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In the Forum: Horn-Loaded Speakers
In the Thread: Tweeter for Vitavox S2. High-sensitively ribbons?
Post Subject: Not really H HFPosted by Paul S on: 10/29/2006
Like I said before, I found the silk domes best below the highest frequencies, just like your Vitavox, so it's another case of pick your poison. And I'm not sure about matching dissimilar driver types/efficiencies to most amps because of the "sliding scale" dynamics all drivers exhibit below and above their sweet spots, and this is only exacerbated when efficiencies differ. I find this "sliding scale" or "trombone" phenomenon most pronounced with horns, especially compression horns, which is why their best utilization IMO is narrow band, off-axis, just as you have discovered, and above the "loaded-down" part of their range. In that case you probably still want any silk dome on axis, and obviously you get what you get when you overdrive it.
I quite agree that the SET is a weak-ass amp topology that basically does things other than macro dynamics best. Reviewers always say the ML2 has "SET magic", but what I hear is an amp that is very much in control, more like SS in that respect. It just happens to do a great job with it, so it avoids that "pushing" thing we hear with SS, and also there is none of the SS "implosion" of notes. As far as suitable efficiency, I think on or off-axis listening factors in somewhat. I'm guessing you could hurt yourself listening to your speakers directly on axis!
I have no experience with silk domes and the ML1.1, but I always found the silk to be rather an antidote for SS, and quite acceptable for on-axis listening with good PP tube amps. I never tried them with SET, but I'm guessing they would like the ML2, since everything else seems to.
I think I am finally beginning to gather that what you have there is a system that comes very close to doing it all with symphonic material, but off axis. My own expectations are lower. I've settled for a reasonable semblance of ensembles, and I just have to use some imagination for the large-scale works.
I am having to re-think things now because the ML2 is so much better than the Wright SETs, in every way; but the ML2 is a much "harder" amp, also, with much more in the way of dynamics and frequency extension, and I am not yet set up to take the best advantage of this.
Basically, I don't hear much resemblance to other SETs from the ML2., and my present speakers are about 97 dB.
Best regards,
Paul SRerurn to Romy the Cat's Site