BD Designs Horn Speakers

run55

Well-Known Member
Jul 8, 2015
14
21
258

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675

run55

Well-Known Member
Jul 8, 2015
14
21
258
Digital: Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter AP i7, 16TB, Tidal
Preamp/Crossover/DAC/Time Alignment/Room Correction DEQX HPD-5
Analog: Teres 125 turntable,Haddcock GH-228 unipivot, Denon DL-103, Music Fidelity V90-LPS phono stage, VPI 16.5 cleaning machine
Amps: Mid/High: Welborne Labs model Laurel IIX Ultimate S.E.T. tube monoblock amplifiers 8 watts each
Bass: Crown XLS 1502 class
Power Conditioning: Blue Circle PLC FX2 6 X0e amd 18X filter
Cabling and speaker wires: Custom Litz
Speakers Upper: Oris 200 Tractix Horns by BD-Designs AER MD-1 8" drivers
Mid/Bass : Welborne designed cabinets with dual Cabasse drivers
Drums: DW collector series, Zildjian cymbals
 
Last edited:

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
Digital: Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter AP i7, 16TB, Tidal
Preamp/Crossover/DAC/Time Alignment/Room Correction DEQX HPD-5
Analog: Teres 125 turntable,Haddcock GH-228 unipivot, Denon DL-103, Music Fidelity V90-LPS phono stage, VPI 16.5 cleaning machine
Amps: Mid/High: Welborne Labs model Laurel IIX Ultimate S.E.T. tube monoblock amplifiers 8 watts each
Bass: Crown XLS 1502 class
Power Conditioning: Blue Circle PLC FX2 6 X0e amd 18X filter
Cabling and speaker wires: Custom Litz
Speakers Upper: Oris 200 Tractix Horns by BD-Designs AER MD-1 8" drivers
Mid/Bass : Welborne designed cabinets with dual Cabasse drivers
Drums: DW collector series, Zildjian cymbals

Hi,

Are you using the DEQX for the whole crossover or just the bass?
 

run55

Well-Known Member
Jul 8, 2015
14
21
258

airy

Well-Known Member
Jan 24, 2015
7
27
118
I have the BD design swing MKI in my main audio system for 10 years now.
Happy to listen to music again and again without being bored or seeking to replace that speaker
 

Attachments

  • 232 (2).jpg
    232 (2).jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 60

manisandher

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2011
243
217
950
www.the2ndtier.com
Dear All,

As some of you might have seen from other recent threads, I recently acquired a pair of Bert’s incredible BD Swing MKIIs...

Hey Bill, I noticed that you're selling your [previously belonging to me!] Swings. Any reason why? (I thought you were happy with them.)

Mani.
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
5,411
1,278
E. England
I have the BD design swing MKI in my main audio system for 10 years now.
Happy to listen to music again and again without being bored or seeking to replace that speaker
Airy, nice side wall diffusers. Can I ask what they are?
 

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
Hey Bill, I noticed that you're selling your [previously belonging to me!] Swings. Any reason why? (I thought you were happy with them.)

Mani.

Hi Mani,

Yes indeed I am selling my beloved Swings.

Why? I have been building a custom horn solution for just over a year now and I am now at the point where I have exceeded the performance of the Swings for my taste.

I still think the Swings are one of the very best commercially available horns in that size of package and hugely respect Bert’s designs.
 

manisandher

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2011
243
217
950
www.the2ndtier.com
Fair enough.

(But the RRP wasn't EUR 32k, as you state in your eBay listing - more like EUR 22k.)

Mani.
 

christoph

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2015
4,659
4,058
825
Principality of Liechtenstein
Hi Mani,

Yes indeed I am selling my beloved Swings.

Why? I have been building a custom horn solution for just over a year now and I am now at the point where I have exceeded the performance of the Swings for my taste.

I still think the Swings are one of the very best commercially available horns in that size of package and hugely respect Bert’s designs.
How much are you asking for the Swings?
Nothing for you SpiritofMusic?
 

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
How much are you asking for the Swings?
Nothing for you SpiritofMusic?

Hi Chris,

Hope all is well.

£9995. £100 delivery in UK.
 
  • Like
Reactions: christoph

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
5,411
1,278
E. England
Christoph, I am very seriously tempted by these. I nearly bought them in 2012 prior to choosing my Zus instead.

Can lightning strike the same person twice?
 
  • Like
Reactions: christoph

christoph

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2015
4,659
4,058
825
Principality of Liechtenstein
  • Like
Reactions: Audiophile Bill

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
5,411
1,278
E. England
I am seriously tempted, and I think they would suit me in many ways. But at 109dB+ eff, I'd have to get new amps, doubling the entry ticket to properly run these to £20k. And in the UK, the market for gear, even s/h is a little flat, my Zus and Nats would struggle to get a good price or sell at all. Gonna have to pass, alas.
 

manisandher

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2011
243
217
950
www.the2ndtier.com
More like 115dB/W@1m, IIRC. I tried a few tube amps with them when I had them, but all were way too noisy.

My biggest issue was getting the bass to integrate with the coaxial horn. Never managed to achieve it. I reckon DSP would be required to do it correctly.

In any event Marc, I doubt you'd get them up into your listening space - they're much bigger than they look in Bill's pic.

Mani.
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
5,411
1,278
E. England
I'm a kind of "can't do" kinda guy when it comes to getting big stuff up here.
 

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
More like 115dB/W@1m, IIRC. I tried a few tube amps with them when I had them, but all were way too noisy.

My biggest issue was getting the bass to integrate with the coaxial horn. Never managed to achieve it. I reckon DSP would be required to do it correctly.

In any event Marc, I doubt you'd get them up into your listening space - they're much bigger than they look in Bill's pic.

Mani.

No dsp required. Had no issues at all with bass integration - you can adjust both the gain and there is an EQ. All I have in my room is 3 GIK bass traps.

These have proper bass extension to 25hz in room.
 

christoph

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2015
4,659
4,058
825
Principality of Liechtenstein
I am seriously tempted, and I think they would suit me in many ways. But at 109dB+ eff, I'd have to get new amps, doubling the entry ticket to properly run these to £20k. And in the UK, the market for gear, even s/h is a little flat, my Zus and Nats would struggle to get a good price or sell at all. Gonna have to pass, alas.
For 10k you don't even have to sell the Zus ;)
And they do thunderous bass if needed :p
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,435
13,467
2,710
London
These are superb speakers. Buy them, buy a Mayer 46 or a 2a3 and you are done
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing