New Heathkit AS101 owner - First post.

[alancohen]

Still alive. Still moving...

The end is in sight, but the unpacking and subsequent organizating is daunting. I finally found a good reason for a wife. Anyone know where I can rent one for a few weeks? I'm hoping to be done by Spring.

But I did manage to get a make shift system set up. Just the 15W OTL, preamp, Heathkits and Pandora from my cablebox. As the space is filling up, the sound is getting better. With the volume on 1 it fills this large space with sound. I still need window and sliding door treatments, but so far I am very happy. The sound doesn't suck, as a matter of fact it is quite good. I still need to get the bass right and limit the first reflections, but I'm hopeful I can get it working right.

Unfortunately, I do not have a dedicated room for audio and will have to make compromises in order to be able to live in the space as well as listen to music.

[alancohen]

Update: Most of the passive XO system is set up as it was before. No time to fool with the Behringer and bi-amping yet.

But the news is: My oldest son (17) is a bit of a thespian. I am not a musical fan in the least. As a matter of fact my tendency is to cringe when the singing starts.

But my son's participation has coaxed my into the theater to see every performance he has ever done and who da thunk it, but I'm converted. He suggested we go see Les Miz, The Movie and of course I went. I have never seen it before and as a matter of fact haven't been on Broadway since Grease in the 70s. I was surprised that it is more an opera than a musical. As I'm typing this I am streaming the soundtrack from Pandora, through my Mac Mini, Dragonfly DAC and 15W OTL on my Heathkits and enjoying it immensely. Of course the sound is astounding, but I'm actually enjoying show tunes for the first time in my life.

Help!!

[Earl K]

Update: Most of the passive XO system is set up as it was before. No time to fool with the Behringer and bi-amping yet.

Thanks for the updates Alan .

- I never saw mentioned ( maybe I just lost track ), but did you ever install both of those GPA 802G drivers ? If so, how did you get them to fit ?

- What developments have occurred to date with your passives ? ( ie; are these currently new builds, just 30923 pads or are you running the stock networks as you found them ) ?

Glad you're enjoying those AS101's .

[alancohen]

Thanks for the updates Alan .

I never saw mentioned, but did you ever install both of those GPA 802G drivers ? If so, how did you get them to fit ?

What about the crossovers ? What transpired there ( totally new builds, just 30923 pads or stock ?? ) ?

Glad you're enjoying those AS101's .

I installed the 802s with the backs not as tight as they could be. It's only about 1/4" off. When I get more time I'll rout out a recess in the back panel or add some build-up strips to the box.

Crossovers are still the originals w/new caps and old L-pads still in the circuit. Rebuilding them is "on the list".

Since I got this house, my to-do list has grown exponentially. I can't see my life getting to the point where I can sit down and relax with nothing to do for at least 10 years.

[Earl K]

Alan,

Did installing the 802s restore the ( triangle or something ?? ) that you mentioned was missing ( within a particular musical piece ) when you first heard the 806s ?

[alancohen]

So I finally got my vinyl front end installed, and yes, the chime is definately more pronounced and forward. Before it was muted and farther back.

They still don't "sparkle" with 18K+ highs, but they sound more lively that the 806As. I wouldn't call it night and day, the 806As were pretty good too. These are a cut above though.

[GM]

Sounds like you need proper CD horn EQ to tonally flatten them out to as high as practical.

GM

[alancohen]

Maybe...I'm not convince that a flat response is the be all and end all. I have a pair of 8" full-range speakers that are dead flat from like 60 to 20K and they sound...well...flat compared to these.

I'll be bi-amping them soon through a Behringer 2496 and I'll see what I can do with that. I'll be able to control the attenuation, XO freq. &XO slope. I want to listen to it for a while as is so I can get a frame of reference inbedded in my ears.

[GM]

How do you get 60-20 kHz flat with a single driver without mass quantities of EQ that will likely 'suck the life out' of it?

Regardless, tonally flattening out a woofer/horn through the XO BW, then using a by-pass cap to let the highs through unattenuated won't make them either 'dead' flat or sound flat in mine and many others experience. Basically, you're just using passive components to mimic the effect of driving them with a very high output impedance once the proper shelving has been applied.

As to how much usable HF extension you can get will depend a lot on the grill cloth density.

GM

[Earl K]

Hi GM,

I know Alan has moved house ( & is now quite busy with everything that implies ) and ( HiFi wise ) is generally just digging his tube driven ( modernized ) Valencias .

FWIW, earlier in this thread Alan built up a 30923 HF contour network, ( at least partly on my encouragement ) .

AFAIK, Alan has yet to test it with his GPA 802s. I figure he'll get around to that at some point ( assuming his curiosity gets the better of him ) .

Alan ?