Very interesting thread, thanks for all.
Joachim,
I read your great interview in SpeakerBuilding site:
SpeakerBuilding.com - Interview with Joachim Gerhard of Audio Physic, Page 1
It was made in 1996, how much has there been development from those days in drivers and loudspeaker technology in your opinion?
What are the biggest "leaps" since then?
And thanks specially for you Joachim.
I am very much interested from the "audio history" also, it is nice to compare things from these days to older stuff.
Br,
-Niko
Joachim,
I read your great interview in SpeakerBuilding site:
SpeakerBuilding.com - Interview with Joachim Gerhard of Audio Physic, Page 1
It was made in 1996, how much has there been development from those days in drivers and loudspeaker technology in your opinion?
What are the biggest "leaps" since then?
And thanks specially for you Joachim.
I am very much interested from the "audio history" also, it is nice to compare things from these days to older stuff.
Br,
-Niko
When i read that interview i am quite surprised how little has changed in my mind.
What has happened is better measurement and simulation capability and that had influences on the drivers.
The really big thing for me was when the Klippel Distortion Analyzer came out.
Not only that we learned to identify the main sources of distortion in a driver :
Magnet, suspension, inductance but also how to minimize them. An improvement of 10dB is possible compared to drivers from 20 years ago. That brought drivers with distortion under 0.1% and also more dynamic range and better power handling.
The next step for me was starting to use Praxis from Bill Waslo about 10 years ago.
Multi tone testing now got easy. I also used the radiation pattern option a lot using an automatic turntable.
The other interesting thing with Praxis is the possibility to isolate distortion, even with music as a test signal. I had that idea initially and Bill was able to put that into software.
I think i can make speakers now where distortion is not an audible limiting factor any more.
Then came LSP-Cad that gives the ability to make a " virtual speaker" and listen to it over headphones. That way i learned how much deviation from flat are tolerable ( i found plus-minus 2dB ) and that truncation in the bass is the most audible defect ones the mid-treble is flat enough.
Well, that is it in a nutshell but there is much more.
I think, yes, the sound i get now is much better then 20 years ago.
What has happened is better measurement and simulation capability and that had influences on the drivers.
The really big thing for me was when the Klippel Distortion Analyzer came out.
Not only that we learned to identify the main sources of distortion in a driver :
Magnet, suspension, inductance but also how to minimize them. An improvement of 10dB is possible compared to drivers from 20 years ago. That brought drivers with distortion under 0.1% and also more dynamic range and better power handling.
The next step for me was starting to use Praxis from Bill Waslo about 10 years ago.
Multi tone testing now got easy. I also used the radiation pattern option a lot using an automatic turntable.
The other interesting thing with Praxis is the possibility to isolate distortion, even with music as a test signal. I had that idea initially and Bill was able to put that into software.
I think i can make speakers now where distortion is not an audible limiting factor any more.
Then came LSP-Cad that gives the ability to make a " virtual speaker" and listen to it over headphones. That way i learned how much deviation from flat are tolerable ( i found plus-minus 2dB ) and that truncation in the bass is the most audible defect ones the mid-treble is flat enough.
Well, that is it in a nutshell but there is much more.
I think, yes, the sound i get now is much better then 20 years ago.
I think i also can make better crossovers today and there are better passive parts.
I got quite fascinated with the new EVO caps from Mundorf for example.
There has also being progress in electronics. Most of it i build myself.
I never stopped listening to vinyl but i can now get consistent better sound from my analog rig then from CD despite the higher noise and the inferior speed stability.
I also tried very had to get better sound from high resolution digital.
The first step was a Pioneer universal player that actually did not sound good enough for me, even with SACD and 24Bit-196kHz. I then modified the electronics heavy but that did not solve the problem so i sold it. The next step was building a server. That sounded better but is still a work in progress. Now i am looking into computer hifi. At the moment i am using Foobar with some plug ins and a DAC based on ESS chips with an analog filter i designed, also a work in progress.
The best digital i heard was in a presentation of TAD Beryllium speakers.
The system was bi-wired with 4 big Pass amps, a Pass preamp and a really huge Pacific Microsonics DA converter. It was a master tape of Bob Skaggs live in the studio. That sounded pretty amazing so i know it can be done.
I got quite fascinated with the new EVO caps from Mundorf for example.
There has also being progress in electronics. Most of it i build myself.
I never stopped listening to vinyl but i can now get consistent better sound from my analog rig then from CD despite the higher noise and the inferior speed stability.
I also tried very had to get better sound from high resolution digital.
The first step was a Pioneer universal player that actually did not sound good enough for me, even with SACD and 24Bit-196kHz. I then modified the electronics heavy but that did not solve the problem so i sold it. The next step was building a server. That sounded better but is still a work in progress. Now i am looking into computer hifi. At the moment i am using Foobar with some plug ins and a DAC based on ESS chips with an analog filter i designed, also a work in progress.
The best digital i heard was in a presentation of TAD Beryllium speakers.
The system was bi-wired with 4 big Pass amps, a Pass preamp and a really huge Pacific Microsonics DA converter. It was a master tape of Bob Skaggs live in the studio. That sounded pretty amazing so i know it can be done.
The drivers got better sure, especially in terms of distortion an dynamics.
There are also a lot of exotic membrane material available now like Beryllium, Artificial Diamond, Ceramics, Carbon etc.
Also the development of paper cones goes on.
I visited Dr. Müller at Pro Light and Sound and they had interesting sandwiches based of paper with carbon, PE foam and others.
On the other hand the Satori Monitor proves that a top sounding speaker can be made with paper cones and soft domes.
There is a lot of juice in an old lemon.
There are also a lot of exotic membrane material available now like Beryllium, Artificial Diamond, Ceramics, Carbon etc.
Also the development of paper cones goes on.
I visited Dr. Müller at Pro Light and Sound and they had interesting sandwiches based of paper with carbon, PE foam and others.
On the other hand the Satori Monitor proves that a top sounding speaker can be made with paper cones and soft domes.
There is a lot of juice in an old lemon.
Hi Mr. Gerhard, I've just bought a couple of Virgo mk1 speakers.
What can you tell me about this revision? what about rear bridge connection?
I have now a couple of Brilon monitors
.
In the meanwhile waiting to match transistor for the Paradise mc phono stage.
This thread is very, very interesting to follow and I'm very courious about your Satory design developing.
Frank
What can you tell me about this revision? what about rear bridge connection?
I have now a couple of Brilon monitors
.In the meanwhile waiting to match transistor for the Paradise mc phono stage
.This thread is very, very interesting to follow and I'm very courious about your Satory design developing.
Frank
I use Mundorf Supreme resistors.
For prototyps i use wire wound or metal oxyde.
The Virgo 1 was the first floor standing Virgo. I think it came out in 1991. There was an even earlier model that was a two way on stands.
The bridges can be removed for bi-wiring or bi-amping.
Taking out one bridge and inserting a resistor the mid-treble range can be reduced in volume. Something between 1 Ohm and 3,3 Ohm can be tried.
For prototyps i use wire wound or metal oxyde.
The Virgo 1 was the first floor standing Virgo. I think it came out in 1991. There was an even earlier model that was a two way on stands.
The bridges can be removed for bi-wiring or bi-amping.
Taking out one bridge and inserting a resistor the mid-treble range can be reduced in volume. Something between 1 Ohm and 3,3 Ohm can be tried.
This ones are the best bang for the bug :
http://www.welwyn-tt.com/pdf/datasheet/W20.PDF
I made a very interesting experience with this resistors.
When i insert them before the tweeter i have the impression that the sound stage gets higher. I have no idea why that is.
http://www.welwyn-tt.com/pdf/datasheet/W20.PDF
I made a very interesting experience with this resistors.
When i insert them before the tweeter i have the impression that the sound stage gets higher. I have no idea why that is.
Just curious. Why did you stop using metal film? Paralleled Resista brand metal film resistors sound incredible and unlike anything else. There's literally no words to describe them. Same goes for a lot of the 80s Philips MRS25 and SFR16. And of course the original Holco.
Do you find that the Mundorf M Supreme wirewound resistors are better than the vintage metal film type? I could never get that crisp yet sweet Resista sound from any wirewound I've tried.
I used in my Jadis JA80 monoblocks & my tube preamps with great success
never suspected goes great also for passive xovers: for pasive xovers I used Mills.
This guys make power metal film resistors :
Custom Resistors for Industrial, Aerospace, Commercial & Military
I use them in some positions in my Opus Magnum phono stage and always wanted to try them in speakers.
Custom Resistors for Industrial, Aerospace, Commercial & Military
I use them in some positions in my Opus Magnum phono stage and always wanted to try them in speakers.
Thank you for answer.
Do you remember what changed between Virgo I and II ? is the MKII a lot better than MKI ?
I've seen that side woofer placement is different.
Frank
Do you remember what changed between Virgo I and II ? is the MKII a lot better than MKI ?
I've seen that side woofer placement is different.
Frank