Philharmonic Audio - 3-way open back ML-TQWTs designed by Dennis Murphy

[GranteedEV]

Kurt

Yesterday at the CAF the Phils were displayed in room 24×25×8. I clearly remember this from last year when I brought a tape measure because I knew someone would ask. That's about 4800 cu. ft. They were driven by two different AVA power amps, the Fetvalve 600R at 300 wpc, and the Synergy 450 at 225 wpc. Both ratings are with 8 ohm loads. The smaller amp at 225 wpc was easily more than enough.

So basically a 225 x ~1.6 = ~360W @ 4 ohm amp? That's about what i suggested

 

[KEW]

The Phil 2 is 84.5db/w/m. In order to hit around 100db @ about 10 feet away you're probably looking at an amp that can deliver around 350w @ 4 ohm. It's possible that 97db peaks or 175w @ 4 ohm - is probably just enough - but I don't think the extra headroom would hurt

I would NOT use Phil 2s for movie watching at reference level as that extra 5db of headroom would require around 1100 watts @ 4 ohm. There are better speakers for movie watching. watching movies a few db below reference level still works, though. Again I would stick to around 7db below reference. Dialogue may be a bit quiet.

The Phil 3 is 82db/w/m so that means those numbers above become 600, 300, and 1900 watts respectively.

That counts out the vintage Integrated Amp I was planning to use!

I have two amps to choose from. I think either would meet my needs (music only and I've never measured 97dB peaks!). Which would you choose?:

Emotiva XPA-2
XPA-2 | 300W x 2 | Emotiva Audio | High-end audio components for audiophiles and videophiles, spanning 2-channel music systems, as well as 5.1 and 7.1 home theaters. Products include multichannel amplifiers, stereo amplifiers, and monoblock amplifier

Aragon 2007 (used in stereo)
Indy Audio Labs - Aragon 2007

Thanks!

 

[KEW]

Thanks, I really wanted to nameplate on there, but really did not want it centered on the bottom.

After being told "that looks stupid" and asked "what are you doing?" about 8 different times by the lady of the house I ended up there with them, the right one is on the lower right corner so I can tell which is which

I mean, I do technically have two different tweeters so I figured this would help distinguish.

Okay, why do you have two different tweeters and why isn't that a serious problem?

 

[Irvrobinson]

Thanks for that photo, I was wondering what they looked like in black.

That Salon 2 setup looks horrendous. Ugh. That's part of the reason I stopped going to audio shows, half the time you would get a bad impression of basically good stuff.

 

[fuzz092888]

Okay, why do you have two different tweeters and why isn't that a serious problem?

One tweeter has the amorphous core and the other doesn't. Dennis bought everyone out of the regular RAAL tweeter so he bought a few amorphous core ones so people were getting an "upgrade" for free. So one of my tweeters has an amorphous core and one does not.

It's not a problem because they measure so similarly, plus with Dennis doing the crossover they measure more or less the same (well below audibility). I'm sure with enough self convincing I could tell you the upper end on one of them sounds "more liquid" or some other audiophile rubbish. To me they sound identical. They sounded identical before I looked to see which was which and they still sounded identical after I looked to see which was which

 

[mr littlejeans]

So basically a 225 x ~1.6 = ~360W @ 4 ohm amp? That's about what i suggested

According to Frank at AVA, those amps double down so they'd be 450wpc and 600wpc for the two amps there. I specifically asked Frank about that as I'm ordering one of the Fet Valve 600R's to pair with the 3's.

 

[mr littlejeans]

That veneer on that Phil is reallly nice. It's the first veneered phil i've liked. The vertical grains make it look tall and in-charge.

Until now my favorite was that white philharmonic on the website, (not including acudeftechguy's "cabinets cost me more than you paid alogether" candy apple reds.)

I believe the veneer is ribbon mahogany. Del is building my pair with that veneer but mine will be stained a little darker and a bit more red.

 

[GranteedEV]

According to Frank at AVA, those amps double down so they'd be 450wpc and 600wpc for the two amps there. I specifically asked Frank about that as I'm ordering one of the Fet Valve 600R's to pair with the 3's.

Welcome to AH

I can't wait to see pics of your phils.

 

[frsimms]

John Atkinson took a nice picture of the Philharmonic 3's.

Capital Audiofest—Day Two Morning | Stereophile.com

Bob

 

[Irvrobinson]

What the hell are "slow-sounding lows"?

 

[fuzz092888]

What the hell are "slow-sounding lows"?

Ditto, Slow sounding lows are..............

Fanboyism aside p) I've never heard anything "slow" about the lows on my Phils and if they have "slow" lows then apparently so do all other excellent speakers I've heard.

 

[Adam]

What the hell are "slow-sounding lows"?

I actually prefer slow-sounding lows. 20Hz just doesn't right at faster speeds.

 

[frsimms]

What the hell are "slow-sounding lows"?

I don't know either. I haven't heard the Phil 3's. I do know that my SoundScapes have fast sounding lows.

Bob

 

[its phillip]

While weighty, the lows were a little slow-sounding, however, something I often hear from transmission lines.

I can't believe people take garbage like this seriously!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

It would NOT be Stereophile unless they used words like slow, fast, chocolaty, sweet, etc, to describe cables, DAC, amps, preamps, and speakers.

 

[KEW]

It would NOT be Stereophile unless they used words like slow, fast, chocolaty, sweet, etc, to describe cables, DAC, amps, preamps, and speakers.

So is John Atkinson one of the guys that talks about hearing the changes between different cables?

 

[Irvrobinson]

So is John Atkinson one of the guys that talks about hearing the changes between different cables?

JA has said that he does indeed hear the difference between cables. I forgive him for that, since if you look at Stereophile a substantial fraction of its advertising space is paid for by cable manufacturers, and he does have to tow the company line. But the transmission-lines-are-slow comment sounds even sillier. He must be referring to some sort of frequency response peak he thinks he hears with speakers like that.

 

[KEW]

JA has said that he does indeed hear the difference between cables. I forgive him for that, since if you look at Stereophile a substantial fraction of its advertising space is paid for by cable manufacturers, and he does have to tow the company line. But the transmission-lines-are-slow comment sounds even sillier. He must be referring to some sort of frequency response peak he thinks he hears with speakers like that.

Knowing his opinions are likely controlled by advertising revenue and the associated politics makes anything he says suspect.

Dennis may be right that the normal room modes may have caused the issue, but you would think he would be pretty attuned to that by now.

 

[KEW]

Nope, this pair is mine and yes those are little stuffed bears sitting on top. I use them as room treatment

Are those Maple with clear lacquer, or did you have him add stain?
I'm debating whether to stain mine slightly darker, but like the warmth of yours.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

So is John Atkinson one of the guys that talks about hearing the changes between different cables?

Everyone who works for Stereophile is required to talk/ write like that.

Even their secretaries talk like that.

But we know that and we just skip right to the measurements.