vktarun
Active Member
Suggest any good design
Regards,
Sachin
Hey! the idea itself it very tempting :licklips:
Tube preamp generally have fewer components, even point to point wiring will work.
DIY 12AX7 Tube preamp
regards,
Vipin
Gruby goes DIY, atlast! <WARNING! Long, meandering & boring ramble ahead!>
- Thread starter grubyhalo
- Start date
Hey! the idea itself it very tempting :licklips:
Tube preamp generally have fewer components, even point to point wiring will work.
DIY 12AX7 Tube preamp
regards,
Vipin
sachu888
Well-Known Member
grubyhalo
New Member
Thanks, will take a look.
grubyhalo
New Member
After spending a lot of time reading stuff that I often do not completely understand, the idea of a superlative stand-mount monitor paired with a servo sub was beginning to beguile me strongly. I had been reading about the following designs and found SEAS Bifrost and SB Satori the most attractive to me.
The Madisound Speaker Store
Zaph|Audio - ZD5 - Scan Speak 15W8530K00 and Vifa XT25
Tempesta
SB Acoustics Satori Monitor - diyAudio
Auditioning over the Internet is probably silly, to put it politely, but I think it atleast lets you understand a small percentage of the speaker's attributes. Sometimes just enough to differentiate one from another. For example, Id jump at a chance to listen to a Dynaudio C1 or a TAD CR-1 or a Raidho C1.1 but may be a little less enthusiastic about an Avantgarde or a Harbeth. I heard the bookshelf version of the Bifrosts on YouTube (no less!) among a few other DIY designs. One of the clips was a back-to-back comparison between the Zaph SR71 and Bifrost, with the latter coming across as more detailed and airy. Maybe the Crescendo tweeters did have magic dust sprinkled on them afterall! I wonder if any DIY design aspires to come close to or even match the top-rung commercial standmounts. The best sound I heard was from a Dynaudio C1/McIntosh MC275 combo. Well, logically this should help me decide on a pair of good bookshelves and call it a day. However, if I go for standmounts, I would most definitely need to allocate funds for a sub, an amp for the sub and a stand for the bookshelves. This, I am not fully inclined to.
After more time spent on YouTube, this time looking for horn-loaded systems, I have been set back on the path towards horn-loading, again. I especially like how the vintage Pioneers (2401/2402/3401) and Altec Monitors sound. To me they seem to convey more immediacy, if that's what it is, and energy in the music. In one instance, a pairing of an Altec Model 19 with a McIntosh MC275 (again!) sounded simply glorious. If I am not totally wrong, another advantage to using speakers with controlled-directivity, which horn-loaded systems are, is that they need less room-correction and room-treatments compared to conventional (?) wide-dispersion speakers. It is beginning to appear to me that I may have to look into horn-loaded systems more extensively. I am waiting, quite eagerly, for the different designs in progress that use the SEOS horns are revealed. Maybe, I should just go for a standmount design with a Denovo DNA-360 on a SEOS 12/15 horn for the highs and an AE TD-12M for the mid-bass. And try and deal with the constant How low can you go? (Apologies to Chubby Checker!) question ringing in my head till I could afford a sub? Sigh.
On other news, I think I just made my DAC choice. Well, maybe the choice made itself. I lucked out in getting a new TPA Buffalo II (not the III) module along with the digital power supply. However, I would still need to get an I/V stage along with the analogue power supply before I could attempt to build the complete DAC. I think Id probably go with the IVY III, which is also a line-stage with adjustable gain. This way I could try driving whatever amp I choose directly from the DAC and think about a pre-amp later. The built-in volume control in the ESS 9018 chip is real handy! Im happy that I have one less link in the chain to worry and obsess over.
The Madisound Speaker Store
Zaph|Audio - ZD5 - Scan Speak 15W8530K00 and Vifa XT25
Tempesta
SB Acoustics Satori Monitor - diyAudio
Auditioning over the Internet is probably silly, to put it politely, but I think it atleast lets you understand a small percentage of the speaker's attributes. Sometimes just enough to differentiate one from another. For example, Id jump at a chance to listen to a Dynaudio C1 or a TAD CR-1 or a Raidho C1.1 but may be a little less enthusiastic about an Avantgarde or a Harbeth. I heard the bookshelf version of the Bifrosts on YouTube (no less!) among a few other DIY designs. One of the clips was a back-to-back comparison between the Zaph SR71 and Bifrost, with the latter coming across as more detailed and airy. Maybe the Crescendo tweeters did have magic dust sprinkled on them afterall! I wonder if any DIY design aspires to come close to or even match the top-rung commercial standmounts. The best sound I heard was from a Dynaudio C1/McIntosh MC275 combo. Well, logically this should help me decide on a pair of good bookshelves and call it a day. However, if I go for standmounts, I would most definitely need to allocate funds for a sub, an amp for the sub and a stand for the bookshelves. This, I am not fully inclined to.
After more time spent on YouTube, this time looking for horn-loaded systems, I have been set back on the path towards horn-loading, again. I especially like how the vintage Pioneers (2401/2402/3401) and Altec Monitors sound. To me they seem to convey more immediacy, if that's what it is, and energy in the music. In one instance, a pairing of an Altec Model 19 with a McIntosh MC275 (again!) sounded simply glorious. If I am not totally wrong, another advantage to using speakers with controlled-directivity, which horn-loaded systems are, is that they need less room-correction and room-treatments compared to conventional (?) wide-dispersion speakers. It is beginning to appear to me that I may have to look into horn-loaded systems more extensively. I am waiting, quite eagerly, for the different designs in progress that use the SEOS horns are revealed. Maybe, I should just go for a standmount design with a Denovo DNA-360 on a SEOS 12/15 horn for the highs and an AE TD-12M for the mid-bass. And try and deal with the constant How low can you go? (Apologies to Chubby Checker!) question ringing in my head till I could afford a sub? Sigh.
On other news, I think I just made my DAC choice. Well, maybe the choice made itself. I lucked out in getting a new TPA Buffalo II (not the III) module along with the digital power supply. However, I would still need to get an I/V stage along with the analogue power supply before I could attempt to build the complete DAC. I think Id probably go with the IVY III, which is also a line-stage with adjustable gain. This way I could try driving whatever amp I choose directly from the DAC and think about a pre-amp later. The built-in volume control in the ESS 9018 chip is real handy! Im happy that I have one less link in the chain to worry and obsess over.
I wouldnt pick that. 12AX7 has a very high gain, around 100 if i remember correctly. Usually one doesnt need that kind of gain with modern sound cards or cd players etc.
dont judge speakers based on you tube:lol:
Why not the zaph's all revelator system.
You are confusing yourself. forget the DAC. concentrate on speakers first. Once done, go for a suitable amp. enjoy the journey, dont be in a hurry.
Where are you located. have you tried the diy speakers other fms have made in your city.
keith_correa
Well-Known Member
+1 to this.
grubyhalo
New Member
I probably am confusing myself a bit for sure. I wasn't totally judging, just trying to see if there was anything to be gleaned through that route. Agreed, it's not totally useful. I don't think I'd choose or drop a pair of speakers, just through listening to them on YouTube.
BTW, it was not a 'DAC or a speaker' situation. I was just lucky enough to pick up the DAC module for not a lot of money.
I'd rather not need to have to spend on a sub and a stand, if I could. But, I have not completely given up on them. Let's see...
grubyhalo
New Member
I came across this SEOS kit designed by Jeff Bagby that uses a Definimax 12 woofer and appears quite interesting:
Definimax-12 Kit - 12" Woofer Models - Waveguide Speaker Kits DIY Sound Group
More info here:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1291022/hey-guys-we-need-a-little-rallying-here/5910#post_22651307
I guess I'm trying to achieve something similar to the Basslines with the mid and tweeter replaced by a CD+horn combo:
My latest: Open baffle mid, Lambda TD12H, B&C 6md38, Peerless HDS - diyAudio
http://htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=29988&page=5&pp=35
The HT Guide thread my need logging in.
Anyone here knows who's the current dealer for Eminence in Chennai is? I see Swamy Engineering Works as the dealer on Eminence's site but none of the phone numbers that I could find on the web seem to work.
Definimax-12 Kit - 12" Woofer Models - Waveguide Speaker Kits DIY Sound Group
More info here:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1291022/hey-guys-we-need-a-little-rallying-here/5910#post_22651307
I guess I'm trying to achieve something similar to the Basslines with the mid and tweeter replaced by a CD+horn combo:
My latest: Open baffle mid, Lambda TD12H, B&C 6md38, Peerless HDS - diyAudio
http://htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=29988&page=5&pp=35
The HT Guide thread my need logging in.
Anyone here knows who's the current dealer for Eminence in Chennai is? I see Swamy Engineering Works as the dealer on Eminence's site but none of the phone numbers that I could find on the web seem to work.
I do not remember the name but the dealer is located in a commercial complex located diagonally opposite to Bata (On Blackers Road, adjacent to the entry of Richie Street, 2nd lane)
grubyhalo
New Member
Thanks Rajiv, Captain. I've shot Cinetekk an email, will try calling them tomorrow!
Those are very interesting designs you are considering. I had my share of experiments with a basslines-similar design. I used my bipole for lows( < 200Hz) and a narrow OB MTM configuration for mids and highs with a passive xo. The star of the design was the OB mids and they paired well with the the bipole bass section.
However my vote is for the the Definimax 12 CD kit. It might be the only pair you need for music and moderate HT use.
grubyhalo
New Member
Thanks for chiming in. The Definimax kit appears the most attractive for now. I am hoping that more information on other designs using the SEOS are posted soon.
grubyhalo
New Member
I wonder if anyone here has heard any of the AE and/or the JBL (2226/2206) drivers. I'd love to hear their opinion on the Mid-bass performance of both...
grubyhalo
New Member
Order now for just ₹19,990.00
