General Asylum

General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories.

Return to General Asylum

Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

My ideal speaker/amplifier connection

69.137.5.160
Posted on October 1, 2014 at 16:09:20
Jack D II
Audiophile

Posts: 1535
Location: Hot Springs, AR
Joined: June 17, 2009
 My ideal speaker/amp connection would be to run the wire from the back of the speakers to the amp in one, unbroken piece. I keep thinking that with signals so small it is best not to interrupt them or cause them to bounce around between different metals before continuing or to be influenced by different metals. Does anybody do this?

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
RE: My ideal speaker/amplifier connection, posted on October 1, 2014 at 16:10:27
middleground
 Bring back the stereo console!

 

I did something like this for a while..., posted on October 1, 2014 at 16:36:20
David S.
Audiophile

Posts: 3552
Location: Mountains of WNC
Joined: August 31, 2000
 This was back in the mid to late 1980's.

My system was an NAD CD player (model 5355 if I remember correctly,) with a NYAL "Minuet in A" preamp. This fed into an NAD 2200 PE amplifier. I bypassed the 2200's output relays (because they were getting "iffy") and soldered some speaker cable directly from the output traces to my Dali 8 loudspeakers.

Some of it was probably the almost ideal room dimensions & treatment, but some of it was certainly the equipment involved. Simply said? That was right up there with the most dynamic, detailed, involving systems I have EVER heard at any price. My friend used to drag one or more of his speakers (Some Monitor Audio jobbies, or some Audio Concepts Concert Monitor 12), and/or his nice Luxman receiver to swap out. The original setup was always best - and it seemed like the NYAL preamp was the biggest key in the system.

 

RE: Hardwiring?, posted on October 1, 2014 at 16:38:34
genungo
 Certainly some "active" speakers and console systems would use hardwiring between the amps and the drivers, but not all of them. Some use removable (push, clamp, screw) connections, I'm sure.

Removable connections might be a blessing come repair or service time.

I don't know of any passive speaker systems that come from the factory hardwired, partly because it would be a hassle trying move or transport a hardwired system. Doing the hardwiring yourself would probably not be worth the effort. I wouldn't expect any big improvements using hardwired connections, but who knows?

Hardwired power cords might be a very good idea, though.

 

Modern Stereo Console?, posted on October 1, 2014 at 16:45:30
genungo
 Here's a nice one...

 

Rip those consoles apart., posted on October 1, 2014 at 17:03:51
Byrd69
Audiophile

Posts: 2881
Location: East Syracuse, New York
Joined: August 23, 2004
 Rip those consoles apart.

Most of them have guts that are better off being re-purposed.

On the other hand....some are keepers. I've got mint Telefunken, Grundig and Kuba consoles. They won't be ripped apart while under my guard.




Your interest may vary but the results will be same. (Byrd 2020)

I can't compete with the dead. (Buck W. 2010)

Cowards can't be heroes. (Byrd 2017)

Why don't catfish have kittens? (Moe Howard 1937)

 

RE: Modern Stereo Console?, posted on October 1, 2014 at 17:35:06
middleground
 It is nice.

I want to petition Bryston to have them build a console, want to sign?

 

RE: Modern Stereo Console?, posted on October 1, 2014 at 18:16:54
genungo
 I'm not in the market for a console but I'd be interested in finding out how Bryston would respond to a petition to build or market one.

My guess is that if Bryston were to build a console, it would be quite large and quite expensive. Bryston might want the speakers to be at least 6 feet apart, for instance. The speakers on the Symbol Audio console look like they might be a bit too close together for great stereo separation.

 

Why do that?, posted on October 1, 2014 at 18:54:15
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37584
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since: April 5, 2002
 We already have too many hard, bright sounding components as it is.

 

RE: My ideal speaker/amplifier connection, posted on October 1, 2014 at 21:43:43
AKG106
Audiophile

Posts: 82
Joined: June 4, 2012
 I have always thought that the best connection is no connection so when building my latest speakers (linkwitzlab LX521) I ran the speaker cables all the way to the drivers. I also hardwired the interconnects into the ASP.
My system is the best I have ever heard by a long way but just how much difference is down to hardwiring I don't know ( probably very little).

 

Emmons Audio, posted on October 1, 2014 at 22:14:27
hifitommy
Audiophile

Posts: 15387
Location: canyon country califiornia, orig from buffalo ny
Joined: June 9, 2000
 it was on ventura blvd and was an old line stereo shop. in a large console of two inch oak was a revox, mac electronics, and a thorens tt. impressive.
...regards...tr

 

RE: My ideal speaker/amplifier connection, posted on October 2, 2014 at 00:12:45
Todd Krieger
Audiophile

Posts: 37333
Location: SW United States
Joined: November 2, 2000
 The ideal amp-speaker connection is the amp's output transistors soldered directly to the driver's input leads..... [-;

 

{{{to run the wire from the back of the speakers to the amp in one, unbroken piece.}}} , posted on October 2, 2014 at 02:31:06
three_sox
 ... Wire in one unbroken piece seems to work somewhat better than wire which is broken.

I tend to think one's mood from one day to the next has a far greater influence on sound appreciation than does all the different metals in a properly designed signal path.

YMMV

 

"...signals so small...", posted on October 2, 2014 at 05:38:30
briggs
Audiophile

Posts: 1674
Location: Connecticut
Joined: April 16, 2002
 What kind of speakers are you driving with such small signals?

I don't recall "small signals" being a consideration in speaker circuits.

 

RE: Modern Stereo Console?, posted on October 2, 2014 at 05:39:49
middleground
 Well I had a nice chat with the fellow behind Bryston's speaker project, James Tanner, at the Salon Image et Son and all I can tell you one couldn't find a nicer more down-to-earth guy.

The large Model T sounded amazingly good.

Like most Bryston products the Ts are akin to a Corvette in that they offer incredible performance for the price but come up short in the snobiness stakes central to all effete audiophiles.


I have no idea what a Bryston console would sound like and I don't think anyone will ever find out since producing one will likely never be attempted.

BTW I will take a Tanner over ten Fremers any day of the week.




 

RE: Bryston Model T, posted on October 2, 2014 at 06:22:37
genungo
 $7495, dual tweeters, tri-ampable external crossovers, "sphincter" bass ports... Looks mighty interesting!

 

RE: I did something like this for a while..., posted on October 2, 2014 at 06:55:08
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 Interesting. I did the same thing to my 2200 for its AC power in about 2000. I hardwired a good power cord to the transformer primary. This bypassed the switch and fuse and several other things including the shitty stock hard wired 16 gauge cord. I plugged it into a Monster Power 300 I think so if it ever went to dead short it would shut off/protect from catastrophe although still likely damage the amp.

It made a big difference. Much more dynamic and the peak power light that had never lit would now do so and most often from midrange peaks where there was a lot of crossover loss if you will as both sets of drivers (2-way/2.5K) were involved. I always assumed the peak light would engage during a lot of bass which consumes the most power but not so.


ET
ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

Being cheap can be your friend, posted on October 2, 2014 at 09:32:05
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 With all of the (dubious?) exotic connectors being expensive and I not wanting to spend the money I have long soldered my speaker wires to the drivers (separate lengths for each driver) and to the wire that connected to the binding posts in the amplifier.

I also have used the method suggested by Rik Schultz - drill a hole near the binding posts of your amplifier - feed the, now, disconnected wires from the output stage and feed these into the respective binding post - do the same with your speaker wire and use the binding post to clamp the two wires together. I think this is ingenuous and works very well for those who do not want to get out the soldering iron ...

By the way, many of the signals sent from the amp to the speakers are very small unless you listen exclusively to highly dynamically compressed recordings.

For interconnect I solder one end to the gear and then use only two of the three "prongs" of a silver plated XLR. You get a superior connection than any iteration of an RCA and at a very reasonable price.

 

Exactly!..., posted on October 2, 2014 at 09:44:36
onemug
Audiophile

Posts: 1276
Location: So. California
Joined: April 19, 2003
 It doesn't get any better than that. :)

 

RE: If the Outputs are Transistors..., posted on October 2, 2014 at 09:52:15
amioutaline?
 ...the entire exercise is an even bigger waste of time.

 

If it were practical, posted on October 2, 2014 at 11:54:36
G Squared
Audiophile

Posts: 8475
Location: Washington, DC Metro Area
Joined: November 16, 2004
Contributor
  Since: May 23, 2023



This would be a good approach.
Gsquared

 

or Active Loudspeakers!, posted on October 2, 2014 at 14:39:20
BigguyinATL
Manufacturer

Posts: 3475
Joined: April 10, 2002
 LSR308 $500/pair
"The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat" - Confucius

 

RE: or Active Loudspeakers!, posted on October 3, 2014 at 06:34:02
middleground
 Yup. Question: are they all made with class D amps or some sort of switching amp and gobs of digital processing?

Went to a Linn dealer last week and met a very nice gentleman who was very proud to tell me that Linn's most recent system with active speakers is all digital and that the speakers have their very own DACs. For no reason in particular other than being set in my ways, that id not sound like a good thing to me. What do you think?

Thanks.

 

RE: or Active Loudspeakers!, posted on October 3, 2014 at 07:15:39
genungo
 Almost all active speakers, except for the really expensive ones, use class D amps. While class D may not "sound like a good thing" remember that your ears are designed to hear sounds, not ideas. If it sounds good, it is good.

 

RE: or Active Loudspeakers!, posted on October 3, 2014 at 07:37:13
middleground
 Ok, if it sounds good how often and how long?

 

RE: How often and how long? I dunno..., posted on October 3, 2014 at 07:46:04
genungo
 You tell me.

 

RE: How often and how long? I dunno..., posted on October 4, 2014 at 06:46:21
middleground
 As often as one can and as long as one can.

The only valid listening session to assess any component is to have the component within the context of a known complete system, for extended periods, with a variety of recordings known to the listener and in the listeners usual listening room without let or hindrance from any other person, especially sales personnel, audiophile buddies, kids, wives, etc. No dogs, but a cat is ok.

If two or a series of components are to be evaluated keep everything the same except for that component and do it in a timely fashion.

That so seldom happens that audiophiles are satisfied with a crap shoot, theirs or a professional reviewer's.

 

RE: How often and how long? I dunno..., posted on October 4, 2014 at 06:48:55
genungo
 The "30 day in-home trial" thing can be very helpful. Several years ago, I ordered a pair of what was then Aperion Audio's largest floorstanders. I kept them in house for almost a month before deciding that they were simply too large and powerful for my room. Without an extended audition I could never have been sure that those speakers were not right for that room.

I got a prompt refund (including return shipping costs) as soon as the speaker were returned. So, I can highly recommend Aperion. Their speakers sounded great and the service is extraordinary.

 

Just Listen To Sox.........., posted on October 4, 2014 at 08:40:42
abs1
 ...... unless you care more about engaging in masochistic mind-fucks than you do about enjoying the music :-)

Cheers,
Al

 

RE: My ideal speaker/amplifier connection, posted on October 4, 2014 at 10:53:45
Bromo33333
Audiophile

Posts: 3502
Location: Ipswich, MA
Joined: May 4, 2004
 I think a solid gas tight metal-to-metal connection would be just fine.

Soldering would be good, too, but probably not always ideal since a cold solder joint, or one that is both electrical and mechanical connection could require reflow after several years.
====
"You are precisely as big as what you love and precisely as small as what you allow to annoy you." ~ R A Wilson

 

Until you decide that it utterly sucks and you go and get new stuff, posted on October 4, 2014 at 14:58:18
richardl
Audiophile

Posts: 3555
Joined: September 5, 2002
 It is what happens when your speakers aren't flat response etc. You are permanently on the merry go round of, "Sounds good this week!" Fun for dealers.

 

Well..., posted on October 4, 2014 at 15:06:15
genungo
 .., as they say, "A rolling stone gathers no moss."

I can think of worse things than having a new pair of speakers to play with every month.

 

Page processed in 0.051 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]