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Auditioning my new DYNACO A35s - Help gratefully requested

operaman

operaman

Super Member
These arrived today - and were purchased from an "online auction"

(On AK I am always being urged to buy local, but I'm a city dweller with no car, and it's just really hard.)

I would love some help identifying these. Take a look at the pics

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Do you know what year these are from? The drivers are supposedly original SEAS. The grilles are replacements - and pretty bad. They are all floppy and secured only with staples.

Do they absolutely need to be recapped? I have never done that, and I'm nervous about it. How would i know if they must?

My first listening to them proved mixed. I heard them as slightly top-midrangy (which surprised me). The upper bass is astounding! Timpani, french horns, trombones all suddenly THERE! The sound staging with them is better than any of the smaller bookshelf speakers I have had in the past. Instruments' location in the soundstage is suddenly unambiguous. I listened to Berlin/Abbado Mahler 6, Ferrabosco Consorts (Jordi Savall) and Schumann "Scenes from Faust" so far. Next, vocals and solo-piano. I have my sub hooked up, but the crossover is way down on 40hz.

So far, so good.
 
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Recapping, especially one this easy, is always desirable. Electrolytics have drifted in the span of time, and besides, film poly caps are far better.

On my thread there are many links to how others have regrilled speakers, much to learn there. Best of luck.
 
I disagree with the recapping. I have the original A25XLs with all original cross-over components and they sound very awesome. My advise is to get a DMM that will measure uf and see what value the cap is. If off more then maybe 25-30% then change it, otherwise, leave it alone.
 
Really, waynerN?

What's that gonna cost him, like...10 bucks? The DMM will cost that. And poly caps instead of electrolytics?

Sorry, I've heard too many "meh" speakers turned into "whoa!" speakers with a simple recap.

YMMV.
 
I hope you find them enjoyable. They will not astound you with midrange clarity; or hit you in the chest with low end power nor, finally, tickle your ear with effervescent highs... but they will do all three capably and not draw attention to themselves.
 
And you have acquired the real aperiodic deal, whereas the A25 is compromised in order to reduce cabinet volume. I agree with the cap upgrade, and with the allrounder assessment of this speaker. Nice score.
 
I have the HF dial turned down two notches, which helps a bit - but I'm getting a rather vibrant midrange that is bothering me a bit. Other aspects of this speaker are really great, but that is an issue. Will the cap upgrade change the tonality in that respect?
 
Vibrant midrange isn't a characteristic i associate with the Dynacos.
Now, classic Altecs... yes, in spades. But not the Dynacos.
I'd describe the default midrange character of Dynacos as "polite".

I am sure the character of the midrange may be modulated by changing the XO capacitors... whether for better or worse, though, I don't know.
 
operaman said:
Do you know what year these are from? The drivers are supposedly original SEAS.
Click to expand...

A35's were on the market into somewhere in the late 70's, maybe '78. I don't know when they first came out.

I remember them as being acoustic suspension, rather than aperiodic as stated in an earlier post.
 
mhardy6647 said:
I am sure the character of the midrange may be modulated by changing the XO capacitors... whether for better or worse, though, I don't know.
Click to expand...

You raise an unsettling question: if one changes the type of cap used is one changing the intended voicing and thus possibly making the speaker objectively worse, even if subjectively better?
 
presumably would change to the same value, so remove out-of-spec for new. difference could be lower ESR in the more recent capacitors he or his tech is likely to use.
 
onwardjames said:
Really, waynerN?

What's that gonna cost him, like...10 bucks? The DMM will cost that. And poly caps instead of electrolytics?

Sorry, I've heard too many "meh" speakers turned into "whoa!" speakers with a simple recap.

YMMV.
Click to expand...

I've worked on many pairs of these speakers (I own 2 pairs of A25XLs) and the cap values are all within tolerance. This is never the problem with these speakers. The real problem is with the connections at the woofer terminals. If you ever take the woofers out, you will discover a problem.
 
Tom Brennan said:
You raise an unsettling question: if one changes the type of cap used is one changing the intended voicing and thus possibly making the speaker objectively worse, even if subjectively better?
Click to expand...

I'll bet you know how I'd vote in that poll! ;-)

Measuring stuff was my day job (until January, that is)... in hifi I like to let my right hemisphere kick in.

... besides, I know you know what D.R. von Recklinghausen was quoted as having said; you've quoted him!

http://hhscott.com/vonrecklinghausen.htm
 
Octaven said:
A35's were on the market into somewhere in the late 70's, maybe '78. I don't know when they first came out.

I remember them as being acoustic suspension, rather than aperiodic as stated in an earlier post.
Click to expand...

I think I bought my first pair of A35s in 1973. I stacked them with a pair of A25s.
The A35 has 2 internal chambers which have a damped aperiodic vent between them for the woofer. Externally they appear to be an acoustic suspension system.

I sold the A25s and kept the A35s in 1977. I preferred the overall sound of the A35s over the A25s.

Larry
 
WaynerN said:
I've worked on many pairs of these speakers (I own 2 pairs of A25XLs) and the cap values are all within tolerance. This is never the problem with these speakers. The real problem is with the connections at the woofer terminals. If you ever take the woofers out, you will discover a problem.
Click to expand...

Wayner --- Care to elaborate? What is the problem with the woofer connects, and what is the solution?

Also - since so many on here seem to suggest a vast improvement of clarity after recapping these, I'm surprised you disagree.
 
It's a single 5uf 50v cap in there. Swap it and listen. This is about as simple as it can get. Any cap will do, but feel free to get into the esoterica. 2x5uf 50v is a relatively inexpensive no matter how far up the food chain you go.
 
operaman said:
Wayner --- Care to elaborate? What is the problem with the woofer connects, and what is the solution?

Also - since so many on here seem to suggest a vast improvement of clarity after recapping these, I'm surprised you disagree.
Click to expand...

Part of the problem is that I have the A25xLs, not the A35. They perform at a much higher level because of the superior H086 tweeter and cross-over points. I like the fact that the caps are 50volt, rather then some 400 volt cap (that affects the "Q") of the speaker, and the tolerance of the cross-over and the amazing ability of the H086 tweeter kind of nulls the need for recapping. Perhaps the A35 may benefit from it, but it's a simple circuit. Remember that cap values can change in both directions so what you think is obvious, is not always so. That is why I measure the cap first. If it's within 10-15% of value, I leave it alone....
 
WaynerN said:
Part of the problem is that I have the A25xLs, not the A35. They perform at a much higher level because of the superior H086 tweeter and cross-over points. I like the fact that the caps are 50volt, rather then some 400 volt cap (that affects the "Q") of the speaker, and the tolerance of the cross-over and the amazing ability of the H086 tweeter kind of nulls the need for recapping. Perhaps the A35 may benefit from it, but it's a simple circuit. Remember that cap values can change in both directions so what you think is obvious, is not always so. That is why I measure the cap first. If it's within 10-15% of value, I leave it alone....
Click to expand...

Extremely relevant. Let happy caps be.
 
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