Hopkins' System

[hopkins]

everything is fine if you are satisfied, I just wanted to point it out.
if the cement resistor is in front of the tweeter, please replace it, use a better example e.g mills 12 watt ressistor, it reduces distortion significantly.

Yes, I should have started by thanking you for your input There is no resistor in this new crossover.

 

[hopkins]

To put things into perspective, here are some of the speakers I have owned over the years: Harbeth P3ESR, an older larger Harbeth model whose name I forget, Davis Courbet, AudioNote AN-K LX and others more briefly. I have already tried a few really cheap speakers, like the Dennis Murphy Pioneer BS22, and some others. I have obviously heard many speakers in people's homes, often on repeated occasions. I use Vanatoo desktop speakers as well but have limited experience with more expensive powered bookshelves like Genelec, Neumann, etc...

It's not so easy to find a speaker that offers an open sound with good clarity, dynamics, resolution, a well balanced frequency response, and is able to perform well at all volume levels, in your room...

Then there's always the question of the equipment you use. Is it able to bring the best of a given set of speakers? Yes, everything counts, to some degree.There are so many parameters.

I have to say that I have not heard speakers less than 2000€ that satisfied me as much as these modified Teufels, and I would even be tempted to double that figure... Truth be told, I have listened to quite a few speakers way more expensive that I found quite disappointing. No need to name names, and get into the context of every listening session.This is all highly subjective, of course, because there are always compromises, but why not share my enthusiasm? Someone may be curious to give them a try.

I mentioned that they don't offer the resolution of my open baffle or Altec speakers, and I like the idea that I can simply plug in either of those to get another "experience" than with the Teufel. But with the Teufel I dont switch to an audiophile "mindset" when I listen to them. They have obvious limitations, but they tick enough of my boxes. I don't think the love is going to fade over time, but we'll see.

Another aspect is that the "PAF" (Partner Approval Factor, to be sensitive to all), is high. The whole system can be left on all the time (PowerDAC-SX goes to sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity, and my WiiM Pro is on all the time), and is very simple to operate for everyone (ex: using their Spotify accounts to enjoy their "playlists").

They are light and can be easily moved around. I reposition them slightly when I want to sit in an equilateral triangle and get the best acoustics, but otherwise they are nice to listen to and have music fill out our living room.

 

[hopkins]

I'm a member of a jazz forum (https://www.organissimo.org/forum/), and though I don't contribute much - I'm a "novice" compared to all the guys that contribute there - I do enjoy reading it and learn a lot. They have good recommendations. I got to know a few members as I attended a conference here in Paris, and they are all very nice and passionate about the music. Some arguments do take place on the forum, but perhaps less frequently than on Audiophile forums! Audiophiles can have a lot of pride in their systems and take offense at criticism!

When it comes to "sound", you'll find on these forums some topics that you will not find here, for example:
- a discussion about hearing aids (https://www.organissimo.org/forum/topic/68319-hearing-aid-a-help/)
- a "budget equipment" sub-forum

Audiophiles may be reluctant to admit that they suffer from hearing loss. I recently sold a pair of speakers to a guy who really enjoyed listening at very low volumes. He admitted to suffering from Tinnitus, which is also something that few people will talk about, but that can profoundly affect the listening experience.

There are very few discussions about audio quality on that forum, which is understandable as most discussions are about the music. Interestingly, they do come up for "older recordings". For example, here: https://www.organissimo.org/forum/t...on-blanton-webster-band-recordings-re-issued/

One member asks: "How good is sound quality on 1940-1942 recordings going to get?"

The are in fact large differences in sound quality between various CD and LP versions of these old tracks, especially since the source material used can vary, and the "remastering" approach as well. I have very little experience listening to the original 78s.

Here is an interesting 1942 documentary about the production process:

The process is quite complex.

 

[hopkins]

Here's another interesting video on record production in 1928!

You can see Stravinsky conducting an orchestra and being recorded (with a single microphone).

And here is a 1956 version (for LPs), with a recording session of Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony Orchestra:

 

[hopkins]

I finished implementing the new crossover in my second Teufel speaker, and they sound great (I can finally listen in stereo).



My DIY skills are limited, so it is always a little stressful, but the results are rewarding. Will post some videos!

 

[hopkins]

Here's a video of the speakers:

The sound is far from perfect, but I find it very pleasant. I am getting decorative acoustic panels soon and will see how they affect the room's acoustics. I'll record the speakers again placed farther apart as the sound is also nice in that "configuration".

My cat is meowing for her lunch in the background.

Listen with headphones.

 

[hopkins]

Live images were breathtaking.

 

[Long Live Analog]

Here's a video of the speakers:

The sound is far from perfect, but I find it very pleasant. I am getting decorative acoustic panels soon and will see how they affect the room's acoustics. I'll record the speakers again placed farther apart as the sound is also nice in that "configuration".

My cat is meowing for her lunch in the background.

Listen with headphones.

Don’t forget the feed your kitty.

 

[hopkins]

She won't stop until I comply with her requests.

I came across the YouTube channel called "Oluv's Goodies". This German guy reviews budget equipment (and sometimes more expensive headphones). He does really good quality binaural recordings. He's obsessed with neutral frequency response and offers EQ profiles for a lot of equipment. He is very honest about equipment he does not like.

Here's an example:

He uses mostly dance music as test songs
One of them is really fun, and it's called "Analog"

 

[hopkins]

A few more videos. These speakers are fun!

Ellington - Teufel Ultima 40 (modded)

Aristocracy a la Jean Lafitte (excerpt)powered by ECDesign's PowerDAC-SX Room acoustics to be improved!

youtube.com

Remember they are only 400€ (plus 50€ for parts)!

As always, room acoustics have to be improved...

I'll record the speakers with my Tascam recorder next week.

 

[hopkins]

A not so open baffle:

Select the highest playback quality in the video's settings, it makes a difference.

Out of curiosity, I put my bass traps to the side and on top of one of my open baffle (with the absorption facing inwards). I also added PET panels on the side wings formed by the triangular bass traps. This actually sounds really nice! The sound is very clear and articulate, and the bass is improved. Very relaxing to listen to. Room reflections are certainly reduced, and it does not sound "boxy". I'll be curious to see how it measures...

"Prisoner of Love", from the 1956 album "Pres and Teddy". It's a mono version (CD, streamed to my WiiM Pro and into the infamous PowerDAC-SX).

 

[hopkins]

The original phone video sounds in fact a little better than the YouTube upload - I guess that even at high quality settings in YouTube there is some compression:

https://storage.googleapis.com/cloudplayer/samples/PrisonerOfLove.mp4

 

[hopkins]

I was playing around with my open baffle speakers and took some measurements. Sticking bass traps on each side of the baffle, as seen in the video below, extends the bass response to 50Hz, and the response is surprisingly smooth. Without them, bass starts seriously dipping at 125Hz, the front baffle being quite narrow. Substituting the bass traps for wood panels gives too much of a bass boost (and affects the rest of the frequency response).

The sound is nice to my ears in my room (recorded a little loud, however, so there is some distortion). This track is not the most bass-heavy but I can still hear better bass definition. It is more obvious on modern recordings.


I will do some further tests and tweaks, and try it on both speakers. I would like to try panels with wood in the back and PET felt in the front, for example.

The advantage of placing panels on the sides is that it also smooths out the "RT60" (which hovers between 3 and 4 ms in my living room).

I will also record the same track with good tweeters added to the open baffle. They give a little more refinement and frequency extension, even though they don't quite match the sensitivity of the 4 TB drivers (2 drivers in parallel, each pair connected to the other in series, resulting in an impedance of 8 ohm).

 

[hopkins]

Here's another video with side panels. The sound level is probably too low, and my phone recording is not great, but with headphones you can get a good idea of the tonal balance, which is to my liking:

 

[hopkins]

It may not be so obvious in my videos but you do get a little more bass with a larger baffle - but it is still not very deep and articulate, so not really worth exploring this further - I am not going to make huge panels anyway,and they would introduce additional issues.

 

[iansr]

@hopkins: I’m very tempted by the ECDesigns DACs but its a dilemma trying to decide between the SX and the RX. The latter offers more flexibility in terms of combining it with power amps that can drive speakers that are beyond the capabilities of the SX. It is also possible to use it with an active crossover, which I’m drawn to. However John says the DAC in the SX is better and with the right speakers I’m sure it will give you better results. I also own two FW F4s which could be used to enhance its output, although a transformer would be needed to convert the semi balanced output of the SX . . .

 

[hopkins]

@hopkins: I’m very tempted by the ECDesigns DACs but its a dilemma trying to decide between the SX and the RX. The latter offers more flexibility in terms of combining it with power amps that can drive speakers that are beyond the capabilities of the SX. It is also possible to use it with an active crossover, which I’m drawn to. However John says the DAC in the SX is better and with the right speakers I’m sure it will give you better results. I also own two FW F4s which could be used to enhance its output, although a transformer would be needed to convert the semi balanced output of the SX . . .

I understand your dilemma, but unfortunately have no experience to offer with the RX or the SX combined with external amps. What are your current speakers?

 

[hopkins]

I was excited to receive a mono pressing of a Johnny Hodges album I enjoy a lot - Blues A Plenty. It sounds good, and it is nice just having it

https://www.discogs.com/release/2364315-Johnny-Hodges-And-His-Orchestra-Blues-A-Plenty

I plan on getting a mono cartridge and will be curious to hear what difference it makes.

 

[hopkins]

I set up my speakers in a position I had not tried before and I like the results. Speakers are facing the length of the room, a little over 4 meters from the back wall. I have an L-shaped sofa next to the right speaker, which I have to rotate, but a new sofa is coming, with a separate leg rest that I will be able to slide out of the way. Bass response is better in that spot. Listening spot is roughly 2.5 meters from the speakers. I will fine tune the placement.

Here are a few videos (all are Qobuz streaming):

Violin (my phone's right mic seems to be off towards the end)

Vocals - the infamous Peggy Lee track - don't forget to ask your wife about this one!

And Coleman Hawkins & Ben Webster:

I had to put my speakers back on their wheels.

I will be receiving in a few days some decorative panels to hang on the back wall, so I look forward to that.

The results are not perfect but the sound is very pleasant. I appreciate the "open" sound that the speakers offer. There is good clarity and resolution. The sound is engaging and "immersive", yet they are relaxing to listen to.

 

[hopkins]

That mono LP sounds nice as well - better than my digital stereo version. Perhaps in another system the stereo version could be better, I don't know.

The saxophone in the stereo version is panned to the left channel, which is an odd choice given that this track is one long Hodges solo! In mono, the saxophone in the center has a fuller sound, and more presence - it's right in your face You still hear the other instruments clearly, but it is a more cohesive whole that is easier to "dive into" (mentally, of course).

Make sure to listen with the highest quality setting in YouTube...

I pulled the trigger on a mono cartridge (Ortofon 2M).