by ichabod » Thu Aug 03, 2006 3:05 pm
Can't help but react to what you're saying. For some strange reason, I felt the urge to hook up my 8 inchers Richard Allan drivers on these flat OB panels again for a listen. This time I trained them to a motorola power amp with a pair of 6AQ5s something like 3-5 watts/side flea power. Maybe the above post brought some nostalgia along, so I gave these ugly ducklings what fun I can get. My preamp is a pair of fisher 50C monos fed by 1,000 PhP Sony CD player that reads 4X over sampling.
By some fortuity, I discovered a little truth about as little watts to drive these speakers without remorse as JE had put it several post ago so accurately that it would be too papery. How true! One guy I remember even commented that single drivers can sound like some helium gas was coming out of it. Whatever that means I think it's the effect of paper cones just being too driven at height of their sensitivities. Or sensibilities? Once again, as the old adage, set amps are best for them.
So this time around I guess, in this never-tried before set-up, I'm rediscovering what good single drivers on OBs could sound like. A seductively relaxed open midband, sweet and clear as a bell, yet never boring on the ears despite their smoothness. We know how details can get lost in utter smoothness, but not from these RAs I think. And who cares if they're not as extended when what you hear is quite enough of that "warm curve" often heard from concert halls. I've liked these single drivers before, and now I guess I like them even more. With as little power, they're more like my beloved Dynaco A25s! Alan Leung of HK was right in drawing the analogy.
Detubo thanks for bringing out those pictures. Their pathetic look is enough to cause a stir around the house. And to JE, for his comment on paper cone drivers. You guys are always encouraging in the least way one expects. And that's what this hobby is all about. That there are good and pleasant surprises that can happen with old gear and take us further up the mystical path of audio like we've never been before. Serendipity!