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    Hopkins' System

    @hopkins: I’m very tempted by the ECDesigns DACs but its a dilemma trying to decide between the SX and the RX. The latter offers more flexibility in terms of combining it with power amps that can drive speakers that are beyond the capabilities of the SX. It is also possible to use it with an...
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    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    @PGA; I think you’re on the wrong forum . Don’t you know that analogue is good and digital is bad, because, because, well it just is . . . I speak as someone who intends engaging Mitch’s services.
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    Atma-Sphere Class D Mono blocks

    OK I‘m aware if the effect of a balanced topology on harmonic distortion and I should have said many class A amplifiers rather than implying ALL of them, but otherwise I think you are agreeing with the theory, assuming that by benign distortion you do indeed mean 2nd harmonic ? So I think you...
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    Atma-Sphere Class D Mono blocks

    “My first impressions is simply how much they sound like the OTLs.” One common theory as to why class A amps sound different to other amps is that their harmonic distortion profile is different, specifically that 2nd order HD is dominant and the higher orders decrease in magnitude as you go up...
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    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    We need to be careful that we don’t conflate any inherent sonic traits of DSP (that may or may not be discernible) with the way it is being used; eg you can’t blame DSP for the proliferation of dynamic compression. Mitch Barnett is a massive advocate of the DSP software I mentioned but he warns...
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    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    Yup. All DSP gets tarred by the same brush ( are people outside the UK familiar with that expression?) and most people’s experience of DSP comes from using or hearing MiniDSP. Their gear is cheap and has great functionality, but they have to make money and so something has to give. I’ve tried...
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    Atma-Sphere Class D Mono blocks

    I’ve come to understand that there are 2 categories of amp that have the potential to float my boat. One of the key ingredients of the first type is that it has extremely low levels of distortion. I have some of Tom Christiansen’s Neurochrome amps. They are the most neutral and transparent...
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    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    “If all speakers had their frequency response flattened to a straight line, wouldn't that make them all sound alike?” I think you need to do a bit of reading. And referencing a magazine review as evidence - seriously ?
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    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    To make this less controversial lets put to one side analogue sources. So lets say your digital source is something like JRiver running on a dedicated PC and you are using JRiver’s own convolution engine to apply your combined crossover, time domain and room correction filters derived from...
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    Does DSP belong in State of the Art Systems?

    AND, if you also use it as an active crossover at the same time then you can get seamless crossovers with perfect time / phase correction, which are impossible to achieve with passive crossovers.
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    horn speakers readily available in the UK? or other British speakers to check out...

    Is your day job writing spin for Boris because you obviously have a talent for it. Objectively active and passive crossovers each have their advantages and disadvantages so just like the design of every other element of a hi fi system its a question of deciding which set of compromises you, or...
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    horn speakers readily available in the UK? or other British speakers to check out...

    One channel of amplification directly driving a single transducer is in principle inherently superior to one amp driving several transducers via a passive crossover. DSP can achieve crossover and phase / time domain results (and room correction to boot) that are impossible for a passive...
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    Visit to Audiophile Bill to hear his horns project

    Stunning work Bill
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    horn speakers readily available in the UK? or other British speakers to check out...

    How to destroy any credibility you might possess in one short post. If you are going to make extremist assertions I think you have a responsibility to declare it as such.
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    M1.1 vs M1.2

    Thanks. Anybody got any other insights?
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    M1.1 vs M1.2

    I am interested in understanding what the differences are between these 2 amps other than the slight increase in power. Model upgrades are not always what they seem to be; I was recently considering buying an Accuphase class A amp that has been upgraded a number of times over the years. A...
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    My New True Soundworks Apogee Diva Extremes

    Resurrecting this thread. There was mention of the magnets being upgraded. Was it neo magnets that were installed?
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    AlsyVox Botticelli with external crossovers

    “Anyone that owns Alsyvox and has the crossovers do not think the pricing is out of line.” I don’t think I need to add anything to that do I.
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    AlsyVox Botticelli with external crossovers

    Alsyvox are great sounding speakers but €32k for crossovers tells you all you need to know about the pricing model of the company. Talk about cynical, and I’m not referring to myself.
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    Alsyvox - Hi end Munich 2022 - your thoughts

    Thanks RJ. Returning the thread to the Alsyvox, they were my top pick in Munich, however I think the pricing is outrageous . . .
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    Alsyvox - Hi end Munich 2022 - your thoughts

    @Big Dog RJ : I’m puzzled by your comment about running the CLX without subs. The CLX is simply not designed to go so low and no amplifier can change that or compensate for it. Would you care to expand on what you are attempting to do?
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    Visit to Audiophile Bill to hear his horns project

    OK so by strict definition an active crossover is one that operates at line level and requires a power supply, but I think the advantages of an amp directly powering a driver are not to be underestimated.
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    Visit to Audiophile Bill to hear his horns project

    The terminology around this stuff varies a bit. Personally I think of any system that splits the audio signal so as to allow one channel of amplification to drive just one driver as being “active”.
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    My failed experience with Dennis Foley and Acoustic Fields

    I saw him for what he is after watching a YouTube vid he made in which he attempted to trash other approaches to room correction. It was quite frankly pathetic and I unsubscribed immediately.
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    Visit to Audiophile Bill to hear his horns project

    Phil, I would strongly recommend reading Mitch’s (MItchCo) articles on Audiophyle Style. They will answer your questions much better than I can. He has also done a YouTube video.
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    Visit to Audiophile Bill to hear his horns project

    On room correction, there is a partial correction option with AudioLense whereby you only correct for the bass frequencies. (I think it was Toole who said, above the Schroeder frequency the speakers are in charge but below it the room is in charge.). My apologies to Bill for dragging this...
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    Visit to Audiophile Bill to hear his horns project

    According to Mitch, AudioLense is indeed more user friendly than Acourate and that is precisely why I will be choosing it. Re your comment about using outdoor measurements to design the transfer functions, I think you need to read more about what Acourate and AudioLense do and how they work...
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    Visit to Audiophile Bill to hear his horns project

    Bill, I will definitely be trying both approaches. I already own a First Watt B4 active crossover and I have the Pass designed 6-24 crossover PCBs from the DIYA store so that I can increase the number of active channels beyond the 4 provided by the B4. Best Ian
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    Visit to Audiophile Bill to hear his horns project

    Bill, my post wasn’t actually aimed at you specifically - it was more a general comment on the seemingly widely held view that DSP is DSP, and if there was even a whiff of condescension then I apologise because that was certainly not my intent. It’s very interesting to hear that you have...
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    Visit to Audiophile Bill to hear his horns project

    It seems to me that most people lump all DSP software and hardware solutions into the one basket. You don’t have to dwell on that thought very long to realise that it is on a par with asserting that all DACs sound the same. So once you‘ve got past that you naturally ask yourself, so what are...

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