• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Another beast tamed...Acoustat Spectra 22

240sx4u said:
Just curious, did you ever try any different interconnects? By eliminating the pre you eliminated at least one pair in the signal chain.
Click to expand...

My cables are all AudioQuest Ruby except a set of Speltz Anti-cables but those only come out when I need a little more "bite"...which I haven't felt 22's require (unlike the JBL250's that just came out of rotation). So the cables from the DAC to the pre have been the same as the cables from the pre to the amp.

I'd like you to hear it again, too. I played with the global feedback on the tube amp and by reducing brought the mid range content forward in the presentation...which all but totally eliminated that weird imaging/phasing thing we observed.

How's the weather back home? Those allergies stick with you?
 
^^^

Thanks!

Juiced the 22's with a restored Hafler XL-600 last night and :yes:.

Not sure if it's the MOSFET architecture or the extra power but it did some things the mighty Threshold couldn't (this was NOT the case with the last speakers I was using...JBL L250's...when I first compared the two amps). There was an improvement in resolution and an added perception of dimension to sound stage not to mention improved dynamics across the board. And man, these 22's can actually get surprisingly loud and stay clear as a bell! Much louder than I could ever get them before and louder than I thought they'd be able to go without stumbling. Mid range dynamics are excellent but mid and upper bass is still not as tactile as a nicely implemented 12" or 15" driver. I'll do a more critical comparison between the Threshold, Hafler and TAD-60 in the coming days. I'm really getting a kick out of this system. Been a while since I've had a little excitement come along and this is a friggin' sweet payoff after all the effort and frustration that's gone into making the 22's right. Whew! :beer: :smoke:
 
Out of any AKer here I have to say you get the speakers that are most interesting to me. And you have the nice listening room to boot.

Do you have a spare room I can move into? :D I'll bring my IMFs.. hahaha.

Seriously though that is so awesome. You sure do have a lot of fun with this hobby. Good on ya.
 
tomlinmgt said:
Juiced the 22's with a restored Hafler XL-600 last night and :yes:. Not sure if it's the MOSFET architecture or the extra power ...
Click to expand...
That amp puts out 450 watts into the 4 ohm load. Yes, power can make a big difference with the smaller Acoustats.
 
tomlinmgt said:
^^^

Thanks!

Juiced the 22's with a restored Hafler XL-600 last night and :yes:.

Not sure if it's the MOSFET architecture or the extra power but it did some things the mighty Threshold couldn't (this was NOT the case with the last speakers I was using...JBL L250's...when I first compared the two amps). There was an improvement in resolution and an added perception of dimension to sound stage not to mention improved dynamics across the board. And man, these 22's can actually get surprisingly loud and stay clear as a bell! Much louder than I could ever get them before and louder than I thought they'd be able to go without stumbling. Mid range dynamics are excellent but mid and upper bass is still not as tactile as a nicely implemented 12" or 15" driver. I'll do a more critical comparison between the Threshold, Hafler and TAD-60 in the coming days. I'm really getting a kick out of this system. Been a while since I've had a little excitement come along and this is a friggin' sweet payoff after all the effort and frustration that's gone into making the 22's right. Whew! :beer: :smoke:
Click to expand...

Acoustat rated their two panel models at 110dB program peaks @ 18' in a 14' x 22' x 8' room.
 
Nice job Michael. I love reading about your passion for this hobby. Wish I had the time, knowledge and space to do the same. NOW get thee to the Betas! ;)
 
^^^

Thanks!

My dirty little secret is that I don't really have time for the hobby, either. I take a nibble here and a nibble there (and in the process am almost certainly neglecting something more important) and eventually finish eating the kill. Which is explains why the Betas aren't done...still nibbling.
 
canuckaudiog said:
Out of any AKer here I have to say you get the speakers that are most interesting to me. And you have the nice listening room to boot.

Do you have a spare room I can move into? :D I'll bring my IMFs.. hahaha.

Seriously though that is so awesome. You sure do have a lot of fun with this hobby. Good on ya.
Click to expand...

Thanks a million c-dog! I've still never heard IMF's...sure would like to. And you have the big ones. :yes:
 
E-Stat said:
That amp puts out 450 watts into the 4 ohm load. Yes, power can make a big difference with the smaller Acoustats.
Click to expand...

Seems that's the case...and since the Hafler is a loaner I'm once again on the hunt for really a big amp. Always wanted to try one of them big GAS amps...:scratch2: Or I could go ahead and send this PL700 I have sittin' around out for the White Oak mods.
 
Last edited:
tomlinmgt said:
My cables are all AudioQuest Ruby except a set of Speltz Anti-cables but those only come out when I need a little more "bite"...which I haven't felt 22's require (unlike the JBL250's that just came out of rotation). So the cables from the DAC to the pre have been the same as the cables from the pre to the amp.

I'd like you to hear it again, too. I played with the global feedback on the tube amp and by reducing brought the mid range content forward in the presentation...which all but totally eliminated that weird imaging/phasing thing we observed.

How's the weather back home? Those allergies stick with you?
Click to expand...

Weather was crap when I got here, but it was 80 today. My allergies are WAY better up here man! Dear god.

I'm glad that phasing/imaging thing is sorted out. Really freaking strange. It was interesting that I knew what you were going to say before you said it. It's nice to have confirmation that something goofy is going on sometimes.

Once again, thanks for the visit man.
 
^^^

Are you kidding? The pleasure was all mine! I mean, how often do you get to have a kindred spirit from AK who lives almost one thousand miles away just drop by one Sunday afternoon and hang for several hours. That was freakin' bad ass!
 
Michael I'm glad to hear that the Acoustats are sounding good and are finally where you expected them to be. I was beginning to wonder after all of the rebuilding and tweeking whether it was all hype or not. Although I have to say at lower levels they were sounding good that night of the panel incident. I am torn on whether I want to listen to them again or not now. I know once I hear them I'll be wanting a pair! :)

So the XL-600 finally made some decent tunes? Like I said before I plan to do a little more refurb work on it at some point in the future. You'll have to try the Acoustats with the 9300 Transnova and see if the Strickland amp does a better job or not.

Its interesting that it required removing the preamp to get the most out of all of the amps you have tried. Those Acoustats must be quite revealing...

You ever give the B1 a try with any of the amps on the Acoustats?
 
Haven't tried that B1...that'll be next. But I have to admit, I am REALLY liking the removal of the preamp from the main speakers' signal chain and having volume control for the mains/subs at the laptop and also having volume control for the subs independent of the main volume control via the remote controlled preamp.

You really need to come over and listen to them now that you've had a taste. You owe it to yourself to hear the results of something you've been so heavily involved in....I mean, surely you're just a little curious. :)
 
The 22's and diffusers on the front wall do a fantastic job fleshing out the meat of the sound stage starting a few feet behind the speakers and across the full span between them to a bit outboard of each speaker and all the way beyond the physical boundary of the front wall. This is, for the most part, causing the speakers to just totally disappear.... except for when high frequency content in the recording is presented at the front of the sound stage (which is located pretty much even with the frontal plane of the panels) which creates these intermittent episodes where the source of the sound and location of the panel is blatant. Is this a typical performance characteristic for ESL's? I wonder what effect reversing the speaker leads would have? :scratch2:
 
Last edited:
Ice cube trays. Lots and lots of white plastic ice cube trays. Or those square grid diffusers that cover fluorescent light fixtures.

So, basically, nothing sexy there to gawk at. I'd like to do something to give them a bit more visual appeal.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom