questions about aa philharmonics

[Diesel57]

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and a t-shirt! ha!

I found those 2 on their outlet and the marks are so insignificant I went ahead and pulled the trigger. hell, a black sharpie might do the trick on those tiny little dings, though I might just get a little bottle of black model paint or something. I'm pretty stoked, but it's really supposed to be a Christmas thing... they might sit in the closet for a bit. though I can't be responsible for what might happen if I'm home alone for a while...

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and a t-shirt! ha!

I found those 2 on their outlet and the marks are so insignificant I went ahead and pulled the trigger. hell, a black sharpie might do the trick on those tiny little dings, though I might just get a little bottle of black model paint or something. I'm pretty stoked, but it's really supposed to be a Christmas thing... they might sit in the closet for a bit. though I can't be responsible for what might happen if I'm home alone for a while...

CONGRATS, Try some black enamel nail polish, that will also give it a gleam...Enjoy

 

[KEW]

Congratulations!!!

 

[Pogre]

they arrived yesterday! my wife and I both looked them over carefully and we can't find a blemish on either one. they look brand new. no chips, swirls or scratches anywhere that we can see.

I just now hooked them up and am taking them for a test run. I haven't spent any quality time with them yet or re-run audyssey because not gonna leave them as they're more a Christmas thing and dad can't play with his toys before everyone else.

I'm already noticing some more detail. especially in the mid-high range. I'm impressed and don't regret spending he money. in fact I'm glad I did when I did. these speakers are completely undamaged from both me and my wife's visual inspection. I'm super stoked guys.

the t shirt is pretty cool too.

 

[KEW]

they arrived yesterday! my wife and I both looked them over carefully and we can't find a blemish on either one. they look brand new. no chips, swirls or scratches anywhere that we can see.

It is very hard to get a photo that reasonably reflect surface damage to a finish. Generally (especially with a gloss black finish) if the lighting is positioned to capture the blemish, it looks horrible, while the naked eye doesn't notice so much. Then there is the issue of distinguishing between reflections and actual damage on a mirror finish in a photo - in person all you do is barely reposition the speaker or your head (and you probably would not even be aware that is what you were doing and why).

That said, since you did have photos of the damage, you still could not find it"!?!
I assumed it was denting on the corners of the speakers in the photos you posted:

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Again congratulations, I hope your wife gets half of the enjoyment out of her laptop that you will from those speakers.

 

[Pogre]

yeah, seriously. we couldn't find the dings. checked each corner and flipped them both upside down. my near vision isn't quite what it used to be, but my wife couldn't see anything either. they're either so tiny that you have to really zoom in to see them or I got different speakers? either way, no complaints here.

I packed them back up... with great difficulty. listened to a reference cd I have and they sound awesome. I can't wait to get them set up proper. I'm gonna move them a little more forward and run audyssey.

 

[Diesel57]

Congrats that it turned out better than expected, pretty sure it's challenging not leaving them connected, well as I mentioned earlier, my Xmas gift is going to be the Carrera and when I asked my wife why was she ready to amputate my arms when I was thinking about getting more audio gear, her response was that she was supplying me with courage to buy the car, I said ok, now I'm really afraid, I don't know what I'm being set up for I told her just get me a Priest and give me a cigarette and a blindfold...before the execution...

 

[KenM10759]

LOL....I'll take a Cuban Cohiba, single malt scotch and a hooker.

 

[Diesel57]

LOL....I'll take a Cuban Cohiba, single malt scotch and a hooker.

That would be filling, very tasteful along with a big bang!...

 

[Pogre]

so... I had a few hours to myself and I set them up. ran audyssey and got everything dialed in. I'm super happy with them. they're awesome speakers. one thing that surprised was the deftechs do seem to dig a little bit deeper into the low end. not a lot, but audible. I'm running dual subs anyway, so it's a non issue.

aside from that, the ultras blow my deftechs away. I listened to a few cd's yesterday and was in audio nirvana. so much detail, and when I turned them up they sounded just as clean. another nice bonus is that they're a little more sensitive than the deftechs, so I gained a couple db too.

had I not joined this forum I doubt I would have given svs a second look. I'm ready to convert it all! lol. nah, I'm gonna keep my promonitor 1000's for surrounds. they're great little speakers with a matching black piano gloss finish and they also have aluminum dome tweeters, so not a horrible timbre match... even though it doesn't really matter with surrounds.

I haven't had a chance to watch any movies with them yet. I still have a deftech cs 8040 center channel and I'm hoping it's a close enough timbre match for my tastes. again, it has an aluminum dome tweeter and matches the ultras' finish so I'm crossing my fingers. if it's unbearable I'll go phantom for a while until I can get maybe a prime center. music is my main goal anyway.

anyhoo, I packed them back up, but have my doubts I'll make it until christmas. thanks for participating in this thread and nudging me in the right direction. I'm super happy with them. I'll post an update with pics when I get them "officially" incorporated into my system.

oh! kew, yes those pics I posted were of the damage. just those tiny chips. we can't see them. got them in good light and really looked them over. my 18 year old son (who can actually see close up) couldn't find anything either. my guess is you have to be perfectly in the right light and seriously zoom in to see them. I'm super happy about that too. I picked the right b stock.

 

[slipperybidness]

so... I had a few hours to myself and I set them up. ran audyssey and got everything dialed in. I'm super happy with them. they're awesome speakers. one thing that surprised was the deftechs do seem to dig a little bit deeper into the low end. not a lot, but audible. I'm running dual subs anyway, so it's a non issue.

aside from that, the ultras blow my deftechs away. I listened to a few cd's yesterday and was in audio nirvana. so much detail, and when I turned them up they sounded just as clean. another nice bonus is that they're a little more sensitive than the deftechs, so I gained a couple db too.

had I not joined this forum I doubt I would have given svs a second look. I'm ready to convert it all! lol. nah, I'm gonna keep my promonitor 1000's for surrounds. they're great little speakers with a matching black piano gloss finish and they also have aluminum dome tweeters, so not a horrible timbre match... even though it doesn't really matter with surrounds.

I haven't had a chance to watch any movies with them yet. I still have a deftech cs 8040 center channel and I'm hoping it's a close enough timbre match for my tastes. again, it has an aluminum dome tweeter and matches the ultras' finish so I'm crossing my fingers. if it's unbearable I'll go phantom for a while until I can get maybe a prime center. music is my main goal anyway.

anyhoo, I packed them back up, but have my doubts I'll make it until christmas. thanks for participating in this thread and nudging me in the right direction. I'm super happy with them. I'll post an update with pics when I get them "officially" incorporated into my system.

oh! kew, yes those pics I posted were of the damage. just those tiny chips. we can't see them. got them in good light and really looked them over. my 18 year old son (who can actually see close up) couldn't find anything either. my guess is you have to be perfectly in the right light and seriously zoom in to see them. I'm super happy about that too. I picked the right b stock.

That's one thing that I have noticed about GOOD speakers--I tend to keep on creeping up on the volume, it seems like the louder I get them, the more details I get out of them.

But, a poor speaker will sound harsh or not good as the volume goes up.

 

[KEW]

For $800/pr they are a very nice speakers!
They sourced a very nice Al tweeter for that. If you listen critically to a high quality recording, I think you will be able to tell the difference in the sound of cymbals between them and your DefTech Al tweeter (which I have never heard, so I could be totally wrong, but I'd be surprised).
Both my Energy RC-10 and Paradigm Studio20 (now sold) had Aluminum tweeters and both gave a "sizzlin' bacon" sound (which is not that far wrong!) on a cymbal crash while a really good Be or ribbon tweeter will sound like a real cymbal.
The RC-10 and the Studio20 definitely fall into the higher quality category for Al tweeters, and I could be happy with either, but the Ultra is a clear step above them and close enough to real cymbals that I will stick with my earlier comment - keep Be and ribbon tweeters out of your room, and you'll never know!
But do compare with your DefTech tweeters (especially with a little volume) so you can really appreciate the impressive clarity of the Ultras!

So you made it 8 days since the last time you packed them away, LOL!
You've either got a long December or an early Christmas this year!

 

[fuzz092888]

For $800/pr they are a very nice speakers!
They sourced a very nice Al tweeter for that. If you listen critically to a high quality recording, I think you will be able to tell the difference in the sound of cymbals between them and your DefTech Al tweeter (which I have never heard, so I could be totally wrong, but I'd be surprised).
Both my Energy RC-10 and Paradigm Studio20 (now sold) had Aluminum tweeters and both gave a "sizzlin' bacon" sound (which is not that far wrong!) on a cymbal crash while a really good Be or ribbon tweeter will sound like a real cymbal.
The RC-10 and the Studio20 definitely fall into the higher quality category for Al tweeters, and I could be happy with either, but the Ultra is a clear step above them and close enough to real cymbals that I will stick with my earlier comment - keep Be and ribbon tweeters out of your room, and you'll never know!
But do compare with your DefTech tweeters (especially with a little volume) so you can really appreciate the impressive clarity of the Ultras!

So you made it 8 days since the last time you packed them away, LOL!
You've either got a long December or an early Christmas this year!

I could definitely here a difference between the Al tweet in the Ultras and the RAAL tweeters (both the 70-10 and the 70-20). I could also hear a difference between the Al and the dimple dome on the Mandolins. I just wish I still had or knew someone close who has the Ultras to compare to the Dyna tweeters in the Source Technology speakers I have now. Overall I rank the RAAL's on top followed by the Dyna, Silk dimple dome, and Al in the Ultras. Thing is, without anything to compare to, the Ultras would have easily brought a lot of enjoyment to me for a long long time. So definitely no knocks against the Ultras or the Al tweeters in them.
Personal preference is all. That's why it's so important to listen to as many different pairs as possible .

 

[KEW]

Thing is, without anything to compare to, the Ultras would have easily brought a lot of enjoyment to me for a long long time.

That was the point I was making. Apologies if it sounded like I said I could not hear a difference between the Al and RAAL!

Overall I rank the RAAL's on top followed by the Dyna, Silk dimple dome, and Al in the Ultras.

Is the Dyna the brand of the dimple dome or a different tweeter?
Did the silk dimple dome have the extension of the Al? I have yet to hear a soft dome that had the extension of an Al tweeter (as revealed by brass instruments and acoustic guitars with metal strings)!

 

[fuzz092888]

That was the point I was making. Apologies if it sounded like I said I could not hear a difference between the Al and RAAL!

No no, I got the point you were making, just adding in my own 2 cents as well.

Is the Dyna the brand of the dimple dome or a different tweeter?
Did the silk dimple dome have the extension of the Al? I have yet to hear a soft dome that had the extension of an Al tweeter (as revealed by brass instruments and acoustic guitars with metal strings)!

Dyna-audio. That's the brand of tweeter in the newest bookshelves I have, although they are direct to manufacturer these days so I have no idea of what model these are without removing them nor do I have specs. All I know is that they were well regarded in their time when they were still sold direct to consumer and are used in quite a few high end designs as well.

The silk dimple dome is the one in the Mandolin kit by Jeff Bagby, I couldn't remember the brand, but I found it. It's an SB tweeter that performs remarkably well for it's relatively light price tag. Not sure what the extension on the Al tweet is, but the -3db point on the SB looks to be right around 600Hz and remains flat to around 800Hz. Is that comparable? (Honest question)

 

[KEW]

The silk dimple dome is the one in the Mandolin kit by Jeff Bagby, I couldn't remember the brand, but I found it. It's an SB tweeter that performs remarkably well for it's relatively light price tag. Not sure what the extension on the Al tweet is, but the -3db point on the SB looks to be right around 600Hz and remains flat to around 800Hz. Is that comparable? (Honest question)

Actually, I was talking about treble extension on the top end. That is what sets Al, Be, and ribbon apart from soft dome in my experience!

 

[fuzz092888]

Actually, I was talking about treble extension on the top end. That is what sets Al, Be, and ribbon apart from soft dome in my experience!

Looks like less than a 10db drop from 20khz to 40khz

http://meniscusaudio.com/images/SB29RDC-C000-4.pdf

 

[Pogre]

That's one thing that I have noticed about GOOD speakers--I tend to keep on creeping up on the volume, it seems like the louder I get them, the more details I get out of them.

But, a poor speaker will sound harsh or not good as the volume goes up.

I'm a volume creeper too. and yes, that's where they really shined. when I turned it up, it was not only just as clear, but really detailed. no hint of breakup or stress at all. the spl I'm getting now is more than enough. a person could suffer permanent hearing damage listening to it cranked for too long in my house now. which is surprisingly easy to do when it's so clean. you don't realize how loud it is.

I'm getting much better about it though. I used to play drums. when I realized I wasn't gonna be the next Jon bonham I sold them. between that and crazy loud car stereos I have tinnitus and take better care of my hearing now. still, I like it a little louder than most and these speakers deliver.

kew... if you're a betting man, bet on early Christmas for ol' pogre. it's torture sitting here knowing I have them in the next room. I've almost stopped listening to music because I'm spoiled already. lol

*edit: I don't know anything about Al tweeters. are they specially treated or something? exotic materials?

 

[KenM10759]

There's a LOT of misinformation about aluminum cones and tweeter domes in the audio world. Few understand that there are hundreds of different alloys available, and none of it is pure aluminum. Add to that the varying degrees of solution aging, heat treatment, work-hardening and post-form coatings or anodizing and it becomes clear that there is no way to characterize an aluminum tweeter as being one thing.

No speaker manufacturer is going to reveal which alloy they use, how they form it or how they treat it after forming. About the only thing one could do if one felt they just had to know is dissect a tweeter to measure radius, thickness, analyze the coating and material. I bet many makers do that with competitor products.

I only mention this because some people get all wrapped up in "I'll never own..." this or that because of the material, while there's good and bad execution of everything from ribbon tweeters to treated silk dome tweeters. You can get a crappy expensive one or a shining star that's fairly cheap. I will say not many makers will invest in beryllium alloy tweeters without making sure they're premium performers.

 

[j_garcia]

I've heard a lot of harsh tweeters of all metal types and I've also heard some really excellent ones. It isn't just the material but the implementation as well.

 

[Pogre]

gotcha. I guess I was a little more hung up on the abbreviation "Al". I couldn't tell if it meant artificial intelligence, or 2 letters for a 2 metal alloy or something along those lines, or if it's just plain old short for aluminum. yes, I way over think things sometimes...