Hey Dekay,
The Carolina stuff looks intrugueing. Just hopped on their website per your suggestion and found the JTM with Jordan drivers. These look like exact replicas of the 47 Lab designed and European hand made Konus Essence speakers that list for $3500. The JTM are list at $1500 but has a "March Sale" listed on their website. I will email them.
The VMPS and Reynaud speakers are not pretty. I like odd looking speakers. A fashion statement?
Thanks,
Ed |
Hey Dekay,
Your response seems almost God send to me. I've talked to Ronnie on the phone and asked him like a billion questions. He's got a bit of that Southern/Ahmish accent and seems like a very nice guy.
Yes, I've asked him if I can send him cables to use internally. He said he needs 32" per speaker. So, I am thinking about sending him 10' per speaker and have the drivers connected directly to the Gaincard via Bogdan speaker cables. But, he told me he uses some type of magnet cables that are really similar to the Gaincard's OTA. It is some 24 gauge magnet cable if I remember correctly. So, I might ask him to run a length long enough to connect straight to the amp with those cables instead.
I also am thinking of taking the speaker to some autobody shop to get it painted there. Ron also offered to send me the speakers with 200 discount sans any finish. And, I can get some guy to do the finishing. But, his handy work looks quite good. I like the Shaker/Ahmish/Provincial finish on his speakers.
The Gallo, I think, look like how speakers would look like to me if I was on LSD "HEY the speakers are starring at me!!" I don't need eye balls in my living room. Although I did read they sound fanstastic.
Anyhow, I am 90% settled on getting the Carolinas. I don't get the introductory price *dammit* but he does have a sale running through march for $1200. But, actually, the more I look at them the less attractive they look... but I do like the finish on this particular Konus
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1202/konusessence.htm
Also, I grew up worshipping BnW Matrix speakers and did not know of Reynaulds until the last few years. So, to me, they look like mutated 805 speakers. Hey, that's how phenomenology works haha.
Thanks again DK!
Ed |
Hey Chellingworth,
I read on 6moon that Ted Jordan and Sead Lejilic co-designed the Konus. And, Ronnie told me he took the plans for the JTM speaker off of Ted Jordan's website. Yet, the production Konus is radically different than the plans on Jordan's website? I guess it's too good to be true that Jorday would put the production plans for the Konus as public domain property...
But, Ronnie did say he didn't follow the plans to a "T". He tapers the transmission line, buffered some stuff, and the bottom horn section is different.
I will look into the Kestrels, but I like the idea of having a "Konus" although its sorta like having a fake Rolex haha. My roommate actually told me to get the thin model instead of the Konus-esque flat model. But, I told her if I am going to get a fake Rolex, might as well get one that looks like the real thing.
There are some Carolina owners in Audioasylum. Ron sold a total of about 60 speakers...
OH, I've had my eye on Symposium Svelte shelves for a long time, but I am using a "Target" made cheap copy version: two chopping boards sandwiched together with rubber nubs in between. It is very solid and improves the clarity of the sound with my transport and Gaincard sitting on them.
I am also getting a Parasound CDP-2000, which uses the CEC belt-drive transport that is also used in 47 Labs transports. I think my system can be described as superPOORman's 47 Lab wannabe system if I get the Carolinas. Only the Gaincard is genuine. |
Hey Chellingworth,
You are right. I am not giving the Carolina's justice by calling it the poorman's Konus. I meant it in a tongue and cheek way. Like you said, they do use the same drivers. I am not sure if the Konus is really different from the design on Ted Jordan's website since Sead co-designed it, and Sead is the maker/exporter of Konus speakers in Bosnia. So, if anything, the Carolinas are an improvement over the Konus if you believe Ronnie is capable of improving on the Konus. And, I do believe he is.
Yah, the Konus are hand built using "Bosnian pine wood" and finished with a rather stylish 6-layer lacquer. The Carolinas use MDF with black satin paint. So, there are some of your cost differences there too. None of which I believe would have an effect on the sound.
You can also order the Carolinas without any finish and do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. I am contemplating on the latter since I like the Konus look on this thread. But, most my friends like the black better. Art students don't like the wood look I guess.
Oh, and please update us on your experience with the Konus after you hear them.
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1202/konusessence.htm |
Well, I just placed an order for the JTM speakers. Now I just have to wait 3 weeks for it to be built and shipped to me. I ordered it with extra long speaker cables directly connected to the driver, so there will be no connection issues to deal with.
Also, I ordered the black finish. Carolina speakers only comes in black, white or no finish. And, since Carolina speakers are made with MDF, staining the speakers to look similar to Konus like the one in the enjoythemusic.com link would be difficult.
Dekay, I did come across the Reynauds Twin, and they are actually very good looking. I got the Twin mixed up with the other Reynaud speaker with the top mounted tweeter. |
Dekay,
I think we need to start a new thread. Speakers and Psychodynamics.
Perhaps I have insecurities unknown to me and want to be away from prying eyes thus I saw eyeballs.
You saw nipples because... lets not go there haha.
I will let you know how the pseudo-konus sounds and away with this pseudo psychoanalysis.
But seriously, what do you think of the magnet cables that Ronnie uses in his speakers. I think it is a CAT 5? Or, rather, should I send him my own cables? The Bogdans I am using are inexpensive and are the best speaker cables I've used so far. |
Dekay,
I think he is using 3 cables and braided. I am not certain. When he first spoke of the CAT cable, I was like HUH? So what he said about the cable after that went over my head. At first, I thought he meant the CAT that makes those preamps.
But I think I will send him 10ft pair of Bogdan to install.
Also, I understand you use OTA cables? Tell me, how do you use their speakercables? Single run each for hot and ground and bare-wire? So, if I want a 10ft pair, I will need 40 ft of OTA? Or, do you use braided multi-conductor thus needing more than 40ft for a 10 ft cable pair ?
Also, I just perused the OTA thread, there seems to be a degredation in sound quality when the OTA cable length is over 2M? |
Well, I took a RJ-45 and a USB cable apart this morning. I only have one of each in the house. So, the RJ-45 is on the left speakers, and the USB is on the right. I am using only single 24 gauge conductors to each hot and ground posts on the amp and speakers. So far, the mids sound very very real. The highs and lows are not quite as present. Then again, I am only using SuperOnes at the moment.
I did use all 8 conductors in the RJ-45 cable on the left speaker, but it made the speaker play louder than the right speaker that is using the USB. The USB only has 2 conductors (and two very tiny ones that I didn't even bother stripping), so I am forced to use one conductor on each binding post.
I also found using a single conductor has a much more real portrayal in the midrange than when using all the RJ-45's conductors.
I also found this website very helpful.
http://www.duxcw.com/faq/network/audio.htm |
