Why pick on cables ? - Page 18  

And soffit mounted? Bigshot, are the larger Westlakes still one of the weapons of choice for mains? A friend who was the military consultant on a David Mamet feature got some time in Skywalker Sound but not in the big rooms.

I have old 230 lb 18" JBL four way monitors (4345s) and I know they were designed to be soffit mounted, and would sound best that way. But I'm not doing that in my house, even if I had higher ceilings. My congratulations always go out to the carpenters who soffit mount 400+ pound Westlakes two at a time. I am also a fan of their JBL and TAD pro components and I bet you are too.

Some consider main monitors overkill for home use; I admit that twelve inch speakers are plenty for a room, but the big boys' high efficiency, effortless realistic dynamics, dramatic level of accuracy and otherwise unobtainable realistic bass at live volume are rewards I couldn't pass up. They don't image very well and do use crossovers (even after I biamped them), and are not plug and play, but don't knock 'em if you haven't tried 'em I say. I don't use mine these days because I have gone another way I like even better, but they were the favorite speakers ever for most who heard them perform. By all accounts the expensive high end speakers can't do precisely what they do. Horses for courses is the phrase, I think.
Edited by Clarkmc2 - 9/7/12 at 4:31am

I haven't seen many ME studios with soffit mounted mains anymore (aside from huge spaces like the old teldec main rooms). The Lodge in NYC is the only one I can recall... otherwise, I'm seeing lots of PMC ALM1/ALM2, and other similar gauge nearfields in use (contemplating a set of the Focal Solo 6be's myself... though my Adam's are plugging along nicely for my use).

 

The last studio I was in using Westies, had them up on stands... TM1s, I think. 

Edited by liamstrain - 9/7/12 at 3:25am

I'm not sure what they're using in the rooms I've worked in. I never asked. But they're fairly large rooms with good sized booths too. Everything built in. Great candy selection in the kitchen.

Ah ha! So it is about price!

 

No, but free gear is free gear. Since the cables don't generally degrade sound either - might as well use the prettier ones if they are free. 

 

Or resell them and spend the dosh on something that actually does affect the sound. :D

Yes. If you want to give me money for nothing, I'll happily take it and personally install your glittering beautiful gems of RCA cords for you.
Edited by bigshot - 9/7/12 at 6:15pm

Like a digital eq in iTunes!

How about you sell me a pair of kimber pbjs for a hundred (one of the best bargains in audio) and I'll throw in my telephone cord with the money so you can hook up your jbls?

I guess that what your using on those jbl s you mentioned that sound better than Wilson Alexandria's?(your claim).
I hope you at least went for the premium zip cord for a 20 spot

My age big shot? This forum, like many others, has turned out to be a flame zone. But, in the end, I'm still glad you enjoy the music.

^^^^

Wires are the simplest problem to solve.

How about flamers? And as for your abhom on my potential age...are you as old as my original Stax sr5s (which I bought) hint hint.

Ok bs, enjoy the music and that's a wrap.
Edited by jvandyk - 9/7/12 at 9:13pm

Transducers are the trick. If you get them balanced, you can plug them into anything with sufficient power with any cable and they'll sound great.

It isn't about detail or bass or high frequencies or warm sound. It's about balance. An even presentation kicks ass over an unbalanced one every time.
Edited by bigshot - 9/7/12 at 9:49pm

@jvandyk: I think I found a set of articles that may interest you (and it is specific to Wilson Audio Alexandria's). It mentions that room acoustic treatment and equalization (WATCH Dog 2) is a much better investment than upgrading cables. It places importance to proper characterization of a room, if you are serious about audio. Really hope you find it useful (I did):

 

Main: http://www.ultraaudio.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=258:music-vault-details&catid=32:letters&Itemid=47

 

Part I: http://www.ultraaudio.com/twbas/twbas_20050915.htm

 

Part II: http://www.ultraaudio.com/twbas/twbas_20051215.htm

*paragraph 6: "In this arrangement I would be using my subwoofer to reproduce all bass frequencies below 38Hz. I could then employ my Wilson Audio Specialties WATCH Dog 2 subwoofer’s parametric equalizer to notch out the room mode."

 

Part III: http://www.ultraaudio.com/twbas/twbas_20060215.htm

*paragraph 2: "The Music Vault was simply the most stunning sound-reproduction upgrade I’d ever experienced -- far greater than any single component change I’ve made to my system through the years. This includes the significant move to my current reference loudspeaker, the Wilson Audio Specialties Alexandria X-2, from my previous reference, Wilson’s X-1 Grand SLAMM Series 3."

*paragraph 4: "It is the acoustic output of a system in a real room that is by far the most critical determinant of sound quality, not individual electronic components and cables and their "sonic signatures."

*paragraph 21: "The way I am using my Wilson Audio WATCH Dog Series 2 subwoofer for active bass-mode cancellation to flatten a low-frequency mode (explained in Part Two of this series) is a prime example of a technique that could be realistically applied only after I’d looked at measurements and acoustical modeling of the room."

 

Also, regarding Wilson Audio in general, while very good speakers, some of their offerings like the Wilson WATT Series 3, are described as a bit bass lean and bright:

http://www.stereophile.com/content/wilson-watt-series-3-puppy-2-loudspeaker-measurements

Point being, not such thing as an ideal/perfect speaker AFAIK (including Wilson Audio.)

Edited by ultrabike - 9/8/12 at 12:28am