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RE: Action?

24.14.99.196

Posted by lakeforest on December 12, 2007 at 20:40:03

In Reply to: RE: Action? posted by ttan98 on December 9, 2007 at 03:53:49:

OK. I couldn't wait. My first impressions:

Upstream really matters. They are extremely revealing of recording, source, and electronics. I first tried them with two of the ART pro audio amps that Clayton sent along. The 15s like the grunt and perform well with them but they are just too noisy and brittle sounding for the compression driver. When I ran a digital audio stream directly into the analog outlets of the crossover it was way too bright and cutting. Using my Fi tube pre before the crossover made a huge difference in the ways you would expect. Taking the ART out of the high end and replacing it with my Fi tube amp was really the magic. To reply to some of the other posters, YES these things rock with a flea powered tube amp on the top. However, I had to go into the gain structure of the crossover right away and max the gain on the highs. This is very easy to accomplish with one button and one knob twist on the front panel of the unit.

I am enjoying these speakers more than any speakers I have owned in the last twenty five years. They have the open natural sound of a good maggie or even a quad but with what appears to be unlimited dynamics. You cannot imagine what it is like to have real live music dynamics in your house until you hear these. I was used the box speakers; efficient and dynamic box speakers but still holding up the enclosure coloration. My previous speakers have been swanns allures, altec 604s, altec a-7, cain and cain abby, spendor ls3/5, various jbls, etc. . .

I am listening to the Rickie Lee Jones Pop Pop CD right now on a 47 Labs spinner with a 47 Lab converter. This is a long time reference CD for me. I am immediately struck by the low frequencies. I have an upright bass in my music room that I play occasionally and poorly but it does let me know what they really sound like in a room. I am telling you, they are big round and tubby sounding and these speakers can get that with out sounding phony or pushed. I am also noticing how each instrument has its own sound; proper timbre/color without taking on the sound of the speaker. I might say that this speaker doesn't seem to have an obvious character or sound. Horns and classical music sound fantastic. Again, dynamics and scale that need to be there in orchestral works.

They are a tweekers dream and I expect to try many different set ups as time goes on. They are currently on the short wall of a 14 by 25 room but open in the back into two open hallway doors so I am still not sure what the optimal set up on the software is for this weird placement. They are sensitive to every small move or adjustment.

Sorry for the disjointed thoughts. Just top of the head for now but I know some of you are waiting to hear any news. Oh, they do sound terrible out of the crate but get better quickly. And make sure to order some XLR to RCA adapters or custom cables from Clayton. You will need them for the crossover connections.

Next steps: direct digital link to crossover--direct amp to compression driver connection--upgraded crossover from third party.

Thanks,

Kirby

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