Meadowlark Swifts - heard em?

[Lt Cdr Data]

GTM, just a physics point, everything resonates, ie rings, All box speakers, frames of electrostatics, too.

If you damp it, chances are it is still vibrating, molecular movement and all that, so unless you want to listen to music at absolute zero, you can't avoid vibrations

 

[wadia-miester]

Still points are excellent for serious cabinet resonant reduction, like lifting a 4 levels mana from your sound

 

[tones]

Still points are excellent for serious cabinet reduction, like lifting a 4 levels mana from your sound

With or without stainless steel spikes, Tone?

 

[wadia-miester]

With or without stainless steel spikes, Tone?

That Tones is a damn good question , one I have to admit not given thought too,

 

[GTM]

GTM, just a physics point, everything resonates, ie rings, All box speakers, frames of electrostatics, too.

If you damp it, chances are it is still vibrating, molecular movement and all that, so unless you want to listen to music at absolute zero, you can't avoid vibrations

Ah yes but you forget, I have access to the space/time continium (sp) via my Borg cube.

Resitance IS futile !!

Actually, strictly speaking vibration isn't the same thing as resonance. Resonance can be effectively damped, so that the vibration of the system is linear with the input. However, like you say, vibration of the constituent parts of the speaker, (even if not actually resonating), will add to the overall sound of the speaker. The ideal of course being that only the drive units themselves are causing the physical vibration of the air molecules that we hear as sound.


GTM

 

[ListeningEar]

weider-miester commented about run-in period for VR-1's; manufacturer followed the industry standard by placing in their literature that these speakers require 100 hours run-in time but I can tell you by way of insider information that when these speakers were first released in the US the US salesman for VSA used demo units that had 300 hours on them, which in their opinion shows you what the VR-1 is really capable of.
IMHO they are superb monitors especially when matched with the if Design reference stand.

 

[Saab]

I think WM may have been referring to the Meadowlarks.I have just bought a pair of VR-1s with approx 300 hours on them,so thats nice to know

 

[blakeaudio]

just saw this if it is of any interest....

http://www.audiophilia.com/hardware/swift.htm

 

[Uncle Ants]

errrr.. maybe it's because acoustic instruments like guitars, drums, violins etc are meant to resonate. It's part of their voicing. Speaker cabinets on the other hand are meant to do the complete opposite.

I'm afraid to say that medolark have completely shot themselves in the foot with that argument. Wood is not as dead as MDF. For instance certain tribes even make drums out of hollowed out tree trunks because it resonates so well. Some snare drum manufacturers use solid wood to give more tone to the drum than the ply equivilants.

Yup. Arguments about speaker accuracy and the difference between resonance and vibration aside ... its basically a bad analogy.

I've heard a similar argument regarding record decks from a certain East Midlands based company "You make trumpets and violins out of wood and metal and you wouldn't make them out of plastic, so why would you do the same with record decks?" - for why acrylic isn't a good material for record decks (or an alternative deck plinth material, which was why I asked them) - again a bad analogy - the answer is because trumpets are trumpets, violins are violins and neither of them are record decks (or speakers).

Of course it doesn't alter the fact that they are rather nice record decks anyway (and probably speakers). I guess its a good job the meadowlark folk and NAS stick to making hifi for a living rather than philosophising.

Of course it may well be that MDF and acryic aren't the best materials for making speakers or deck plinths (that's eminently arguable), but the analogies used to justify the position are logically nonsense.

 

[Matt F]

God what's my old thread doing coming back to life?

It must be old because since this, I've bought a pair of Harbeth Compact 7ES-2's and then put them up for sale (still for sale on the classifieds) having replaced them with a far more room friendly pair of PMC GB1's which I have been listening to this morning and I must say I'm impressed - mids maybe not quite as good as the Harbs but the bass - bloody hell - deep, clean bass from a small and incredibly narrow (155mm) floorstander - definitely deeper than the Harbeths.

Quite chuffed as although they were ex-dem, there's not mark on them - in fact the shop reckoned they may not even be fully run in yet - and I picked them up for £200 below list and with free delivery.

So, if anyone's after dinky, great looking floorstanders that sound way bigger than they are, give the GB1's a listen.

Matt.

 

[Saab]

I agree,the GB1s are lovely,but only if you can sit bang centre.I moved off axis in the listening room and the sound changed significantly.I can't understand this narrow band thing,it just doesn't seem to make sense in a modern lounge.Lovely speaker though

 

[MartinC]

I agree,the GB1s are lovely,but only if you can sit bang centre.I moved off axis in the listening room and the sound changed significantly.I can't understand this narrow band thing,it just doesn't seem to make sense in a modern lounge.Lovely speaker though

I guess it all depends how you listen to music, and if it's just you that does so. Probably 95% of the time I don't care in the slightest what my system sounds like off axis, and for the other 5% it would have to sound really bad for be to be bothered (which it doesn't).

 

[Saab]

sorry Martin,I wasn't clear.I meant they are an issue if you HAVE to listen off axis,ie due to the wife moving furniture about.I don't care about it either,but i would if i couldn't sit in the red zone.i almost bought them before I realised they would be too compromised in the new house.VSA on the other hand make a big deal about having a wider axis,something I need.

 

[ListeningEar]

The whole issue of ,...'we must find and sit in the sweet spot to enjoy our music to the full', is an idea that VSA have worked very hard to make a mute point.
Although the technical specs. do seem to be a little advanced for many users, some even being skeptical on them even being genuine, I can assure you that after Hi-Fi News review of the VR-1's and the many reviews by the US press and web zines like TNT, reviewers have all been impressed that each design attribute is genuine and works extremely well.

 

[badchamp]

On the off-axis point, I have a fairly small and not particularly hi-fi friendly room listening room seatwise , one chair in the "sweet spot" the other seating positions well to either side of the room but my VR-1 sound (to me) excellent no matter where you sit axis-wise.

 

[ListeningEar]

There you have then, badchamp testifies that even in his unfriendly room he can still enjoy the VR-1's.

 

[Matt F]

Strangely enough, although the GB1's seem to have a fairly narrow window for good imaging, I was actually painting skirting boards today whilst listening to them (couldn't be more off axis) and they still sounded great - just generally filling to room with free flowing music.

Matt.