[L0rdGwyn]

Do you still sell hifi, @jgwtriode ?

 

[jgwtriode]

My gateway drug speakers to this addiction were the E III's. Had those for about 4 years then got C IV's, and then C V's. Enjoyed them all. Only mod I did to both of the C's was to replace that crappy wirewound tweeter pot with a good film resistor which made a pretty substantial improvement.

We had A's setup at the store in one of the main listening rooms. They were actually quite good! Just not quite as impressive as the upscale Theils but those did sound quite good. We Sold a lot of Snells for upscale Theatre systems, especially their woofers, particularly the 18 inch ones. My last pair of really good speakers was the Talon Audio Khourus it's final derivation before they sold the company to Rives Audio and just before Mike did the balanced crossover. More hype than anything significant. I prefered Tierry Budge's crossover in them. Rives changed the whole thing over. Heard the Thunderbirds with all the Accuton, a lot of boom and sizzle, but not nearly as musical. The Esclante Freemont using the Scanspeak Revelator tweeter was damn impressive. Thing could go up to 50k and could do a slamming 18 HZ with the double 12 woofers, one internally loaded, worked as active compensation for the front 12. Basically a 2 and a half way loudspeaker. One crossover point between the 12 which used the dustcap for midrange and then the revelator was just blended in. Not to many speakers I have heard outperform that. Got suprising results out of some John Sweensen inspired Bazookas
later using Fostex 206 with planet 10 wood center cones, cut open the dust caps. Just a cap and a baffle step circuit ala John Swenson. Concrete form tubes, 8 inch inside a 12 inch to create a 7 foot long folded transmission line in a four foot tube. Pretty weird, John ran it with Lowther DX 4's and got amazing results. His favorite loading of those drivers. Ran them with Bottlehead Paraglows, with Vaic Cobalt Meshplate 2A3's and Magnequest cobalt trannies. Pretty remarkable sound!

Happy Listening,

jgwtriode

 

[jgwtriode]

Do you still sell hifi, @jgwtriode ?

No was years ago. I worked at a store in Salt Lake City for a couple of years and then was in charge of technical support at Kimber Kable. Then worked at Talon for about a year in their direct sales and dealer support. Then bailed on the whole thing.
Some real crap went on at Talon before they unloaded it to Rives Audio. Some real cuthroat Crap, egos and politics of high end companies. Tierry moved on to start Escalante, which was another story of much the same thing. Very sad.

jgwtriode

 

[L0rdGwyn]

No was years ago. I worked at a store in Salt Lake City for a couple of years and then was in charge of technical support at Kimber Kable. Then worked at Talon for about a year in their direct sales and dealer support. Then bailed on the whole thing.
Some real crap went on at Talon before they unloaded it to Rives Audio. Some real cuthroat Crap, egos and politics of high end companies. Tierry moved on to start Escalante, which was another story of much the same thing. Very sad.

jgwtriode

Gosh, well I'm sorry it ended poorly, but it must've been exciting to work in the industry you are so passionate about, if nothing else must have been great to try all of those amazing speakers!

 

[jgwtriode]

Gosh, well I'm sorry it ended poorly, but it must've been exciting to work in the industry you are so passionate about, if nothing else must have been great to try all of those amazing speakers!

It was while it lasted, it was never like I was actually working, it was like playing all day long and I loved sharing tips, stories, music and just getting to know different people in the industry. Most of the Guys doing serious audio in Utah I know to some degree or another. Some have gone on to significant things. I know John Giolas of Wilson Audio reasonably well, Dick Diamond of YG acoustic I worked with for years. I took over Sean Casey of Zu Audio's secondary job at Kimber Kable. Know Dave Evett of Evett & Shaw, out of business. Clayton owns and runs Spatial Audio now. Used to have discussion with Eric Alexander who designs and owns Tekton Loudspeakers. Of course I know Ray Kimber fairly well. Somehow it just never quite worked out. I have gone through a hell of a lot of equipment over some 40 years of playing. Due to divorces, moving and financial setback, and of course career changes. I have had to scale back. But it's all been a blast. Over the last 5 years space and moving forced into headphones and so I have learned to enjoy that. It's more practical. I have been learning, buying tweaking modifying and fiddling for all those 5 years.

First serious headphone was Paradox Slant. Then had some issues with my pair and a bit of a falling out with the owner. Got into Sennie HD 650's and SBAF forum. Did every conceivable mod and created some of my own. Someone on that site due to my of Shun Mook pucks on the sides named them the Frankenheisers based on where i placed those pucks for tuning. My son now owns them w/o pucks. I got those to outperform the slants. They were significantly better than Stock sennies. Then Blackwood Auteurs, which I still have, they are modded with Second Skin isodamp pro on the front baffles and felt rings over the top. They sound in between stock Auteur and Verite Closed. They are more neutral than Auteurs also a bit more detailed, open and perhaps a hint faster. I found some discs I use on input connectors from Mad Scientist, still use those on Leopardwood VC's. It looks weird and I also use a pair of Shun Mooks on the cups. It's not huge difference but ever so noticeably more alive sounding, with those mods.

Played with a lot of electronics over the years. Even did a Linn/Naim Isobarik system for a few years. Played with modded Acoustats and Vandersteins. Tierry Budges speakers always performed better than any of those and finally just started having him build them for me. For a few years I ran Audio Research stuff. But all in all the best amps I ever had were My Bottlehead Paraglows with Meshplates 2A3's and Cobalt transformers.

Wanted to get back to a triode for a long time. So as I stated I am beyond grateful to be getting the Airmid from you and look forward to tweaking it with better tubes cables and various isolation schemes I have in mind.

Best cables I have ever heard are Wywires. Running Platinum, except for my Diamond USB cable.

My speakers now are Swan M 200 M IIIS. I have tweaked them with isodamp pro on the frames, brass non magnetic screws and wool baffle material to minimize edge diffraction. They look odd but sound noticeably better than they did originally. They sit on my cinder block speaker stands on either side of my computer monitor.

Anyhow I look forward to an entirely new chapter with the Airmid in my system.

jgwtriode

 

[bcowen]

It was while it lasted, it was never like I was actually working, it was like playing all day long and I loved sharing tips, stories, music and just getting to know different people in the industry. Most of the Guys doing serious audio in Utah I know to some degree or another. Some have gone on to significant things. I know John Giolas of Wilson Audio reasonably well, Dick Diamond of YG acoustic I worked with for years. I took over Sean Casey of Zu Audio's secondary job at Kimber Kable. Know Dave Evett of Evett & Shaw, out of business. Clayton owns and runs Spatial Audio now. Used to have discussion with Eric Alexander who designs and owns Tekton Loudspeakers. Of course I know Ray Kimber fairly well. Somehow it just never quite worked out. I have gone through a hell of a lot of equipment over some 40 years of playing. Due to divorces, moving and financial setback, and of course career changes. I have had to scale back. But it's all been a blast. Over the last 5 years space and moving forced into headphones and so I have learned to enjoy that. It's more practical. I have been learning, buying tweaking modifying and fiddling for all those 5 years.

First serious headphone was Paradox Slant. Then had some issues with my pair and a bit of a falling out with the owner. Got into Sennie HD 650's and SBAF forum. Did every conceivable mod and created some of my own. Someone on that site due to my of Shun Mook pucks on the sides named them the Frankenheisers based on where i placed those pucks for tuning. My son now owns them w/o pucks. I got those to outperform the slants. They were significantly better than Stock sennies. Then Blackwood Auteurs, which I still have, they are modded with Second Skin isodamp pro on the front baffles and felt rings over the top. They sound in between stock Auteur and Verite Closed. They are more neutral than Auteurs also a bit more detailed, open and perhaps a hint faster. I found some discs I use on input connectors from Mad Scientist, still use those on Leopardwood VC's. It looks weird and I also use a pair of Shun Mooks on the cups. It's not huge difference but ever so noticeably more alive sounding, with those mods.

Played with a lot of electronics over the years. Even did a Linn/Naim Isobarik system for a few years. Played with modded Acoustats and Vandersteins. Tierry Budges speakers always performed better than any of those and finally just started having him build them for me. For a few years I ran Audio Research stuff. But all in all the best amps I ever had were My Bottlehead Paraglows with Meshplates 2A3's and Cobalt transformers.

Wanted to get back to a triode for a long time. So as I stated I am beyond grateful to be getting the Airmid from you and look forward to tweaking it with better tubes cables and various isolation schemes I have in mind.

Best cables I have ever heard are Wywires. Running Platinum, except for my Diamond USB cable.

My speakers now are Swan M 200 M IIIS. I have tweaked them with isodamp pro on the frames, brass non magnetic screws and wool baffle material to minimize edge diffraction. They look odd but sound noticeably better than they did originally. They sit on my cinder block speaker stands on either side of my computer monitor.

Anyhow I look forward to an entirely new chapter with the Airmid in my system.

jgwtriode

Eric Alexander is quite the guy. When I first got my Tekton Lores, there was a lot to like about them but there was a bite in the lower treble that I just couldn't get past (and that was with an SET tube amp driving them to boot). I blasted the crap out of them for 50+ hours hoping that would help if not cure it, but it didn't. Emailed Eric about returning them, and after I explained what was bothering me he said "I can fix that." A few more emails with me explaining I could swap the crossovers myself (and avoid shipping the speakers back and forth), and a new set of crossovers landed on my doorstep. He *did* fix that problem, but also killed all the life and energy which was what I liked most about them to begin with. Another email exchange, and a second pair of crossovers arrived at my front door. Bingo. Life back, bite gone. Didn't charge me a penny for any of it, only asked that I return the old crossovers. How many manufacturers would go to those lengths, and especially go to those lengths on a $1k pair of speakers? Yup, I was impressed...and happy. Still get goosebumps cranking 'em to 11...and rock concert SPL's with a whole 22 watts/ch of tube power.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Happy to report the 45 amp made it to Zach and he is very happy with it.

 

[bcowen]

Happy to report the 45 amp made it to Zach and he is very happy with it.

Awesome!

 

[jgwtriode]

Eric Alexander is quite the guy. When I first got my Tekton Lores, there was a lot to like about them but there was a bite in the lower treble that I just couldn't get past (and that was with an SET tube amp driving them to boot). I blasted the crap out of them for 50+ hours hoping that would help if not cure it, but it didn't. Emailed Eric about returning them, and after I explained what was bothering me he said "I can fix that." A few more emails with me explaining I could swap the crossovers myself (and avoid shipping the speakers back and forth), and a new set of crossovers landed on my doorstep. He *did* fix that problem, but also killed all the life and energy which was what I liked most about them to begin with. Another email exchange, and a second pair of crossovers arrived at my front door. Bingo. Life back, bite gone. Didn't charge me a penny for any of it, only asked that I return the old crossovers. How many manufacturers would go to those lengths, and especially go to those lengths on a $1k pair of speakers? Yup, I was impressed...and happy. Still get goosebumps cranking 'em to 11...and rock concert SPL's with a whole 22 watts/ch of tube power.

Agreed Eric is and was one of the most genuine guys back when he used to hang out at Ray Kimber's place. Ray had him consulting on stuff and playing with loudspeakers long before Tekton. He had some online business he was running with low cost alternative speakers. Ray had another guy hanging out with us who was an RF engineer from Hill Air Force base. Can't remember his name but the three of us used to sit around and brainstorm. He had a lot to do with some of the refinement in the Kimber Select line.

But Eric was into some pretty Clever stuff and he implemented some of Curtis cabinet tuning ideas into his stuff. One of these days I may have to run down to Provo and let him know I am back in Utah. Nice to see him succeeding and building very good reasonably priced loudspeakers. The Moab's are one of the speakers I would seriously consider if I got back into it again.

So have you had a chance to hear Zach's new 45?

Happy listening,
jgwtriode

 

[Tjj226 Angel]

Eric Alexander is quite the guy. When I first got my Tekton Lores, there was a lot to like about them but there was a bite in the lower treble that I just couldn't get past (and that was with an SET tube amp driving them to boot). I blasted the crap out of them for 50+ hours hoping that would help if not cure it, but it didn't. Emailed Eric about returning them, and after I explained what was bothering me he said "I can fix that." A few more emails with me explaining I could swap the crossovers myself (and avoid shipping the speakers back and forth), and a new set of crossovers landed on my doorstep. He *did* fix that problem, but also killed all the life and energy which was what I liked most about them to begin with. Another email exchange, and a second pair of crossovers arrived at my front door. Bingo. Life back, bite gone. Didn't charge me a penny for any of it, only asked that I return the old crossovers. How many manufacturers would go to those lengths, and especially go to those lengths on a $1k pair of speakers? Yup, I was impressed...and happy. Still get goosebumps cranking 'em to 11...and rock concert SPL's with a whole 22 watts/ch of tube power.

I love it when people in the audio world still do stuff like that.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Finished chassis prep work for the two OTLs I am working on.

Here is the one in Anthracite Grey.



Here is the one in Chromy Bronze.



Also did the machining of the power supply regulator heat sinks. PCBs are already done, so now just need to mount parts and wire them up. Got hit with a migraine today though, so will get back to it tomorrow.

 

[CJG888]

Finished chassis prep work for the two OTLs I am working on.

Here is the one in Anthracite Grey.



Here is the one in Chromy Bronze.



Also did the machining of the power supply regulator heat sinks. PCBs are already done, so now just need to mount parts and wire them up. Got hit with a migraine today though, so will get back to it tomorrow.

The second one looks like it should have a Leak logo…

 

[Galapac]

Finished chassis prep work for the two OTLs I am working on.

Here is the one in Anthracite Grey.



Here is the one in Chromy Bronze.



Also did the machining of the power supply regulator heat sinks. PCBs are already done, so now just need to mount parts and wire them up. Got hit with a migraine today though, so will get back to it tomorrow.

Will one of them have independent volume per channel? I see 2 holes possibly…

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Will one of them have independent volume per channel? I see 2 holes possibly…

Yup, the gray one will have two Goldpoint V47 mono stepped attenuators for individual channel adjustment, requested by the buyer.

 

[jgwtriode]

Finished chassis prep work for the two OTLs I am working on.

Here is the one in Anthracite Grey.



Here is the one in Chromy Bronze.



Also did the machining of the power supply regulator heat sinks. PCBs are already done, so now just need to mount parts and wire them up. Got hit with a migraine today though, so will get back to it tomorrow.

Finished chassis prep work for the two OTLs I am working on.

Here is the one in Anthracite Grey.



Here is the one in Chromy Bronze.



Also did the machining of the power supply regulator heat sinks. PCBs are already done, so now just need to mount parts and wire them up. Got hit with a migraine today though, so will get back to it tomorrow.

They look great...partial to red of course...but that Bronze is particularly nice looking!

jgwtriode