The wires were under the carpet, he didn't see me look.Originally Posted by DavidF
They looked like 14g 2 conductor gray vinyl sheathed. Electrical house wire???
The wires were under the carpet, he didn't see me look.
They looked like 14g 2 conductor gray vinyl sheathed. Electrical house wire???
Nope... guess again.The wires were under the carpet, he didn't see me look.
They looked like 14g 2 conductor gray vinyl sheathed. Electrical house wire???
The part you saw was a twisted pair of 12 ga. custom installer wire pig tails soldered onto two runs of 12 ga flat ribbon copper foil unwound from an inductor... that way you can't see or feel it under the carpet.
Widget
well under the carpet was correct!
I just got dropped off by grumpy after our heroic road trip to the Widget domicile to conduct business and pleasure. We left at around 3:30 AM this morning from my place in LA. While we spent most of the day driving and talking, we did get to stop by Widget's and listen to his pride and joy, the Everest II 66000 pair. What a treat! There's no doubting why he's in love with them; he's a lucky and deserving guy. Of course, I feel lucky, too, in that I know someone who will open his home so generously and allow us take up part of his day to let us live the thrill vicariously for a while. His setting is really good, and the room seemed to accommodate the big loudspeakers well.
We also had the privilege of meeting his dad, a great gentleman who was a joy to know, and we got to meet the cat, who insisted on rubbing against my leg in a very ecstatic rhythm. I like cats, so it was nice to get a little kitty time from a very friendly feline.
Thanks, Widget! It's always a pleasure to see you, and it was extra nice to come over and hang with the big boys for a while.
Out.
Glad you guys made it back safely... that's a heck of a drive for one day! You guys must have driven over 800 miles, due in part to that "wrong turn".
Yes, it was fun playing hooky and hanging out with fellow JBL nut cases. And it's always fun to fire up the beasts... think I'll do it now.Sorry about the cat, I didn't realize he got you... I leave the house with orange hair at the bottom of my pants almost every day.
Widget
It was all about the journey and compadres, wrong turns included... OK, and the pre
...and the burrito.It was all about the journey and compadres, wrong turns included... OK, and the pre
Out.
I guess we'll see what happens in six months to a year.
Regardless of the myriad modifications others have visited upon their Everest II's there is still one glaring fact, the horn isn't vertical. Evidently that remains a problem for some people, the vertical horn seems to be a powerful draw regardless of its appearance. I think you might want to follow through with the Array horn over the 2206 and W1500H at some point (or perhaps over the latest 1500AL variant that is still in development), unless you really don't have the time and/or your significant other really can't tolerate the vertical horn thing.
The Everest II's sure do look nice in your particular room though! I do think they qualify as a work of art. I too would be inclined to call it done.
alnico version of the 1501Fe?
Over the years I have become less and less interested in mods to good equipment. They can be like facelifts... once you start you get caught up in a bizarre cycle until you are a real mess. I have several friends who have taken perfectly good pieces of audio equipment and turned them into expensive junk. I'm not saying that an intelligent tweak here or there might not be beneficial, but typically with a good design, the engineers have already maximized what can be done with the basic parts. I think a lot of the raves about audio mods is simply the "I now have a whole new music library" effect that comes from minor changes.
On the subject of vertical horns... I do see that. The two shortcomings of the Everest design as I see them are the imaging and bass extension. Both of which are positively acceptable as the speaker is and hardly worth criticism, but if the bass went deeper with no other trade off that would be appreciated, and secondly and for me more importantly if the speakers imaged with a bit more of an "audiophile" character, I wouldn't complain. The 1400 Array does do this. I think the control of horizontal reflections is the key here. I think the wide expanse of the Everest's own cabinet is hampering it's ability to offer this audio aspect. The K2-S9900 with it's very similar but narrower horn is a little "better" in this regard, though still not as "good" as the 1400 Array. That said, real music doesn't have "audiophile" imaging... it is a special effect. It just happens to be a special effect I enjoy.
That said, I have been quite content with these very live sounding speakers. There is something about the Everests that is simply a pipeline to music. It is probably the blend of neutrality and dynamics. Music just pours forth.
Widget
Hey Widget, you're talking way too much sense here. Stop it!
Okay, I'm actually in agreement with you, but maybe a few cycles ahead in figuring out for me that I don't want to mess around with other people's good or great work. Of course, I've never been a DIY electronics guy. My DIY has been in carpentry, decorating, gardening, and to an extent automobiles, but never electronics. Even the PT250 project is more a matter of me buying a bunch of expensive gear and having someone who knows more than I do actually get his hands dirty. Thus I have less tinkering in electronics gear in my blood than you or some others.
I do like the narrower profile of the K2 better, and I sense what you're saying, but I also like the lower profile of the Everest II, so as most things in life, it's a bit of a trade off. I have not yet heard the 1400 Array in a circumstance where I'd pick it before either the K2 or Everest, but if Greg Timbers gets to do a third Everest maybe we'll see the ultimate expression of the vertical horn. Considering the price points, there isn't much comparison: the 1400 is the bang for buck champ.
You should be content, as should I, but if the vertical horn K2 or Everest ever comes out, we both might be looking at one last hurrah! Until then, enjoy!
Out.
On a purely aesthetic front, I find the Everest II to be at the pinnacle of the speaker art. Like the JBL Paragon I love these things purely as sculpture!
Regarding the 1400 Array as bang for the buck... if it is possible for a $12K pair of speakers to be a bargain, I say yes! After a year or so of listening to the 1400s I decided I could happily consider them my last speaker. Yes, I could be content with them. Then these beasts snuck in the back door of my house and slid into the slots where those wonderful Arrays sat. The ease with which they roll out the notes, be it a single clarinet, a whole violin section, or some ass kicking drums... it is nothing less than startling. A few minutes ago I was listening to Joni Mitchell's Travelogue. I haven't played it in a long time. Startling... goose bumps. Well recorded orchestration is such a joy. The effortlessness with which they handle the complex sounds of a symphony orchestra is transporting. Would a slightly deeper soundstage and a bit more bass extension be nice? Maybe on some recordings, but who cares! This is damned amazing! Could I have better electronics, a better room, an even better experience? Perhaps, but does it matter? No.
No... now it is time to listen to music and revel in it.
Widget
I'm not sure what the model number will be. Rumor has it that the Fs is intentionally lower than previous 1500AL variants. It remains to be seen if it will be a bolt-in replacement for the current 1501AL's.
alnico version of the 1501Fe?
I've never heard the 1400 Array, so if I'm reading this right the vertical arrangement gives a taller somewhat deeper soundstage? Can you describe the horizontal effect?
This question lead to this thread: http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...ty-and-Imaging
Widget
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