best christmas presents for a long time!
Greets
Dirk
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am more than surprised! After two hours of listening I can say that especially the details and microdynamics in the music are satisfying my ears in a way I can not really describe in words. I am at the beginning of an acoustical journey with the diyAudio/Passworks AXO custom.
In the beginning I had problems getting the system loud enough. I remembered articles I read about gain structure. I thought the AXO (single ended) and my amps do not want to fit. Most of my amps are complementary classA- amps (Nelson Pass F5-T-Monoblocks, BA-3 poweramp with complementary output boards). But I also tried my DENON POA-4400 A Monoblocks and others.
I tried different setups:
source - AXO - poweramps
source - preamp - AXO - poweramps
source - preamp - AXO - 2 preamps - poweramps (more gain
)My loudspeakers I used for this test are not LXminis! It is a 2-way d'Appolito influenced selfmade speaker. 30mm dome mid/tweeter combined with two 16cm midbass - chassis. Efficiency is around 90 dB/W/m. Although it is not all dialed in perfectly - I can say:
It sounds fantastic!!! I had some doubts about my customized filter settings and in the microsim and LTspice simulation I had a little bump down - 1.5 dB at my crossoverfrequency of 2500 Hz (summed signal). I have to test a lot more. And listen to different kinds of music.
This 'baby' is super! Thanks a lot to Nelson Pass and all other involved persons. One of my best christmas presents for a long time!
Greets
Dirk
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LX Stock BOM
Ive had this little wonder installed in my system for a week or so and boy is it good. I had the time to take some measurements over xmas. The 7k rise is there (as Mr Pass spoke about) but just wounded how to lift the dip (if possible) from 1k - 6k ??
This is an OB trio setup = 2x Emenance 15" and the SAL Full range per side..
TIA
Ive had this little wonder installed in my system for a week or so and boy is it good. I had the time to take some measurements over xmas. The 7k rise is there (as Mr Pass spoke about) but just wounded how to lift the dip (if possible) from 1k - 6k ??
This is an OB trio setup = 2x Emenance 15" and the SAL Full range per side..
TIA
Attachments
On the EQ circuit for the top end, there is a 475 ohm resistor to ground
which governs the depth of the dip in the region. Increasing this value
will reduce the dip. Start with 1K and go from there.
Ahh ha, Many thanks...Mr Pass
TRIO
I have managed to produce this (see attached SIM) but am unsure if its up to snuff. This is very new to me and many others I would imagine.
I was aiming for a cross is 450-500Hz at -6db for a TRIO (2 x Em 15" + a SAL FR) All looks very good but the question is aimed at those in the know... will it be OK to populate this BOM.
Many thanks in advance.
I have managed to produce this (see attached SIM) but am unsure if its up to snuff. This is very new to me and many others I would imagine.
I was aiming for a cross is 450-500Hz at -6db for a TRIO (2 x Em 15" + a SAL FR) All looks very good but the question is aimed at those in the know... will it be OK to populate this BOM.
Many thanks in advance.
Attachments
off-topic:
Anyone tried analog-crossover.
is really lxmini spekares and room disappear ( Do not tease me on this
Thanks Nag.
Hearing the LXmini setup at Burning Amp was an absolutely vivid experience, I can assure you. I was never sold on the idea until then, now I can honestly say that they are among the best speakers I have ever heard, right next to some original Karlson types and a few other pro-audio monitoring setups. They are absolutely wonderful, and disappear into the room.
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Moving on....By changing just 4 resistors I have a very very nice sounding (not measured yet though) TRIO setup with the SAL FR. Very musical and 'neutral' presentation. Still early days
Board layout added with component changes noted and locations.
Board layout added with component changes noted and locations.
Attachments
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Thanks Mr Pass, low or high, or is it down to sonic preference upon inversion.
I look forward to measurements when I have time but ‘by ear’ it sounds just superb in fact ‘just right’.
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As a very very satisfied LXmini user I can not see just changing based on some anecdotal quotes. And, I suspect it would require real golden ears to pick a winner in an A-B comparison with the miniDsp set up.
My guess is that like many other existing users we will stay on the fence waiting for the 3 way version. Let me add my dual woofer OBs from my Phoenix build and I'm all in.
When will the teasing end? We know it exists.
My guess is that like many other existing users we will stay on the fence waiting for the 3 way version. Let me add my dual woofer OBs from my Phoenix build and I'm all in.
When will the teasing end? We know it exists.
I am going to order lx mini crossover, but i am noob in this field. I am using jbl 4343A and run bi-amp, the speakers need a 2 ways active crossover cut at 300hz for the woofer and 12db/oct. Could you pls help me to show how to achive the value above in lx-mini. Which caps or res do i have to change?
Thank you very much for your support
Thank you very much for your support
I suggest you buy a copy of TCJ filter designer software from Tube CAD. It's only ten bucks and makes the math easy. Tube CAD Journal Companion Software
In the software, use the active solid state opamp settings. Select 300Hz and 2nd order Linkwitz-Riley alignments for HP and LP. Then change the cap and/or resistor values to standard values that are close. Since the LXmini crossover has 2 sections for HP and also LP, you won't use all of them. To keep things simple, use the second section of the Low out and the first section of the High out and just don't stuff the other sections, cut traces and add jumpers as required.
You can verify the filter design before implementation by redrawing the LTspice model of the LXmini to match what you are now doing and plugging the values into the model. Search this site for the LTspice model, or use the Micro-Cap model if you prefer that.
I actually recommend getting an inexpensive miniDSP 2-way signal processor (only a little over $100 from Madisound) and experimenting with 2-pole vs 4-pole, asymetrical filters, crossover frequency, polarity reversal on the HP, etc. and once you get the sound you like, replace it with the Pass analog crossover. It really does sound better than a DSP. It made a serious improvement to my LXmini loudspeakers and I am about to buy another crossover board and build a 500Hz crossover for biamplifying my ADS L980 loudspeakers.
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