Anybody not upgrading? Share your stories of contentment

[drlowmu]

Totally done with loudspeakers. A7-8 ALTEC VOTTS with 515Bs and 802Ds - well satisfied. For amps, am close
to being done. Will be either the HFV 2021 single 6005 SE DC stereo amp or TRIPLE 6005 monoblocks, not yet built.
Do plan to replace the Trevor Lees 12AX7 cascode phono preamp, with my own 12AX7 phono stage, but - only after evaluating the two 6005 amp builds. Turntable is the same for 40 years. Modded KM Audio Linear belt drive, with modded Syrinx PU-2 tonearm. No immediate plans to upgrade. Have enough music source material, 12 to 13K LPs,.

Jeff

 

[Analogous]

Totally done with loudspeakers. A7-8 ALTEC VOTTS with 515Bs and 802Ds - well satisfied. For amps, am close
to being done. Will be either the HFV 2021 single 6005 SE DC stereo amp or TRIPLE 6005 monoblocks, not yet built.
Do plan to replace the Trevor Lees 12AX7 cascode phono preamp, with my own 12AX7 phono stage, but - only after evaluating the two 6005 amp builds. Turntable is the same for 40 years. Modded KM Audio Linear belt drive, with modded Syrinx PU-2 tonearm. No immediate plans to upgrade. Have enough music source material, 12 to 13K LPs,.

Jeff

Pictures please?
I have never heard or read about the components you have mentioned above. They sound like custom made or small boutique audio company devices? You are faraway down the rabbit hole!!!!

 

[drlowmu]

Pictures please?
I have never heard or read about the components you have mentioned above. They sound like custom made or small boutique audio company devices? You are faraway down the rabbit hole!!!!

KM Audio Linear td 4001 with “ big ” EURO platter

SYRINX PU-2 , with new custom ceramic bearings, internal wire, and zero anti skating.


https://zstereo.co.uk/2014/05/27/syrinx-pu2/




TREVOR Lees Cascode 12AX7 phono preamp ( circuit in Dyna PAS-3 chassis )


https://www.stereonet.com/forums/to...ier-based-on-dyna-pas-parts-only-not-working/




ALTEC 515B 15 inch woofer

https://greatplainsaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/515b-1.pdf

ALTEC 802D compression driver ( 800 Hz up )


https://greatplainsaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/802d_804a-01.pdf



ALTEC A7-8 VOTT ( Voice of the Theatre ) Professional use Movie Theatre speakers, very lightly modded, a simple horn loaded two way............ KISS rules.




2021 DIY stereo 6005 amp, SE, direct coupled, full write up in HFV / DIY Forum 3 WPC.






The 515Bs and 802Ds drivers were given to me in 2013 from a nice friend I audio-mentored since 1984. Likewise, my ALTEC 825 A-7 enclosures and ALTEC 811B horns, were also gifted to me by my friend Randy ( "Firehouse" H-110 ALTEC clone Owner ), who I mentored - helped him build his first 2A3 amp, back in 1984. Very kind people. " For free " is always nice, especially when it's ALTEC professional movie theatre stuff !!

 

[manek]

Am totally done upgrading everything except a dac in the distant future perhaps and tubes when they run out(have enough stock not to buy any for a few years). Haven't bought a hifi component in years.

Have far too much music on cd, dvd, blu ray for my own good(inspite of contributing so much to rhythm house’s top and bottom line it closed down) and now apple music.

The amp I got second hand keeps me very happy and I don't see me buying another.

Cadence speakers give me the reproduction I seek for music I listen to.

I make my own cables(for my own use) and diy headphone amps(again for my own use).

Sab Set hai !

 

[pks.k]

Have enough music source material, 12 to 13K LPs,.

Envious collection!

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

This maybe the ideal place to share my thinking, especially for those still new to this hobby. I've bought a lot of kit in my younger days in this hobby. And kept upgrading looking for improvements. Then realised there is no end to this itch. So i embarked on a very long term plan, to go 4 way active. Every peice of kit, I've bought in the last 5 years is towards this singular goal. I have 4 mono block amps, 3 of them tubed. All in this single pursuit. I have 3 active crossovers, 2 of them with advanced dsp. Iam waiting for the release of my dream Deqx pro8 HD active processor. It won't be cheap. I could buy a Dcs Bartok for similar money, and flaunt it. But no one knows what Deqx is, and iam fine with it. My DIY speakers were built in 2018, to accommodate this, with huge external passive crossovers, which can be bypassed once my deqx active crossover is here.

So I've been procuring stuff for 5 years, and storing them under my bed, as everything will only come into use, once the deqx is here. And I started treating my room last year with absolutely stunning results. So my advise, is to have a long term plan of where you want to be. And then channel all your time, available funds and energy at it. Rome was not built in a day

 

[prem]

While I completely respect and admire what Yelamanchili Manohar is doing, my approach is diametrically opposite. Keep everything as simple as possible. Good source, low powered less than 50 watt hard wired amp, 90+ dB efficient full range speakers, basic cables, efficient power management and good mechanical isolation. And not to forget, good source material.

I avoid room treatment. I don’t like digital equalisation of the room either. I never find subs to work for music.

I like my source and speakers to measure reasonably well. Amp I choose to my voicing preference. I prefer to tinker around with only piece of equipment to get my flavour of sound.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

While I completely respect and admire what Yelamanchili Manohar is doing, my approach is diametrically opposite. Keep everything as simple as possible. Good source, low powered less than 50 watt hard wired amp, 90+ dB efficient full range speakers, basic cables, efficient power management and good mechanical isolation. And not to forget, good source material.

I avoid room treatment. I don’t like digital equalisation of the room either. I never find subs to work for music.

I like my source and speakers to measure reasonably well. Amp I choose to my voicing preference. I prefer to tinker around with only piece of equipment to get my flavour of sound.

You have been my guruji prem

You will be very pleased to know, that I have 2 amps of 8W and 38W respectively . How can I not follow a guru's diktat

But as you know, I've always had this hankering to go active

If this experiment fails, I will have tons of stuff to sell, to fund my daughters education

But the problem has always been, that no one else thinks like me, so I still have all my dsp's and active crossovers with me. My wife thinks iam a hoarder, I think iam a pathetic seller

 

[prem]

I like what you are doing Manohar. I really appreciate the steadfast focus with which you are going about it. Am sure you’ll like the end result.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

I like what you are doing Manohar. I really appreciate the steadfast focus with which you are going about it. Am sure you’ll like the end result.

Thanks a ton prem

 

[Hari Iyer]

I never find subs to work for music.

I am not sure if you have heard an H-frame OB subwoofer before. If not, on listening you may change your mind.

I too never liked any sealed, BR or TL sub for music. All these boom a lot to my liking. Only H-frame OB sub can be fast and can compliment any main speakers IME.

 

[prem]

I am ok with subs as long as the same amps power both the subs and the main speakers. That becomes very expensive. I don’t like the idea of plate amps powering subs.

Normally don’t like to complicate things. Would always prefer a single speaker with a 15 inch woofer.

 

[drlowmu]

I am ok with subs as long as the same amps power both the subs and the main speakers. That becomes very expensive. I don’t like the idea of plate amps powering subs.

Normally don’t like to complicate things. Would always prefer a single speaker with a 15 inch woofer.

I agree 100% with you Prem. Of course, in a multi amped situation, ideally, all amps should be IDENTICAL, so as to have the same signature and time constant through the amplifiers. Identical. When not so, system coherency and timing runs amuck.

For a decade ( 1979-89 ) I used Fulton's largest 7 way speakers, which were speced down to 12 Hz at minus 2 dB. I had to use a solid state amp to power them. ( UGH. ) I now listen to vintage 1945-1970 two-way movie theatre professional use speakers, HORN LOADED, that go down to maybe 45 or 50 Hz. I do not care to add subwoofers to them. These are the happiest solution I have found in many decades of audio. I can use a 3 ( or maybe a 9 ) Watt tube amplifier, and most importantly - use not a lick of negative feedback in the circuit, and be thrilled with the result. With excellent electronics and careful set up, I have come to love what my upper compression driver on it's horn can do !! A must have for me, from now on !!

Prem's JBL also uses compression drivers also in the top two slots of his four way monitors.

Jeff

 

[prem]

Drlowmu, I love the Altec VOTT that you own. I also like the JBLs I own. I would have preferred my JBL to have a bass horn though

I need 10 amps to drive my speakers comfortably. I too don’t like negative feedback. I also like very low damping factor.

 

[drlowmu]

Drlowmu, I love the Altec VOTT that you own. I also like the JBLs I own. I would have preferred my JBL to have a bass horn though

I need 10 amps to drive my speakers comfortably. I too don’t like negative feedback. I also like very low damping factor.

Hi Prem,

Always good to interact with you. I assume you meant to say 10 Watts. I am sure that the JBL 4343 is a VERY nice speaker., and also, YOU do it justice as far as set up and associated components.

I am still waiting for the new TRIPLE's two mono chassis powder coating to be done!! They are sandblasted, but we have had too much rain to shoot it. We should send our rain to parts of India. If I lived in Mumbai, after I got the 9 Watt TRIPLE 6005 finished and broken in , late this year, I'd twist your arm to have you critique it for me on 4343s !! One of the ideas in us designing the TRIPLE 6005 was that not everyone has 100 dB plus speakers that can run off of three Watts. We also wanted extra speaker control for the 15 inch woofers it would drive.

Can you take a moment this weekend, and reply to that P.M. sent to you, from a bit earlier ? Best kept PM to PM. Listening room measurements get done SUNDAY afternoon.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[prem]

I meant 10 watts

 

[AmitG]

I'm still using 14 year old DefTech speakers. Have considered upgrading them several times but then i just listen to them again and feel that there is nothing that i can feel wrong or not good enough that i need a change.

 

[murliblitz]

I secured a set of jbl 4732mf/hfcinema seup with jbl 4639 lf; using three stereo amps with jbl 260a crossover;I am getting close to cinema theatre sound.

 

[bornfi]

I am not upgrading anymore and this song is just very apt for my situation.

 

[MNX]

I secured a set of jbl 4732mf/hfcinema seup with jbl 4639 lf; using three stereo amps with jbl 260a crossover;I am getting close to cinema theatre sound.

Our local theatre is using the JBLs (Screen arrays with 9300 surrounds) and the sound quality is really good. Hope you are getting some nice theatre sound.