Open Hardware DSP Platform
  • Home
  • Overview
  • Getting Started
  • The Hardware
  • Projects
  • Contact
  • Licensing
  • Blog

Even more Ohhh, and Uhhh, and everything else....

9/28/2020

1 Comment

 
 I don't normally "blow my own trumpet"..... But this is the most incredible, loudest, and just everything under the sun awesome thing every I have heard.

I have been in the SRE listening room at B&W when they were based at Steyning, listening to some of the most incredible speakers on the planet, in the room they were designed and tuned in. And I have every respect under the sun for the incredible sounding products they produced.

However, me, a single person (not quite so amazing in lockdown), spent many years building some modified ZDT 3.5 speakers (or that should be "ZDT 3.5" speakers). They are close but the cabinets are different.

I have built both the original passive crossovers (tuned by my own tone deaf ears), and also my custom designed and built 192Khz/24bit digital crossovers. These speakers are awesome with the passive crossovers.

But I DARE anyone to try connecting them, through custom crossover hardware, through 8 channels of decent amplifiers you can find (original or fully refurbished commercial amps like my ones), and then compare to the 2 channel passive setup.

I am no true audiophile. I could not care less if you use the cheapest aluminum electrolytic capacitors everywhere, or use polyester capacitors instead. I will not hear the difference (and if you can, "hear a difference", maybe you should just go outside for a while and get some fresh air...).

But the difference between a passive 2 channel active setup, and switching to fully active 8 channel amplification, there is no contest.

8 channels of amplification, dedicated to the required frequency range of each driver, you will NOT match this with a passive setup.

I have a pair of Bowers & Wilkins CM10s here, in fact, whilst they have the "wrong" bass drivers (the spiders on the bass drivers are tighter than the actual commercial versions), they are an amazing pair of speakers, But the fact I can put a pair of homebuilt 3.5 way speakers. with 8 channels of commercial amplification, and they sound as good, or better in many cases, just shows what you can do for the the same price if you put a little effort in yourself.
1 Comment
Jochen
4/18/2025 06:23:51 pm

Hey Paul,
I just read what you wrote about 8 channels of amplification. You are sooo right!!!
I'm just a beginner, but my 1st try had to be active. I made a 2.1 system with 2.5-way floorstanders + a subwoofer. Alltogether it's 9 amps. Crossovers/dsp is done by rePhase/EQApo/Peace, only source is my PC with a Xonar D2X soundcard and about 380gb FLAC-Files.
The speakers sound great (never expected this hearing satisfaction), but, for sure, the whole system will always be "under construction".
Best regards
Jochen

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Paul Janicki

    An electronics engineer and a long term electronics hobbyist. I like tinkering with stuff and making things. 

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Overview
  • Getting Started
  • The Hardware
  • Projects
  • Contact
  • Licensing
  • Blog