Been experimenting!

[Gordon]

I have not been hanging around here much lately. Hate to say it but, I've been experimenting with a cone driver speaker

I found my present system to be just what I was looking for. But reading at some other forums about DIY on speakers sparked a small flame. I wanted to learn what makes a speaker do what it does. So, I jumped in feet first, I remembered my Boy Scout lesson about not going head first!

I found a very simple, yet complex speaker to play with. I bought a pair of 1987 Polk SDA-SRS 2 behemoths. Four drivers, two tweeters and one big passive radiator per box. I've been doing the recommended upgrades and stretching the envelope. It has been fun to learn about capacitors, resistors and inductors and how they influence the sound of the speaker.

While the sound is pleasing with huge amounts of fairly accurate bass, a box still is lacking compared to an ESL. Granted, I didn't buy a high-end or equal to the Spire, but the experiment has been fun. There is something to be said for the slam a box can give, but the transparency, imaging and airiness of an ESL is something I won't be giving up anytime soon!

I'm going to keep these behemoths for when I'm in the mood for some SPL!

Gordon

 

[amey01]

mmm.....I experimented with some Mackie active PA sperkers once - fun, but hi-fi.......not!

 

[JMAUSGP]

This started off sounding like all those confessions in Playboy or the Jerry Springer show.....I am glad it did not end like those.

 

[David Matz]

While the sound is pleasing with huge amounts of fairly accurate bass, a box still is lacking compared to an ESL. Granted, I didn't buy a high-end or equal to the Spire, but the experiment has been fun. There is something to be said for the slam a box can give, but the transparency, imaging and airiness of an ESL is something I won't be giving up anytime soon!

Gordon

amen. Once you own an electrostat, it is hard to go back. I would take a $2K new Logan (or even better a $2K used Ascent) over a $20K+ Wilson Pup or Magico v3 for its midrange any time.

 

[Gordon]

Doing the upgrades on advice from owners has been a lot of FUN! Adding Dynamat to the stamped driver baskets, putting a putty on the flange of the driver and spiking the speaker has rewarded me with better sound.

Not at the ESL level to be certain, but still pleasing to the ear. The tweets are terrible and I can only stand about 1 hour until they get turned off but that is the next fix.

Gordon

 

[Jimna]

Very cool, your thinking outside the box....er um inside the box? wait this is confusing...

Congrats on the toys, Gordan.

 

[groovyslick]

the nice full "thump" is why I have mated my ascents with an 18"sub!:rocker:

how about some pics so we can better see what you are doing?

 

[kach22i]

Go open baffle if you want better results.

Maybe have to start from scratch.

 

[Bernard]

If you prefer ML's save the experimenting money and buy software instead.

 

[Gordon]

WOW! Talk about resurrection of a thread!! I'm done with my experimentation and have these speaks in my HT. They had some great bottom end slam but everything else was lacking. They are great in the HT but for music, I'll keep my Spires!!

Gordon