Negatron II

[JStewart]

I have a 86" LG coming Monday.

Will this be instead of or in addition to a projector and screen?
Either way I’d be interested in your thoughts on the 86” panel experience vs a pj screen.
My pj screen is either 92 or 96 (can’t recall which at the moment) and I’ve thought now that larger panels are more reasonably priced that might be the way to go due to HDR capability as compared to a pj. I don’t have the room for a larger pj screen. I think I’d go that route 1st if I could.

 

[NBPK402]

@JStewart For the time being this will be instead of a projector. I used to have a 195" AT screen in my old HT, and I had planned on getting a 75" FP, and eventually gettinng anothrr AT screen, but with us now having 3 cats that like to climb, and watch tv... I am not sure if I will go projector this time. We also wanted a laser projector this time but it is too dangerous with 3 cats, and 1 of them being deaf, so when I got the new tv for 50% off from Costco, so it was an easy decision to grab a 86" FP. I know I will be missing the WOW factor, but who knows maybe in 2022...

 

[JStewart]

Thanks. I’m really interested in your opinion given your prior projector experience even though the change in size for me will be substantially less.

 

[NBPK402]

I prefer projection with a AT screen. For me the wow factor is a huge difference, and I prefer having the sound come from behind the screen instead of under, over or to the side...much more realistic and more like you are actually in a theater.

 

[NBPK402]

Just a little update of pics my new tv, and soundbar. One from our loft, and the other behind the mlp.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Where's the soundbar? Why a soundbar when you have the surround setup?

I don't guess I've seen those particular Klipsch speakers before. Like a mini Klipschhorn.

 

[NBPK402]

Where's the soundbar? Why a soundbar when you have the surround setup?

I don't guess I've seen those particular Klipsch speakers before. Like a mini Klipschhorn.

Lol... it is my center channel K402 MEH (the left and right are the same speakers, but vertical, and spaced upwards to be closer to the correct height). I posted up it was my soundbar as it was a DIY center aka soundbar. I bet you have never seen a 200lb soundbar. My carpenter is starting tomorrow to make me an angled stand for the center out of 1 1/2" thick pine.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Not exactly... no. I assume it's that big huge speaker in the center directly under the display. Yeah... that's quite the "soundbar" there. lol

 

[NBPK402]

I still have not hit 1 watt of output when watching movies...love efficient speakers.

 

[NBPK402]

I just ordered 3 Ampcamp mono amps that are used, and will be for powering my front 3 compression drivers. I also am getting 2 MiniDSP DDRC 88Ms for Dirac and to replace my Xilica crossover. In addition I am going to pull the 3 Icepower asx50btl amps out of the case, and replace them with 3 Icepower asx125btls. This will give me 470w per woofer instead of 250w per pair of woofers. Once I pay this off I will be able to work on the acoustic panels and getting some seating. I will be selling my Musical Fidelity mx vynl phono preamp, 2 pairs of Klipsch rp160ms, 2 Icepower asx50btls, 2 minidsp 2x4hds (never used), and my Xilica xp4080.

DIY projects still to come... 2 smaller MEHs, 2nd 4 channel amp with Icepower modules for height channels.

Future purchases...
Replacement AVP (with Auro3d), balanced stereo preamp, and a DAC (currently I would like the Doge tube DAC).

Getting closer to completion and sounding better every day.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

So the Ampcamps are DIY?

 

[NBPK402]

So the Ampcamps are DIY?

Yes and no...they are DIY, but I bought them used so they are built already.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Yes and no...they are DIY, but I bought them used so they are built already.

Well that's cheating.

 

[NBPK402]

Well that's cheating.

I did say that the upgrades were new and used... amps are used as is 1 ddrc88, the rest are new. Well, when you have allergies, asthma, and heart disease...it considerably affects what I can do, so now I have to contract out the machine work, soldering, and woodworking.
20 years ago I would have built them myself with instruction, but no more. (:

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I did say that the upgrades were new and used... amps are used as is 1 ddrc88, the rest are new. Well, when you have allergies, asthma, and heart disease...it considerably affects what I can do, so now I have to contract out the machine work, soldering, and woodworking.
20 years ago I would have built them myself with instruction, but no more. (:

Ahhh... well... in that case we'll let you slide.

 

[NBPK402]

Yesterday I got the first of 2 DDRC88As (which will be used as crossovers and for Dirac) in and 2 of the AMPCamp amps. With @Sonnies help I was able to get the DDRC88A setup properly. Once I rewire the speakers for the AmpCamp being wired straight to the horns (amp will be on top of the speaker it is wired to), I then need to wire another ASX125 in the amp case for each channel. This will be replacing the ASX50BTLs with ASX125BTL amp modules. I am doing this to run a ASX125BTL to each woofer instead of running one amp to each pair of woofers. the reason is my woofers are 4ohm, and they are wired as 8ohm per pair, and the asx125BTL only produces 250w @8ohm, where it produces 450w @4ohm. I am hoping this will help dynamic, and tightness of the bass...even though they sound great now, I am thinking they will sound even better. One thing that will change is the gain, as the AmpCamp monos have 19db of gain and the ASX50BTLs have 24db of gain. I am thinking that 15db less gain will allow us to retune and get a even flatter response from 20hz to 20khz.

 

[NBPK402]

Question...will it make any difference if I wire both ASX125BTL amps to one XLR inside the amp vs getting a XLR Y connector for the exterior of the amp?

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Question...will it make any difference if I wire both ASX125BTL amps to one XLR inside the amp vs getting a XLR Y connector for the exterior of the amp?

I would not see why it would matter... but I'm not an electrical engineer.

Glad you got the DDRC88 worked out.

 

[NBPK402]

I would not see why it would matter... but I'm not an electrical engineer.

Glad you got the DDRC88 worked out.

I def need to retune when I get the amps in place because it is sounding a bit leaner now than before the DDRC88A was installed.

The only issue I could think of is it changing the impedance into the amps, possibly...

 

[NBPK402]

I don't guess I've seen those particular Klipsch speakers before. Like a mini Klipschhorn.

Klipschorn dimensions
52" (132.1cm) x 31.25" (79.4cm) x 28.5" (72.4cm)

My DIY K402 MEH dimensions
48"H x 25 1/2"W x 24"D

Not too much smaller...LOL

Wait till I get the 25" cube versions made.

 

[chrapladm]

Vertical 48" is about perfect for me. Sadly my tweeter choice has limitations but will see how I can manage. Will be curious to see your 25" cube ala SH50 size

 

[NBPK402]

Yesterday I hooked up 2 of the Ampcamp monoblocs....replacing the Icepower 50asxbtl. I am gojng to run this combo for a month or so and then swap the Icepower back in to see if which I like better. So far there are certain things I think sound much better, but I do not have the gain matched to the Icepower yet. Piano, triamgle, and cybals appear more realistic with the current gain setting of +7.5db. The Icepower amp has about 8 db more gain than the Ampcamp does, so I am adding gain in the MiniDSP DDRC88A. I need to get my new mono amp cases in so I can put the 50asx monos in them...this will make it easy to swap as the cases will be almost the same size and I can swap cables easily.

 

[NBPK402]

I hooked up my IFI Signature DAC to my cxa5100 via balanced to see how it sounded. It sounded pretty good in some areas but something just did not seem right...so I ran Roon through Airplay to compare and was shocked by the differences. The IFI Signature DAC was very wooly on the bass when compared to the CXA5100 via Airplay. The CXA5100 was also much more revealing on vocals on up too. The cxa 5100 has amuch more 3d sound too.

For a 6 year old AVP it smoked the IFI Signature on my setup. I had thought that streaming ROON via Airplay would sound worse than a stand-alone DAC, but was shocked to find out it still kicks butt!

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Something doesn't sound right about that, although the 5100 is certainly no slouch.

 

[NBPK402]

Something doesn't sound right about that, although the 5100 is certainly no slouch.

Strange isnt it? I fully expected a upgrade with the IFI signature DAC...even though it was only $300. I will move it to my IFI Signature ZEN CAN, and see if it makes a difference with my Sennheiser 6xx cans over just the Signature Zen Can.

I sent a support request to IFI to see if this is to be expected.