System #538 (Renaissance ESL 15A)

[Scumurculum]

I'm not certain without a more direct comparison between a higher powered amp and the sanders. I do recall noticing a difference between the Bryston 4B2 and the Mac, brighter like you said. I thought it might be power as well. I do seem to get more of the space with the sanders than what I recall with the Byston. Everything is more difficult at this price point. The gains per dollar become less and less. Also more difficult to get all this stuff in the same room for trial...

Once you get to the price points we are at, taste comes into it more and more. While liking detail, and I have it in spades, I prefer a fuller lusher sound which is kind of the Mac style. I have heard bryston gear on other systems, wonderfully transparent but not to my taste.

FWIW I have heard the Mc452 is much more transparent and dynamic than the Mc302.

I'm sure Sanders makes wonderful stuff, although I have never seen his gear.

 

[James]

Updated the room with Acoustic Blankets.

 

[Robert D]

Wow, I bet that was a lot of work. The sound is really good now? I've never heard of that before.

 

[James]

I think it Sounds Great. I hear things I have never heard before and don't personally believe it possible that a dead room is bad. I will convey what other think once they visit. Both the sides and wall blankets are on tracks to enable them to be moved around the room.

 

[Nuri58]

But is it not an issue that the blankets are white? I'd think it would add quite some ambient light.

 

[James]

The wife only agreed if they were white. I will turn them around to the black side once she has had some time to adjust. It is the family living room bless her soul.

 

[BigGuy]

But is it not an issue that the blankets are white? I'd think it would add quite some ambient light.

Talk about a "man CAVE"! My wife has accused me of being a bat in a prior life.

I would suggest that In the absence of any light from windows, doors or artificial lighting, i.e., total darkness, you should not be able to distinguish between white or black.

 

[Robert D]

The wife only agreed if they were white. I will turn them around to the black side once she has had some time to adjust. It is the family living room bless her soul.

I figured it was a spare room in the basement. My wife would never allow that in the family room! You're lucky!

 

[Dan F.]

I figured it was a spare room in the basement. My wife would never allow that in the family room! You're lucky!

Not sure I’d want the living room set up like that but if it works for you....

 

[rpokuls]

Do you have an ARC room correction kit? It would be interesting to see what the effect is.

Basically what you have there is an anechoic chamber.

 

[patsuh]

we did a crossover capacitors change in ours.
it is a night and day difference!!!! we recommend to anyone to change those solen caps inside for auricaps xo special edition

 

[James]

Do you have an ARC room correction kit? It would be interesting to see what the effect is.

Basically what you have there is an anechoic chamber.

I did the ARC correction prior and will redo soon.

 

[James]

we did a crossover capacitors change in ours.
it is a night and day difference!!!! we recommend to anyone to change those solen caps inside for auricaps xo special edition

Where do you find information on this? Who suggested it?

 

[datka]

we did a crossover capacitors change in ours.
it is a night and day difference!!!! we recommend to anyone to change those solen caps inside for auricaps xo special edition

Could you please list parts replaced? I could try to read from the picture but maybe that's something you could share ? So was is just the 2 caps that was replaced with 3 caps ? For ESL 15 ? Thanks

 

[datka]

we did a crossover capacitors change in ours.
it is a night and day difference!!!! we recommend to anyone to change those solen caps inside for auricaps xo special edition

Could anyone help finding Capacitor values for esl15 ? I wanted to update capacitors in crossovers but pictures were not clear here ?

 

[StimpyWan]

I'm recapping my EM-ESL's. Definitely a good thing to do. I've recapped numerous speakers, and always heard an improvement. For my ESL's, I'm using a combination of ClarityCap CSA's and Mundorf MCAP Supreme EVO Oil Black. I'm a fan of these 2 brands. The ClarityCaps are slightly warm, with a wide soundstage, and the Mundorf's offer very good resolution and detail. Very open.

As to the caps, used on the ESL 15A's, one is a 33uF 250V cap. The other is harder to see, so I downloaded the pictures to my PC and expanded them. That cap looks to be a 6uF 250V cap. The AudioCaps used are very good as well. I've used AudioCaps in tube preamp projects. They're warm and spacious.

 

[datka]

Thank you so much for trying to help , I contacted ML and this is what they said ..

"Solen PA3300 and PA1800"
I know Audiocap has 33uf but I can't find 18uf from the same family, can I combine 2 different ones in parallel? Or what should I do if one cap is 33uf and second is 18uf ?

 

[StimpyWan]

Combing 2 (or more) capacitors in parallel, to create the value you need, isn't unusual or uncommon. I've done it myself, when recapping. So, if you need an 18uF cap, AudioCap has a 10uF and an 8.2uF, that could be used on the 15A's. Parts Express and Parts Connexion sells AudioCaps. There shouldn't be any problems in finding what's needed.

 

[datka]

Combing 2 (or more) capacitors in parallel, to create the value you need, isn't unusual or uncommon. I've done it myself, when recapping. So, if you need an 18uF cap, AudioCap has a 10uF and an 8.2uF, that could be used on the 15A's. Parts Express and Parts Connexion sells AudioCaps. There shouldn't be any problems in finding what's needed.

Perfect that's what I'll do , really don't want to combine different caps from 2 different vendors , thanks for your help , I'll report back how it goes.

 

[datka]

Hi
I had great results using upgrading to Mundorf Caps. i did try ones here and bunch of other ones from Audience and Clartiy caps , even tried duland bypass caps

After one month of trial and error, this is what worked most for me. These caps had huge improvement in my system.

Now thinking to upgrade Inductors, can anyone recommend inductors or list values for ESL15 crossover inductors? original inductors seem pretty good, not sure if Mundorf inductors would improve but the stock Jentzen from what I remember.

Would anyone know the specs for 3 inductors that are on the crossover?

But if you ever decide to take your ESL15 to the next level and have some soldering skills upgrade to these caps and you'll see... other cheaper ones might work too, but I 've tried even more expensive Duland ones and these worked the best for me.