Searching for the best sound system for my room, need help.

[fuzz092888]

Please do! It directs me to Website Suggestions

Yea I saw that as well. I'll see what I can do. Worst comes to worse, I have all the files so I can figure someway to get them back up.

 

[monkish54]

Yea I saw that as well. I'll see what I can do. Worst comes to worse, I have all the files so I can figure someway to get them back up.

Dennis doesn't **** around. When you're the new website guy, you take over everything! Can you email me the stuff about the Cambridge speaker he had on there?

 

[fuzz092888]

Dennis doesn't **** around. When you're the new website guy, you take over everything! Can you email me the stuff about the Cambridge speaker he had on there?

I'm not seeing a cambridge speaker. Do you remember the model?

Also, until further notice muphyblaster is down. Hopefully we can get a few things worked out to get it back online.

 

[monkish54]

I'm not seeing a cambridge speaker. Do you remember the model?

Also, until further notice muphyblaster is down. Hopefully we can get a few things worked out to get it back online.

Maybe he didn't post it!

I did find this:

Well, I guess you are talking about me.
He changed it from a 2nd order acoustic, to a 4th order acoustic
tuned box. He did smooth out the mids, and balanced the over all
sound more. It is not a night and day difference - however, the
difference is there. The upgrade cost is modest, and generous on
his part. Do not expect Salk type sound - however, the drivers are
good.

and

this:

and this:

which is good enough!

Thanks!

Do we know why it's down?

I've tried to attach the before and after, but it probably won't work. I'll try again if it doesn't. The little Cambridge is quite amazing. Although the crossover is just a "cap and a coil," it's a very well thought out cap and coil. The driver integration is excellent, and the drivers are very high quality. The only problem is a lack of adequate baffle step compensation, which can be seen by the ramped up response of the midrange and treble in relation to the bass. That means that heavily orchestrated material will sound a little too forward and smeared. My mod fixes that problem, and also improves the phase tracking around the crossover region. I simply added a couple of components to the existing crossover and a resistor L-pad to get the tweeter in line with the mids and bass. I mount the extra components on a small board that fits in the bottom of the cabinet, and is fed by the existing crossover which is attached to the input terminal. So space is not really a problem. If by some miracle my before and after plots do show up (naaaaa--they won't), the ragged response below 250 Hz isn't due to the a barking golden retriever or Air Bus 300's headed into National Airport. Those are just the real-life bumps and grinds of floor bounce cancellation and room modes. Beware of any plot (like the one in the foreign magazine) that shows a smooth bass response. They've probably spliced a near-field measurement onto the anechoic response, or just guessed what the response would be. My measurements are done with Praxis, which transitions to actual room response below 250 Hz and reveals how the speaker will actually sound in most normal-sized rooms.

Okay, NOW I agree with Dennis Murphy and Z.

Color me impressed.

I'd still go S70, but I now have few reservations about recommending the 30s!

TUNE CHANGED.

 

[fuzz092888]

Do we know why it's down?

Glad you found what you were looking for.

Yes we do.

Still may or may not go back up, it's up to Dennis. He may just decide to combine it with the philharmonic website, which I don't think would be hard since I've already made a page for DIY stuff. We shall see.

 

[monkish54]

Glad you found what you were looking for.

Yes we do.

Still may or may not go back up, it's up to Dennis. He may just decide to combine it with the philharmonic website, which I don't think would be hard since I've already made a page for DIY stuff. We shall see.

Is Dennis having second thoughts about Murphy Blaster?

 

[monkish54]

I'm going to write Cambridge in hopes they will add more info/measurements about the S30. I was clearly wrong about the 30 (Although "1st order" are still poop, IMO. Look at how much better suppressed the cone breakup is on the 4th order acoustic!) but if I had more info on their driver design and measurements I wouldn't have needed Dennis to prove to me they are decent.

It's a cheap speaker so naturally I assume they used cheap drivers. Then they just use cap + coil. It's like :O

I was clearly very wrong.

 

[zieglj01]

I'm going to write Cambridge in hopes they will add more info/measurements about the S30. I was clearly wrong about the 30 (Although "1st order" are still poop, IMO. Look at how much better suppressed the cone breakup is on the 4th order acoustic!) but if I had more info on their driver design and measurements I wouldn't have needed Dennis to prove to me they are decent.

It's a cheap speaker so naturally I assume they used cheap drivers. Then they just use cap + coil. It's like :O

I was clearly very wrong.

I also had some measurements in post #72
We all know that different companies choose different compromises.
You also get a strong cabinet that is crossed-braced, and with good
foam dampening inside. >> Some speakers may have different cross-
overs, however they give you cheaper drivers, no cabinet bracing, >>
little dampening inside. For $219, you get a lot of speaker.

 

[zieglj01]

I'm not seeing a cambridge speaker. Do you remember the model number.

I knew where the answer was.

 

[zieglj01]

Now here is the old PSB Alpha, with first order crossover.
Sold for $200
6-1/2 two way speaker - no bracing - only 1/2 piece of square fiberglass
on the bottom of the cabinet. Also, no removable grill.

 

[monkish54]

I also had some measurements in post #72
We all know that different companies choose different compromises.
You also get a strong cabinet that is crossed-braced, and with good
foam dampening inside. >> Some speakers may have different cross-
overs, however they give you cheaper drivers, no cabinet bracing, >>
little dampening inside. For $219, you get a lot of speaker.

I wonder how they did it? I haven't seen the drivers, but Dennis seemed to think they were of pretty high quality. The FR is pretty good considering they threw on a cap and coil, so the drivers must be pretty damn good!

Now here is the old PSB Alpha, with first order crossover.
Sold for $200
6-1/2 two way speaker - no bracing - only 1/2 piece of square fiberglass
on the bottom of the cabinet. Also, no removable grill.

BLEH!! Past like 3Khz it's nothing but breakup!

I wonder how Cambridge managed to do it?

I am very impressed with Cambridge as a company. They were able to produce a speaker with a pretty good FR, internal bracing, and damping material for a very small fee.

 

[zieglj01]

I wonder how Cambridge managed to do it?

I am very impressed with Cambridge as a company. They were able to produce a speaker with a pretty good FR, internal bracing, and damping material for a very small fee.

Audio Partnership > Cambridge Audio/Mordaunt Short
Audio Partnership - Product Development

 

[GodspeedYou]

Well, I am going with the s70.
That plus and old and experienced sony receiver will fit my room atmosphere, it is going to be productive.

 

[zieglj01]

Well, I am going with the s70.
That plus and old and experienced sony receiver will fit my room atmosphere, it is going to be productive.

Have fun and enjoy!

 

[ahblaza]

Well, I am going with the s70.
That plus and old and experienced sony receiver will fit my room atmosphere, it is going to be productive.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised

 

[GodspeedYou]

I was reading some stuff about the s70.
I came across some forum thread and someone was complaining about the s70.

He bought them brand new, tested them and such, this is what he wrote:

Sure enough the sound eclipsed what I was used to from my old midi system. Possibly a little on the bright side, but still crystal clear with well defined middle and bass. However, vocals are not so great. Anything with an ‘S’ in it sounds noticeably distorted (“I’m YourS” etc.).


> >


Leaping to the defence of the system I have tried many different albums, all confirm initial opinions, most frequencies sound good, however, treble is a bit bright and vocals are not reproduced clearly (particularly Ss). I have tried turning the treble down, but it makes little difference and reduces the middle frequencies too much.



This got my attention, any thoughts?

 

[shadyJ]

The 'S' thing is called sibilance. Sometimes it can be due to a peak in the speaker's frequency response, but many times it is the recording. I think in this case that reviewer might be hearing his recordings accurately reproduced for the first time, and isn't used to it. Their prior mini-system sounds like it was probably garbage which had a crap tweeter if it even had a tweeter at all. I wouldn't worry about it with Cambridge speakers.

 

[zieglj01]

This got my attention, any thoughts?

Yes, take that review with a few grains of salt. A good speaker
does a good job playing back the sources/recordings. Now that
source can be good, not so good, or ugly. I do not want a speaker
that will cover-up or polish sources. >>> When something good
is played back, you can be rewarded with some good sounds and
listening enjoyment.

Since you are searching reviews, then read these.
Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Cambridge Audio S70 Floorstanding Speakers, Oak (Pair)

 

[markw]

You can always find somebody to say something against any speaker, receiver, person, car, or whatever. You have to choose which side you wish to focus on.

 

[monkish54]

I was reading some stuff about the s70.
I came across some forum thread and someone was complaining about the s70.

He bought them brand new, tested them and such, this is what he wrote:

Sure enough the sound eclipsed what I was used to from my old midi system. Possibly a little on the bright side, but still crystal clear with well defined middle and bass. However, vocals are not so great. Anything with an ‘S’ in it sounds noticeably distorted (“I’m YourS” etc.).


> >


Leaping to the defence of the system I have tried many different albums, all confirm initial opinions, most frequencies sound good, however, treble is a bit bright and vocals are not reproduced clearly (particularly Ss). I have tried turning the treble down, but it makes little difference and reduces the middle frequencies too much.



This got my attention, any thoughts?

I wouldn't worry about it at all. We've seen the FR of the 30, and aside from a lack of BSC (and a bit of breakup), it looked very good for this price range.

That said, the 70 uses a more sophisticated crossover and the breakup should be attinuated even more.