ADS-910's
- Thread starter GD70
- Start date
Since the center channel is used mainly for dialogue, my first choice would be the L400, especially if you could use it upright, although I don't think it would make any difference vertical or sideways. I'm using the little ADS center channel (the model number escapes me and I'm not where I can look). It's not quite up to the task against L710s as right and left, but I have no vertical room to put anything larger in its place.
I'm using my L710s horizontally as I have no other option. I don't know if they'd sound differently upright since I have no way to test. I do have the tweeters to the left and right outsides to help widen the sound field, not that they need any help with dispersion.
First, Welcome to AK!
My main speakers are the L1230's. When I started this project I used the L400 as a center and it just wasn't going to work out. I tried a Klipsch, Cerwin Vega and an Optimus CS-5 center with a ribbon tweeter as well, and all of those were so far from the sound signature of the L1230's those weren't going to work. I think one of the problems right off with the L400's was they are 2 way, and missing that Midrange speaker set them so far away from the mains that it was obvious it wouldn't work. My only option was to build one myself. I chose the L810 as the parts we're close to the L1230's, and common to find. I chose well if I may say so. The sound is wonderful, the match is perfect and seamless.
One of the problems I had with the other centers was from movies. The tweeters kind of wore me out. I was easily fatigued by them. When I built the ADS center, all that settled down and the sound became natural. When someone dropped a book, it sounded like a book dropping and not a soundbite of a book dropping. I credit that unique sound signature to the ADS speaker systems. I'll listen in a couple of different ways. If I'm listening to music, I'll set the center to Large, allowing all the bass to come from the Center. When I listen to Movies, I'll set the Center to Small, and allow all the bass to route to the sub.
As I've never heard the L780's or the L880's it would be hard for me to recommend one over the other, and I have to be honest. As both are a 3 way, your much better served with one of those over any two way, including the L400's or Sat7. I like the idea of the 880 because it uses a 10 inch woofer, so my thoughts lean towards the 880, based off my experience in matching my system.
If you have any more questions, please ask!! ... I love talking about center channels. Matching the mains is key. It will be hard to match those lovely 910's, but you can get close enough so as not to be distracting I believe. I hope one day to find out how close I am to being right when and if I ever get a set of 910's. Although ..... I now have a pair of 1530's and soon as I get a couple speakers fixed, I'm going on a quest! Smiling
Garry~
Sorry took so long to post this.
wow, beautiful work Garry!!! I have neither the skill or the courage to attempt such a masterpiece. I had to look up what the L1230 and L1530 are about, interesting looking speakers. Do you have a surround setup? and if you do, are the surround speakers also ADS? One other question, do these speakers need any sort of maintenance?
Hi zespeciman,
Thank you. Yes I do actually. I made and modeled the surrounds just like the mains, and as mentioned yesterday they too are made from parts of an L810. I loved the series so much that I just had to duplicate it in a 5.0 set up. It's impossible to describe. I'm at work now and when I get another chance I'll link the surrounds for you.
No, no maintenance necessary for the center. It's mostly preferences for how I like to listen to movies vs music. Often I'll see threads about how its vocals that mostly get channeled to the center, and in a much as that's true, bass can be channeled to the center depending on the selection of speakers via your surround sound processor.
Will you be running a Surround Processor?
Garry~
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GD70
Lunatic Member
Every time I see a pic of your mid Garry, makes me want to make one myself! Maybe some day!
Thank you Glenn. Your compliments always picks up my day, you just cant believe how much. This Covid thing has really taxed my free time. I'm desperate to get some time to myself and produce a few of these for folks.
That said, this would be the perfect project for you when you pick up a router! Routing is about the most fun thing I ever did working with wood. It's so satisfying I tell you.
Garry.
So this is the complete story. For the past 22 years I had a 5.1 system with "sound dynamics" speakers, its from the same API Canadian manufacturer that makes loudspeakers under the Mirage, Energy, Spherez, and Athena and was aquired by Klipsch in 2006. Two towers, thier larger center speaker and two bookshelves surround. Also a velodyne subwoofer. I was quite happy with this system. Several months ago, my brother gave me his ADS 910 along with a SAE A501 stereo Amp as he was moving abroad. I decided to put those as the fronts, and expand to a 7.1 system. I was stunned at the immediate upgrade, thanks to the ADS speakers. It was an eye opener (or should I say an ear opener). The sound and music just came alive, more enveloping, cleaner, and clearer. In my free time I've been changing things around, playing with different crossovers and repositioning the speakers, etc. The one thing that was apparent to me is that the center channel doesn't hold up as it used to, there is something missing. The rest of the surround channels didn't make a difference to me, but the center was just a mismatch. If I eliminate the center and use the front 910s only, the phantom center, while sounding great and clear, it doesn't feel localized. I can tell its coming from the two speakers at the same time. In my setup, they are sitting opposite each other of a 133" projector screen. Maybe if they were closer to each other it wouldn't make much of a difference. My feeling is that I'll need another center, probably from ADS, but it has to be smaller than the 910. So I came to this forum and asked the right questions and thanks to Garry with his experience it helped confirm some of my assumptions. So I got a pair of the 880v2 from a local seller and I'll set one of them up as a center and will report back. Not quite sure what to do with the spare speaker, maybe keep it for parts.
GD70
Lunatic Member
Interesting, keep us posted.
That's awesome. It's really hard for me to know exactly how the 880's will sound next to the 910's because I've not heard the 910's in 40 years, and not ever heard the 880's, however .. the 880 would be the closest match to anything else you can get unless you custom make one. I can say for as an absolute, MY system sounds really really good. And when I have everything up and running, I can't stop smiling. I love that 133" Screen!! If for any reason the 880 doesn't get the result your needing, you can always use them as surround backs. Sure would appreciate if you could shoot a vid for us to see the system. Heck of a nice brother you have there to set you up with those 910s!
Notice the thumbnail of the Surrounds above. Just click on them and you'll see full image. I just dragged and dropped it in, and for some reason it dropped it above.
Not dialed in yet. So I placed the 880 as my new center. Definitely more presence than I had before, which is also my problem. I feel the sound is a bit on the bright side, especially when female voices are heard, on the other hand, with music (guitar) it is very detailed. So as the days go by I'll tinker with some adjustments to get it right or perhaps the brightness is the details that I've been missing all this time. My amp driving it is a parasound amp at 125w at 8ohm vs the SAE A501 amp at 375w at 4ohm . Should that suffice? The 880 is a closed enclosure vs the open one I had in my previous center, I think that makes it punchier. I'll just keep making adjustment till I hit the sweet spot.
Sounds like a great start!! Yes, you'll need to play with it a bit. Maybe I can help give you a starting point. What I did was this- Let's say you have the 910's level set to +1.25 db. Adjust the center channel level to -1.25db. If center is still too bright or too far forward go to -2.25db. Slowly adjust the center level up until you hit that spot that sounds natural to you. I used the same music source over and over again. Once I got to what I felt was perfect, I tried other music selections and made small minor adjustments until I felt it was perfect.
Not being familiar to your processor ... in my amp if I set the center to small it rolls off the low end at 80hz and make the center sound bright. If I set the center to large the low end stays with the center.
I also turn off or down any surround speakers. Dial in the fronts and the surrounds become a piece of cake. 3 days now I've been mulling over how this sounds to you. Sounds incouraging!!
Garry~
Thanks for the advice Garry. I can adjust the crossovers for the center speaker from none (full range) to 150hz or higher at 5hz increment. From what I understand if the speaker is capable of 40hz at the low end, the setting for the crossover should be at 50hz. I think I'll setup in the menu option the system as 3.1 and alternate between 2.1 to 3.1 where the phantom matches the sound of the center. One last thing, the grill on the 880 is metal vs the cloth on the 910, is there a difference in sound attenuation between the two or its negligible? Also, what music track do you suggest that hits all the spots?
GD70
Lunatic Member
Regarding grill material differences, simply pull them all off. Any difference? Only your ears, in your space can answer this. Tweaking is all part of the fun of this hobby-obsession!
Just like GD70 said above, adjustments are all a part of the fun. I had a great time dialing mine in. Not being familure with your set up, it's difficult for me to help much. But you get the jest if it. I'm actually quite excited for you to be honest. Once you get it locked in, you'll be smiles from ear to ear, I have no doubt. Also like Glenn said, just pull those grills off, as only your ears can tell you. I have cloth grills and I keep mine on just to protect the sticky domes on the Tweeters/Mids.
Say, regarding that Parasound amp at 8ohm. Those Speakers are nominal at 6ohm (check the 910's), and they'll easily go down to 4ohm. I'm no expert and although the Parasound may be just fine, but you might want to check and see if it gets hot. And watch your volume, don't got Collage Frat party volumes until you know the amp can take it. Just thinking out loud. I'm no expert by any measure in this but it's advice I've seen given.
Garry~
My go to album I have listen to so many times is actually Ricky Lee Jones Chuck E's in Love. I know every note every bar every song ..... for years. Find something you know very close and let that be your guide.
Say, regarding that Parasound amp at 8ohm. Those Speakers are nominal at 6ohm (check the 910's), and they'll easily go down to 4ohm. I'm no expert and although the Parasound may be just fine, but you might want to check and see if it gets hot. And watch your volume, don't got Collage Frat party volumes until you know the amp can take it. Just thinking out loud. I'm no expert by any measure in this but it's advice I've seen given.
Garry~
My go to album I have listen to so many times is actually Ricky Lee Jones Chuck E's in Love. I know every note every bar every song ..... for years. Find something you know very close and let that be your guide.