Heathkit AS-101: Thrift Store Score!
MartinAudio
Young Collector
I see they used those old Chicago wax style capacitors just like the Bozak crossovers of that time period. I'm not surprised at how different those results are for you, they are truly awful parts that seem to hold up as well as old foam surrounds.
I figured i'd chime in pertaining to your MiniDSP idea. I setup a system with my father utilizing a subwoofer (JBL 4645B) and a pair of Altec A7 VOTTS, using a MiniDSP to integrate the mains to the subwoofer. I honestly could hardly hear any real negligible difference having it hooked up and applied to the signal path, it's a shockingly transparent little device for its price. I'd definitely recommend playing around with bi-amplification, though it appears you found a sweet spot for them as they sit. Enjoy and happy listening!
I figured i'd chime in pertaining to your MiniDSP idea. I setup a system with my father utilizing a subwoofer (JBL 4645B) and a pair of Altec A7 VOTTS, using a MiniDSP to integrate the mains to the subwoofer. I honestly could hardly hear any real negligible difference having it hooked up and applied to the signal path, it's a shockingly transparent little device for its price. I'd definitely recommend playing around with bi-amplification, though it appears you found a sweet spot for them as they sit. Enjoy and happy listening!
Riki
Active Member
Thanks for the feedback. It's good to hear a first hand experience with Altec and a MiniDSP. I'm actually more excited about bi-amping with a DSP now that I know I like the speakers. Right now trying to figure out a good power amp to pair with my 2230 to drive the woofers (that and finish the other speaker
).
Riki
Active Member
After a few beer this weekend, and reading the article below, I pulled the trigger on a DriveRack PA2 loudspeaker management system with setup mic (they can be had for a song on the bay).
https://www.audiophilenirvana.com/a...ews/altec-lansing-valencia-improving-classic/
I'm excited about playing with this new toy and will update as the parts trickle in.
Right now I'm looking at the bi-amp schematic, from the manual.
If I drop the L-pad, would I need to replace it with a 8-ohm resistor? Would you build a completely different crossover the horn?
https://www.audiophilenirvana.com/a...ews/altec-lansing-valencia-improving-classic/
I'm excited about playing with this new toy and will update as the parts trickle in.
Right now I'm looking at the bi-amp schematic, from the manual.
If I drop the L-pad, would I need to replace it with a 8-ohm resistor? Would you build a completely different crossover the horn?
Nyjblbob
Hooked on Horn's and Tubes. Go big or go home
Imho you don’t need it.
Except for Diafram protection.
The Drive rack is the Xover.
You can control just about everything going to the Horns.
You only need a few Watts to them so nothing more than 15 Watts. Most people do use some sort of protection.I don’t but I use Fleapowered
Tube amps exclusively for the Horns
Good luck
Except for Diafram protection.
The Drive rack is the Xover.
You can control just about everything going to the Horns.
You only need a few Watts to them so nothing more than 15 Watts. Most people do use some sort of protection.I don’t but I use Fleapowered
Tube amps exclusively for the Horns
Good luck
Riki
Active Member
Thanks!
Riki
Active Member
TL;DR: PA2 = Wow!
So, this week I made my own cables to hook up the DriveRack PA2.
I used following parts:
Neutrik NC3FX-1
Neutrik NC3MX-1
Neutrik Rean NYS352G RCA Plug Connector Gold
Belden Brilliance 1192A 24 AWG 4C Star Quad
and followed this guide:
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/diy-pro-audio-interconnects.61442/
I ended up with six 2.5' unbalanced cables and one 5' balanced cable (sub) for about 70 bucks. I ended up making my own primarily for fun but also because most of the pre made cables were either 1.5' (too short) or 3' (too long). If you go down this road, make sure you have a pair of wire strippers designed for the fine wires used in star quad cables. Having a pair of strippers designed for 24AWG twisted pair made the process quick and easy (Klein Tools 11046).
This morning I hooked up the PA2 and ran the auto EQ with the speakers still wired with their passive crossovers (no bi-amp yet) and the difference in the sound quality with the auto EQ is palpable. My listening room was not designed for audio (like most of us for sure). Below is what the AutoEQ was able to do. The response of the room can be seen in grey. The target response is in yellow and the result of the automatic EQ bands is in green. I have been battling, using my ear and the low-mid-high adjustments on my Marantz 2230, to sort out that bump between 1kHz and 10kHz and the lackluster base. I was not able to come close to the response provided by the auto EQ (as one would expect).
I'm excited to see the results of the active crossovers. I'll keep you posted
So, this week I made my own cables to hook up the DriveRack PA2.
I used following parts:
Neutrik NC3FX-1
Neutrik NC3MX-1
Neutrik Rean NYS352G RCA Plug Connector Gold
Belden Brilliance 1192A 24 AWG 4C Star Quad
and followed this guide:
https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/diy-pro-audio-interconnects.61442/
I ended up with six 2.5' unbalanced cables and one 5' balanced cable (sub) for about 70 bucks. I ended up making my own primarily for fun but also because most of the pre made cables were either 1.5' (too short) or 3' (too long). If you go down this road, make sure you have a pair of wire strippers designed for the fine wires used in star quad cables. Having a pair of strippers designed for 24AWG twisted pair made the process quick and easy (Klein Tools 11046).
This morning I hooked up the PA2 and ran the auto EQ with the speakers still wired with their passive crossovers (no bi-amp yet) and the difference in the sound quality with the auto EQ is palpable. My listening room was not designed for audio (like most of us for sure). Below is what the AutoEQ was able to do. The response of the room can be seen in grey. The target response is in yellow and the result of the automatic EQ bands is in green. I have been battling, using my ear and the low-mid-high adjustments on my Marantz 2230, to sort out that bump between 1kHz and 10kHz and the lackluster base. I was not able to come close to the response provided by the auto EQ (as one would expect).
I'm excited to see the results of the active crossovers. I'll keep you posted
Riki
Active Member
You found the rabbit hole
Just add a couple more amps and a pair of subs...
Very nice work on the cabs.
It's like you know me. I've already started hunting for a new matched pair of subs .....
Riki
Active Member
So, I put my social distancing to good use and got them bi-amped!!! I ended up sticking with the Marantz 2230 for the horns and using an Adcom GFA545-II for the woofers. Even with the difference in power between the two amps, I had to use the attenuators on the AS-101's to pull the horns down 6db while setting the speakers up with the automatic level assist on the Driverack PA2. The change in sound quality was palpable. My girlfriend notice it from the other side of the house.
After listening to some music, I pulled my home theater amp and speakers out. Everything run through the AS-101's now. They sound great with movies and TV. I'm really enjoying this small scale voice of the theater experience
.
I would like to get your thoughts on something. I have the whole system powered through a Panamax power conditioner. When I first set the system up (pre bi-amp) I was getting a fairly loud hum. I could hear the hum on the AS-101's and the powered sub. The sub is connected to the PA2 with a balanced XLR connection, all other connections are unbalanced. After re-checking my cables, I ended up connecting the ground lug on the back on the 2230 to the ground lug on the back of the power conditioner (the ground lug on the power conditioner is not connected to earth ground). This relieved the hum. I was left with some low level static that I could hear up close when the house was quiet.
After adding the Adcom to the system, I ended up with the same hum on the woofers it was driving. There is no grounding lug on the chassis of the Adcom. So, I jumped a wire from one of the chassis screws to the ground lug on the power conditioner. This stopped the hum. Does this make sense to you? Should the chassis' of my power conditioner and amplifiers be shorted together? I can hear the results, but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around why.
After listening to some music, I pulled my home theater amp and speakers out. Everything run through the AS-101's now. They sound great with movies and TV. I'm really enjoying this small scale voice of the theater experience
.I would like to get your thoughts on something. I have the whole system powered through a Panamax power conditioner. When I first set the system up (pre bi-amp) I was getting a fairly loud hum. I could hear the hum on the AS-101's and the powered sub. The sub is connected to the PA2 with a balanced XLR connection, all other connections are unbalanced. After re-checking my cables, I ended up connecting the ground lug on the back on the 2230 to the ground lug on the back of the power conditioner (the ground lug on the power conditioner is not connected to earth ground). This relieved the hum. I was left with some low level static that I could hear up close when the house was quiet.
After adding the Adcom to the system, I ended up with the same hum on the woofers it was driving. There is no grounding lug on the chassis of the Adcom. So, I jumped a wire from one of the chassis screws to the ground lug on the power conditioner. This stopped the hum. Does this make sense to you? Should the chassis' of my power conditioner and amplifiers be shorted together? I can hear the results, but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around why.