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jessie.dazzle wrote:

7) Location of power amps : Yes, the power amps sit within the frame, on their own sliding support between the Upper-Bass and Upper-Mid horns. For the moment I am using a pair of ML2s from 60Hz and above. (below 60Hz I use other amps with a pair of Lower-Bass enclosures). I will use the ML2s to get the horns dialed in... Once satisfied, I will take on the building of dedicated amplification... I was originally thinking 5ch Melqs... But am very much following your single-stage project. In any case, the frames can be adapted to hold dedicated amps.

I would like to pass some observations regarding my virtual experiences with location of amplification within the frame of my Macondo. Your acoustic system (by the way you need come up with a name, at least for us to refer to it) will be somehow similar to Macondo and I think you might consider my past examination of this subject.

If you go for building off dedicated amplifiers then locate them in frame might make sense, considering that the design olds amplifiers and thier packaging will be made having the idiosyncrasy of the frame in mind. However, I would not recommend to putting Lamm ML2 in the application layer of your speaker, and I would keep Lamm sitting on the floor next to the loudspeaker. ML2 is too large, 88 pounds of rectangular mass, with 2 large tubes which dissipate a lot of heat. I think it is irrational to stick the entire amplifier with its power supplys inside of frame. You would need to make and very strong, very strict, very expensive arm-shelf for that amp, and then to trash the arm-shelf, as when you go for dedicated amplification, as dedicated amplification will acquire completely different arm-shelf. Also, Lamm ML2 is quite sensitive to what it sits upon. You'll have experimented, I'm sure, with various platforms and suspenders for these amplifiers and you will have witnessed is that they does affect the sound of ML2. I presume that the arm-shelf within in your frame will not, or might not, be an optimal surface to care ML2. Whatever this surface will be you will be forced to use it as you will not have space to put anything under ML2 (you will have ~10-11” to play with).

There is another factor, which might the laughable for others, but to me personally it would be a major impediment - I hate to see loudspeakers. I religiously distaste any loudspeakers of the bright colors, any equipment with bright features on it, or any other explicitly creamy features on something which is visible - in most cases the acoustic systems. I paint all my stuff in matte black. The darker, the less informing installation is looking is the better to me. I tend to listen in dark, I tend to close my eyes, and if I open my eyes than I would like to be less distracted with playback appearance. To me personally it would be extremely distracting if I would have two full lit 6C33C seating inside of my loudspeakers, in the open space, right and the level of my eyes. So if I were doing amplification mounting inside of the frame then I would hide the lights from the tube at any cost. By the way, do not forget that Lamm ML2 is not a symmetrical amplifier that will make it slightly ugly looking inside a speaker’s frame for the people who even enjoyed watching the tubes glowing… :-)

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