XRT20 Speaker System Restoration (and questions)

[onwardjames]

I have one 8'' completely done (man is that paper THIN!) and just finished gluing new surround to cone on this 12''.

I don't think I can do without a paintbrush on future refoams. SOO much easier. Plus, using the quick drying aleene's is a plus. Tacked up much quicker.

This may be as good as I can do. I'm being such a fussbudget on this.

Bummer of the day - my Marantz CD63 SE that I put belts on and resoldered the RCA's, thus repairing it, is now DOA. I was firing it up after about a month of inactivity, to use a 30hz signal for VC centering, and it WILL.....NOT.....spin up. Says "disc" on the screen, nothing more.

Probably laser up and died. It's always something.

 

[w1jim]

Looking good - audio euphoria soon to follow!

 

[Velocityboat]

@onwardjames Did UPS or Fed EX bless you with replacement Domes today?

 

[onwardjames]

@onwardjames Did UPS or Fed EX bless you with replacement Domes today?

HAHAHA, yes, indeed!! Actually, they got here yesterday!!

I have one whole tweeter tower back together, and the bass cab done, but still have the other tweeter to replace and refoam the 3 in the other cab. Work has beaten me to a pulp, and I've proceeded at a snail's pace. Why??

I cannot afford a single mistake. So far, refoaming the 12's has been a SNAP. The Aleene's Quick dry and a paintbrush has worked wonders, and that flat lip also helps. The 8'' is a bitch-kitty, with it's very thin paper and angled lip.

So far, steady as she goes. I'm starting to positively salivate with anticipation, and I have 3 guys at work who want to come down for a listen, once dialed in.


I trust you guys when you say that everything up til now for me will be yesterday's news. Happy Happy Joy Joy!!

 

[Velocityboat]

HAHAHA, yes, indeed!! Actually, they got here yesterday!!

I have one whole tweeter tower back together, and the bass cab done, but still have the other tweeter to replace and refoam the 3 in the other cab. Work has beaten me to a pulp, and I've proceeded at a snail's pace. Why??

I cannot afford a single mistake. So far, refoaming the 12's has been a SNAP. The Aleene's Quick dry and a paintbrush has worked wonders, and that flat lip also helps. The 8'' is a bitch-kitty, with it's very thin paper and angled lip.

So far, steady as she goes. I'm starting to positively salivate with anticipation, and I have 3 guys at work who want to come down for a listen, once dialed in.


I trust you guys when you say that everything up til now for me will be yesterday's news. Happy Happy Joy Joy!!

You will be rewarded! Just be careful and not clip that amp trying to impress the boys. The thought of eating tweeters Drove me to embrace power guard amps. Glad I did cause I did take out some fuses prior to MC2500 using a 400 watts per channel even with a clip light. But driving just one pair of XRT20s might keep you settled a bit longer. But these line arrays go live band mode with power. And power begets more power in cars boats and stereos. Where I am setting at 425 hp in the SS, 700 hp 540 ci in the Velocity, and multiple 1000 WPC stereos in home and boat. Luckily I have avoided car stereo hobby.

And I am just tinkering around compared to the Damacman and power.

 

[onwardjames]

Okay, a bit premature, but I couldn't help it.

Since I'm no tech, I HAD to know if the tweeter fixed things on the right channel (as I'm calling it, attacking these one at a time).

I got the tower up and going on right channel, just returned bottom woofer to its cab (careful to invert the woofers to let time sag them the OTHER direction) and then fired up my Onkyo 50 watt sacrificial lamb to see if I had sound in all 24 drivers, and listen for woofer buzz. True mono.

The cd? The 1996 IASCA finals cd, which starts with 20th century fox fanfare, then leads into Jennifer Warnes (sterile to me interpretation, but sounds great) "Bird On A Wire".

Holy.

Shit.

I am gonna need more house, lol.

Hearing things I never heard before, yep yep!!!!

No buzz, no problems so far!!!

 

[onwardjames]

You will be rewarded! Just be careful and not clip that amp trying to impress the boys. The thought of eating tweeters Drove me to embrace power guard amps. Glad I did cause I did take put some fuses prior to MC2500 using a 400 watts per channel. But driving just one pair of XRT20s might keep you settled a bit longer. But these line arrays go live band mode with power. And power begets more power in cars boats and stereos. Where I am setting at 425 hp in the SS, 700 hp 540 ci in the Velocity, and multiple 1000 WPC stereos in home and boat. Luckily I have avoided car stereo hobby.

And I am just tinkering around compared to the Damacman and power.

While every word you say is true, my "blow them out of the water" days are over. Now, it is quality over quantity. That goes for my booze, my lovely wife, and countless other things. I'll probably be fine with a good 10 watts or so. Besides, in an 11 x 11 room, it takes next to nothing.

I'm so giddy, it's electric. Now to pull the other woofers, and wrap this up!

 

[damacman]

Yeah man, get to it!

 

[Velocityboat]

While every word you say is true, my "blow them out of the water" days are over. Now, it is quality over quantity. That goes for my booze, my lovely wife, and countless other things. I'll probably be fine with a good 10 watts or so. Besides, in an 11 x 11 room, it takes next to nothing.

I'm so giddy, it's electric. Now to pull the other woofers, and wrap this up!

Hope you are finished. I have been streaming Miles Davis and John Coltrane on my pair of XRT20s while nursing a summer head cold . Such great sound stage and imaging even without room perfect and using Yamaha pre and amp. I need to go whole hog and move the C39 and Bridged MC2500s to this system and see how capable these speakers are stand alone. Will take a bit of rack mods or I would have already done.

All I can say you will love your pair. Report out please.

 

[onwardjames]

THEY ARE COMPLETE!!!!

I have finished the work, all speakers refoamed, cabs have been touched up with Restore-A-Finish, and now I have to set the room straight.

Literally just got the last woofer screwed into place.

I am elated, and so glad I made this jump. Listening to new Kings Of Leon cd, "Walls" and the soundstage is vaaaaaaaaaast! This isn't even a great recording, brickwalled and what not.

I'd like to thank everyone who has given me such uplifting and positive support. You all know who you are. Thank you.

I'll snap some pics once I get everything put right.

 

[c_dk]

You are making me remember first rolling them out of their boxes in 1979!

 

[onwardjames]

You are making me remember first rolling them out of their boxes in 1979!

I wouldn't tell just anyone this, but after connecting them, I had promised myself I'd play Alison Krauss & The Cox Family "Walk Over God's Heaven" as my first real listening experience.


One minute in, I was clapping my hands and tearing up. Must have been some dust I stirred up.





I have tried in my tiny room both setups. Tweeters out seems best. Lost a bit of magic with them inside. Room is too small. I think the proximity to the walls lends the highs to bounce around. That's what I'll have to live with, as most listening rooms are a compromise of sorts, anyhow.

 

[c_dk]

Well you have to remember I was like 8 months working for a Mac dealer and I get a call from Gordon Gow himself. He lets me know that I had gotten atta boys from the turntable clinic we did with Dirk Roos and the first amp clinic I hosted with DOB.

Like I said previously he asks if we will host the Midwest preview of these speakers we knew nothing about and next thing I know he is grilling me about room voicing and what turntable and phono cartridge we would be using to show off his speakers.

This was my first conversation with Gordon, I had never met the man and had only heard stories. He was always consistent though, he knew his products would Come
through if attention was paid to the details of the room interactions and the proper setup of the sources used.

Do you have any clue how intimidated I was.......

PS: Only after after he was convinced that I would make sure the system would be set up correctly did he ask to be transferred to my boss so he could tell him how big of check he would have to write to do this premier......

 

[onwardjames]

glue drops still drying on bottom left woofer, lol

 

[onwardjames]

That is a fantastic story, c_dk. Thank you for sharing. I'm sure you were pretty much shitting bricks.

 

[Velocityboat]

I wouldn't tell just anyone this, but after connecting them, I had promised myself I'd play Alison Krauss & The Cox Family "Walk Over God's Heaven" as my first real listening experience.


One minute in, I was clapping my hands and tearing up. Must have been some dust I stirred up.





I have tried in my tiny room both setups. Tweeters out seems best. Lost a bit of magic with them inside. Room is too small. I think the proximity to the walls lends the highs to bounce around. That's what I'll have to live with, as most listening rooms are a compromise of sorts, anyhow.

I figured that would be your best soundstage. 7 to 10 feet on tweeter arrays best. Try to give 8 inches of space to sidewalls an will help with reflections.

My wife gets tears listening to Roger,s line arrays often.

Bet you forgot you owned that Sansui.

 

[onwardjames]

The little 50 watt onkyo receiver in the pic actually powers these quite pleasantly, tho they're getting a very large upgrade soon. Still moving stuff around.

 

[onwardjames]

I figured that would be your best soundstage. 7 to 10 feet on tweeter arrays best. Try to give 8 inches of space to sidewalls an will help with reflections.

My wife gets tears listening to Roger,s line arrays often.

Bet you forgot you owned that Sansui.

First, your wife rocks! Mine gave me a "That's nice, dear." Yeah. That was her exact words. Sigh.

Every time the standup bass on that recording buzzes, I'm scrambling to the woofers to make sure I didn't improperly center the VC, lol. NOTHING in the recording can hide from these babies.

As for the Sansui, yeah, hadn't given it much thought. You called it, VB.

 

[c_dk]

McQuire's in Rockville MD. did the first pair and made up the drape and lighting setup. If I remember correctly we sent the drapes and lights to a shop in LA for the 3rd premier.

We were like kids at Christmas with the biggest new audio toy in town......our boss had to cough up the money to pay for them.

 

[Velocityboat]

First, your wife rocks! Mine gave me a "That's nice, dear." Yeah. That was her exact words. Sigh.

Every time the standup bass on that recording buzzes, I'm scrambling to the woofers to make sure I didn't improperly center the VC, lol. NOTHING in the recording can hide from these babies.

As for the Sansui, yeah, hadn't given it much thought. You called it, VB.

Find a song she always loved. She will be hooked if you sit her in the sweet spot.

Not shure I have heard stand up bass buzzes. Check for voice coil dragging or screws loose on woofers or cabinet or may have to put foam behind picture frames. I had a picture in my kitchen buzzing the wall.