OT: Crossover dampening options

[westend9]

You must have these new networks attached to some type of material. It may be that the attached substrate is resonating.

As Bowtie recommends, placing a load on the network is a good idea and the completion of the circuit may diminish any spurious sounds. I'd sure try that before engaging in any damping to the networks.

[bowtie427ss]

I'd sure try that before engaging in any damping to the networks.

Strongly agree. Damping should be done last, after a thorough shakedown and verifying that everything is correct. Then, damp everything like you;re preparing for a major seismic event. If it moves, it needs to be damped or clamped, this includes wires.

[Elitopus1]

Yes I forgot to mention that I used some 8 ohm dummy loads. The components are zip tied to some wood boards currently. I was thinking about using some RTV to better attach them

[LowOhms]

GE Silicone 2 is the product you are searching for. Excellent properties. Just be sure to rub it in with your finger, on both surfaces, so it will adhere well. Let it dry over night. It will allow you to replace a part, if necessary, at a later date.

Caps need break in. A DynamiCap 4.0E or a 10.0 E - as I use across my amp's B+ supplies, and as a 2A3 Rk cathode bypass, takes a full 500 hours to sound optimal. A solder joint needs a break in, usually seven hours seems to do it.

Your VOTT takes power from the ASHLEY because you have it wired inappropriately. Zip cord I gave-up on 38 years ago. You have poor transfer efficiency throughout your system, due to inappropriate system wiring. You always say " I work on electronics", as though that qualifies you. I get a kick out of that Don. I bet my 3 Watt direct coupled amp would scare you, on my VOTT set up, as far as dynamic rendering !! Its such a shame, you are in Florida, and I am in Missouri, and you can't get over to give it a hear.

Don, going to certain audio shows can be helpful to broaden your audio experience. I go to RMAF in Denver, almost every year, last ten years. By the way, Herb Reichert at Stereophile rated the room I assisted ( Dennis Fraker's room, Serious Stereo ), as one of his two favorite rooms - among hundreds of audio exhibitors there. It ran Dennis' GPA 604s in a MLTL enclosures, and almost all the wiring was generally as I laid it out in my post .....which you ignore and blow off, since you are an " electronics technician ". Save your pennies, come and visit at RMAF 2017, you will hear it, broaden your horizons, and learn new and useful things !!

LowOhms

[bowtie427ss]

To sort of reinforce what LowOhms is saying i would share with you the reality that some of my more glorious revelations in audio very effectively overturned some of my very own pre-conceived notions and biases.

It's a shame that we don't all live just across town from one another. Many facets of audio we can wax poetic about, and share novel length threads about. But, the true reality of subtle details is all in the first hand experience.

I really have come to despise the human nature, and conflicting personalities that find their way into every discussion that broaches the topic of wire. The notion that "wire is wire" in the realm of the enthusiastic audio hobby is utter bullshit. Of course, until they experience the revelation for themselves, most are likely to continue slurping the mainstream kool-aid.

That said, i would strongly opine that if you wired your speakers in a fairly resolving system to Jeff's spec, and gave yourself and the system some extended time to become "acquainted", the chances are extremely good that if you went back to generic lamp cord and casual wiring convention you would almost immediately hear a difference.

For me, part of the reward in taking this enthusiastic hobby to it's extreme of diminishing returns is in the revelations of how things we used to think don't, can't, and won't matter, actually DO matter and can matter to degrees beyond what a previously less open mind was willing to accept.

[Elitopus1]

My issue is I think there is not just one way to do things. If it were up to Jeff everyone would wire their system just like his. So then what about what about when he changes things up in a month for the next great wire or cap that he finds? I think he is trying to be helpful and just share what works for him.
I can do what works for me and what my baseline is. Otherwise there are too many variables.

I am not saying Jeff is wrong. He might (and probably does) hear things that I don't hear. All I can do is address the issues that I have and can deal with. Some things are based on my physical hearing abilities and others are based on my somewhat low budget for upgrades right now.

I think there is a science to audio and a religious side. I tend to stick with the science side. There are numbers and specs I can use to guide me in the right direction. That is my baseline. I know the religious side does exist in things like synergy between components and all the different sounding wires and components you can use. But that is not what I asked about.

I am interested in making my crossovers not make noise. I plan to listen loud with this system. I'm sure they will affect SQ at higher volumes as they are now. I appreciate the advice of the silicone. I only mentioned RTV because I can get half tubes for free

- - - Updated - - -

Now you got me curious. What speaker wire does the average Altec guy use?

[bowtie427ss]

My issue is I think there is not just one way to do things.

I share the same issue in a fairly broad sense.

My emphasis is that in most cases we're talking about what amounts to extremely diminishing returns. To probably 95% of audio enthusiasts or more, the nits we're picking, and words we're mincing here are beyond the extent of their interest and/or their listening preferences, room, upstream gear, and source ability to resolve.

We all travel our own unique path in audio with no two being exactly the same, though many of us will meet at multiple crossroads.

I have bracket racing in my blood. I know first hand the difference things like a 1/4PSI in a tire can make, or indexing spark plugs so that the outside electrode is in the most ideal position, or 10 degrees difference in fuel temperature, 10% change in relative humidity. When everything else is in perfect state, all of these variations show up in the ET. These minimal variances have no significant impact outside of 1320 and an ET clock. But, in that realm they can make the difference between a winner and a loser.

Some times my listening space is a drag strip, and i want the best performance i can acheive with what i have................................

[Elitopus1]

Tom I respect your opinion, and I know what you are saying about only 5% of audio freaks (I try to avoid audiophile) would appreciate the little tweaks and tricks.

I also know that Mil spec wire is a gazillion times cheaper than the fancy audiophile cables. In fact I get Mil spec scraps free from work. Its a great bargain in the audio world

I know there is a difference between the hypothetical best case scenerio and what everyone is actually doing. I am more curious what people are actually doing in there own systems. Then sometimes I try it and see if it works for me too

[Petro]

I've personally been a little nutty with cables in the past. I finally started purchasing less expensive cables and testing them against my cables( audioquest, transparent, acoustic Zen)and realized they(like anything else) are a preference more than one being better than the other. I settled on a nice little company out of Colorado called Avanti audio. His allegro cables are really good and are a fraction of the other cables I've mentioned.
I've never tried the so called "lamp cord" so I don't know the difference. I just always figured high current amp, high current wires. And I'm believer in good power cords as well.
My good friend who also has model 15's added vintage WE cloth covered wire I believe it was 16awg. And sold his very expensive Audience cables, saying he wasn't missing anything from the switch.
My question is does it matter what's running from your amp to binding posts if your speakers and xovers are wired with regular wire?
Figure this is a good thread to ask this since I've wondered what I should be wiring my next xovers with

[bowtie427ss]

In my own space, i try everything i can get my hands on for speaker cables with the exception of aluminum and old coat hangers, and the uber expensive offerings(given access i'd try those too). It's a polarizing topic, and invites a lot of subjectivity

For portable/working apps, i'd probably go with the industry standard Belden 5000 or 8000 series. There are reasons beyond audio for this.

Equally important is wire termination. The best wire in the world won't matter if it's not terminated properly.