A detailed report on the 2008 SOTU event: - Orlando Florida, by TLS

[TLS Guy]

Report from the 2008 SOTU event: - Orlando

I attended the SOTU event in Orlando last month. It was an opportunity to listen to some of the equipment talked about on the Audioholics forums and see equipment off the drawing board. Apart from my Rotel, pre pro, my Direct TV HD DVR and one Sony Bravia TV, I don’t think any of the rest of my extensive equipment list is talked about on the forums.
Read full report.

 

[jostenmeat]

Enjoyable read. I might order your audition discs sometime in the near future.

I've had similar experiences as far as salesmen sitting silently with a content look on their faces when playing my audition discs. They would thank me, and sometimes ask for the titles and performers to draw in other potential customers.

I've heard good things about those Pioneer speakers.

I also wonder if its not too incredibly difficult to have some sort of shootout between different Audyssey versions vs Trinnov. I do know that certain persons appreciate the latter's flexibility in leaving the upper register alone, but as for my own personal needs, the upper registers need as much help as the lower ones anyhow.

Thanks again.

 

[jamie2112]

Thanks for the great review of your findings...good reading..

 

[Djizasse]

The Album you're talking about is this?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgar-The-Apostles/dp/B000025RZA

 

[gus6464]

TLS I saw you mention Jordan Watts, are those the same as the British company EJ Jordan who makes the JX92S full range driver?

http://www.jordan-usa.com/jx92s-full-ran.html

 

[TLS Guy]

The Album you're talking about is this?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgar-The-Apostles/dp/B000025RZA

No it is not this is.

The Hickox version is a good one. However Sir Adrian is in a class of his own in this repertory. He worked closely with Elgar and gave many first performances of his works. Although the Boult is the older recording, it is technically the better one by far. It is very atmospheric to put it mildly.

 

[Matt34]

Superb write-up Doc!

 

[Nomo]

Nice write-up.
No surprise, I missed a good time.

I gotta ask. Who's the guy between you and The major?

 

[TLS Guy]

TLS I saw you mention Jordan Watts, are those the same as the British company EJ Jordan who makes the JX92S full range driver?

http://www.jordan-usa.com/jx92s-full-ran.html

Ted Jordan was the chief research and design engineer for Goodmans industries back in the fifties. Leslie Watts was the accountant. When the owner died, the company had to be sold to pay the death duties. Ted and Leslie got the sack and founded Jordan Watts loudspeakers at Benlow Works Middlesex. The JW module Mk I was the result. These units had a half life of about 20 minutes. This was introduced at the Audio Fair in 1961. I was there, and it was at that time I first met Ted and Leslie.

At that point Ted and Leslie parted company. It was left to a rag tag and bobtail outfit to develop the successful MkII. I was to a large extent responsible for the MkIII. As Leslie became too old to run the company it was sold in the late seventies to Volt loudspeakers. Leslie was a lot older than Ted. They sold it to a store the sold electronic instruments. They did nothing with the name but held out for a large sum of money for the rights to the name. I have been unsuccessful in acquiring the name at reasonable cost. I was the Canadian agent and importer for part of the seventies.

Ted formed Jordan loudspeakers and married the former production engineer for Goodmans. They divorced, and she won the rights to his intellectual property in the divorce settlement. She founded Bandor loudspeakers. I think it is now largely run by her son Adrian. Ted then formed EJ Jordan designs. Ted and his wife Denise are now in the process of handing EJ Jordan designs over to the Swedish company Esoteric Audio Designs.

Here is a link to my website where you can find a download of a Jordan Watts 1970s sales brochure. There is also a link to an audio recording I did with Leslie Watts in 1976.

I have about 100 modules and a set of Jodrels, Juliets and Jumbos. I have some cones to build some MK IIIs. I also have a TL of mine with a set of single JW modules in each enclosure. I keep those around to keep me honest!

 

[avaserfi]

Nice write-up.
No surprise, I missed a good time.

I gotta ask. Who's the guy between you and The major?

Some loser from Ames, IA who happens to write the occasional article for Audioholics...err, I mean Jim Robbins...

 

[Rickster71]

Wow, great read!
I don't know what's more interesting; the show report, or the Ted Jordan, Leslie Watts story.

Regards,
Rick

 

[TLS Guy]

Some loser from Ames, IA who happens to write the occasional article for Audioholics...err, I mean Jim Robbins...

Good thing you knew Andrew!

 

[avaserfi]

Good thing you knew Andrew!

He is actually Chris Seymour's neighbor. When I was living in Ames we would all hang out occasionally. Good guys .

 

[TLS Guy]

Wow, great read!
I don't know what's more interesting; the show report, or the Ted Jordan, Leslie Watts story.

Regards,
Rick

Rick, did you listen to the audio interview? It is a great story.

 

[Halon451]

Excellent write up, doc.

 

[TLS Guy]

Excellent write up, doc.

I like the family room HT!

 

[gus6464]

TLS,

So you have a lot of experience with the Jordan drivers I take it. What do you think of the JX92S in a single driver TL box? I came across these drivers reading through the DIY forums and came across them. It looks to be a very simple design for a first time DIY'er that from what I have read seems to sound very good.

http://documents.jordan-usa.com/JX92S_VTL.pdf

 

[Gimpy Ric]

TLS Guy - Are the the new Hsu Research HB-1 MK2's really that good, or do you think the French Trinnov optimizer made them sound better? I'm interested in a pair of these just to listen to, but my Emotiva LMC-1 doesn't have any room correction features. How would they sound, as I also have a terrible room with no treatments.

Thank You,

Ric

 

[TLS Guy]

TLS,

So you have a lot of experience with the Jordan drivers I take it. What do you think of the JX92S in a single driver TL box? I came across these drivers reading through the DIY forums and came across them. It looks to be a very simple design for a first time DIY'er that from what I have read seems to sound very good.

http://documents.jordan-usa.com/JX92S_VTL.pdf

According to a personal communication with Ted Jordan, that driver is the closest modern equivalent to the Jordan Watts driver. The JX92S has a slightly rising HF response, the JW module the reverse. The Jw module has a unique suspension. The voice coil is suspended on two beryllium cantilevers, two of which feed the signal to the voice coil.

You have to remember that the power handling of these small drivers is limited, however they sound wonderful. Ted Jordan was hired by Goodmans to design something to compete with the Quad electrostatic, which took the world by storm. The module is what he came up with. However the owner died and the new owners were only interested in making low end junk.

A couple of Modules for stereo, produce an spl very comparable to a pair of Quad ESL 57s. In my view the Jordan Watts module was the worlds first really tonally accurate moving coil transducer. I noted right away, at the Audio Fair of 1961 that those drivers were the only moving coil drivers remotely comparable in tonal accuracy to the Quad ESL.

A TL with the drivers you mention would be a good project. I know Ted listens to them in a TL. Did you listen my interview with Leslie watts by the way. If you at all interested in these drivers, it will be an interesting listen for you.

 

[TLS Guy]

TLS Guy - Are the the new Hsu Research HB-1 MK2's really that good, or do you think the French Trinnov optimizer made them sound better? I'm interested in a pair of these just to listen to, but my Emotiva LMC-1 doesn't have any room correction features. How would they sound, as I also have a terrible room with no treatments.

Thank You,

Ric

I think they would sound pretty good. When I listened the audio EQ was only active below 300 Hz. Both Audyssey and Trinov made a mess of things above that level in my view, and a pretty big mess at that. I'm not convinced these system are ready to be used in the HF and mid range. I think the ability to use the Trinov just below 300Hz is a big advantage.