I like my Linn Saras but they dont have quite enough oomph for my very large sitting room - already I have had to replace drivers on account of pushing them too much on the cannons on the 1812. My fault but until the moment they died they sounded pretty good. I have now replaced the B200s and all is back to "as was".
I was thinking of getting another (perhaps scrap) pair of Saras - taking out the B200s and replace by Peerless or Monacor 4ohm units (much higher power ratings but very similar characteristics) then putting them in series and finally ditching one of the crossovers from each box so all drive units were using the same crossover but the loads would be 8ohms as in the origionals. Sounds simples - but would it work well?
I was thinking of getting another (perhaps scrap) pair of Saras - taking out the B200s and replace by Peerless or Monacor 4ohm units (much higher power ratings but very similar characteristics) then putting them in series and finally ditching one of the crossovers from each box so all drive units were using the same crossover but the loads would be 8ohms as in the origionals. Sounds simples - but would it work well?
OH Hmmm - I will try to explain a little better - The Sara has 2 B200s per box - but also has 2 crossovers built into it. One crossover drives one of the b200s and the tweeter. The other has a dummy load on the tweeter terminals but drives the second B200. This means there is a two crossover load presented to the amplifier and redundancy - not ideal - but a way Linn coped with dealing with a four ohm load (ie two 8 ohm speakers effectively working in parallel) - but as I say not the most elegent approach but and easy solution at the time.
My proposal was to simpilfy the load to the amp by using only one of the crossover units. I also wanted a higher power rating for the bass units and so proposed using 2 modern high quality Peerless drive units (each rated at 75w) but of 4 ohms each but connect them in series so together they would match the single 8 ohhm load to be seen by the crossover unit. The second dummyoaded unit could then be removed as it wodl be totally redundant.
Re a sub - simply no room and WAF to consider (speaker boxes are ugly and so the smaller the better) alas or I would have brought in Tannoys years ago.
You are correct - they are isobarik and use the 2 B200s in an isobaric chamber for the bass. It is that part I am thinking of modifying.
They are isobaric, but the XO on the back driver may well have a 0.5 kind of characteristic to minimize the issues with the ripple that starts happening at a half wl of the depth of the isobarik chamber.
dave
dave
That's what I thought but in fact both crossovers are identical - apart form the dummy load resistor substituting for the "missing" tweeter
WAF should allow a couple of small subs as a substitute for speaker stands, a modern 8inch or 10 inch driver could fit easily into a 20litre box, down firing even for even better stealth
What you say is so true but alas my speakers are not on stands they are wall mounted and underneath there is one of my wifes designer units so no possible room for subs 😕 I had considered divorce - but even then she might not move out 😉
WAF again 😡 - I am using perhaps the biggest boxes and as much space as I will ever be permitted - and alas above more designer units so woudl be a no go anyway. No way will I ever get a sub in - anywhere so I must make best use of the space I already have....
Post # 12 seems like the best option; however you can try a couple of these:
Amazon.com: ButtKicker LFE Low-Frequency Effects Shaker: Electronics
Amazon.com: ButtKicker LFE Low-Frequency Effects Shaker: Electronics
Hi,
It might not work well as a plan from your description, because the
c/o should be (or not knowing Linns speaker "designs") matched to
to the response characteristics and quirks of the B200 units.
(Allegedly they are simple 12dB/octave affairs, not much info).
It will work, but you'll get a different speaker. Especially regarding
the voicing through the midrange. Getting an 8" unit with suitable
parameters for the bass alignment may be problematic. You probably
will have to adjust tweeter levels, but that it usually not difficult.
TL Links
Which B200 version is fitted ?
What 4 0hm 8" drivers are you thinking of using ?
rgds, sreten.
It might not work well as a plan from your description, because the
c/o should be (or not knowing Linns speaker "designs") matched to
to the response characteristics and quirks of the B200 units.
(Allegedly they are simple 12dB/octave affairs, not much info).
It will work, but you'll get a different speaker. Especially regarding
the voicing through the midrange. Getting an 8" unit with suitable
parameters for the bass alignment may be problematic. You probably
will have to adjust tweeter levels, but that it usually not difficult.
TL Links
Which B200 version is fitted ?
What 4 0hm 8" drivers are you thinking of using ?
rgds, sreten.
Hi and thanks for your comments - the B200s are unmodified SP1014. The uints I was thinking of using are either the Peerless SK0204 4 ohm in series or the Monacor sph 210.
OMG!
The Isobarics are already the smallest design for biggest sound, I guess. B200 are also very good drivers. What I probability do if possible (some experience needed, and some testing/simulation), convert the two drivers to series, design new crossover and having into account the same (impedance/output) tweeter you have. (Keep the old crossover as is.) Or buy new speakers, look at the Neat's Motive/Momentum (isobaric).
http://www.neat.co.uk/p_pages/motiveone.php#
Neat's Momentum are Iso-barics.
http://www.neat.co.uk/p_pages/momentumone.php
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Thanks to the above two posts - alas the Neat speakers are beyond me - the floorstanders because it is a floor stander and the stand mount because it is ported and my speaker must sit against the wall (WAF again). And I do like the bottom end of the Saras - pretty dammed low for such a small box.
I am coming to the conclusion that the Sara cabs will have to stay and it may be worth simpy replacing the B200s with the Monacor units which may repected speaker dealers rate as being excellent replacements for the B200s but with a much higher power rating.
My original idea still is in the back of my mind - i.e. replace the drivers with the 4 ohm Peerless units in series and ditching one of the 2 crossovers. It would well be worth the experiment if I can get a gash pair or Saras to play with first! - I will see what comes up on Fleabay - could be fun.
I am coming to the conclusion that the Sara cabs will have to stay and it may be worth simpy replacing the B200s with the Monacor units which may repected speaker dealers rate as being excellent replacements for the B200s but with a much higher power rating.
My original idea still is in the back of my mind - i.e. replace the drivers with the 4 ohm Peerless units in series and ditching one of the 2 crossovers. It would well be worth the experiment if I can get a gash pair or Saras to play with first! - I will see what comes up on Fleabay - could be fun.
I can remember these as having particularly impressive bass performance for their size, and if you're constrained by budget and/or WAF to keeping them, I'd be inclined to replace with original spec'ed drivers if still available.
Even if the Monacors (can be made to) fit in the Sara enclosures - as I recall the internal driver was not the most convenient to access - they may not necessarily deliver the performance of the old B200 in this particular enclosure.
As to the XOs, there may well be more to it than simply ditching one of the old ones - attenuation, zobel, notch filtering or such may well have been part of the original design. If you do decide to swap the woofers for another make / model, you may well need to rethink the XO. IINM this was one of several Linn speaker models that could optionally be actively bi-amped - with custom outboard XO and 4 channels of amplification. (in the early days, by Naim)
If you don't already have it, here is a link to "a" (official?) Sara crossover schematic:
http://www.nodecorporation.co.uk/sara01.htm
it does seem rather silly / redundant to duplicate the HP stage of the network entirely, just to load a resistor
Even if the Monacors (can be made to) fit in the Sara enclosures - as I recall the internal driver was not the most convenient to access - they may not necessarily deliver the performance of the old B200 in this particular enclosure.
As to the XOs, there may well be more to it than simply ditching one of the old ones - attenuation, zobel, notch filtering or such may well have been part of the original design. If you do decide to swap the woofers for another make / model, you may well need to rethink the XO. IINM this was one of several Linn speaker models that could optionally be actively bi-amped - with custom outboard XO and 4 channels of amplification. (in the early days, by Naim)
If you don't already have it, here is a link to "a" (official?) Sara crossover schematic:
http://www.nodecorporation.co.uk/sara01.htm
it does seem rather silly / redundant to duplicate the HP stage of the network entirely, just to load a resistor
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