Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

Dear ct0517: One critical subject in the sound generated by any subwoofer is that we at home need enough cubic area for the bass soundwave can be in real way developed, if that cubic area does not exist any one can't " hear "/ feel a 5 hz soundwave. We need " hundred of m. to those very low bass sounwafes really be formed.

Yes the ET unit is something really different of what we normal mortal audiophiles know.

Very good links.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear ct0517: Yes, I remember the first time that I saw that very good picture and was my wife who took my attention about.

Obviously that tha beautiful house is a house where the owner likes music and know what this means in a home audio system ( I'm talking not of RR but the real owner. ).

IMHO, the ET tonearm is today an icon/sign in the audio history.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear @dlcockrum : """  or, most recently, improvements in my system that show I have not yet heard the full sonic capability of this arm.... """

I don't know which kind of system improvements you made it but what you experienced can't be attribute for that system audio link name it tonearm. What about the Orpheus that's a great performer that with system improvements always shows it at best conditions.

When we make system improvements and we can listen a better system quality performance that speaks, before any other audio system link, a lot about the quality of the source ( cartridge. ) and speakers and from here we can " figure/imagine " how all the other system links conttribute to it.

Btw, I know very well your speakers, as a fact I like it Thiel, your Classé units and the Krell. I owned the DR-7 and DR 3-VHC and had in my place the Thiel 7 and that Krell too.

I don't know if you already made the REL subs set up for it can works only from 80hz down its capacity low bass frequency where in this set up the Thiel's be running as " satelite " ones.

Anyway, I made my points.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear @dlcockrum : As I told you, I like your system and know it. Btw, I owned  the ET tonearm and as I posted ( somewhere. ) here is a good one.

Now, even the Thiel 7s needs active subwoofers. Here you can read the main subject to add a pair of powered subwoofers in true stereo fashion where the main speakers will function as true satelite ones. You must try, that sole change transform for ever and for the better your really nice system:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/do-you-think-you-need-a-subwoofer/post?postid=310058#310058   


Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear @dlcockrum :  The main and critical subject to add a pair of  self powered subwoofers integrated in true stereo fashion ( this is that the main speakers will function as " satelite " ones. ) is to lower significatively the INTERMODULATION DISTORTION and THD too.

In those all times from where comes your speakers and mine almost no single designer ( as JT. ) was thinking on designs with integrated subs, maybe only ATC was marketing active speakers as a ATC philosophy and not necessary with suibs.

Today the best speakers comes with integrated powered subs ( Vandersteen 7 is one of them but many more out there. ) for that critical subject.

In your speakers those two small woofers ( that can even one 12". ) are handling frequencies from  over 100 hz ( first order filter. ) don 20 hz . Are so small that can't really " drive "  in the right way bass range from 40 hz and down and this means high distortions but at the same time those drivers are trying to " drive " 25 hz-30hz-40 hz-80 hz- etc and the high excursion of the drivers because the low frecuencies affect e increment a lot the IMD in the whole frequency range of those drivers.

"""   it concerns me regarding tampering with Jim Thiel’s ingenius 1st-order crossover... """

No, you can't do that but only an outstanding overall improvement that you don't have today, you just can't imagine till you do it and listen it. The whole subject is not to reinforce the low bass but put at minimum that elusive IMD/THD in the very hard to handle low bass range, benfits as better quality bass performance is only a side benefit.

Problem in your system are the RELs that has not ( no sense to me. ) a high pass control. Rels are very good as system bass reinforcement but not to really help to have a better quality overall performance.

When I posted the thread in the link I send to you almost no one believe on what I posted there. This already changed today and not only music lovers as all of us but speaker manufacturers that now knows not only about that IMD/THD but that exist no passive drivers that can handle with aplomb the low bass range and not only does not exist but that are not mated with a dedicated amplifier that match the drivers needs in exactly and precise way.

Even speakers as the big Wilson can has a real benefit ( incredible. ) if their woofers been active instead passive.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

@dlcockrum : The external crossover we need to do that could be only for the subs but not use that croosver for the speakers main amplifier where a technician can easily to make the first order high pass down at the amplifier inputs through a cap and resistor combination calculated for a 80 hz high pass filter.

As me you can use a top teflon cap and the best Vishay nude resistor, both extremely transparent. In this way the signal inside your speakers will stay almost untouched.

Why 80 hz or even a little higher as 100 hz instead 50 hz?, because that first order Thiel croosover where the single 8" woofer that handles a frequency range from 50 hz to 400 hz ( I think. ? ) right now is taken frequencies way lower than 50 hz and with higher IMD/THD that if you liberate it.
In the other side your amp will works with lower distress that's mean lower distortions too.

Advantages are many only  we just do it. Believe you don't now today the real capacities of your very nice audio system and you will be " surprised " for say the least when you listen it in that configuration.

Regards and enkoy the music,
R.

Dear @dlcockrum : I know that the Krell amp is a powerful item but even that and even that works almost all tghe time looking 2 ohms impedance from the Thiels this means more distress and higher distortion that if the amp works at a little higher impedance. That distress could means too more " fatigue " for the amp power suply and output transistors. So, it's not only to think that the amp can make " easy " that work, there are side issues to look for and care.

My suggestion of that tefloncap/nude Vishay resistor at the amp inputs still is a good alternative and inside that first order Thiel filter design. As a fact is the kind of filter that makes less harm to the sound signal.

No one sub I know works in the high pass with first order filter design.

When we are talking of subwoofers for an stereo system dedicated to listen music there is one parameter of critical importance and this is the THD of the subwoofer and in this regards no one is even near the 0.5% of thwe sealed Velodynes thank's that its design monitoring the woofer excursions over 16K times per second to mantain that so lower THD. Nothing can beat it on quality performance. Otehr can go lower or sound more powerful but with loweer quality performance and its croosver design is a decent one.

I own the out of production HGS-15 but you can find out ( second hand ) the DD-15 ( newer model. ) that in my opinion performs better than the DD-18 or in my case HGS-18.

In the other side you can buy a top croosover to hadle the signal from your preamp to the Krell and to the RELs.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Dear @ct0517 : I don't have a dedicated room. I took around one year to my subs position and levels be " just perfect ".

What means " just perfect "?, first that you can't identify where the subs sounds comes, everything ( overall system frequency range. ) comes from in between speakers and extended beyond but sounds emmanate from in between. Second you never need to change the SPL of the subs, simple stay with the final overall set up. If you need to change the subs set up with different LPs then your final set up is not yet final and needs more " work " to achieve that goal.

In my system its position is in front of the main speakers ( satellite ones. ) looking each to other sub not looking to the seat position but at right/left side: front to front. Are not directly seated in the floor/ground but around 40 cms. up and with 30 kg dead weigth in its top plate.

Yes I listened four subs in my system many years ago when I owned too: two Audio-Pro ( Sweden ones. ). As a fact the ideal way to add subs in any audio system is using four subs to eliminate any single standing room waves.

Remember subs main/primary premise is not to have deeper bass or " boom boom " but better quality overall system performance with lower distortions!.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.