Given that I have two laptops with significant white noise all the time and whine when the hdd spins, I'd be surprised if it wasn't. Although I don't use them for measurements (I use USB recording interfaces), the noise is plenty low enough that with the output level turned all the way up (and then passively turned down before the power amp), they would work fine. That's why I asked about the level before.
Ditto on the USB. I would also suggest mute EVERYTHING not essential to the measurement. Killed a tapped woofer once because of this. No biggie, looked like some HS shop project with a healthy unknown woofer. Slammed the vc into the back plate. Yes I cringed and said d*mn. Free in = Free out 🙂
OK I've disabled the WiFi and muted everything but still the digital noise is present on the soundcard output.
I'm concerned that buying an external USB soundcard may be no better if the noise is on the USB 5V supply.
I'm concerned that buying an external USB soundcard may be no better if the noise is on the USB 5V supply.
I have heard two pairs of these speakers in both active and passive configurations and they are excellent. I rate them better than B&W M801s BUT they are of the highly analytical type and if you play poorly recorded music you will hear this loud and clear. They are NOT the sort of speaker to impose their own sound and give you warm feelings, they are ruthless in exposing all sorts sounds that are masked or blended in with many domestic speakers. Badly recorded music sounds exactly that with these speakers.
I don't know which types of music you like but can you hear very distinct differences in production qualities from different recordings? One thing I have noticed is just how different different recordings sound. If everything is sounding the same I'd be concerned.
Whatever happened to this project? Was a lot of money and apparently disappointing result, would be good to hear of your progress towards a positive outcome...
Yes, I'm curious too. I nearly bought a pair of these speakers but the lack of online reviews made me hesitant.
I suspect what is wrong with this speaker, is that the ATC soft-dome midrange is just a noisy, fizzy sort of driver. After a while with people's comments, you just think that maybe it's NOT too revealing, but just plain sounds bad.
A regular small cone mid might be a better point of departure.
A regular small cone mid might be a better point of departure.
What makes you think that?
I haven't heard the atc mid myself so can't comment, but thought the atc stuff was well regarded in the pro monitor world?
As I said, my experience of wilmslow audio's crossover design skills on the other hand is just plain bad... I'm still waiting to be corrected on that.
I haven't heard the atc mid myself so can't comment, but thought the atc stuff was well regarded in the pro monitor world?
As I said, my experience of wilmslow audio's crossover design skills on the other hand is just plain bad... I'm still waiting to be corrected on that.
I agree, it is nonsense.
Besides thousands liking the ATC, many of whom are recording engineers and so get to compare it to the real thing in real time, it is also measurably better than 99% of other mids covering a similar range.
Besides thousands liking the ATC, many of whom are recording engineers and so get to compare it to the real thing in real time, it is also measurably better than 99% of other mids covering a similar range.
re: the midrange driver(s) measuring well while being described as "too revealing": the latter qualification has always been a mistery. it makes one wonder if testing one frequency at a time, or something else, is where the correlation with subjective assessment is being lost. after all the real (live) music being recorded is presumed to be pleasant, and how could a recording engineer miss the too revealing, too forward, or edgy quality to a recording?
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I had my doubts when Wilmslow apparently said that they recommend the same xover for the ATC and the Volt mid despite the ATC being 16Ohm and the Volt being 8Ohm and a few dB more efficient.
I'm still trying to get a noise free sweep into the amplifier to do some measurements.
TBPH I've lost heart in the project so it's on the back-burner.
TBPH I've lost heart in the project so it's on the back-burner.
I suggest you get rid of the C4 and R5 in your crossover for the mid. The resistor R2 will pad down enough sensitivity for the Volt VM752.
The longer you wait to find out what is wrong, the harder it will be to get Wilmslow Audio to address it particularly as the business is now up for sale which may rather change the outlook of the people running it. If you are really fed up with it I will take away the bits and give you, say, £100?
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