What audio system do you have?

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Hi all, when replying to another thread I decided to start this thread to figure out which audio system (amplifier, speakers, etc..) you have/use. So people can just read this thread to see what systems you use and what your expierences are with them.

I achieved the best sound (warm, clear and no lose of medium frequencies) by now by using a class A amplifier with internal computer drive system, my speakers are own build:

2 x 3 way, using:

1 dome tweeter (80W 8ohm) (SEAS)
1 midrange speaker (no horn, but closed design) (60W 8ohm)
1 woofer (120W 8ohm) (JAMO)
(unfortunately I don't know the dB/W/m of the speakers)

and just simple cheap filter (I think 6dB/oct)

box dimensions:

30 cm width
57 cm height
22 cm depth
2 pipes d: 5.5 cm; length = 11 cm

all boards 8mm thick
fill the boxes with rockwool for warmer sound

ideal sound when placed on the floor or in corners (!!!)
 
Hi,
I have a commercially made system. Heavily tweaked, like replacing electrolytics with polypropylene caps, increasing the value of filter caps to 10,000 uF from 4700 uF.
Now, I have built a pair of two-way vented bookshelf speakers with Indian-made Peerless drivers. A fabric dome tweeter and a 5.25 inch coated paper cone woofers. Crossover for the woofer is 6dB and 12dB for the tweeter with Zobel networks for both. Theoritical response is from 56 Hz. Boxes are made of 3/4 inch MDF. No idea about the SPL here either.
The DIY amp is an STK 4171-based one. Sounds pretty good with my speakers.
I also have a Philips CD player which I plan to tweak soon.
A subwoofer and a Rod Elliott Project 3A amp are in the offing.
Regards,
Vivek.
 
Amp is five channels of Rod Elliot's P3A, soon to have 5687-buffered balanced inputs.

Loudspeakers are Energy Take5s (chosen for their high SAF...I'd like to build some biamped Proac 2.5s after I introduce my bride-to-be to the fun of audio. note: this could take awhile. ;))

My DAC is a very slightly modified Technics SH-AC300. Since I have no hi-fi analog sources, and enjoy being called a heretic, I pass my analog through a CDB5335-based ADC and into the DAC.

My transport is a commerical DVD player.

Tyler
 
my sight and sound

Nothing special, low end stuffs...
For home theatre mine starts as follows;

Sony DVD7700 --->Belden 1505A--->Rotel 5ch a/v dts--->speakers
centre channel Mirage OM-C3, L/R 4 Koss little speakers from garage sale hooked up in parallel 2 per side, rear channels B&W 302 bookshelfs mounted on top of kitchen cabinets 2/3 of the length of the room, sony tv 61" rear projection.

For audio I use the same DVD player --->Belden 1505A--->DIP 24/96 upsampler--->1505A--->MSB Link Dac(first version)----> J. Risch's Belden 89259/89248 ---->Morrison ELAD pre-amp--->1505A---->JLH for ESL----->mirage 490is.

Room size is 12W X 9H X 47L, 10 pieces of 2 by 4 sound absorb panels along the side and front wall on top of the 61"tv, can not do more due to wife objection to the mess already or risk being kick out of the house with the gears.

Chris
 
<b>My system is tri-amped.</b>
<blockquote>
<u>Speakers (per channel)</u>

Woofers: (4) 12", Series-Parallel
Lower Mids: (15) 5", Series-Parallel
Upper Mids: (2) 3", Parallel
Tweeter: 1 dome

<u>Crossovers:</u>

Woofer: 90Hz, 4th order low-pass.
Lower Mid: 90Hz to 400Hz, 4th order band-pass.
Upper Mid: 400Hz to 4KHz, 4th order high- pass 1st order low-pass.
Tweeter: 4KHz, 1st order.

<u>Amps:</u>

2 GAS Son of Ampzilla
1 GAS Grandson

<u>Pre-Amp:</u> Nikko Beta 20
<u>Vinyl Playback:</u> Denon DP1200 with inexpensive Grado.
<u>CD Playback:</u> Philips
</blockquote>
 
<b>mrfeedback:</b>
<blockquote>
Yes, it can play loud. It is also very clean. Please tell me, in your humble opinion of course, what specifically keeps me from hearing polarity.

And, HEY, isn't this is supposed to be a thread of what people have. Why don't you start a new thread called, "Tell me what you have and I'll tell you what's wrong with it." I'll reply, outlining my system as I have done here, and you can bash the hell out of it.
</blockquote>
 
frugal-phile™
Joined 2001
Paid Member
Re: my main system

My system is in flux, but for now:

Vinyl: Linn LP12/Ittock/Garrett P-77
Pre: NAIM NAIT 2
XO: Marchand XM9 (@125Hz)
Woofers: 2x8" Peerless each side
Mains: Frugal-phile (tm) approved BD-Pipes with Radio Shack 40-1197s and almost a different tweeter every week (XO ~10k). This week it is a pr of 2" alnico cones with Sony name on them, probably made by Foster.
Woofer Amp: Amber series 70
Mains amp: dumpster SE EL84

Digital source: downstairs, haven't found a CD player that i can listen to (or maybe afford) in this system. HT: in another room, but soon to be integrated into the main system now that i have gone from a 20" TV to a 31".

My goal is to slowly replace everything with stuff of my own construction. Changes near the top of the queue are a new mains amp(s) and a new version of the mains with alnico versions of the FE103.

dave
 
Good Polarity/Bad Polarity

Hi Bill,
NO bashing intended at all.
The reason I say this is that you have so many drivers that because of practicallities in mounting arrangements and the series/parallel connections, they are destined to cause all sorts of combing and resonance effects, plus the electronic filters phase characteristics and the different sonics of the amplifiers that there are so many conflicting sources and distortions that a lot of fine detail gets masked.
Phase rotations in the audio band cause loss of depth cues, and result in a 'wall of sound' resultant.
Indeed this can be clean and loud, but the 3D ambience is altered.
If you do a few (enough) A/B comparisons of phase on the same musical passage you will hear a difference, and henceforth you will be stuck with it !.

Please re-read - this previous thread for some confirmations.

Regards, Eric.
 
Bill Fitzpatrick said:
<blockquote>Why don't you start a new thread called, "Tell me what you have and I'll tell you what's wrong with it." I'll reply, outlining my system as I have done here, and you can bash the hell out of it.
</blockquote>
Bill,
Unfortunately we have both met the kind,
But don't worry to much,
the majority of readers at this forum
dislike the attitude of those ones.
They do not only spoil the fun for the rest of us,
their remarks probably makes themselves feel awful inside.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=42441#post42441

gro
 
Modified Oracle delphi, Slate base, diy power supply, cones.
Rewired Rega RB300 arm with same cable (discovery) from cartridge to phono
ADEQ (ben duncan)phono amp sits underneath the base eliminating the need for 1/2 metre of arm cable.
Kiseki blue cartridge.

Pioneer cd transport with Trichord clock and battery power supply
Deltec PDm2 dac.

Diy passive with dual stepped attenuators. ( only 13x 2db steps, but in practise 26 db is plenty of range)

Kelvin labs 60 watt Class A monoblock power amps ( to be Aleph 2's sooner or later)

Apogee Stage speakers.

Low capacitance i/connect, very short (1/2 metre) VDH speaker cables (biwire)

Sounds very good, needs a bigger room to do justice to the Stage's low end but my wife won't give up the lounge.

Jules
 
Jules

Diy passive with dual stepped attenuators. ( only 13x 2db steps, but in practise 26 db is plenty of range)

PRECISELY!
That makes a simple stepper be a very WISE choice.
(As I have described in another thread,
use of CMOS up/down counter and Analog Multiplexer,
with remote control)

With 11 steps you come a long way.
For precise messuring purposes it can be different,
but I neither have the time or desire to messure
every song I enjoy.
 
4 Koss for L/R

Dave you are correct, I prefer the BW302 to those Koss.
What I used to do was to the Mirage 490is connected to both the Rotel and the JLH all the time for using it as the main L/R in the 5.1 setup as well as for the JLH 1996 as 2 channel only, and I think that was kind of dangerous. But I have not enough savings for another set of half decent speakers for the front and actually space to put them, the Koss can just sit on the top of the TV for now, if I switch the BW302 as the front I have no place to put them... until I have a better solution then the Koss will be moved to my daughter's room or basement background music when I am soldering.

Chris

P.S. I've forgotten to mention that I have D-Box david300 and JBL 8" 150watt subwoofers for the home theatre in my last post
 
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Well, since it was asked, I guess I'll describe my system. Nothing, zippo, it's all gone. I got rid of everything and am slowly rebuilding the hole thing. It's all comming along nicely, only thing not started is the sub (haven't decided what to go with yet, I'll do that when everything else is finished). Here's what' being built...

speakers: bi-amped vifa P17WJ-00-08s and BG ribbons

crossover: 24dB/octave linkwitz-reily discrete crossover

amps: power follower 99c's driver by tube voltage gain stages (for both the highs and the lows).

Haven't heard it yet, but shouldn't be too long before it's done. Oh, and I don't care if it doesn't live up to some of your standards, it's fun to build :).
 
My systems

Primary system

Speakers: Reference 3a Royal Master Control Monitors, HSU VT2 subwoofer
Amp: Tripath Eval Board (TA0104A)
Preamp: Passive stepped attenuator (50k Ohm)
DAC: ART DI/O with typical mods (Opamp upgrade, schottky diodes, higher VA transformer)
Transport: APEX DVD (AD600)

Secondary System

Speakers: 2 sets of KLH Model 9 Electrostatics
Amp: AudioPrism Debut (35 W EL34)
Preamp: DIY battery powered Opamp based pre (OPA627)
DAC: Audio Alchemy DDE 2.0
Transport: Lite-on CDROM

Headphone System

Headphones: Sennheiser HD600
Amp: Meier Corda HeadAmp-1
Source: Same as secondary System

Other rooms

3 Rio Receivers fed by mp3s from home server.

-willryu
 
Audax 12" aerogel powered-sub (designed by Joe D'Appolito), Audax bookshelf rears (designed by Vance Dickason), my own design for fronts and center (a 5" Focal polyglass woofer and a Vifa silk tweeter). I'm using my Toshiba DVD for CD's but I'm going to start desgining a DAC that will connect to it with a Toslink. Amplifier is 5 channel Harman-Kardon, but I have one shelf cleared for a McIntosh amp (someday)!
 
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