avguytx
Lunatic Member
I did the cheap shipping so that's the first problem. lol. Shoulda spent a few extra dollars apparently.
ads L1230's - time for grill repair - 11.9.2021
- Thread starter avguytx
- Start date
I did the cheap shipping so that's the first problem. lol. Shoulda spent a few extra dollars apparently.
Hah, anticipation is not to be unappreciated. It's a love hate relationship we can never get used to. I finally got my parts for my L1530's, finally got them in today, and FINALLY, got some time to listen to them for the first time. It was/is well worth the wait. I'm so damn happy right now. Again, I repeat what I've said before, I REALLY love these L1530's for all the reasons to love them, but they will not replace my L1230's. I'm not saying one is better then the other, each is different, and I appreciate the difference.
Really looking forward for you to get yours up and running. I swear I smile when I read your posts.
Garry~
Really looking forward for you to get yours up and running. I swear I smile when I read your posts.
Garry~
avguytx
Lunatic Member
Since I'd not received the parts yet, nor had I gotten an email from PartsConnexion, I sent them an email today. Apparently the 4.7uf caps hadn't made it in yet although when I ordered everything, they showed to be in stock. I was about to change to something else but they said they would arrive tomorrow and hopefully go out as well.
I'm sure those L1530's sound awesome and I'd love to come across a pair but I doubt I ever will. These 1230's were in NW Arkansas and just happened to be close to my daughter. But that's ok. I've had many great pairs of speakers and always enjoy the experience of finding new things...although rare in this area. The majority of my listening is done with my Klipsch Belle inspired clones I built running on the Onkyo Reference stack. I've pondered selling off my Carver gear to buy some new NAD gear as I do love the smell of new gear...and I can get it for a great price (I was a rep for NAD/PSB from 2001 to 2009). Pondering that although I do enjoy the Carver gear. The hard part of selling my M-1.0t isn't that it's got Bob's signature on it....but it's got my name on it, too, when Bob signed it back in 2008. I'm sure I could remove my name though. ha
I'm sure those L1530's sound awesome and I'd love to come across a pair but I doubt I ever will. These 1230's were in NW Arkansas and just happened to be close to my daughter. But that's ok. I've had many great pairs of speakers and always enjoy the experience of finding new things...although rare in this area. The majority of my listening is done with my Klipsch Belle inspired clones I built running on the Onkyo Reference stack. I've pondered selling off my Carver gear to buy some new NAD gear as I do love the smell of new gear...and I can get it for a great price (I was a rep for NAD/PSB from 2001 to 2009). Pondering that although I do enjoy the Carver gear. The hard part of selling my M-1.0t isn't that it's got Bob's signature on it....but it's got my name on it, too, when Bob signed it back in 2008. I'm sure I could remove my name though. ha
avguytx
Lunatic Member
You think it's a keeper, huh?
avguytx
Lunatic Member
My order from PartsConnexion will be in today it shows. Maybe I'll have some time over the 3 day weekend and get these swapped out and back in the cabinets. Next step will be to make sure all the woofers are good to go. At last listening, there were odd noises with the woofers that really didn't make any sense when it happened...at whatever volume. I'm hoping that Deoxit F5 on the switches helped that out.
Yes sir, there have been a few of us with that very problem with the woofers caused by the Bi-am switches. Hope that was it and the Deoxit clears it up for you!
In my case Richard So stated that the switches were loose. He didn't elaborate more then that weather it was solder joints or inside the switches.
avguytx
Lunatic Member
Yes sir, there have been a few of us with that very problem with the woofers caused by the Bi-am switches. Hope that was it and the Deoxit clears it up for you!
I'm going to reflow all of the traces on the boards while I'm putting the new parts in and hopefully that will take care of it. I may look at that crossover diagram and see what it would take to bypass that switch from the back side of the board as I doubt I'll ever biamp them nor will I spend the money for what one of those C-2000 crossovers go for. I've not biamped anything, home speaker wise, in my last 53 years...I doubt I start anytime soon.
When I started with my L1230's, I was like ... yeah, I like the idea of this. As I did more research, I changed my mind and said nah ... that and the fact ... same as you, finding and paying for a C-2000, then another amp ... ans so on and so forth. Then I read the ADS manual, started paying attention to what other ADS members were doing and all of a sudden I'm all in for bi-amping.
I have all the pieces I need to start out, will get some experiance behind me, then will want to get a tube amp for the highs and the Yamaha MX-1000 for the bottom end. My plan good or bad, is laid out and I'm following through to the end.
If it doesn't work out, no problem, I'll use the second Yamaha MX-1000 for other speakers I come across and not have to play switchy changie with equipment.
Garry
avguytx
Lunatic Member
Got the crossovers finished up Saturday night and installed them yesterday afternoon. I'd started on them a week ago but life takes over and time runs thin during the week. One side was easier to get back in than the other as they left the wires a little too short in one speaker. But, all went well and I listened to them, quite loudly actually, for an hour or so and played some of my usual "go to" songs. They do sound really good and the bass is impressive for four 8" woofers and I had the meters bouncing up a few notches on the Carver M-1.0t (MkII Opt 002) which benches at over 400wpc@8-ohm. I've not been as thrilled with how speakers sound on the short wall (15 foot) as they do on the long wall (32 feet) which is why I keep my Belle clones on the long wall along with a sub. I do like the sound of the L1230's a lot but they definitely won't be replacing my Belle's anytime soon. Just something about the dynamics of a fully horn loaded pair of speakers.
I'm going to give them some more play time and I'm sure I broke in the capacitors at the level I was playing last night. ha. Next things to do when the weather cooperates is rebuild a pair of bases and recover the grills. What I may end up doing at some point is using the Sunfre HRS-12 sub with the L1230's and build a horn sub to go with the Belles. Who knows.
I'm going to give them some more play time and I'm sure I broke in the capacitors at the level I was playing last night. ha. Next things to do when the weather cooperates is rebuild a pair of bases and recover the grills. What I may end up doing at some point is using the Sunfre HRS-12 sub with the L1230's and build a horn sub to go with the Belles. Who knows.
damacman
Resident Psycho
A horn loaded EV30W would be cool ...
avguytx
Lunatic Member
I think I'd stand a better chance of finding a 3 legged ballerina than an EV30W.
Awesome you got them up and running. No, they won't compete with the Belle's apples to apples but the L1230's do have their own personality and they do like the juice. Mine stay right here with me no matter what I may get in the future. Look forward to seeing what you can do with those Grills! I wanted to link for you the buyer where I got my material for the Center and Surrounds, but that seller is no longer listed with the bay, sadly.
avguytx
Lunatic Member
Oh, they are definitely really good sounding speakers without a doubt; I don't mean to imply otherwise and they will be the "Carver stack setup" that @damacman feels like I need to keep versus buying some new NAD gear. lol I did hear some of those woofer noises on occasion like I did before and it's not volume dependent...it's just there but only noticeable once in awhile. A minimal while. Could still be those switches even though I cleaned them with Deoxit F5. I'd asked Richard how to bypass them but never heard back. I'd really rather not send 4 woofers @ $70 each plus return shipping to be redone.
Grills will have to be when it cools down more in the garage and the horse flies die off. I hate those things. They can ruin a good day.
Oh, they are definitely really good sounding speakers without a doubt; I don't mean to imply otherwise and they will be the "Carver stack setup" that @damacman feels like I need to keep versus buying some new NAD gear. lol I did hear some of those woofer noises on occasion like I did before and it's not volume dependent...it's just there but only noticeable once in awhile. A minimal while. Could still be those switches even though I cleaned them with Deoxit F5. I'd asked Richard how to bypass them but never heard back. I'd really rather not send 4 woofers @ $70 each plus return shipping to be redone.
Grills will have to be when it cools down more in the garage and the horse flies die off. I hate those things. They can ruin a good day.
If someone had a spare L810 crossover they could lend you, you'd be able to varify. Better the 810 because it doesn't have the bi-amp switch. Maybe someone here or through the facebook crowed?
damacman
Resident Psycho
Sheesh . . . how many you need? LOL . . .
avguytx
Lunatic Member
Maybe I can find a picture of the backside and verify the traces. But that's definitely a good idea.
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avguytx
Lunatic Member
plugto
Well-Known Member
Just wanted to drop a comment for all. I decided to pick up a pair of CM5s. I was using a pair of L300s in my bedroom, and matched them with a Marantz 2230. This is one pair I never heard before, and it has a copolymer tweeter. I am not a big fan of copolymer, I had a pair of Boston Acoustics A400s that used this kind of tweeter and they just weren't as bright as the silk domes on my L1230s. Any way I found a pair on sale for 80$ and wanted to hear a crossover with 24db slopes. I went to audition them and they sounded better than the L300s so I scooped them up and hooked them up when I got back home. I was blown away with the clarity of the tweeters. About 70% improvement over the 300s. The bass was also much heavier. The soundstage goes way back and much farther to the left and right than the 300s. I don't know why it is so much better. Not much bigger on the cabinet, I just wanted to mention it to you guys, mostly because I was so surprised with the tweeter clarity. Not sure if it is the crossover improvement, or the materials used in the drivers, or the voice coils, but I aint shitting you guys if you ever want to try a small speaker for like a counter top application, you will be pleasantly surprised if you acquire this model.