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Well, I screw-in today the S2 with filed-coil into my horn. I decided to drive it with 2.4A.  I used a regulated DC PS and did not employ my prepared for this tusk 4.2 Farad capacitor: the voltage is too high for my cap. The current gave me a nice window of ~60 minutes it listing and testing before I need to shot it down due to temperature. I spent a few minuts to actulay listen musuc. I can run it slightly longer as the heat is not what I would consider be critical yet but I juts have no need to stress it for now.  Before the listing I made two sweeps if juts MF canal with a microphone at the listening position in the same horn. (I have juts one S2 with field-coil and I was playing only with my left channel. The change of the field-coil polarity did change the phase of the driver signal. Both drivers were heard at the same polarity of course relative to the rest of the channels. Here is the result of the sweeps.

The listening result is quite complicated. Contrary to my expectation I did detected quite large difference in the sound of Electromagnet and the Alnico. I would not say that all of the differences are positive or might be clearly interpreted as positive. I would say that at this point there are more puzzling differences then the understood differences. Also I did not really was listening for the differences but rather juts connected the field-coiled driver and was observing if I would recognize anything new.

I am writing this post and I do not feel comfortable to say anything defiantly. The delta is large and the S2 with electromagnet does sound very different then the driver with Alnico. A few notes about the S2 electromagnet sound that I wrote gown in my log while I was listening. I will not interpret or comment on them, juts a few notes:

1) It sounds “less”. Despite of the same measurable acoustic pressure I need to add !2dB to the MF channel to make Sound accentually neutral
2) It has way less granularity and abrasiveness. It takes some times to get accustomed to it. However, something is not right in here as the harmonic context of the speakers and the amount of upper bass that “penetrations” the MF should be calibrated specifically for this type of none-granular sound. It still need to be learned if the granularly is the granularly but not something else as it appeals a lot but sound too alien, at list in context of my “optimized for different sound” spacers.
3) I do want to drive it at 3A though… I tried. Better, the increase current dose not affect the sound badly.
4) It has some strange softeners (in a very good way), very lush and liquid. But it is soundly not properly integrated with the rest of the bass channels and the bass channels now are too strong. (the same dB output from the MF)
5) The MF channel has heavy honk. Congratulations!
6) I do not feel that a proper assessment of the Vitavox S2 field-coil is possible in Macondo without re-playing with the entire speaker system and re-setting the driver integrations
7) The upper MF is very “clean” and more interesting then with Alnico but they are “disconnected”. It might be the integrations problems.
8) The large string groups and voices sound very different. It reminds a lot the way how the direct-coupled amps sound. Still I do not know if I can say if I appreciate it. Subjectively it is with fewer artifacts but is the luck of the artifacts is the artifact of the field-coil? So far I detect the same “luck of the artifacts” in each voice. I need to leave with this to figure the things out….

Rgs,
Romy the Cat

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