Modded Mach 1 Project Completed (MACH 4 RHINO's)

[RS Steve]

Wow just love the look of them and grille kit look super i try on the scratch build nova i starting to build .Thank

Thanks! Good luck on your project, should be fun. :thmbsp:

 

[RS Steve]

Badda bing, badda boom! Nice! Now all you have to do is work on mirror imaging those decals you have! Too bad VL hasn't been around, I think VL would have like those.

Yeah, I might take one of the regular decals and see if I can get it printed as a mirror image at a print shop.

VL? VL who?

 

[Copa1934]

Yeah, I might take one of the regular decals and see if I can get it printed as a mirror image at a print shop.

VL? VL who?

MIA. Too bad eh?

 

[RS Steve]

All this Mach 1 talk got me to hook these beasts back up and enjoy them for awhile. These hooked up to my big Pioneer sx-1980 will punish the senses.

 

[RS Steve]

Full tilt crossovers

The one area I could of done better on my Mach 4's is the crossovers, so I decided to build my own and lay them out nice instead of the stock type with just upgraded caps. Here are pictures of what I'm starting with, this should leave nothing to chance, all new components. Soldering fun! :thmbsp:

 

[RS Steve]

I'm excited to get these new crossovers installed! It should help insure these speakers are as good as can be. I will feel much more confident in knowing they have all new crossover components. :thmbsp: I salvaged some Klipsch crossover parts to finish them off with.

I took before and after pictures, looks like a no brainer. :yes:

 

[RickeyM]

Have you been able to detect any iimprovement in SQ? I'm thinking of doing something similar when I make the bigger cabs from my Mach Two's. I'd be going with heavier guage inductors and upgraded caps on the mids ad tweeters.
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[Copa1934]

Have you been able todetect any iimprovement in SQ? I'm thinking of doing something similar when I make the bigger cabs from my Mach Two's. I'd be going with heavier guage inductors and upgraded caps on the mids ad tweeters.
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.

First, nice work RS. Rickey, VL (Im pretty sure) covered some of the aspects of changing the gauge of wire. I seem to recall something about the network characteristics changing due to less resistance of the wire, or something like that. So you may want to limit just how much heavier you go.

This bloody post is so huge now, largest of it's kind (dedicated to one model of speaker) at the moment. Amazing eh?

 

[RS Steve]

First, nice work RS. Rickey, VL (Im pretty sure) covered some of the aspects of changing the gauge of wire. I seem to recall something about the network characteristics changing due to less resistance of the wire, or something like that. So you may want to limit just how much heavier you go.

This bloody post is so huge now, largest of it's kind (dedicated to one model of speaker) at the moment. Amazing eh?

I have had one crossover installed to compare to what I had before, and to my ears it sounds even cleaner than before. Now I will finish the second and give them time to break in.

The Mach 1 is a fun project, it has been my learning tool for sure. I just wish VL was still involved to enjoy all the progress. They are great speakers to jump into and do the mods, not too much $ invested either. :thmbsp:

 

[RickeyM]

First, nice work RS. Rickey, VL (Im pretty sure) covered some of the aspects of changing the gauge of wire. I seem to recall something about the network characteristics changing due to less resistance of the wire, or something like that. So you may want to limit just how much heavier you go.

I have had one crossover installed to compare to what I had before, and to my ears it sounds even cleaner than before. Now I will finish the second and give them time to break in.

What gauge inductors do you have there? I read where member SET12 used some huge North Creek inductors to upgrade his Fortes with great results but it got really expensive. I don't see fractions of an ohm changing the crossover value all that much but what do I know.

 

[RS Steve]

What gauge inductors do you have there? I read where member SET12 used some huge North Creek inductors to upgrade his Fortes with great results but it got really expensive. I don't see fractions of an ohm changing the crossover value all that much but what do I know.

I chose to go with 18 gauge for the two largest coils and 20 gauge for the small. I used Dayton 1% caps and resisters. I notice the sound seems very clean on the highs compared to before.

 

[RickeyM]

Wow!

I chose to go with 18 gauge for the two largest coils and 20 gauge for the small. I used Dayton 1% caps and resisters. I notice the sound seems very clean on the highs compared to before.

That's good to know cause one of those North Creek 10ga inductors for the Mach's woofers would cost about $226.

 

[RS Steve]

After getting the crossovers both installed, I carried these monsters into the living room, and hooked them up to my Sansui G-7700. I have been letting them play for most of the day, so far I'd say all is good. :thmbsp: I will spin some vinyl this evening to see how they do with a turntable.

 

[Copa1934]

After getting the crossovers both installed, I carried these monsters into the living room, and hooked them up to my Sansui G-7700. I have been letting them play for most of the day, so far I'd say all is good. :thmbsp: I will spin some vinyl this evening to see how they do with a turntable.

They just say "macho" in spades. Too cool.

 

[RS Steve]

They just say "macho" in spades. Too cool.

After letting them play for most of the day and evening, I can say the crossovers helped. I had 5% Daytons added to the stock crossovers that were the VL version before. Now I used 1% Daytons along with the new coils, and resisters. I have to run the mids turned almost all the way down on the L-pads to get the best balance, and the tweeters about half way. I can honestly say they sound as good as any speaker I have had in my living room. The crossover change seems to have cleaned up the highs and mids, and the bass is just so deep, yet very punchy. I'd say there isn't anything else I can do to improve these unless I change drivers, they are sounding great.

 

[Copa1934]

After letting them play for most of the day and evening, I can say the crossovers helped. I had 5% Daytons added to the stock crossovers that were the VL version before. Now I used 1% Daytons along with the new coils, and resisters. I have to run the mids turned almost all the way down on the L-pads to get the best balance, and the tweeters about half way. I can honestly say they sound as good as any speaker I have had in my living room. The crossover change seems to have cleaned up the highs and mids, and the bass is just so deep, yet very punchy. I'd say there isn't anything else I can do to improve these unless I change drivers, they are sounding great.

Cool. I'll have to bookmark your mods. I have plans to build entirely new cabinets. Mine are pretty beat up, which I covered in detail in another post, and aren't worthy of "clean up" of any kind. So starting from scratch would be the best bet.

Curious, what about reversing the mid? Too much? I think VL also eluded to using a higher value resistor in the network to take the mid somewhat. Something I'll have to dig for.

 

[RS Steve]

Cool. I'll have to bookmark your mods. I have plans to build entirely new cabinets. Mine are pretty beat up, which I covered in detail in another post, and aren't worthy of "clean up" of any kind. So starting from scratch would be the best bet.

Curious, what about reversing the mid? Too much? I think VL also eluded to using a higher value resistor in the network to take the mid somewhat. Something I'll have to dig for.

Building the bigger cabinet, and raising the woofer made the bass as good as just about any speaker I have owned. I'd say maybe my ADS L1590's and the JBL 4340's are the only speakers that I have that the bass is as good or slightly better.
Being able to get that darn mid to smooth out and not be so in your face was the biggest challenge. What's neat about these speakers now, is that they are very decent at low listening levels, that plastic mid horn just never sounded good to me before.
These Mach 4's now are suited for party time. Put them outside, or in a big hall and let them rip. They can be a PA type speaker with a little audiophile quality sound built in. That was my purpose for building them, they will be my big macho party speakers and I'll enjoy putting them to good use.

It was a great project, I have enjoyed all the members that were a part of getting this far. I hope others will see this and want to do the same, it sure made me smarter, and less afraid to work on or repair speakers.

My only wish is to have them set up at an event so they can be listened to by anyone interested in lending an ear. :yes:

 

[Copa1934]

Building the bigger cabinet, and raising the woofer made the bass as good as just about any speaker I have owned. I'd say maybe my ADS L1590's and the JBL 4340's are the only speakers that I have that the bass is as good or slightly better.
Being able to get that darn mid to smooth out and not be so in your face was the biggest challenge. What's neat about these speakers now, is that they are very decent at low listening levels, that plastic mid horn just never sounded good to me before.
These Mach 4's now are suited for party time. Put them outside, or in a big hall and let them rip. They can be a PA type speaker with a little audiophile quality sound built in. That was my purpose for building them, they will be my big macho party speakers and I'll enjoy putting them to good use.

It was a great project, I have enjoyed all the members that were a part of getting this far. I hope others will see this and want to do the same, it sure made me smarter, and less afraid to work on or repair speakers.

My only wish is to have them set up at an event so they can be listened to by anyone interested in lending an ear. :yes:

Damn those look sweeeeet! What about AKfest? Might want to check into that. What better place to let'er'rip!

 

[RS Steve]

Damn those look sweeeeet! What about AKfest? Might want to check into that. What better place to let'er'rip!

It would be nice if the AKfest was held closer, I would consider that.

I have a chance to hook these Mach 4's up to a nice Fisher tube amp I purchased, looking forward to hearing that combination. So far I have to say that the custom made crossovers were the finishing touch, and helped them sound even more balanced and clean. The mid has lost any graininess that it had before. I do have to turn the mids down farther, but overall the highs are very good. I have switched amps a few times and found that they sound very different on each brand, so far the Marantz 2270 sounds the best.

Since my beautiful Pioneer SX-1980 found a new home, I replaced it with an amp that should keep up. It's a Soundcraftsman MA5002, just need to find a worthy preamp to pair it with and I'll see how the Mach's do behind it.

 

[Copa1934]

It would be nice if the AKfest was held closer, I would consider that.

I have a chance to hook these Mach 4's up to a nice Fisher tube amp I purchased, looking forward to hearing that combination. So far I have to say that the custom made crossovers were the finishing touch, and helped them sound even more balanced and clean. The mid has lost any graininess that it had before. I do have to turn the mids down farther, but overall the highs are very good. I have switched amps a few times and found that they sound very different on each brand, so far the Marantz 2270 sounds the best.

Since my beautiful Pioneer SX-1980 found a new home, I replaced it with an amp that should keep up. It's a Soundcraftsman MA5002, just need to find a worthy preamp to pair it with and I'll see how the Mach's do behind it.

Love those BIG meter amps!