With all due respect WHAT THE HELL? Your reviewing a pair of speakers you admit aren't in proper working condition???? I don't remember anything in HPM-100 literature mentioning they came with Oval voice coils?
My most sincere apologies, but I can only listen to what I've got. If I had the chance to hear a pristine pair then I'd do that but I don't have that opportunity at the current time so I have to go with what I've got. Like I said, the rub was not audible with music. Yes, I have worked in a speaker manufacturing plant. Yes, I have sat in a soundproof booth at the end of the production line running sweep tests to detect FR anomolies like rubs and buzzes. No, this was not a major rub. Once again it was the best I could do with the materials at hand. If you want to send me a perfectly operational woofer to put in then I'll be happy to re-evaluate. I am not inclined to buy a new one at this time.
What condition are the cross overs?
Have you replaced any crossover parts
Operational but possibly out of spec. I haven't replaced anything. I thought maybe I'd listen before and after.
Have the L pads been cleaned?
Not cleaned but checked and they are smooth and continuous with no dropouts or scratchiness.
What kind of speaker wire are you using?
Generic 16ga bought from Recoton when they were selling out. The same wire I use for everything else.
How far a part were the speakers placed?
About 6' or so out to about 8' or so. I put them both inside and outside my main pair to try out both spacings.
How far off the floor and what type of stands if any are you using?
They are on the floor as they didn't come with stands. I had planned on putting them up 10-12" on the next listening test. Of course since my opinions are invalid I may skip the report on the next session.
What if any angles were used to "point the speakers"
Based on listening directly in front and off axis I decided to point them straight ahead so I was effectively off axis.
How far from the speakers is the listening position?
About 8 or 9'.
What is the size of the room?
About 12'x20'. One side is semi-open and the other has a french door and windows. The ceiling is open to a loft upstairs. It's the same room I listen to all my speakers in.
What is the construction and surface of the floor, walls, ceiling?
Carpet on the floor, standard drywall walls and ceiling which is vaulted. Construction is 2x6 on the outside wall and 2x4 on the interior.
Where are the speakers placed in relation to the walls of the room?
They are along the short wall on one end about 4' out from that wall.
Because all of the above is important and a factor in the sound you hear unless you are listening to the speakers as if they were huge headphones in which case they weren't designed to be listened to that way.
I was judging these in relation to my main speakers. They are in the same room with the same equipment, same speaker wire, same music, etc. The only thing that changed between the A and B were the speakers. My usual speakers somehow manage to sound pretty good (to me, of course) in this room with this equipment. I simply listened to the HPM's in the same place/same way. FWIW, I also have B&W DM2 MK2's and some Mirage M460's that sound pretty good in there. I have 4 sets of my speakers in there that sound pretty good. My personal favorites are the MTM TL's that I used as "B" in this test.
Once again, I'm glad that you like your speakers. I'm happy that you have eq'd your system to what is pleasing to you in your room. If I had a chance to hear it I would love to. However, I'm here in the middle of the continent with a pair of speakers that I picked up, fixed up within financial limits that I set, and listened to them just like I listen to all the other speakers around here. That's it. I may or may not redo the XO's. I haven't decided yet.
Ray
:thmbsp:
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