Mods for Avantgarde speakers

sdrsdrsdr, digital filters may sound better than the analog ones they are replacing, depending on the quality of the analog parts. I was shocked when I replaced the Mundorf silver/gold a few years back with the v-caps. Could not imagine how much music get lost in those mundorfs. With the mundorfs a digital filter might be the lesser evil.

The point I wanted to make is that digital xo is also not perfect. I once tried to put a 4th order high pass filters on my main channel. the duos fall off below 300 hz so with that filter I did not change the response at all. once I engaged that filter everything sounded a bit hard. I immediately removed it.

There are different ways to time align the avantgardes. one is to use a box with digital filters, several dacs and amps and the other is to built separate stands for the horns. Would like to hear from you about your experiences with the stands and about chadeffect's experiences with the digital xo route using several dacs and amps.

I any case both of your trios will sound a lot better. A good tool for time alignment is is to download audacity software, play 1 hz square waves and measure the step response with a high quality mic

Duomike,
It sounds like you've done your homework. I think Chadeffect needs to hear it for himself. Maybe be will come accross something that works the way that is good for him. I also heard the Tact many years ago. I thought it was amazing for about 10 minutes. I have come to learn for me that less digital anything is always better. I have enjoyed a digital source very much, but always wished it sounded more like my TT. I am still open to any insight to what digital offers to be beneficial. From my experience digitals benefits from cheaper costs of storage and playback equipment, and convenience. I assume digital x-overs to be the same, from hearing your opinion about this.

The tweeter stand and v-cap? I haven't had time yet. I will let you know. Thanks for the tips.

Jim, what is the recommended distance to move the tweeter back - 20cm? Seems like it could be easily accomplished by drilling 3 new mounting holes in the tweeter tube housing, then filling the old ones with rubber grommets.

I understand this might cause an issue with reflections off the rear of the mid horn, but if there's a clear net gain in coherence...also, my horns are all in the highest mounting holes, so perhaps tweeter housing could be vertically dropped one position to increase vertical distance to mid horn housing, thereby minimizing such reflections.

PS - thanks for all of your continuing helpful tips to the faithful!

Hi guys,

I still haven't managed to go pick up the box of tricks yet. I got bogged down in Xmas/work/family commitments.

I just wanted to add that the RP1 room correction which is a later & reworked version of the Tact worked well in my old set up.

At the time I was running planars & large power amps in a complex system with up samplers, clock,DACs & all that nonsense. The room correction did fix a few details I would not have noticed otherwise. It had to go due to low sample rate capabilities. I tried the integrated amp/room correction which was a sterile sounding affair, but not bad for the money.

Maybe today with Trios & SET digititus may well set in with the RP1 & render it insulting to listen to. Its only a matter of time before that kit sounds natural I am sure. Digital gear does keep getting better.

Duomike, just for the record I am trying the magic box to get an idea of the alined sound. If its great then fine. If its great but I lose naturalness due to the magic box, then I take a drill to the trio frame & deal with the measurements.

I replaced the mundorfs in the Trio with duelunds. Any idea of the differences between duelund & Vcap sonics? I must admit the duelund is very organic with a solid presentation. Not fizzy like the mundorf. Fizzy may be the wrong word Hyped is probably better.

Triode, my name is not Jim but would like to comment anyway. Don't drill any new mounting holes into the tweeter housing. Believe you are using Duos. If that's the case you can do as my friend did: hang the tweeter with some belts underneath the midrange horns. This also helps isolating the tweeter from the vibration of the other drivers. push the tweeter 20 cm back as a starting point. Move them forward/backward in small increments like 0,5 cm. You will know once you hit the right spot!