BoudoirPod - $1,500 max

[rom661]

If you can pull this off as a bedroom component, you are a god in my eyes.

 

Rick

 

Oh, by the way Innertuber, the best advice I can give anyone, no matter our subjective prejudices or preferences, is to be damn sure you listen to it before you buy. Speakers are so subjective and so different. Check out the low leve flame war between markr and myself before we became buds. We were both completely sincere in our feelings but our preferences were like night and day.

 

[tfarney]

That "listen before you buy" advice is so sound, but so impractical in today's world, where hifi is disappearing from retail at an incredibly rapid pace. I know here in my town I can go to one shop to hear B&Ws, another to hear Paradigms...everything else is midfi and HT.

 

I'll be really interested in your impressions of the Tektons. Like I said, I almost pulled the trigger on a pair last year myself. Is that a powered sub? If not, how do you intend to power it if you're going with a low power source for the 4.5s?

 

Tim

 

[Innertuber]

Rick, I agree 100%, but in this instance I'm partially solving another issue, my lack of garage time. One day at Home Depot I was looking for some plywood. I forget why. I found a stack of cabinet grade plywood for about 25 bucks a sheet. I even asked them if the price was correct. 3/4 inch. The guy said, well, sometimes even we don't even understand the price (last week the same stuff was almost 60 bucks). So, I have a stack of about 10 sheets in my garage. It was a hoot, with people lining up behind me begging me to leave some sheets (I left about 10). I had planned to build some Fostex full range cabinets just to try them out compared to the KHorns and all the other stuff I've accumulated. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like the 4.5s alone since we can play brutally loud at times, so I grabbed a sub to help a wee bit. It's not a system that blows out windows, but it's just a bedroom and the fullrange concept has always intriged me.

 

Sadly, I don't have time to build the dang things and every time I hint to my wife I need to grab a big table saw, I get a funny look. This is sort of the quick track way to solve that curiousity and meet the wife's wants for better music in the boudior. It's also a flooring, paint, furniture thing.

 

I view it as paying a craftsman, that has a respected design to create a customized ... idea for the wife. I think it "should" sound great, but your advice is dead on. I think what I "listen" for has changed a lot. There was a point where I'd plug a bass into a Marshall lead head and liked that sound. Or a guitar into a Big Muff. These days, I've switched to clean, articulate reproduction. Still loud I confess, if the sound is good. Loud gets on my nerves quickly if it's ... crummy (not sure that's really an audiophile type term, but I try to be simple). FM radio in a small car comes to mind.

 

I have some DCM Timewindows from 1974, in good condition and I listen to them and go, uhhhh, where is it? As you say, many people really like those and I scratch my head. Point being, I agree about the subjectiveness, I've preferred $300 speakers over $3,000 ones at different points in my life. This project is just a fun jaunt and is really more about WAF and decorating (I hate to admit that)! There, I said it! (head hung low).

 

I remember the talk with Mark and yes, I still have a big pile of plywood in the garage.

 

 

 

[Innertuber]

On sale 700 bucks

 

http://www.amazon.com/iTube-Valve-Dock-Carbon-Edition/dp/B000TKDWI8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1206626968&sr=8-3

 

[rom661]

Getting a little off topic here but the DCM's being sort of a one trick pony reminded me. Many years ago Velodyne decided to make a full range speaker that was very unique. It used some very exotic metal mid/bass drivers that were beautifully built (I still have one) and they announced it would be the greatest and lowest distortion speaker ever produced. Every step of the way in the design process they opted for the path that would lead to lower distortion. I'm sure you see where this is going. I had the unfortunate opportunity to hear them. Great loudspeaker design includes the ability to juggle a large number of compromises and come up with a musical, balanced speaker. If you ignore virtually all paramaters but one it is much easier.

 

John Atkinson reviewed them in Stereophile. He confirmed that they were, in fact, the lowest distortion speakers he had ever measured. He also rather solemnly confirmed that they were the worst sounding product from a "real" company that he had ever heard.

 

Have fun with it, IT

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hey George - I can't remember if I saw that one or not. They have a few models that look dang close to each other. Thanks for the link.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hey Rick - I always keep that in the back of my mind. I remember when some of the Halcro stuff was getting a lot of press because of the great numbers it produces (or didn't produce to be more accurate). Everyone was talking about specs and very few people were talking about sound. Granted some of the Halcro stuff does sound good to many people, it is just another example of people getting caught up with specs.

 

[Innertuber]

Well, I don't think they have Cary running scared yet, but here's a shortlist of amps. So far, I'm leaning toward the Kingrex or Glow. I hear a Glow Two may be soon forth. Plus, for proabably some non-sensical reason my gut likes 120v.

 

MC4 13 watt

Fatman iPod dock 25 watt

Trends ~15 watt

Kingrex USB w/DAC 12 watt

Glow USB w/DAC 5 watt

 

These bank busters range from about $150 to $750 and all have a lot of folks saying good things and at least one who hates them! Quite a few guys modding these too. You probably new that.

 

Anyone have real experience with these or a better alternative idea?

 

On to speaker stands ...

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

One thing that I've heard a few times is that some of the tube iPod docks have been using the tubs for appearance only. Everything is really solid state. Not sure if this is the case with any of these or if the rumor can be substantiated, but it's just a thought.

 

I usually discount the high and low scores similar to a sporting event. Thus, the few people who recommend them over anything else and the one who can't stand the unit don't count in my book.

 

[Lucho]

Regarding the speakers for the iPod setup...have you considered Paradigm speakers?

A few months back, I was looking for bookshelf speakers and I had the chance of listening to many different brands and models at my local music store (B&W, Epos, Klipsch, etc). The Paradigms were my favorite by far. The monitor series, like the Atoms and the Mini Monitors, would be excelent speakers for your setup. Very efficient, nicely built, and their sound is amazing. Plus, they're relatively cheap. The rosenut fishish looks great.

You can find a Paradigm dealear near you at the Paradigm webiste.

www.paradigm.com

The Atoms sell for $299 (pair) and the Mini Monitors for about $420 (pair)

I hope I helped a little.

Cheers

Lucho

 

 

[rom661]

Hey Chris

 

Yeah, I never got the Halcro thing at all. One year at CES someone told me I HAD to hear the Halcro setup in SACD multichannel with all Wilson speakers. I love Wilson speakers but to me this was this antithesis of what I want in a music system. It did nothing obviously wrong and yet, to me, totally failed to do the fundamentals of music right. I walked across the hall to the Audio Research room and fell in love again - and we weren't a dealer at that time..

 

[poop]

I have used the Kingrex USB (with PSU unit) for a few months now which are driving Quad 12Ls from a Macbook Pro. Much like many of the reviews you have probably read on the product, I didn't know what to expect, and really didn't expect too much...

 

But It is amazing!

 

The DAC within the unit is stunningly good, and it is fantastic to have direct USB connectivity. You can also bi-amp units (Three Moons had a great review showing this in action). I'm not really sure what I can say to convince you to at least try it out. I was originally unsure of purchasing one, but found an Australian reseller who offered 30 days no Q's asked return, so decided I had nothing to loose. Very glad I did, because my other options were quite a bit more expensive (and I have learnt since that in some cases they didn't sound as good!)

 

The only think I can think of that may sway you away from a Kingrex is the lack of remote, which in a bedroom situation might be desireable, but if you're using a Mac you could use the little white remote that is included to adjust iTunes' volume I guess.

 

Best of luck with the setup!

 

 

[Innertuber]

Thanks Poo, that's a good endorsement - appreciate that.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Some Pictures Have Just Arrived!

 

 

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[Innertuber]

Well those are my new Tektons above sitting in Eric's driveway as he finished them. It's a color I nabbed from the PRS guitar finishes he matched over maple I think it was. I have two giant boxes now in my living room to open as of last night. 300w Bash Amp in the sub. Right at $1,000 for all. Fostex 4.5 full range drivers.

 

I also scooped up one of these (10 watt Class A push pull) - http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/sophia_baby_e.html for $325 delivered. I'm on budget! Got a lil left for a DAC or Tuner maybe. Thinking about that Music Hall Radio RDR1 but not real clear on the outputs. Ideas for a tuner?

 

So, I underspent on the amp and overspent on the speakers basis what I thought would happen. Still prolly need stands.

 

 

 

Do you think I will need a preamp for that thing or I hoping I can go straight from the iPod.

 

[Coytee]

Although I'm prone to say put some Jubilees in there (insert sarcastic face sticking tongue out)...

 

How about their simple "RoomGroove"? Save the extra $$ for doing something different/bigger in your main room.

 

That said... I've got a pair of Industrial Heresy's you can buy for $300 if ya want (true story)

 

[Innertuber]

I looked into Jubs before the KHorns, but the KHorns were about 1/3 cost. I've only heard Mark's DIY Jube. I need more air moving than all those iPod docks typically move, tho the Fatman stuff is really neat. I'll mention those Heresy's to some tire kickers I know. Bet they would do great in my garage!