Author Topic: Hello from the California Central Valley  (Read 4138 times)

Offline rikkitik

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Hello from the California Central Valley
« on: September 07, 2018, 06:41:31 AM »
 Hello all!
 I'm not a big audio forum poster, but found some interesting posts on your site, and figured I would join.
 I became "audio afflicted" the day my father brought home an old tubed Magnavox console that just sounded "right". It had that "something" that was just.....satisfying.
 Unfortunately, little did I know, that was only a seed being planted.......
 I started building my own speakers at 16. My dad had taught me to solder when I was about 10 years old. Speaker building was interest by necessity, I didn't have the $$ for "real" speakers, and besides, I found "why" things sounded different interesting.
 I would read Stereo Review, High Fidelity, Audio, etc, and try to absorb the info.
 I actually parlayed that interest into something of a career. I was a Heavy Equipment mechanic at a National Laboratory. When Vibration Analysis became popular, I was "pre-trained" by my own interests. Frequency, amplitude, and phase, were all to common terms and concepts. It was an easy transition.
 For 25 years, I worked in the vibration analysis of rotating equipment. Bearing analysis, failure trends, modal analysis, dynamic balancing, plus was exposed to some incredible technology. Hey, it was a National research Laboratory, cutting edge to say the least.
 Anyway, my interest/obsession audio grew over the years.
 I retired about a year ago. Then moved (kind of stupid..lol).
 When we were signing some documents, I was talking to the mortgage broker, and describing how the acoustics of the "great room" at the new place was a BIG attraction to this floorplan. She literally said, "wait a minute, tou are buying this ad a $$$,$$$.$$ "stereo component"???
 I sheepishly turned a bit red, she wasn't wrong.....LOL.
 I did have the builder add dedicated circuits for amps and digital (obviously... :roll:)

 My current setup
 Sony X7esd as transport
 AMR DP-777se DAC
 Rogue Audio 99 "Super Magnum" pre
 Rogue Audio ST-90 "Super Magnum" main feeding
 Tyler Acoustics Highland H3's (ports sealed)
 Bass augmentation handled by a DSpeaker 2.0 to a
 Rotel RB-991 feeding 2 DIY bass cabinets
 2x Peerless 830500 12" per cab
 Restored/upgraded AR EB101 turntable, rewired Rega arm, 301 mkII cartridge
 Budgie tube phono pre and SUT

Rogue Audio 99, ST90, (soon to be DS2/Kootenay), Marchand XM9  Rotel RB991 (bass cabs only), Tyler Acoustics H3's - bi-amped, DIY Peerless subs, DSPeaker 2.0, tuning assistance by REW
 Cary Cinema 11a, Oppo 203, Rotel RB993,Def Tech ctr, B&W surr.

Offline Nick B

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Re: Hello from the California Central Valley
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2018, 08:04:13 AM »
Hello rikkitik and welcome to the forum! This is a great place for the “audio afflicted “. Hope that new home is yielding the great sound you anticipated  :thumb:
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 rikkitik

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Re: Hello from the California Central Valley
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2018, 07:09:18 AM »
 Thank you!
  Definitely a different acoustic space!  :shock:
  Still working on speaker placement. Went from a 2500 cu.ft. "family room" to a 9000+ cu.ft., open back, "great room".
  It's getting there, but still some work to do.
 Thanks - Rick
Rogue Audio 99, ST90, (soon to be DS2/Kootenay), Marchand XM9  Rotel RB991 (bass cabs only), Tyler Acoustics H3's - bi-amped, DIY Peerless subs, DSPeaker 2.0, tuning assistance by REW
 Cary Cinema 11a, Oppo 203, Rotel RB993,Def Tech ctr, B&W surr.

Offline Triode Pete

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Re: Hello from the California Central Valley
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2018, 08:25:29 AM »
Welcome & have fun!!!

Pete
www.TriodeWireLabs.com
WT Reference/Lyra Titan I
Quadratic Audio MC-1
Custom BorderPatrol preamp with phono & line stage
Innuos Statement Server
BorderPatrol S20 EXD w/EXS PS
Klipschorns - Volti hot-rodded
UberBUSS

Offline P.I.

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Re: Hello from the California Central Valley
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2018, 12:32:50 PM »
Welcome to where the good guys roam and are willing to help instead of criticize!

"A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument." - Hilmar von Campe

Offline HAL

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Re: Hello from the California Central Valley
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2018, 02:05:27 PM »
A good room is the best part of the system.   Welcome!

Offline rollo

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Re: Hello from the California Central Valley
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2018, 10:55:30 AM »
Welcome. My Dad sold all the consoles back in the day. My favorite was RCA. Listenig to Sinatra, Ella, Louie and Dean life was good.


charles
contact me  at rollo14@verizon.net or visit us on Facebook
Lamm Industries - Aqua Acoustic, Formula & La Scala DAC- INNUOS  - Rethm - Kuzma - QLN - Audio Hungary Qualiton - Fritz speakers -Gigawatt -Vinnie Rossi,TWL, Swiss Cables, Merason DAC.

Offline rikkitik

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Re: Hello from the California Central Valley
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2018, 07:52:37 AM »
 Cool,  8)
 Funny/ironic that a an old tubed Magnavox "hooked" me, but I now I detest the preconceived idea of "tube sound". I love vacuum audio for it's speed, immediacy, and "flow". Oh well, that's another subject..... :?
 In setting up the speakers, I could NOT find a location that didn't have a "one note" boominess around a particular frequency......🤔
 Then I ran an impedance sweep on the H3's. Turns out the Rogue doesn't like the 2.8 ohm minima at 80hz of the H3....
I spoke to Ty at Tyler Acoustics (super nice guy), I have a couple options with the impedance dip, but for now the soundstage and overall tone is VERY nice.
 Thanks all for the nice welcome!
Rogue Audio 99, ST90, (soon to be DS2/Kootenay), Marchand XM9  Rotel RB991 (bass cabs only), Tyler Acoustics H3's - bi-amped, DIY Peerless subs, DSPeaker 2.0, tuning assistance by REW
 Cary Cinema 11a, Oppo 203, Rotel RB993,Def Tech ctr, B&W surr.

Offline richidoo

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Re: Hello from the California Central Valley
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2018, 09:34:58 AM »
Funny/ironic that a an old tubed Magnavox "hooked" me, but I now I detest the preconceived idea of "tube sound". I love vacuum audio for it's speed, immediacy, and "flow". Oh well, that's another subject..... :?

One well suited to discussion on this forum. :)

Quote
In setting up the speakers, I could NOT find a location that didn't have a "one note" boominess around a particular frequency......🤔

That's probably your ceiling/floor room mode. No matter where you put the speakers the mode frequency and amplitude stay the same. You could try laying the speaker down on the floor to see if that particular mode changes, then at least you know it's floor/ceiling echo. This app can be helpful.

Quote
Then I ran an impedance sweep on the H3's. Turns out the Rogue doesn't like the 2.8 ohm minima at 80hz of the H3....

Some speaker designers use the impedance dip trick to boost the bass, but it really works best with SS amps that can handle the higher current demands. Aren't the current Tyler Acoustics crossover designs by Danny Richie?? The designer of my speakers with 2.9 ohm dip calls the feature "turbo boost," but there is a defeat switch.

The autoformers from anticable can help this situation dramatically but they're $540. Or a different amp, or different speakers, or just enjoy it as it. But beware of driving the amp to clipping in that dip if you have delicate drivers like ribbons. The high frequency overtones generated from the tube amp clipping can damage ribbons and you won't hear it until after they are damaged.
Rich
« Last Edit: September 13, 2018, 09:36:37 AM by richidoo »

Offline rikkitik

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Re: Hello from the California Central Valley
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2018, 10:48:04 AM »
Quote
That's probably your ceiling/floor room mode. No matter where you put the speakers the mode frequency and amplitude stay the same.
I'm leaning towards the impedance issue. When I run a room sweep with REW or Arta, 80hz is fairly tame with my other speakers. Though they are just Lynn Olson designed Ariel/ME2's (diyk). Room modes at 33hz & 72hz.
 Thanks for the link on the autoformers, something to keep in the back of my pea brain, may be useful.
 I have a couple SS amps I might try, but I will just take is easy on the db's for now.
 I'm not 100% sure on the crossover designer, but Ty kind of indicated the he did them.
 Another possibility is to open the H3's up, split out the woofer crossover, then bi-amp with SS on the woofers. The H3's are WMTMW, all Scanspeak drivers, bass section consists of 2ea W18-8531's per speaker. They are not set up for bi-amp "as built", though that would be completely doable.
Rogue Audio 99, ST90, (soon to be DS2/Kootenay), Marchand XM9  Rotel RB991 (bass cabs only), Tyler Acoustics H3's - bi-amped, DIY Peerless subs, DSPeaker 2.0, tuning assistance by REW
 Cary Cinema 11a, Oppo 203, Rotel RB993,Def Tech ctr, B&W surr.

Offline rikkitik

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Re: Hello from the California Central Valley
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2018, 11:09:50 AM »
 Also, to add another variable, I'm in the "queue" for a Don Sachs amp, it might not care. Though Don told me specifically, "3.5 ohm = OK, < 3.0 ohm = not OK".
Rogue Audio 99, ST90, (soon to be DS2/Kootenay), Marchand XM9  Rotel RB991 (bass cabs only), Tyler Acoustics H3's - bi-amped, DIY Peerless subs, DSPeaker 2.0, tuning assistance by REW
 Cary Cinema 11a, Oppo 203, Rotel RB993,Def Tech ctr, B&W surr.