Array 1400 with Mcintosh MC275 MKV and 501s

[tom1040]

Which speaker tap are your using? 8 Ohm's? Have you tried to bi-wire using the different taps from the amps to the HF/LF section of the Arrays?

[Mctwins]

Hi

You have to use an active crossover for your MC275. The amp will run hotter and more inefficiently. There is no use to run a amp in fullrange when the 1400 array has a crossover freq at 750Hz from bass to M/T.

About the sensitivity on the amp you have to know the accual load impedance on each transducer. As I see it, you have 6ohm on bass and 4ohm on the high and 3ohm on the ultrahigh and you have to know how much power they can handle per transducer. You have allready a passive crossover on M/T what is the nominal impedance load on the high and ultrahigh??? Then the calculation can begin. You have to know this first.

About the harshness in your room you have to take some reverberation measurements to be able too see what is wrong here. Timc... has a point here. I don't think the harshness will go away if you put a tube amp.

I woulden't bi-amp these speakers, but that's me.

MC501 is enough for those speakers because the max recommended amp power is 300W at 8ohm.

Thanks

[4313B]

I woulden't bi-amp these speakers, but that's me.

It's arguably easier to just buy SAM1HF's and SAM2LF's instead if bi-amping is desired.

[jasonyeo]

Using the HT sound for reference is a mistake. You should get someone knowledgable to measure your inromme response (impulse response). I will be surprised if you don't see any anomalies, taking into acount your description of the sound.

My guess is that you either have "step" in the respons giving you a peak in the 8-10KHz area, or that you have an uneven reverberation time in your room.

Thanks , I will measure myself and check the 8-10khz area

[jasonyeo]

Which speaker tap are your using? 8 Ohm's? Have you tried to bi-wire using the different taps from the amps to the HF/LF section of the Arrays?

Tried different taps , 8ohms , 4ohms , 8 for horn and 4 for bass , 4 for horn and 8 for bass.
Both 8 ohms have bigger soundstage and more dynamics . Both 4ohms narrow the soundstage but more warm and airy . 8 for horn and 4 for for bass sounds funny . 4 for horn and 8 for bass sounds better , airy vocals with wider soundstage .

However , all the combinations still cannot get what I want

[jasonyeo]

Hi

You have to use an active crossover for your MC275. The amp will run hotter and more inefficiently. There is no use to run a amp in fullrange when the 1400 array has a crossover freq at 750Hz from bass to M/T.

About the sensitivity on the amp you have to know the accual load impedance on each transducer. As I see it, you have 6ohm on bass and 4ohm on the high and 3ohm on the ultrahigh and you have to know how much power they can handle per transducer. You have allready a passive crossover on M/T what is the nominal impedance load on the high and ultrahigh??? Then the calculation can begin. You have to know this first.

About the harshness in your room you have to take some reverberation measurements to be able too see what is wrong here. Timc... has a point here. I don't think the harshness will go away if you put a tube amp.

I woulden't bi-amp these speakers, but that's me.

MC501 is enough for those speakers because the max recommended amp power is 300W at 8ohm.

Thanks

Think I will have to buy a more powerful tube amp to control both horn and bass if want to try a tube amp. Is the Mcintosh MC2102(100W/channel) enough for the Array 1400?

[timc]

I would wote: no.

[jasonyeo]

I would wote: no.

Thanks Tim . Seems like I need to save more for dual MC2102 or MC2301 monoblocks

Not sure if the Rogue Audio zeus tube amp is a good match to my Mc C220 pre and my CD player ....

[Audionutz]

Some suggestions based on my experience and initial frustration with the 1400 Array;

1. They need to be raised by about 5 inches off the floor.

2. Get rid of the standard spikes (if you're using them) and make some longer ones, or place blocks of dense timber under the standard spikes to get the speakers up to 5 inches.

3. Tilt the speakers back about 5deg from the horizontal

4. The LE14 needs at least 150 watts of good quality amp, my Krell KSA 150 seems to work well.

5. Horn/Tweeter needs at least 130 watts SS power.

6. Allow at least 300 hours break in - thats what mine have taken anyway. They now sound considerable different than they did at first !


Just my 2 cents worth, but may be helpful to you.

Cheers

'Nutz

[Robh3606]

6. Allow at least 300 hours break in - thats what mine have taken anyway. They now sound considerable different than they did at first !

No kidding?? What kind of changes are you hearing?? Are they better now, well did the issue you had with them improve??

Rob

[martin_wu99]

No pics,no truth!

[Audionutz]

No kidding?? What kind of changes are you hearing?? Are they better now, well did the issue you had with them improve??

Rob

For the first couple of months, I began to wonder what all the fuss was about with these. In fact, I'd almost given up on them and even had them listed on eBay. Luckily, they didn't sell.

At first they were very strident and harsh in the highs with a pronounced peak, exp on high freq female vocals. Also, the bass was dull and ill defined - no snap or musicality to it at all.

I thought it was my room - then I thought it was my amps - eventually I decided it was either my ears or the speakers themselves.

However, with the assistance of a couple of friends (thanks Woofer !) I persevered. Tried a multitude of amps, cables, speaker positions, preamps, etc etc until I really thought I'd go crazy ....

Other associates pointed out the high crossover point of the LE14 - an obvious flaw they stated. Yet others pointed to poor cabinet construction and the bass port etc etc

Knowing that JBL has more experience in speakers than almost anybody I could talk to, but also being aware that everything is built to a price and commercial reality is just that - reality, I still decided to keep going with them.

Boy, am I glad I did. At about the 300 hour mark, they finally started to come to life and now sound amazing. Its been nice to shove them in the faces of all the doubters, I must admit ...

I don't know if this is just my pair, or is symptomatic of the model, as I have not heard another pair.

However, I suspect that these may be one of those speakers that reward effort in all areas of setup.

I'll post some pics when I get the time

Cheers

'Nutz

[Woofer]

Yep! Everything 'nutz said.
Especially the bit about tilting them about 5 degrees. It works for most speaks.
You really don't want the throat of the horn hitting you fair square smack between the eyes.
Just that couple of degrees off axis, and preferably in the vertical axis makes all the difference.
Everything blends then....
Try it when all else fails.

[timc]

Yep! Everything 'nutz said.
Especially the bit about tilting them about 5 degrees. It works for most speaks.
You really don't want the throat of the horn hitting you fair square smack between the eyes.
Just that couple of degrees off axis, and preferably in the vertical axis makes all the difference.
Everything blends then....
Try it when all else fails.

You are forgetting that tilting the Array in the vertical direction, is the same as tilting most horn speakers in the horisontal direction. Dispersion wise that is. Anyway, i will try this with the K2 clones i have made.

[Woofer]

No, not forgetting.
What you're trying to avoid is line of site straight down the throat.
That's where female vocals are the most active.