Speaker Porn

[skullguise]

Some fun memories rehashed here!!  Old Sci-Fi grooviness!

BTW, I agree with you Steve, those concave Focal Tweeters on earlier Wilson speakers were way too bright.  Even after they went with some dome tweeters, they made a move to metal dome and it screwed up the sound again.

Now they are back to fabric dome, sounds much better.  But still not worth the $.

Focal has kept the concave tweeter, but they have improved the hell out of it IMO....

Edited June 17, 2022 by skullguise

[Craig Sawyers]

One of the finest speakers I heard were the Rockport Arrakis, in non-ideal conditions at an audio show. Using a pair of Upsilon power amps.

Heaven knows how they got the speakers into the hotel room used for the demo at 900lbs each. At least it was on the ground floor!

Like these

[swt61]

I haven't heard any Rockport speakers, but in the 80's I was very impressed with their linear tracking table.

Assuming it's the same company. 

[Craig Sawyers]

That turntable was a real beast. Apart from pneumatic suspension, it had a vacuum hold down for the record (with the pump in another room) and an air bearing linear tracking arm.

The ultimate deck IMNSHO.

[Knuckledragger]

Vangelis in his Nemo studio.

Edited June 22, 2022 by Knuckledragger

[swt61]

These new Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G 50th anniversary series speakers are really beautiful, in British racing Green. 

[Craig Sawyers]

Oh my word - they look completely awesome!

[swt61]

They get some pretty good reviews as well.

[Craig Sawyers]

Must be the middle of the night where you are, Tice?

[swt61]

I got to stay up past my bedtime. 

[skullguise]

Just read about a company that 1) restores older Apogee ribbon speakers, and 2) makes their own in the same tech vein....

I liked some of the old Apogee's, so was nice to hear this.  Clarisys Audio is the name....

 

[Knuckledragger]

DIY JBL 4355 home cinema soundbar.

[Dusty Chalk]

The word, "dwarfs", comes to mind.

[rod]

Three robots with spiky eyebrows peering over the top.

[Craig Sawyers]

Clearly does not have cats. Mine would be inside those through the reflex ports having a great time.

[Knuckledragger]

How about some speaker not-porn?  Some of you may recall that I made a post in the "What gear are you listening through right now?" thread during my final hours in my previous residence.  That was an insanely hectic, difficult and sleep deprived time.  I set up a mid 70s Marantz with a pair of (I think late 80s Yamaha NS-1000s) and used my MOTU M2 as a source.  That arrangement kept me sane while I dealt with the 500 issues associated with moving.

It doesn't look like much, but I assure you it did the job.  NS-1000s are an ancient, boxy design.  Their JA-0801 beryllium midrange drivers have a legendary status at this point.  Tragically, many NS-1Ks were stripped of their mids and left to rot.  I remember seeing JA-0801s being sold on eBay in the mid 00s for more than the cost of a full NS1K pair (largely because NS-1000s are 70 lbs each and expensive AF to ship.)  I think that madness has subsided in recent years.

Carerful observers will note the HeadRoom Desktop PSU perched on top of the Marantz, as well as the teenie, tiny wires I'm using to hook up the Yamahas.  Said wires were lifted from a crappy "premium" Aiwa set my late stepather received as a gift from his kids.  The Aiwa's speakers on the lower shelf to the left of frame.  All I can say is that the wires worked. 

Spoiler

Persnikkety viewers will note that the wall between the Yamahas is kind of filthy.  It had a massive piece of Mission furniture in front of it for a good 25 years and I couldn't get in there to clean. 

 

[skullguise]

Redefining "Wall of Sound" I guess.....

 

[Grahame]

Alternatively, Line Arrays.

 

 

[skullguise]

Just saw a news announcement about one of these speakers (LM3).  Lovely looking things for sure!

Lorenzo LM2 and LM3

 

[Craig Sawyers]

Porno horno

[Torpedo]

That's funny, a "horno" in Spanish is an oven. Those things look like a fashionable one  

[swt61]

Todd, I know that you're intrigued by these speakers. And I also know that you're very busy.

You probably should purchase these and send them to me to do an extensive review for you. 5 years should be long enough for me to evaluate them.

No thanks necessary. Just helping a guy out.

[Spork]

The first "proper" speakers I ever bought.
I can't remember if I had the series II or series IV. 
It was the late 80's/start of the 90's, I don't have any photos.

I believe large part of my hearing loss comes from having those (powered by a Dynaco pre and HSA power amp combo) in my 3m x 3m bedroom.

I could go to the corner shop and still hear my music. The neighbours must have loved me.

[skullguise]

Couple interesting designs...think the second one should be called Ticehorn? 😄

 

[Craig Sawyers]

alternatively