First post... I am fairly new to the hobby and over the past year have really experienced a lot of different sounds. I’m becoming more interested in actually attempting to build some stuff on my own. I’ve read through the forum a bit, but don’t exactly understand the diagrams and lingo quite yet... I guess it’s probably time to just jump in!
My friend who got me into the hobby actually built the aca mono blocks for me because I wasn’t quite up for it as it was all very new. Any recommendations on where I should go from here? Any beginner threads to read up on? Just wanted to introduce myself as I continue to learn and research.
Thanks
My friend who got me into the hobby actually built the aca mono blocks for me because I wasn’t quite up for it as it was all very new. Any recommendations on where I should go from here? Any beginner threads to read up on? Just wanted to introduce myself as I continue to learn and research.
Thanks
Hi and Welcome to diyAudio! 🙂 as you already have some very nice amps, perhaps you could look at some speakers (a kit or proven design would probably be best). Probably something quite efficient would be best for the ACA.
Tony.
Tony.
Tony,
Thanks for the warm welcome. I forgot to mention that I have been through quite a few speakers as well��... I started with Klipsch Cornwall’s on my friends recommendation and they are phenomenal. Trying to hear how others sound with different vintage amps I went through quite a few over the past year and kept coming back to the Cornwall’s. That was until I moved on to some 98db efficient Altecs. They are keepers!
Thank you for the recommendation, but I think I would like to stay with these speakers. I guess that I should have stated that another amp or preamplifier would be of interest. My apologies! I came across a tube amp and really enjoyed the sound for 6 months and now back to the amp camp amps. I like the clarity, but am missing the bass that I got with the tube amplifier, as I was trying to avoid a subwoofer. I know that there are a lot of Nelson Pass fans and was possibly thinking that direction? Thanks again for welcoming me to the community.
Mike
Thanks for the warm welcome. I forgot to mention that I have been through quite a few speakers as well��... I started with Klipsch Cornwall’s on my friends recommendation and they are phenomenal. Trying to hear how others sound with different vintage amps I went through quite a few over the past year and kept coming back to the Cornwall’s. That was until I moved on to some 98db efficient Altecs. They are keepers!
Thank you for the recommendation, but I think I would like to stay with these speakers. I guess that I should have stated that another amp or preamplifier would be of interest. My apologies! I came across a tube amp and really enjoyed the sound for 6 months and now back to the amp camp amps. I like the clarity, but am missing the bass that I got with the tube amplifier, as I was trying to avoid a subwoofer. I know that there are a lot of Nelson Pass fans and was possibly thinking that direction? Thanks again for welcoming me to the community.
Mike
OK you definitely have the efficiency covered there!! 🙂
Perhaps a possibility (I'm assuming the Altec's have passive crossover, and are a three way) would be to look at another amp for bass duty and to do an active crossover to replace the passive (lp for woofer hp for mid) section in the existing speaker, trying to match the transfer function of the original.
Basically you would end up with the top end (assuming it is a three way) still passively crossed over with an active crossover and new amp for the bass. That may be a bit more ambitious than what you were considering though.
edit: alternatively if the speakers are set up for bi-wiring you may be able to run the woofers off a separate amp as well.
Tony.
Perhaps a possibility (I'm assuming the Altec's have passive crossover, and are a three way) would be to look at another amp for bass duty and to do an active crossover to replace the passive (lp for woofer hp for mid) section in the existing speaker, trying to match the transfer function of the original.
Basically you would end up with the top end (assuming it is a three way) still passively crossed over with an active crossover and new amp for the bass. That may be a bit more ambitious than what you were considering though.
edit: alternatively if the speakers are set up for bi-wiring you may be able to run the woofers off a separate amp as well.
Tony.
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Hello Mike, welcome aboard.
Did someone say Altecs? Which ones pray tell?
Tony, the highest sensitivity Altecs are two ways. If they are 98 dB they are likely 19’s or A7’s.
Did someone say Altecs? Which ones pray tell?
Tony, the highest sensitivity Altecs are two ways. If they are 98 dB they are likely 19’s or A7’s.
Welcome! You never know where this hobby will take you.
I’ve experienced the light bass problem before. Bigger, higher current capable amplifiers couldn’t give me the sound a 40W x2 receiver did. In my case, the receiver I was using had measured response tilt of 3 dB from 40Hz to 20kHz, but to listen to it I’d swear the bass was up 9dB, and no muffled sound. That’s where compressor seem to differ from tone controls. Some tube devices act this way, too. Super deep, rumbling bass and clear, full midrange. The pre + power amp acted like an analog compressor, making the average power of the deepest bass much higher. Loved it. Over the next while I’m going to do some analysis to try and model the behaviors.
Tony, they are actually 2 way speakers. i have't thought thought of bi amping. Honestly i don't even know how... I was trying to be fairly simplistic with the set up.
Cal, I found some 604-8k with matching crossovers in about a 7 cu/ft cabinet. They are exceptional! Eventually, I’d like to get them in a larger, say 10 cu/ft cabinet and upgrade the crossovers, but for now they sound great as is. They go a tad deeper than the Cornwall’s with the mids slightly behind lascalas and highs more pleasing to my ears. I was actually on a hunt for some model 19’s... someday.
Kouiky, the integrated tube I referred to is a fisher 500b. Once I tried it with the Cornwall’s it was heavenly and thought I was done. As you mentioned, you never know where it will take you. I suppose my goal is to understand exactly what you were saying about measurements, compression and running an analysis to seeing what result come from different builds.
I have heard a 300b tube once and loved the holographic quality. The same with the first watt M2... so trying to capture those qualities with the emphatic bass I believe is what I’m in search for... again. You never know what direction the hobby will take you could not have been a more true statement. “Chasing the dragon” as another friend said.
Thanks,
Mike
Cal, I found some 604-8k with matching crossovers in about a 7 cu/ft cabinet. They are exceptional! Eventually, I’d like to get them in a larger, say 10 cu/ft cabinet and upgrade the crossovers, but for now they sound great as is. They go a tad deeper than the Cornwall’s with the mids slightly behind lascalas and highs more pleasing to my ears. I was actually on a hunt for some model 19’s... someday.
Kouiky, the integrated tube I referred to is a fisher 500b. Once I tried it with the Cornwall’s it was heavenly and thought I was done. As you mentioned, you never know where it will take you. I suppose my goal is to understand exactly what you were saying about measurements, compression and running an analysis to seeing what result come from different builds.
I have heard a 300b tube once and loved the holographic quality. The same with the first watt M2... so trying to capture those qualities with the emphatic bass I believe is what I’m in search for... again. You never know what direction the hobby will take you could not have been a more true statement. “Chasing the dragon” as another friend said.
Thanks,
Mike
There's not a lot to it. You need a second amp and an active xo.
Good score. It's nice to have a passive xo with both a mid and high control on a two way.
Too bad you didn't come here sooner. I have a decent amount of Altec stuff including 604-8H's and the guts for a 19. As I get on in life, I am spending less time in the shop so there are things I will never get to.