Author Topic: Daedalus Speakers  (Read 20314 times)

Black Sand Cable

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #15 on: October 01, 2007, 10:40:38 AM »
I was kidding.

My bad  :duh...I wasn't sure as I didn't see any  ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) in your original post so I took it as you were serious.

miklorsmith

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #16 on: October 01, 2007, 10:44:49 AM »
The whole "mortgage the house" and "life of crime" wasn't enough of a tip?  I'll try to be more extreme next time.   ;)

Black Sand Cable

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #17 on: October 01, 2007, 10:48:05 AM »
The whole "mortgage the house" and "life of crime" wasn't enough of a tip?  I'll try to be more extreme next time.   ;)

I don't claim to be the brightest bulb in the pack, just the best looking!  ;)


miklorsmith

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #18 on: October 01, 2007, 10:52:37 AM »
No worries mate, just playin'.  :D

shep

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #19 on: October 01, 2007, 12:21:40 PM »
Just showing up... :duh Don't think the best in the world exist. Speaker tecknology changes all the time, as do our perceptions. Personally I'd rather take a more forgiving speaker that isn't so demanding, time-consuming and begging for money to be spent on it. Must be getting staid (or smart) in my ol age)
Haven't heard anything of this class for ages so I really haven't a clue! I adore my TLs and I really don't want to be confronted with any more choices! But I sure like watching the turmoil from my smug sidelines!

jrebman

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #20 on: October 01, 2007, 01:11:30 PM »
I haven't checked out Lou's speakers in a couple years, but he would be the first to admit that razor sharp imaging isn't their thing.  That said, you do tend to get a hugely wide sweet spot where the sound is very full and balanced at "both ends of the couch".  The speakers are made of solid hardwood as well, so they are in the camp of "resonant" speakers, like Audio Notes, and others, and some people like that and others don't.  I do believe that Lou did make some changes to one or more of his original models and offered them with a single tweeter instead of the pair of offset ones, which did improve the imaging a bit, but they are still what I would consider fairly laid back and warm speakers -- though I'm looking forward to hearing the new one this year.  IMO, they also work much better with a very transparent tube amp, and as nice as the Red Dragons are, they are still digital amps and really just not the best match, again IMO, for the Daedalus speakers.  I think he used them last year because he needed a lot of power because he also used his speakers for PA duties for the evening entertainment.

Years ago, Lou built me a custom guitar amp -- his C-81 model that had a 4U rack space above the speaker cabinet which held a Pendulum SPS-01 preamp, a Lexicon effects box, and an original Stewart PA-200 amp, and was the only one he ever made of Ash wood.  It killed me to have to sell that amp (but not as much as selling the Martin and John Reuter custom that went with it.)

I think Lou would agree that he voices his speakers to sound "natural", like acoustic instruments, but then again, most of them you can push to 120+ dB.

-- Jim

Offline Woodsyi

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #21 on: October 02, 2007, 09:46:17 AM »
Ken,

You might want to audition a tube amp.  I drive a pair of modded AV1s with a 60 watt 6550 push-pull amp and they don't sound lean -- very clear and transparent but not lean or fatiguing.  If you are near DC I can loan you an ARC VT100 to try. 
I am a nut.

Offline Nick B

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #22 on: October 02, 2007, 05:27:23 PM »
As many know, I'm a new member of the Timepiece club and I really think it's a very good speaker. I'm a fan of detail and this speaker does that well and has great dynamics, terrific bass response and a tweeter that I much appreciate. But.......I could use more warmth also. How to get there...I have no idea. I don't want a monster tube amp that will screw up my back again like the last amp I demo'd. The CIA D200's are performing much better with the Black Sand power cords. I've been toying with the idea of having different (V caps maybe) caps put in them, but don't know anyone who's gone down that road and I don't have the funds to do that now anyway. Jim (aka DU) gets that "organic " sound via his Butler Monads, but I'll never invest that much in an amp. In another life and with money to spare, I'd try the Omega single driver speakers, maybe with a sub, and a great little (not hernia inducing) tube amp, if there is such a thing. That setup has intrigued me for a long time, but I have zero experience with that type of system and don't know if it would resolve to extent I like.
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS

Offline bpape

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #23 on: October 02, 2007, 06:00:44 PM »
If John says it's a go, I'd recommend the VH OIMPs before going to the Teflon V Caps.  The V's will give you more detail but no more warmth.  The OIMPs will give you the warmth without giving up much anywhere else.

Bryan
I am serious... and don't call me Shirley

Offline Nick B

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #24 on: October 03, 2007, 08:35:24 AM »
Bryan
Thanks for the info. I'll file it away for future reference. It would be an interesting project to have the D200's modded. BTW, which John are you speaking of?
Nick
Orchard Starkrimson Ultra amp
Supratek Chardonnay preamp
JMR Voce Grande speakers
Border Patrol SEi dac
Holo Red streamer
Hapa Aero digital coax
WyWires Silver cables
TWL Digital American II p cord
Audio Envy p cords
Roon, Tidal, Qobuz
PI Audio UberBUSS

Offline bpape

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #25 on: October 03, 2007, 08:56:30 AM »
Nevermind - senior moment.  I was referring to the amp manufacturer.

Bryan
I am serious... and don't call me Shirley

Bigfish8

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #26 on: October 06, 2007, 02:02:03 PM »
Gents:

I just want to say thanks for all of the responses.  I have been away on vacation this week without computer access. 

My Timepieces were on center stage at Richidoo's G2G back in August.  They were connected to Rich's Tube Amps with some very high-end preamps, dacs and all kinds of SCs.  The Timepieces provided a different sound with every system change but no one in the group felt they were a speaker they would want to listen to for an extended period of time.  There were questions about what we heard due to the tube amps being 100 watt units and the Timepieces being inefficient.  I certainly learned that I can move the sound stage during the G2G but I am not convinced I can make these speakers deliver a "less in your face" kind of sound I would prefer. 

Thanks again for all of your comments.

Ken

Bigfish8

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #27 on: October 06, 2007, 03:59:19 PM »
I agree with bryans advice. There's a lot of room left in the warmth knob, and the SPs will reveal those changes accurately. I tried stereofools HT 9Pro speaker cables, they did "warm" things up, I guess, but in a different way than tubes. It was more of a happier, funner sound, as opposed to actually changing the tone. I think it comes from the ring in the copper. It is a distortion mechanism that is very enjoyable. It makes everything sound "good." They do have full extension and I think they are an awesome SC, especially considering the price. Used ones do pop up on 'gonner fairly often.

With the warmth that comes from tube swap you may also find some loss of high end detail, so watch for that. To avoid this you may find yourself searching for rare and desirable NOS tubes. The quality of those is hard to know before you buy, so choose a used tube dealer carefully. I have bought from Andy Bowman of Vintage Tube Services and I would recommend him highly for good used tubes that are well screened. You will get what you pay for with Andy. Used tubes are a bit of a game, you win and lose some, but it has a lot of advantages. The only real risk (with a good dealer) is that they will not  last very long, and/or will not produce full power since they are already used once. He also sells NOS stuff too. Many NOS tubes are mfg. rejects which is why they were not used. Now they sell for 100 times what the good ones did when still in poduction, so sometimes getting a good used tube is better value than NOS, but not always. I have also had excellent service from tubedepot for new production and NOS small tubes.

What tubes does Candela use?
Rich



Hi Rich:

The Odyssey Candela is supplied with JJ Tesla 12AU7's.

Ken

Offline richidoo

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #28 on: October 06, 2007, 04:32:27 PM »
Ken I got something for you to try!!! A pair of these and also some vintage Amperex and others that Jrebman sold to me. They are very warm and beautiful sounding, a little too much for me sometimes, but I love them. I'll bring them by when we get together for you to hear the possibilities.
Rich

Offline bpape

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Re: Daedalus Speakers
« Reply #29 on: October 07, 2007, 06:56:57 AM »
I am serious... and don't call me Shirley