Curt Campbell's Halcyon build thread

Well, david BTW, you made my day. Thanks for the shout out. Hope you get them up and running soon. It'd be great to hear how they sound so looking forward to some updates. Nothing quite like getting back to enjoying things after having to be on the mend.
 
They have arrived at home. Here is what they look like with the wood epoxy fill on the interior baffle (to fix the reverse mounting, whoops!) So they have a tung oil finish on them. Next is wiring up the cables, teasing and installing the stuffing, putting the foam in the full-range tube, and mounting the drivers, making up the external crossover cables (with speakon's) and firing them up. Wow, what a process. I may have to put in some PTO at work to get them finished.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3220.JPG
    IMG_3220.JPG
    343.3 KB · Views: 139
I'm looking at upgrading the x-overs. I've got all resistors and caps. Looking at the inductors but Solen is out of stock on the 8AWG and 10AWG inductors that have an equivalent DCR (0.15 Ohms). How much will the 12AWG (DCR = 0.22 Ohms) inductor throw things off. I'm unsure what the net result would be, if it would just be the Alpair10P gaining some output or

https://www.solen.ca/en/products/solen-perfect-lay-air-core-inductors-s122_0-2mh-12awg-inductor

Reaching out to Solen to see if they have an ETA but would like to use this as an opportunity to learn a little more about the interplay between crossovers and drivers.
 

Attachments

  • tempImageuO5yCA.gif
    tempImageuO5yCA.gif
    1.3 MB · Views: 102
Last edited:
6sX7,

Have you done any simulations that indicate a higher gauge wire inductor will give you the desired output increase from the Alpair 10P?

Here's the link from Curt's website that discusses the crossover:

http://speakerdesignworks.com/Halcyon_4.html
Zman!

No simulations. Was harkening back to this post from Curt:

https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...lcyon-build-thread.349255/page-9#post-6381475

As well as from a (possibly ill-formed) understanding of circuits that a higher DCR in the coil to ground would enable more electron flow across the woofers. But then again, series x-overs are a bit of magic to me because it starts to treat the whole speaker (drivers + RLC's) as a whole circuit, taking a bit more analysis power (akin to some of my old homework problems with Kirchhoff's Law). Parallel makes it a bit easier due to a more reductionist approach.

I'll have to see what's out there to play with understand more.
 
How many hours on the benchmark?

Does it have different filter settings?

dave
About 8 hrs worth of actual decoding. You bring up a good point. I may be being too impatient and need to let it play for awhile.

I will have to read the manual. Don't think there are filter settings. There are some jumpers to knock the dBs on the balanced outputs. Not sure if that affects the RCA outs. I know this thing provides enough gain it will drive me from the room.
 
While my Halcyons are still being stuffed, I have been using a Benchmark DAC3 for more than a year now (along with a (Benchmark AHB2) on another DIY system and have been very, very happy with both of them. I sense no shout from mine. Hang in there!

I also run my DAC3 and AHB2 at the minimum gain as recommended for max DNR, and quality balanced XLR between the two devices.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 6sX7
While my Halcyons are still being stuffed, I have been using a Benchmark DAC3 for more than a year now (along with a (Benchmark AHB2) on another DIY system and have been very, very happy with both of them. I sense no shout from mine. Hang in there!

I also run my DAC3 and AHB2 at the minimum gain as recommended for max DNR, and quality balanced XLR between the two devices.
Davebtw,

Thanks again, for the inputs (pun intended).

Balanced mode is one of the next steps but I have to do some major surgery on these FirstWatt clones to get the boards in. Everything I've read says the DAC3 is really meant to be run in balanced mode. Going to have to make some time and get it done.
 
While my Halcyons are still being stuffed, I have been using a Benchmark DAC3 for more than a year now (along with a (Benchmark AHB2) on another DIY system and have been very, very happy with both of them. I sense no shout from mine. Hang in there!

I also run my DAC3 and AHB2 at the minimum gain as recommended for max DNR, and quality balanced XLR between the two devices.
davebtw,

What speakers are you using with the AHB2?