New Cain & Cain IM Ben Fostex/double horn - help


Just picked up the new Cain & Cain IM Ben's. Driving them with Wright Sound 3.5 monoblock amps and WPL20 preamp. I use a nice Metronome C20 DAC as my front end with Tara Air IC's. Still looking for the right speaker cable. Using a silver/copper hybrid now.

Problem. I love everything about these speakers, quite wonderful, but need help eliminating a boxy or "vibration resonance" that overhang's and smears notes when played moderately loud. This was not as issue at the CES show, but is in my room. 24 x14. Yes, I am trying stuffing the upper horn with Dakron and it helped a little. Have them 3.5 feet from the back wall and 3 - 3.5 feet from the side walls.

These speakers are on the verge of utter greatness and I wonder if any other Cain owners can help with this only issue. I think it can be tweeked to go away.

Thanks,

Bill
128x128grannyring
Here is an update. After reading yours post and talking to Terry at Cain & Cain this is what I have done.

1) Changed my seating position as well as speaker placement.
I am now 14 feet back from the speakers and the rear wall is 1 foot behind me with Echo Buster wall treatments on the wall. The speaker is 4.5 feet from the front wall and 3 feet from the side walls. 90% of the mid-bass/midrange colorations are gone - like magic. Combination of now being far back away from the speaker and pulling them into the room more did the trick.

2) Replaced big dollar silver/copper speaker cable with Paul Speltz anti-cable. This was the single best improvement folks. Opened up the sound and the boxy personality is gone.

3) replaced cheap PBJ IC with Tara Labs Air 1
4) replaced EH 6ns7 Wright amp tubes with RCA NOS's

I am nearing the sound of my dreams with a SET system. I have Fostex HP soud reflectors coming in today. They are made to be placed in the mouth of the upper and lower horns. Terry says this will eliminate the remaining mid-bass/midrange colorations and peaking. I am placing 2 of these 6 inch discs in each horn. I also have a Cardas Lightning digital cable coming to replace my silver/copper one. Terry says that copper is far better throughout my system with these speakers. So far everything he has said is right and thus I move on in faith!

I will let you know how these new tweaks turn out.

Thanks for all your help Agoners. I am learning that larger horn speakers can be difficult to set up. With patience they can sound so good.

My sound is big, warm, full of body and so beautiful. The music flow effortlessly and just engages the listener.I find the treble energy very good and really dont feel the need for a supertweeter. Speaker cable is very important to this aspect of the sound. The Paul Speltz anti=cable is a must for Fostex horns folks. They cost me $40 new! Ha! Beat the sound of $800 cables by a long mile.

Bill
Bill,
Have you also tried the gain switch on your preamp? I don't know if yours works the same as on the Wright preamp that we had. Switching the gain down on our Wright WLA12 preamp worked much better in our room. With the gain up, our horns sounded 'overblown'.

Glad to hear this is coming together for you.
Regards,
Howard
I'm also glad it is working out for you Bill. I love the Fostex sound. I'm a true convert from multi-driver speakers and planars to the fostex. Too me there's nothing like a crossoverless speaker..when it comes to naturalness and timing in the music. The neutrality of these speakers are great too. They allow you to hear even the smallest changes made in a system.

Sometime when your feeling adventurous..try severely towing your speakers in. Tow them in to where they cross infront of you, instead of behind you.You will be surprised at how good they sound like this. It tighten up my soundstage but the soundstage remained the same size..unlike multi driver speakers. It also made the speakers completely disappear.

I also discovered using copper through out the system had positive effects. I don't use expensive hybrid cabling anymore.It isn't necessary with speakers like these.

After all most of the time the speaker's internal cabling is stranded copper anyway.

Enjoy!
Boa2, Yes, I use the low gain setting also. The Fostex HP sound reflectors work great. I put two of them in each lower bass horn and 2 in the top horns also. No need for Dakron and these dont deaden the sound like Dakron.

I also am running an Origin Live Ultra Kit turntable with modified rega 250 arm and Grado reference cart now. Starting in on LP's! Liking the SET sound so much guys.

Horns have been tamed and they are also alive with sound!

Bill
That's fantastic, Bill.
Can't wait to hear those speakers with our Wright's someday.
Enjoy!
Howard