Newform Ribbon, continuing saga

Planar Speaker Asylum

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Well, when last I posted on the KSU2 I had installed the Black Hole (making the next part of the update really hard...). I listened to the speakers with most of my collection on both the Spectron and the Atma-Spheres (with the aid of the Zero autoformers...which is another story). Across the board the speakers were much more capable in the low bass, with much better transient response in the bass and low mids. I did eventually re-install the sub (got to have my 20hz). Great stuff!

Now for Stage Two: Theta, The Capacitor of the Gods.
I had the caps burning in on a small circuit I set up for them. I installed them on the speaker early today and have been listening most of the day. Switching back and forth I can hear: Better attack with the Theta. Better (smoother, more linear) decay into the acoustic. Marginally deeper sound field. Soundstage seems just a tad wider. The Theta gives more, and more subtle, information on guitar plucks. On some recordings the original cap sounds smoother by virtue of covering up some of the high-frequency grit in the recording (particularly noticeable on the solid-state amps). I did notice that if I push it (with the Spectron) the ribbons can get just a bit bright. ( I would put it down to more of the high-frequency power dynamics are making it to the ribbon, also to the fact that the improved coil is not yet installed so that the mids are dynamically falling behind.) They are definitely worth their cost.

My conclusions: If you are running bright or gritty SS electronics, leave the stock cap in, otherwise you will blame the ribbons for being bright. If you have good clean electronics by all means upgrade the cap. The extra detail and depth is well worth the few bright/gritty recordings. And, I would go so far as to say that if you have good tubed electronics you MUST HAVE the Theta. It just brings it all to life. Now I know the cap will continue to get more "relaxed" as time goes on, but I think that I have enough time on it to get a good feel for how it sounds. If it changes I will report on it....

Next: The Foil Coil
Mike

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Topic - Newform Ribbon, continuing saga - rp1@surfnetusa.com 22:48:21 06/27/03 (4)

Re: Newform Ribbon, continuing saga - TomWh 21:02:52 06/30/03 (0)

just the tweeter cap & not the woofers' shunt cap too, right? _ <nt> - Mart 23:41:28 06/27/03 (2)

Re: just the tweeter cap & not the woofers' shunt cap too, right? _ <nt> - rp1@surfnetusa.com 14:38:52 06/28/03 (1)

No, you were halucinating from dehydration, - Leisure7 21:49:04 06/29/03 (0)

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