What is the best speaker you have ever owned ?????

[Whatmore]

irrelevant to what I posted. I'm referring to the configuration of the panels, not an Acoustat model, and I'll reiterate; vertically stacking at least 4 panels is the way to go, and done properly I suspect 8 is best.

Ouch

 

[Brian Beck]

...vertically stacking at least 4 panels is the way to go, and done properly I suspect 8 is best.

The ideal form of any line source extends all the way from the floor to the ceiling - and, contrary to popular misconception - the floor and ceiling should be flat, hard and reflective. Carpets only screw things up with a nearly ideal line source. Only in this set up is the line source virtually extended by mirror-image reflections, ad infinitum, both upward and downward. Using these two acoustic mirrors results in a perfect line source with complete independence of wavelength and true 1/r volume fall-off with distance. All the sound vectors add and subtract yielding radiation vectors only in the horizontal direction. The 4 surrounding vertical walls are another matter, unfortunately, as they with any type of speaker. With these we're forced to trade reflective delay times, scattering and absorption with considerations of constructive and destructive interference in the bass region. So, I think rbbert's point of stacking panels high has merit.

My Divas, at about 6" tall are about as long a line source as is commercially practical (a few speakers including some of the Acoustats went a bit taller). My listening room, for better or for worse, has a ceiling that is almost 12.5 feet high. Sitting relatively close to the Divas and with a shiny tile floor, I get most of the advantages of a line source. But, I have actually considered the crazy idea of hanging another pair of Divas, upside down, directly above and co-linear with the first pair. This would extend the line source to 12' and make the ceiling's reflections contribute to a more perfect impulse response (all the vectors work out due to the magic of symmetry). However, this shall remain a thought experiment as I have a lovely and very patient wife, and I'd like to keep her!

 

[MrAcoustat]

Indeed it is not: I am one of four owners, worldwide (well, there may be more by now!) of Roger's DD amplifier. Very impressive.

Mr Acoustat, you should definitely try this!

- r.

Hi rab, in my 30 years with Acoustats ( 6 pairs ) i have tried tubes a few times ( 4 ) and always went back for good old solid state why ????? the number 1 reason $$$$$ with demanding speakers you need power and high powered tube amplification cost lots of $$$$$ so i have decided to stick with solid state BUT i do agree tubes can also sound very very good BUT i leave them to people that can afford them.

 

[rbbert]

Acoustat panels are 46" so two of them stacked are very close to the "standard" US ceiling height of 94 +/- 2"

 

[MrAcoustat]

Acoustat panels are 46" so two of them stacked are very close to the "standard" US ceiling height of 94 +/- 2"

Acoustat 1+1 ( mine ) 94.5 inches high - 12 inches wide - 3 inches deep - 200 pounds -

Acoustat Spectra 8800 ( my friend Jocelyn ) 102 inches high - 41 inches wide - 12 inches deep - 800 pounds -

PS: Both models are in a 2x3 steel frame covered with russian hardwood.

 

[vassago]

I will leet you know, in 2 days i get my Eggleston IVY,, and the NeXT I ordre is the MBL 101.

 

[LL21]

I will leet you know, in 2 days i get my Eggleston IVY,, and the NeXT I ordre is the MBL 101.

Tomorrow is a big day...look forward to your posts. Ivys are beasts I am told...specifically very very hard to drive. But amazing when driven well. Doesn't Bob Ludwig of Gateway Studios use them in his studio? I think he does.

 

[vassago]

Tomorrow is a big day...look forward to your posts. Ivys are beasts I am told...specifically very very hard to drive. But amazing when driven well. Doesn't Bob Ludwig of Gateway Studios use them in his studio? I think he does.

He

I will drive them with two Modwright 150SE and se ore 4 off them.

I have the Pass Labs XS150 and the XA200,5 to.

 

[microstrip]

Acoustat Spectra 8800 ( my friend Jocelyn ) 102 inches high - 41 inches wide - 12 inches deep - 800 pounds

It seems the Soundlab Majestic's are the current winner by 2" -- 104" x 39 3/4" x 8 1/4" !

 

[LL21]

He

I will drive them with two Modwright 150SE and se ore 4 off them.

I have the Pass Labs XS150 and the XA200,5 to.

You could power a house for a year on that!!! That is power!

 

[rbbert]

It seems the Soundlab Majestic's are the current winner by 2" -- 104" x 39 3/4" x 8 1/4" !

I'd like to hear these driven by two of RAM's amps (no transformers)!

 

[rab]

Fantastic. If you haven't already, and can swing it, you should go 2+2 or 3+3.

I am using 4 across - ie, like a Model 4. I did this firstly because a friend started with 2+2s, and - in his room, at least - they sounded better 4 across.

In any case, for my situation the stacked configurations won't work because the speakers have to be near the lowest part of a sloped ceiling and they would hit the roof (along with my wife :-o)!

 

[rab]

Hi rab, in my 30 years with Acoustats ( 6 pairs ) i have tried tubes a few times ( 4 ) and always went back for good old solid state

Thanks for your reply Andre. Your experience is not surprising to me - BUT: the improvement in sound quality when you remove the transformer interfaces completely is really something! If possible, try to audition some, you may become a convert!

- r.

 

[rbbert]

I am using 4 across - ie, like a Model 4. I did this firstly because a friend started with 2+2s, and - in his room, at least - they sounded better 4 across.

In any case, for my situation the stacked configurations won't work because the speakers have to be near the lowest part of a sloped ceiling and they would hit the roof (along with my wife :-o)!

Certainly everyone's rooms and tastes are different. It's worth noting that the impetus for the original 2+2 was that it did sound better in typical listening rooms, compared to the 4.

 

[MrAcoustat]

the Acoustats that rab has are Acoustats in name only… you've never seen or heard anything like this, trust me!

Same here with these DIY Spectra 8800 yes 8 panels per side in a 2x3 metal frame 800 pounds of pure joy and you can also trust me.

 

[ozarktom]

But Mr. Acoustat, you have never tried tubes being direct driven into your Acoustats. It is a night and day difference. You will never go back using the transformers ever again.

 

[jazzkids]

Dunlavy III speakers in my main system since 2006 and in my basement system EPI 100 speakers and Genesis Physics Model 44 since they first came out back in the 1970's - 1980's

Well Pleased with all......

 

[MrAcoustat]

But Mr. Acoustat, you have never tried tubes being direct driven into your Acoustats. It is a night and day difference. You will never go back using the transformers ever again.

Sorry but i don't agree, tubes are fantastic with 90db plus speakers NOT with 81db i will stick with solid state and modified transformers but i want to thank you for your advice.

 

[MrAcoustat]

Certainly everyone's rooms and tastes are different. It's worth noting that the impetus for the original 2+2 was that it did sound better in typical listening rooms, compared to the 4.

Hi I am surrounded by friends with Acoustats ( 10 ) most of them with double stacked models and the ones that don't have them is because they don't fit in their basement that is the ONLY reason, ALL stacked models sound better, if you know the song love is in the air well it's true love is realy in the air 7 feet 10 inches high.

 

[ozarktom]

Sorry but i don't agree, tubes are fantastic with 90db plus speakers NOT with 81db i will stick with solid state and modified transformers but i want to thank you for your advice.

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Like I said, it is a whole different world. You get better dynamics, better bass, much more detail and transparency, and a bigger soundstage. I was the fifth largest Acoustat dealer in USA back in the 80's, and no other combo, no matter how much you mod those transformers, can come close to DD amps. Too bad someone has not made a SS amp that will drive the Acoustats direct.