Welcome to the Fleetwood Sound Owners Forum!

[Salectric]

what other real speaker manufacturer uses solid wood? With joinery structure no less? I cannot think of even one.

Daedalus and Sonus Faber are two for starters.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Very nice work, Bill.

Yours,

Jonathan

Thank you for kind words.

 

[Low325]

Hi Jonathan,

As an FYI, I am very well experienced in wood working and indeed build my own speakers in solid hardwoods. I am well versed in joinery and understand the subject well. I would be very happy to discuss your choice of joinery and methods for cabinet design in addition to crossover design.

To prove I am not telling lies, please see latest horn / wg in mahogany on top of maple active slob chassis with inlay wings. Finished in oil /

View attachment 98316

Beautiful.

 

[Jonathan Weiss]

Yes, we are indeed children, indulging in our play, building conical horns. In our 25,000 square foot woodshop. With state of the art $200000 German cnc machines.
Just kids having fun!

yours

Jonathan

 

[TnT]

Jonathan, I sympathetically understand your position. Your IP is your IP. If DIY trolls think they can make a better product, then compete in the free market. When I 1st read the post from Carlos, it looked like genuine curiosity. But now, with all the subsequent post, it sound like Carlos and others have issues with capitalism in general. I invest in products that add value to my life, you should be proud of your efforts. Don’t get so spun up by the haters…

 

[Tam Lin]

In our 25,000 square foot woodshop. With state of the art $200000 German cnc machines...
This is real craftsmanship. It’s also how the finest furniture and musical instruments have been made for centuries.

In your world, craftsmanship is measured by the size of the workshop and the cost of the tools. You equate your work with that of the finest musical instrument makers. I'd like to see your $200000 German CNC machine string, tune, regulate, and voice a piano or harpsichiord.

 

[Duddley]

Santa came 2 days early. I've been into high-end audio since the 70's. I have done a lot of trading up over the years along with some new purchases such as these wonderful speakers. My current system is comprised of a VAC Sigma 170i integrated amp with phono, a Bricasti M3 DAC/Streamer and a VPI Prime TT with an Ortofon Cadena Blue cartridge. The system feels well balanced, and the Fleetwoods have unlocked additional detail and dynamics. Well worth it. As far as what I would like to see next from Fleetwood... I suppose a floor standing version, even thought there is plenty of bass already.

 

[beaur]

Santa came 2 days early. I've been into high-end audio since the 70's. I have done a lot of trading up over the years along with some new purchases such as these wonderful speakers. My current system is comprised of a VAC Sigma 170i integrated amp with phono, a Bricasti M3 DAC/Streamer and a VPI Prime TT with an Ortofon Cadena Blue cartridge. The system feels well balanced, and the Fleetwoods have unlocked additional detail and dynamics. Well worth it. As far as what I would like to see next from Fleetwood... I suppose a floor standing version, even thought there is plenty of bass already.

View attachment 101971

Nice system. Glad Santa's elves were able to get their orders out early. Enjoy.

 

[Fred Zheng]

OMA never made a preamp and a power amp, all of our amps have been integrated. Fleetwood will be the same. We've been working on this for more than three years, should be done by beginning of next year in terms of delivery. We are working on several topologies, mainly involving hybrid designs with both tubes and solid state, but totally different from how other makers are doing this. Different topology.

Yours,

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan,
Do you have more definite delivery timeline for your Fleetwood electronics?
Happy Holidays!
Fred

 

[Duddley]

Hello fellow Deville owners. I'm looking for someone who would like to go halfsies on three sets of IsoAcoustic Gaia speaker stand isolators. You can read up on them at the IsoAcoustic's web site, and there are several positive reviews out there as well. I personally used them on my Nola KOs and they did indeed tighten up the bass. The Deville stands have threaded receptacles to accept them. Gaias are sold four in a box. Since the Deville's stands have only three feet you would need to buy two boxes and not use two of the isolators, but if two of us buy three boxes, we could then split them up as six for each of us. The Gaias for the Deville's weight are $200 per set of four, so that's $300 each. Here's a picture of them on the Devilles.

 

[mtemur]

This is clearly someone totally ignorant about high end woodworking, for example. It's important to note- what other real speaker manufacturer uses solid wood? With joinery structure no less? I cannot think of even one. What does that tell you? If it's so easy and cheap to make things like this, why is no one else doing it?

Because speaker cabinets need to be inert, absorptive but solid wood is resonant. It rings like a bell at a certain frequency depending on the type of the wood. If you want to make a musical instrument to shine on certain frequencies with a resonant character then wood is ok. You shouldn’t want to add additional coloration over instrument’s original sound while reproducing it with a speaker. Optimally it is expected from the cabinet to be dead quiet while drivers are producing sound. Even mdf and plywood are more absorptive compared to solid wood because of glue.

 

[beaur]

Because speaker cabinets need to be inert, absorptive but solid wood is resonant. It rings like a bell at a certain frequency depending on the type of the wood. If you want to make a musical instrument to shine on certain frequencies with a resonant character then wood is ok. You shouldn’t want to add additional coloration over instrument’s original sound while reproducing it with a speaker. Optimally it is expected from the cabinet to be dead quiet while drivers are producing sound. Even mdf and plywood are more absorptive compared to solid wood because of glue.

From personal experience, speaker cabinets do not have to be inert to produce great sound. There are/were several manufacturers that use the cabinet as a part of the sound. the Solovox being the one I have heard the most. This is definitely where the "different strokes" saying comes into play. The Wilson/Magico/Vandersteen side have their approach and OMA and a few others have theirs. Neither is "wrong" and what people need to do is decide for themselves what sound they like. Neither is likely to poach the others customers as the presentations are very different.

Beau

 

[RichardSD]

There are/were several manufacturers that use the cabinet as a part of the sound. the Solovox being the one I have heard the most....

And Harbeth, which I also own, being another famous example.

 

[RichardSD]

Daedalus and Sonus Faber are two for starters.

And Diapason (https://www.diapason-italia.com/en/adamantesV.html). Those Italians certainly know how to make beautiful things. I used to have one of an earlier iteration of Adamantes, but the sound was a bit too polite if I remember correctly.

 

[F208Frank]

In general, the reviews do often mention that there is a step up regarding the Technics 700 vs 1000...

Since the Devilles are easily driven, did anyone find the jump to 1000 worthwhile?

My gut feeling is likely not much, hoping Jonathan can chime in. I know he recently trialed the 1000 after giving the 700 much praise, am bit curious.

 

[badgerdms]

In general, the reviews do often mention that there is a step up regarding the Technics 700 vs 1000...

Since the Devilles are easily driven, did anyone find the jump to 1000 worthwhile?

My gut feeling is likely not much, hoping Jonathan can chime in. I know he recently trialed the 1000 after giving the 700 much praise, am bit curious.

I asked Jonathan about this and he said that the 1000 is better, but not 3x the price better. He mentioned better power supplies in the 1000 as a potential reason for the improvement.

 

[badgerdms]

Hello fellow Deville owners. I'm looking for someone who would like to go halfsies on three sets of IsoAcoustic Gaia speaker stand isolators. You can read up on them at the IsoAcoustic's web site, and there are several positive reviews out there as well. I personally used them on my Nola KOs and they did indeed tighten up the bass. The Deville stands have threaded receptacles to accept them. Gaias are sold four in a box. Since the Deville's stands have only three feet you would need to buy two boxes and not use two of the isolators, but if two of us buy three boxes, we could then split them up as six for each of us. The Gaias for the Deville's weight are $200 per set of four, so that's $300 each. Here's a picture of them on the Devilles.

You can buy one box and then buy two individually. I did at my local dealer.

 

[beaur]

In general, the reviews do often mention that there is a step up regarding the Technics 700 vs 1000...

Since the Devilles are easily driven, did anyone find the jump to 1000 worthwhile?

My gut feeling is likely not much, hoping Jonathan can chime in. I know he recently trialed the 1000 after giving the 700 much praise, am bit curious.

I've heard both with the Devilles and yes the 1000 is better, but it's not a simple comparison so other factors may influence which one you get besides price. If you have a serious vinyl addiction (as I do), you may opt for the 1000 as the RIAA conversion is significantly better to my ears.

Beau

 

[F208Frank]

I've heard both with the Devilles and yes the 1000 is better, but it's not a simple comparison so other factors may influence which one you get besides price. If you have a serious vinyl addiction (as I do), you may opt for the 1000 as the RIAA conversion is significantly better to my ears.

Beau

I ended up with the Technics recommended amp, MU1 streamer straight into the Technics digital amp, will see how that goes. I am curious if putting a DAC into that mentioned chain making any difference if at all, since the design of the Technics amp being all digital.

Anyone happen to have experience changing DACS with this amp?

 

[F208Frank]

I've heard both with the Devilles and yes the 1000 is better, but it's not a simple comparison so other factors may influence which one you get besides price. If you have a serious vinyl addiction (as I do), you may opt for the 1000 as the RIAA conversion is significantly better to my ears.

Beau

Hi there, when you heard both of the Technics amps with the Deville, did you just use the onboard DAC on the Technics amp or did you use your own DAC? I called a retailer to confirm the Technics amp having its own DAC and it does.

If you use your own separate DAC and connect a digital cable (S/PDIF) to the Technics amp, there would be too much back and forth converting (digital to analog to digital to analog).

If one uses their own external dac connecting with an analog connection to the Technics amp, it would then and only then use Technics as a stand alone amp by passing its own built in DAC.

Correct me if I am wrong of course, I am sure it would help others as well.

For users who heard the Technics amp with the Devilles, did it sound great with its on board DAC?