paul, for the vsm speaker and the bam, tube line output stages do a better job of this function especially if it is a great one. ss can buffer it too but it will sound more damped. think of the sound between great tubes and the best ss.
ok?
b |
clabe, the vsf capacitors are used in the master rc networks and the master bam. i am also working with the caps internally in the tsm and vsm but have not had enough time with them to decide.
best regards, b |
mingles, i think sns just put them in the bam. i remember that he really loved what they did for the sound. i use them there too and in the rc networks.
i am working with them in the speakers also. no final opinion as yet.
thank you.
best regards, b@merlin |
j,
these duelund caps are made specially for merlin with the capacitance/voltage that i require. they also use a proprietary dielectric so they are not stock vsf caps but look like them.
the master bam also uses a new switching power supply that is 50 times quieter than the one used previously.
best,
bobby at merlin |
face, jim did a good job of explaing what an sbam\mbam is but the low freq filter needs more discussion. it is a 12 db filter at 28 hz that rids the woofer of out of band response below the woofer's low freq resonance. this keeps the woofer coil in the middle of the magnet "in linear drive" reducing the huge impedance swings that can bog down an amp. it also reduces 2nd and 3rd order harmonic distortion which is the booming we usually hear in the bass. impedance can jump up to 140 ohms on long excursions which will just bog down your amp. and by the way, this happens in all woofers unless they are filtered or have a mechanical brake built in. and when a woofer plays this out of band energy (in this case below 28 hz) there is audible im distortion induced within the usable bandwidth above.
so with the bam in place, you can play the speaker much louder, with less distortion in and out of the usable bandwidth and have the benefit of the bass augmentation so the speaker is flat into the low 30 hz range.
best,
bobby at merlin |
jim, imo, the new and quieter supply takes a hint of false brightness out of the music so it becomes less complicated sounding. it is in reality 50 times quieter than the old one. it allows complex material to sound more resolved while coming from a blacker back ground. it is interesting that the ac ops and dc ops are again closer in absolute sound quality. do you think cells have a memory?
do you think having them charged by a quieter ac supply could affect how they sound?
i cannot say for sure but i have a feeling that this is one of the things that you heard in the master bam.
:-)
best, b |
sns, what is your system comprised of?
pre, power, source and cables? bi-wire or single run?
thanks,
b |
sns, is your cardas speaker cable an internal bi-wire or shotgun? are you using my jumpers?
vsm millenniums were a little bright so we changed the q circuit in the hf, the solder, cryoed the main networks, cryoed the rcs and changed the wiring harnesses. even the woofers cones have more latex damping material on them.
the super bam changed things a whole lot for the better as well. cryoed hovlands are a world apart from the non cryoed versions in the m. the speakers are anything but bright in current production.
good luck!
bobby at merlin |
thank you very much scott,
the .01 caps i use in the rc network are made specially for me by duelund. the value, voltage and dielectric are proprietary.
this is another really big step forward for you imho.
this location seems to be very critical also.
best regards,
bobby at merlin |
g, i wrote the break in sheet that accompanies the master products before we had to change how the mbam's were made.
the original proto-type had the caps wired directly to the input jacks to minimize solder connections and pc board issues. but after having my prototype shipped back to me we encountered an issue with damaged caps. so we now solder them to the board and run a three inch piece of cardas to them. what you are hearing is this new piece of wire and additional solder joints needing burn in. up to 120 hours there were significant improvments evident so i am still expecting that you will hear more especially in the way of realism and a truly relaxed inviting nature.
have fun.
b |
everyone, i find this comment most interesting and will have to try it.
"I'm now using the Master BAM between the linestage and the poweramp, so that both digital and analog sources can use the BAM ( I don't have a tape loop in my preamp). Even though this configuration is not as recommended by Bobby, it sounds great where the previous BAM unit did not sound good after the linestage."
best,
b |
if it sounds good between them, i am absolutely sure it will be better again buffered by a tube line output stage.
jmtc.
b |
to all of you,
i tried the master bam between my la300 and vzn100's and have to say it does sound better than expected. but it still sounds better to me when buffered by the tube line output section of the pre. this was how it was designed to be used. there is no doubt however that it would make a lot of people very happy used between the pre and power that do not have a tape loop or use multiple sources.
thank you.
best, b |
what exactly do you mean by an add on buffer option?
what is it intended to do?
best,
b |
yes he has a fila paul and the fila has a passive pre.
but the fila is one of the only passives that i have heard that sounds right. not thin and lean. if it is for this reason then he does not need a buffer stage and if he has multiple sources then we can add inputs to his sbam. so he can be taken care of either way. on the fila i use the cdp into the bam and the bam out to the cd input.
best, b |
paul, yes the bam likes the buffering and i designed it to be used that way. but undertand that we have many using the bam between a pre and power or with a passive line stage and preferring it that way. it still is a matter of taste to a point, but i know yours and you will prefer it used the way it was intended to be. passives and digital amps work well with underdamped speakers as you know. the vsm/bam limits the bandwidth to the resonant frequency (28 hz) of the woofer so there is no 2nd and 3rd order distortion. in essence the slower boomy bass that is caused by these distortions is gone and that is why the vsm/bam combination likes the tube buffering.
ok?
best regards,
b |
don, more like 8 weeks if all goes as planned.
remember the curing time.
paul, imho, you will be very pleased with the improvements the master products bring. some like don, need to know they have every percentage point of what is possible.
you are both right.
i used the mxe with master products in denver and had the best show ever.
best regards,
b |
jim, the editor of fedelta del suono in italy will be doing a comparison because he owns both the mxe and mxr. |
you have the s/o in the bam and in the treble of the crossover?
b |
paul, the speakers sound very different with the master bam and rcs in place. i tried an experiment and i liked what i heard. increased mass and rigidity work well with the more robust sound of the master products. it was time because of them. the mxr and the master products were in development for a long time. there is no doubt in my mind that the mxe is better with them. you will be fine.
best, b |
paul,
the mxr evolved because of the master products, their more robust sound and most importantly because of our cabinet material change. this cabinet material became available to us a number of months ago and is a new product in itself.
best regards, b
|
i think i know what you will end up with clabe. it will certainly be different sounding but better? having the tweeter cap different than the woofer cap will make an imbalance, not recommended. plus you have some cryoed caps and some not, again not recommended.
other things could have been doe to the speakers that would have made them clearly superior.
imho.
b |
clabe, you must try the duelunds in the bam and rcs.
this will make the most improvement. the cryoed hovlands and caddocks in the speakers are really excellent.
best, b |
tonally the s/o cap is full but it depresses the mids and collapses the depth and layering. have you noticed this?
b |
