Got Any Audioholics Here?

No, seriously...audiophille/aholics anyone?

My time away from ATS has seen me gain a general love for sound. Specifically of the high-quality audio variety (I guess most would probably call it mid-fi). Just wondering if there are other members around who would know the lingo when I say that I just landed a pair of Klipsch Heresy's, or that I'm trying to find new Emotiva amplifiers...

...or "how loud is too loud for your neighbors?"

Anyone ever build their own stuff?

Share!!!

YES!..Heh,I got the Velvet underground blasting/playing in the background as I type this..

a reply to: Shugo

Music as most people don't know is the most ancient for of communication, it is a language understood by all races and walks of life.

There is something 'magical' about music. Words and movies and convey a scene and it is up to you feel the intended emotion. Music on the other hand is a medium which carries emotion. The emotion of its creator can be shared by others in its music.

Too bad that in the last few decades the message and emotion was taken out of music right down to the recording industry separating the recording process by having musicians play one at a time rather than jam together which is when the magic happens as the souls playing synchronize their emotions which in turn amplifies the emotion recording.

Man, I really want to get a good pair of Klipsch horns.

My current vintage system consists of a Yamaha CR-2020 receiver, Yamaha YP-D6 turntable, pair of Yamaha NS-1000M speakers, DacMagic DAC to run my lossless computer files. I will never get rid of this system, but I would like to get a pair of Klipsch and a decent tube amp some day.

a reply to: greydaze

ROCK ON!!! I remember how stoked I was to get my first power amp a month or so ago. I also started moving a lot of my digital formats to FLAC instead of MP3. The other big thing for me was adding my first DAC. I pretty much gutted my whole setup between October of last year, and May of this year.

a reply to: Shadow Herder

I agree wholeheartedly on every single point you've made in this post. I actually had a thread back before I left ATS my first or second time covering this very factor in regards to music as a form of communication. Rather a universal language. I also posed a few questions, though the response wasn't big. That thread is here if you're interested at all - definitely from my younger years.

I think the last 10-20 years also have done a lot in the way of damaging music. You find fewer gems, and more garbage. Sure it makes you appreciate the gems more, but there's no passion in the music people are listening to on the radio it seems. There's less talent, more profanity, and more noise for the sake of noise. It's depressing.

a reply to: jtrenthacker

CraigsList Klipsch Horns go for about $2500 on a nice buy!

Heresy's the only pair of heritage I've owned, let alone heard. I was 10 minutes too late to a deal near me where a guy was selling Belle's for $200! I was so mad!

Those Yamaha amps are nothing to sneeze at either. I grew up with a Zenith Alegro and a Pioneer SA-420...as weak as the Alegro was, it could put most of today's market stuff to shame! And that Pioneer was absolutely gorgeous.

Cool, I am also an avid listener.

The listening 2 channel system is Lamm based with Wilsons for the distribution and the home theater is all McIntosh with 300W Tube amps for the front 2 channels. If you haven't found it yet, check out the Tape Project for some incredible master recordings that will make you see colors.

Tape Project

Klipsch - Pissing off the neighbors since 1947. [semi-official motto]

I had a pair of Heresy's for a while, a Craigslist deal for $100, and later sold them for $200. If I still had them, I would be installing the Crites mods, which consist of better diaphragms for the horns and an upgraded crossover. Add a modded Dynaco Stereo 70 and you may well have reached audio nirvana. I powered my Heresy's with a British Cyrus 2 amp, which had awesome bass control, a failing in most tube amps. If you want to get into serious madness, audio wise, look into biamping, using a powerful solid state amp for the woofer, and tubes for the mids and tweets.

BTW, I'm currently using Vandersteen 2C speakers, and am much happier with them than with the Klipsch. However, in answer to your question, I have in the past built my own speakers from scratch. These days, speaker components have gotten expensive and the used market is glutted with speakers. These days, I'm into restoration and repair, not building from scratch.

a reply to: Lazarus Short
If you are going to try bi-amping like that you will need to do some serious work with a crossover as most speakers will not give the results you want automatically (IMHO).

originally posted by: notmyrealname
a reply to: Lazarus Short
If you are going to try bi-amping like that you will need to do some serious work with a crossover as most speakers will not give the results you want automatically (IMHO).

Agreed. I can biamp my Vandersteen's, just needing an electronic crossover, and I have extra amps. The Heresy's would need serious work to biamp, but the OP could power them with a WOPL and it's almost automatic audio nirvana. OTOH, a three-way electronic crossover and three amps could neatly bypass the speaker's own crossover. That would be awesome...

a reply to: Shugo

Sure am an audiophile.

I'm moving soon and one of the main criteria for the new home is somewhere with a good listening space. A barn perhaps with an open plan, designated electrical circuit for the hi-fi and plenty of isolation built into the floors and walls.

I'd also like to build some new speakers, valve amplifier and even a turntable.

I really can't wait. Suppose I'd better fit a kitchen and bathroom etc but I have to get my priorities right...

I listen to many genres from Power Metal to Ambient and even a little classical.

Anything but Jazz.

Currently packed and ready to go is my faithful old Audiolab 8000A amp, Project 6.1 turntable, Aluminium dome homemade speakers and diy cables made from 99.9998% pure silver (0.3mm). Worked a treat, but I just love making stuff so much it's all going to get updated.

The tricky piece will be the turntable. Much experimentation needed me thinks and a little investment in a new MC cartridge.

Happy listening folks.

a reply to: notmyrealname

I don't yet have the bills to scrap together for McIntosh. I've actually very comfortable with my Fusion 8100 I landed in February though. My hope one day is to run nine Emotiva XPR-1 Monoblocks. The monoblock amplifier is the end game IMO.

I'll check out the Tape Project link, I noticed CCR on the landing page - definitely has my attention.

a reply to: Lazarus Short

Bob Crites is a genius. I've spoken to him on a few occasions. Althena just puts some fire in your chest. Bob recommended a simple recap in my '82 Heresy's. I'm sure if I had the updated drivers, the crossover would be practical.

As far as biamping...I haven't dabbled yet, simply because the thought of having an outboard crossover just isn't going to work in my configuration. I can bi-amp my entire front stage, but I don't have the room for the extra boxes to do so, nor the coin. I will say...bi-wiring was one of the biggest wastes of my time. Seriously.

a reply to: nerbot

Hehe...one of the silver strand (it has to be silver) guys? Or just happen to use silver? I use 14 gauge industrial copper wire myself, stranded. I've never felt like I was missing anything with the copper. I did do a double blind A/B on a pair of Klipsch RF-5's between solid silver and copper once. I just couldn't tell the difference. I'm sure some can, but it's not for me.

Turntables...have you considered giving a thought to Music Hall? Their MMF turntables are absolutely heavenly.

The sound of vinyl through a tube amp is like audio elixir.
That subtle, furry quality is like a warm blanket on a cold night for my ear drums.

a reply to: skunkape23

Totally. I think the pops and cracks actually make the music sound better. Though, in many cases all it takes to remove those is proper care of the cartridge and the vinyl, coupled with a good amp and speakers.

I have some friends that are into the tube scene...but I just can't get off solid state just yet.

originally posted by: Shugo


a reply to: Lazarus Short

Bob Crites is a genius. I've spoken to him on a few occasions. Althena just puts some fire in your chest. Bob recommended a simple recap in my '82 Heresy's. I'm sure if I had the updated drivers, the crossover would be practical.

As far as biamping...I haven't dabbled yet, simply because the thought of having an outboard crossover just isn't going to work in my configuration. I can bi-amp my entire front stage, but I don't have the room for the extra boxes to do so, nor the coin. I will say...bi-wiring was one of the biggest wastes of my time. Seriously.

I agree with Bob - a recap is a good idea.

I biwired my Vandersteen's and, yes, it was a waste of time and money. Single-wired sounded just as good (I think) but I just had to find out...

My last addition to my own setup was a pair of Mahogany Klipsch RB-5's. I spent quite a while finding the older reference gear, simply because I found it sounded better. I've actually purged everything of the recent generation on this system except my surround sides, which I'm currently trying to replace with RS-3's or 7's.

Bob doesn't really have much for me in the way of modifications for my personal setup...actually the Heresy's are the first thing I've got that he'd have something to show me.

I have considered building the Jamboree if I could find a set of schematics...now that would be something...

I like my music loud. Don't care about the neighbours. They are running noisy drills and power washers. Or partying, yelling into the wee hours. I get my payback time. They've never complained. Truth is they can't hear it across the street and the ones on each side are far enough away. My house is quite soundproof.

Anyways my speakers are the type that won't go any louder than the size of the room they're in. If I turn it up higher, nothing happens. Don't ask me how that works or what it means. They just do that. Bose speakers. I like the floor to thump and the walls to pound like I'm at a concert. I'm childish like that. Very childish and I can't stand people who are in my house going turn it down. Boring! Ha!

I have no idea on this lingo you're talking by the way. I just have speakers we bought. Didn't build them or know what's in them. They sound good to me. I hate tinny speakers. They have good bass. That's all I know.

I have them on for movies with the TV. I need the warplanes in a movie to sound like they are in the room.

a reply to: violet

I'm assuming you have the cubes?

You should check out the Klipsch Quintet, or the Jamo Orb's sometime. The Orb's are about the same size as the jewels and put out about three times the audio with four times the clarity. Last I checked they were only a couple hundred bucks too!

What's likely happening is you're peaking out the capabilities of those cubes. They don't have a lot of range, and they're limited in their capabilities due to the fact their innards are primarily made of paper.

I'm of a similar variety, in that the neighbors on both sides of me have their garages and living rooms closer to my house than the bedrooms, so there's plenty of space between me and where they might be. However, that hasn't stopped me from rattling their walls before.

Here's an older photo of my front stage:



The two speakers on top were replaced by RB-5's in May (from 0.75" tractix to a 1", and a 6.5" woofer to 8"), and the sub to the side is now a RSW-10. And I don't have any of the rack gear anymore. It was all replaced in February/March.

a reply to: nerbot

Hmm.. Have you thought about doing a thread on the DIY turntable? I don't even necessarily mean here.

I'd love to watch that process, especially if you really make something great.

I haven't bought a commercial piece of audio gear for my main setup in quite some time, but in the past few years I have really gotten a kick out of modding existing, inexpensive pieces and sharing the results. I adore my Fostex RP20's, but I'm more than a little partial to ribbons. I've probably had more fun with them than any of the numerous designs I have made from the ground up though. Not sure why, really.

When I was a teen, it was the big thing to trick out your car.
I had so much "hot" stereo equipment, it was funny.
The retail value of the gear was way more than the car, LOL.

I turned my hatchback into a speaker box with two 12's, had 2 more 6x9's, then a pair of tweeters, tape deck/radio (this was before CDs) with amp, 2 more 6x9's up front, the factory door speakers, and a big sub inside the hatchback "box"

It really boomed. I even rigged up my own center console to house the radio and amp, as well as cassette racks. I also built in lighted toggle switches for fog lights, running lights, and a few dummy ones with funny labels (like ejector seat, rockets, machine guns).

C'mon, Knight Rider was big then, what can I say....

originally posted by: Serdgiam
a reply to: nerbot

Hmm.. Have you thought about doing a thread on the DIY turntable? I don't even necessarily mean here.

I'd love to watch that process, especially if you really make something great.

Nice idea....

I have some of the electronic parts already, switches, potentiometers etc but I think the basic idea will be a very natural material approach to use the inherant low resonance properties of each part:

Solid sandstone platter about 5" thick. Good sound dissipation, easy to work, asthetically pleasing. Supported with large opposing ring magnets around the base of a long solid copper shaft (soft but strong) to minimise friction with the bearing up top which will be a large car/bike valve in a matching valve guide. Almost a "floating" system. The ring magnets need to be low down to eliminate interferance with the low output moving coil cartridge. Another cylinder at the bottom of the rod to provide a drive surface for the motors (more than one to eliminate side tension) rather than direct on the play platter and using thin but long O rings. The option to motors might be gravity driven by weights and pulleys but not figured out yet.

Baseboard of solid oak.....mmmm nice grain, super warm.

Single point balanced tonearm on a watchmakers jewel bearing with solid spherical stone balance weights X 3.

Fluid damping incorporated wherever possible for the tonearm and baseboard, a little like the "project 6.1" I have now.

Arm made either from carbon fibre tube with cotton inserts for the silver wire, or perhaps bamboo shafts bound to form a long triangular shape, thick one end, thin the other, pre-stressed inbuilt bends (S) to eliminate resonance and possibly an oak headpiece for the cartridge fitting.

There's much to consider and it'll be a process of trial and error. Can't wait.

I've done a 3D model to help with the engineering but there's no substitute for prototyping.

The whole thing will be built into it's own oak piece of furniture as a standalone piece with plenty of weight and isolation.

I love building stuff.