Let us know what you think when you hook up the Cary. These aren't really horns, they are BVRs (Big Bent Reflex). MDF is not the preferred panel material. Phase plugs are probably from me.
dave
Ok. Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark. Squeezebox playing flac file -> Valab DAC -> Luxman C-12 SS preamp -> Cary SLA - 30 watt EL84.
Much much better. Unable to do full assessment. Wife is asleep. Will do a full re-listen soon.
So far the frequency response is much improved. Every once in a while a note will reveal a little high midrange anomaly, but overall, at low to moderate volume it appears very smooth from top to bottom.
I work long hours tomorrow, but if I get a chance I will crank the Resphigi and compare.
Thanks very much Planet10.
John
Much much better. Unable to do full assessment. Wife is asleep. Will do a full re-listen soon.
So far the frequency response is much improved. Every once in a while a note will reveal a little high midrange anomaly, but overall, at low to moderate volume it appears very smooth from top to bottom.
I work long hours tomorrow, but if I get a chance I will crank the Resphigi and compare.
Thanks very much Planet10.
John
John, are you in the DFW? I'm over in Las Colinas and I had no idea anyone in the area had a pair of these. Who was the previous owner before you?
I'm actually about three hours south in Round Rock TX. I bought them from a gentleman in Fort Worth named Stephen. He bought them from the fellow who made them. I don't know his name, but he goes by Bearhifi on Audiogon.
I did correspond with Bearhifi before the transaction and he confirmed this. It appears that he participated in this thread a year or two ago. He said that he has built many speakers.
The trip to Fort Worth was well worth the effort. These speakers sound fantastic. Especially after I switched to tube amplification.
I did correspond with Bearhifi before the transaction and he confirmed this. It appears that he participated in this thread a year or two ago. He said that he has built many speakers.
The trip to Fort Worth was well worth the effort. These speakers sound fantastic. Especially after I switched to tube amplification.
I'm not familiar with Audiogon, I'll have to check it out.
Glad the design is pleasing. It's nice to also hear about more Texan audiophiles as well. 😀
CCC is "Continuous Cast Copper". This is a method of making copper wire that reduces the number of crystal boundaries and is also generally very pure. It's also commonly called OCC after Dr. Ohno who came up with the process.
The Resphigi was big and beautiful. Like before, but without the artifacts. Listened to a lot of Dead Can Dance today too. I'm not a huge fan, but the sonics are excellent.
I also listened to some more Rush and some David Bowie. My perception is that they are OK for rock, but not optimal. The Curvy Changs are tilted to the mids starting at about 800 htz to about 1.2K, and I do hear the 3k bump. I believe that the overall mid prominence in this range may be part of what is so breathtaking when hearing classical music through them. There is so much of that range in classical music and to hear it in such depth and dimension is wonderful.
Conversely, Rock music is so visceral and seems to benefit from strong low mid range punch say from 60 to 250hz. The dynamics of Rock help the higher frequency mids cut through the mix, and what is there is not particularly complex. So there is less need for presence in that area.
Overall, the size of the sonic images is one of my favorite aspects of the Curvy Changs.
I also listened to some more Rush and some David Bowie. My perception is that they are OK for rock, but not optimal. The Curvy Changs are tilted to the mids starting at about 800 htz to about 1.2K, and I do hear the 3k bump. I believe that the overall mid prominence in this range may be part of what is so breathtaking when hearing classical music through them. There is so much of that range in classical music and to hear it in such depth and dimension is wonderful.
Conversely, Rock music is so visceral and seems to benefit from strong low mid range punch say from 60 to 250hz. The dynamics of Rock help the higher frequency mids cut through the mix, and what is there is not particularly complex. So there is less need for presence in that area.
Overall, the size of the sonic images is one of my favorite aspects of the Curvy Changs.
>>> a Cary SLA-30 I think. It is an El-84 amp with four per side pushing about 30 watts. Nice sweet sounding amp.
I had the SLI-30 integrated amp and LOVED it! I wish i never sold it! EL-84's and a really non fatiguing sound. Maybe sounded 'smaller' than my EL-34 amp but had it's own great qualities. I think the EL-84 is a very intimate sounding tube. I was using it with low eff speakers when i owned it... about 85db per watt. The Changs probably sound much better. Cool to see that old Cary in use!
I had the SLI-30 integrated amp and LOVED it! I wish i never sold it! EL-84's and a really non fatiguing sound. Maybe sounded 'smaller' than my EL-34 amp but had it's own great qualities. I think the EL-84 is a very intimate sounding tube. I was using it with low eff speakers when i owned it... about 85db per watt. The Changs probably sound much better. Cool to see that old Cary in use!
Given the purpose of the curve and how you calculate it, once you remove the top vent, then a curved Half-Chang = HalfChang. The radius of the curve approached infinity.
dave
dave
I am very intrigued by the CC design and was wondering if anyone could shed a little more light on a couple of things. For one, what is cone excursion like in the design? Since it is a BVR design rather than a horn, does the excursion go crazy around the tuning frequency? What sort of power can one run the FE207 with before the response suffers from too much non-linear excursion? Anyone have measured SPL curves (obviously that has a lot to do with the room too)? With just the FE207, how high does the response go before dropping off significantly?
I am also thinking about building some of the Level 3 Frugal Horns with the full super baffle, curved rear & deflector. I realize that the sound stage is going to be much better with the CC's. How do the response curves compare though?
Thanks!
I am also thinking about building some of the Level 3 Frugal Horns with the full super baffle, curved rear & deflector. I realize that the sound stage is going to be much better with the CC's. How do the response curves compare though?
Thanks!
I havn't done any curves or measurements apart from a quick SPL level check, DBa average, 75 to 85 Db at the listening position was the figures I got, and could detect no cone movement. (my CC's are in storage at the moment, due to lack of room, according to the wife!!!).
That said when domestic harmony returns I have built a pair of MJK's OB H frame 15" to supplement them, just to add a bit extra grunt to the lower end.
That said when domestic harmony returns I have built a pair of MJK's OB H frame 15" to supplement them, just to add a bit extra grunt to the lower end.
comparing simulated or actual measure curves for enclosures for 4" vs 8" drivers is not really telling of how well either would perform for a given application
in other words, I'm not sure you can be sure that "the sound stage would be much better with the CC's" for every room, etc.
I have discussed this a little with Dave and it sounds like my room will be better suited for the CC's. It is a 15'x15'x8' living room with an attached dining room/kitchen/hall, and only one corner (front door in the other).
I did a volume of the space of the swoopy chang, and is 0.091 cubic meters, or 91 liters (or a bit less for lifting it off the floor, so plenty of space for a 200m driver , probably even down firing? I dunno, from what I've seen people hear from the guy change, they have reasonable bass anyway.
heres a slightly more curvey render, with downfiring woofer?...
looks great!
instead of the down-firing woofer, how about widening the entire assembly and bringing the sound from a rear-firing sw (mounted behind the original cabinet) toward the front. kinda like a horn within a horn! it'd be big and probably sound big too.
Anyone have recommendations or links to DIY amplifiers that work well with these? It sounds like amps with low damping factors / current amps can work better with FR drivers in some cases. My pockets aren't deep enough for Firstwatt gear at the moment!
Not to boast, but I'm pretty fond of my layout. Check out my web site (click on the name carpenter above my avatar to find my site, then go to the Class-A amp page). I'm getting the prettiest sound and because of this, I'm gravitating towards full range driver combinations.
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I like the DIY horn, that is pretty cool! It looks like I have some fun new reading material now.
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