My Linn speakers look very nice (like many other brands) but no doubt use cheap caps.
Steen Duelund (I am impressed with dedication to the hobby a throwback to the past)
"That is really what you get even from the expensive part of the market. No real innovations, none new ways, as if normal methods are the best - but designs and finish are very impressive. Sadly this is for the eyes not for the ears".
"It seems difficult to build loudspeakers, which are more than 2-way, if you search the market. What has been gained, by these simple 2-ways constructions concerning recreation of a convincingly holographic picture of sound is lost, when more ways are chosen. Just consider how much energy has been put into the two way systems, to make them full range. None of them reaches the goal".
"In theory more ways should lead to better results, but practise has shown it otherwise. Normal filters and components are insufficient".
JohnK will like this quote. (Steen seems to be a horn guy)
"With a well-constructed horn and a single loudspeaker, much can be achieved concerning experience, but full range and relaxing to listen to, it will never be. But they can be very spellbinding".
I commonly hear that freq cutoffs should be abrubt from one driver to the other and Steen feels exact opposite.
"In the literature youll find "the perfect filter" described as having linear response until a sudden abrupt cut-off. That is probably correct concerning telecommunication but it cant be more wrong with loudspeakers. There the cut-off must happen in a very gentle manner, so let us see, how this can be achieved".
Steen on caps (I feel somewhat vindicated now saying that the older caps were better. The Klipsch vintage caps when newer would kick the crap out of the cheaper plastic caps. The vintage caps simply no plastic and wayyyyy bigger. That being said the Duelund with no plastic is better than the vintage ever were. Anyone ever try the old Mica caps?)
I also feel somewhat vindicated about comments about the Sonicaps being just too small to do the job.
"From the great variety of types - stick to stack foils or variations on that theme if you can find them without plastics. The good old Micas works wonderfully well but they are far too expensive for greater values. Go for older types following the simple rule that bigger is better. A good sounding construction will be introduced from Jensen Capacitor in the near future". (An artificial stack foil, which regrettably only can be manufactured by hand for now.)
Interesting on sound our brain uses 4 senses? Wow did not know that?
"The brain in reality uses four of its senses by an acoustical event: hearing, sight, somatic tough for lower frequencies and even the sense of smell simultaneously.
Reproduction of only sound in a room creates problems for the brains treatment of sound missing two stimuli, as Ill rule out the smell".
Steen on loudspeaker cost relative to system.
"The price of the loudspeaker should mirror the price of the rest of your gear as almost equal. The reason is simple the more quality gained from the electronic parts the more handwork must be invested in the mechanic/acoustical unit. A good loudspeaker has no easy way despite the manufacturers advertising of "The simpler- the better". It only for them is better and of course easier and cheaper".
That one is interesting for me as my Klipsch with cheap CD player (vintage Fisher tube amp) outperforms the expensive Linn gear with the cheaper (slightly) Linn speakers. Linn has always said source is the most important and Steen takes issue with that, saying 50% of the system cost should be in the speakers and I tend (even as a Linn fan) agree with Steen.
Steen Duelund (I am impressed with dedication to the hobby a throwback to the past)
"That is really what you get even from the expensive part of the market. No real innovations, none new ways, as if normal methods are the best - but designs and finish are very impressive. Sadly this is for the eyes not for the ears".
"It seems difficult to build loudspeakers, which are more than 2-way, if you search the market. What has been gained, by these simple 2-ways constructions concerning recreation of a convincingly holographic picture of sound is lost, when more ways are chosen. Just consider how much energy has been put into the two way systems, to make them full range. None of them reaches the goal".
"In theory more ways should lead to better results, but practise has shown it otherwise. Normal filters and components are insufficient".
JohnK will like this quote. (Steen seems to be a horn guy)
"With a well-constructed horn and a single loudspeaker, much can be achieved concerning experience, but full range and relaxing to listen to, it will never be. But they can be very spellbinding".
I commonly hear that freq cutoffs should be abrubt from one driver to the other and Steen feels exact opposite.
"In the literature youll find "the perfect filter" described as having linear response until a sudden abrupt cut-off. That is probably correct concerning telecommunication but it cant be more wrong with loudspeakers. There the cut-off must happen in a very gentle manner, so let us see, how this can be achieved".
Steen on caps (I feel somewhat vindicated now saying that the older caps were better. The Klipsch vintage caps when newer would kick the crap out of the cheaper plastic caps. The vintage caps simply no plastic and wayyyyy bigger. That being said the Duelund with no plastic is better than the vintage ever were. Anyone ever try the old Mica caps?)
I also feel somewhat vindicated about comments about the Sonicaps being just too small to do the job.
"From the great variety of types - stick to stack foils or variations on that theme if you can find them without plastics. The good old Micas works wonderfully well but they are far too expensive for greater values. Go for older types following the simple rule that bigger is better. A good sounding construction will be introduced from Jensen Capacitor in the near future". (An artificial stack foil, which regrettably only can be manufactured by hand for now.)
Interesting on sound our brain uses 4 senses? Wow did not know that?
"The brain in reality uses four of its senses by an acoustical event: hearing, sight, somatic tough for lower frequencies and even the sense of smell simultaneously.
Reproduction of only sound in a room creates problems for the brains treatment of sound missing two stimuli, as Ill rule out the smell".
Steen on loudspeaker cost relative to system.
"The price of the loudspeaker should mirror the price of the rest of your gear as almost equal. The reason is simple the more quality gained from the electronic parts the more handwork must be invested in the mechanic/acoustical unit. A good loudspeaker has no easy way despite the manufacturers advertising of "The simpler- the better". It only for them is better and of course easier and cheaper".
That one is interesting for me as my Klipsch with cheap CD player (vintage Fisher tube amp) outperforms the expensive Linn gear with the cheaper (slightly) Linn speakers. Linn has always said source is the most important and Steen takes issue with that, saying 50% of the system cost should be in the speakers and I tend (even as a Linn fan) agree with Steen.
