I found the link to the piece by John Potis that I mentioned:
http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/bluecircle_bc8.htm |
Mapman,
Very interesting, that Potis piece. Thanks. Makes me think that even the 100's will shine further with more robust amplification, although, as I've said, they seem to sing nicely with the 80 watt Unico. |
Here's something interesting for you guys: I sent the following email to Jim Smith, the author of the book (which I recently bought and highly recommend) called Getting Better Sound. I asked: I have a question for you.
My heart kind of sank when I read the section of your book dealing with "wide dispersion speakers." I have a pair of Ohm Walsh 100 S3's. As I'm sure you know, the Ohms have a modified "Walsh" driver with the inverted cone, damped in the back to reduce rear-wall reflections, and supplelemted with a supertweeter mounted so as to fire at a 45 degree angle into the center of the room. They really disappear into a very expansive soundstage.
Given this design and your comments on wide dispersion, I'm wondering how much of your speaker set up advice still applies.
Thanks in advance! Here's his reply: Re the Ohms, German Physiks, MBLs, etc, they all can produce a very involving sound, in part because of their uncanny soundstaging, not in spite of it.
Speakers of that class are the only ones that I know of that go beyond tone and dynamics to deliver a compelling involvement from the soundstaging. Aside from the speakers I listed, IMO, the last loudspeakers to deliver to truly deliver that experience were the Beveridges in the 70s and early 80s.
Except for some placement issues (such as separation), virtually everything else in the manual is applicable. I do think it takes some canny voicing to get the best of these, but it can be worth it.
Although their phantom imaging off-axis is more interesting, they still have the least colored response precisely in the middle seat. Even they can't repeal those laws of physics. :)
Best,
Jim Smith Food for thought, no? |
I think the 80 watts are fine for the 100s.
The 300s and 5s are the real beasts to drive where the high power, very high current amps can add a lot of value, I think.
When I bought the 120w/ch Musical Fidelity amp I'm using now, I did it not certain that it would have the guts to drive the 5's well at the time. My plan was to resell it and move up right away if not satisfied. But the A3CR has been an overachiever since its arrival and I am hard pressed to hear a reason to replace it.
Still, if I had money to burn, I think I do covet those Blue Circle amps based on John's superlative reaction to them. I think a 250 or even 500 w/ch Class D might do equally as well perhaps also, but those BLue CIrcle big boys would sure be sweet..... |
I myself am hoping that they do well with my Parasound HCA-2205. I know a lot of people here debate SS vs tube and all that, but for my money current is king when driving any speaker, let alone one with a sensitivity below 90 db.
Class D might best what I have, but I have no desire to change my amp. It's the only part of my system that I think is a 'for life' product. At 60 amps of current and 220 watts per channel, I see no reason to change it. Unless a Theta Dreadnaught were to fall in my lap, that is...
Oh- and before I get the fan-boy groans, I assure you all that I really am not one. I took the username out of enthusiasm and before I began lurking on forums. I had no idea how dumb it was until I read a few links :( |
