March Audio Sointuva

[dualazmak]

Hello @Holmz,

Thank you indeed for your very kind and intensive follow-up which I understood well. Since English is not my mother language, I somewhat misunderstood that your wording of "it still raised an eyebrow like Spock does occasionally" having rather negative or pessimistic nuance.

I know about passive radiator(s) which use to be called drone cones. I understand that Sointuva is a very unique modern SP successfully using even two of them in the back panel.

As for crossovers in my setup, you would please carefully look at my latest setup configuration shared here (post#636 there); I do all the XO/EQ in digital domain using software XO/EQ "EKIO" receiving digital sound signal from JRiver MC within the same PC. I will continue using my wonderful huge-and-heavy L&R sub-woofers, Yamaha YST-SW1000, even after I would decide to use Sointuva. In my setup, Sointuva will cover "only" ca. 55 Hz - 500 Hz Fq zone.

In any way, I am not in a hurry adding a pair of new SP unit as woofers in my system, and I would like to carefully waite and watch the further intensive objective data for Sointuva, as you kindly suggested.

 

[Holmz]

Hello @Holmz,

Thank you indeed for your very kind and intensive follow-up which I understood well. Since English is not my mother language, I somewhat misunderstood that your wording of "it still raised an eyebrow like Spock does occasionally" having rather negative or pessimistic nuance.
…

It was easier to see the other interpretation after you pointed it out.

…
As for crossovers in my setup, you would please carefully look at my latest setup configuration shared here (post#636 there); I do all the XO/EQ in digital domain using software XO/EQ "EKIO" receiving digital sound signal from JRiver MC within the same PC. I will continue using my wonderful huge-and-heavy L&R sub-woofers, Yamaha YST-SW1000, even after I would decide to use Sointuva. In my setup, Sointuva will cover "only" ca. 55 Hz - 500 Hz Fq zone.
…

Are those the WO from 45 to 500 Hz in your sketch then being disabled?

 

[dualazmak]

If I would decide adding a pair of Sointuva in my setup, I will first to try driving Sointuvas by SP-B (SpeakerOut -B) of Yamaha A-S3000 amplifier which also drives my present woofers by SP-A output, so that I will easily and flexibly hear SP-A only, SP-B only, and even SP-A+SP-B, using the SP selector of Yamaha A-S3000;

 

[Doodski]

Thank you indeed for your very kind and intensive follow-up which I understood well. Since English is not my mother language, I somewhat misunderstood that your wording of "it still raised an eyebrow like Spock does occasionally" having rather negative or pessimistic nuance.

Spock is a fictional television character from the TV show Star Trek. He is from the planet Vulkan. Spock is very logical and apparently lacks emotion. He raises his eyebrow when interested in something. He is a iconic television figure in the American society. To say that, "It raised a eyebrow like Spock" is a compliment to the speakers. It's a good thing to say for us.

 

[Tom C]

Spock was only half Vulkan. His mother was an Earth woman. Sometimes his human emotion peeked through.

 

[BDWoody]

Spock is a fictional television character from the TV show Star Trek. He is from the planet Vulkan. Spock is very logical and apparently lacks emotion. He raises his eyebrow when interested in something. He is a iconic television figure in the American society. To say that, "It raised a eyebrow like Spock" is a compliment to the speakers. It's a good thing to say for us.

Then there's the 'yeah right' eyebrow raise...

 

[restorer-john]

Then there's the 'yeah right' eyebrow raise...

View attachment 165137

Wasn't sure if the member's comment was intended as good or bad. So, I looked it up yesterday and got this. It seems it goes both ways.

 

[AudioJester]

Wasn't sure if the member's comment was intended as good or bad. So, I looked it up yesterday and got this. It seems it goes both ways.

View attachment 165139

That was very logical

 

[dualazmak]

Even though I know and enjoy "Star Trek" as well as look at Spock so many times, throughout all of your intensive lectures, I now understand how you (and I?) may use the wordings of "raise an (or both of) eyebrow like Spock".

Facial expressions of humans (and aliens?) are fairly universal, so I'm fortunate that I was able to correctly understand the changes in Spock's eyebrow movements (positive or cynical) during the movies, even before your lectures!

 

[thewas]

Facial expressions of humans (and aliens?) are fairly universal

Unfortunately not, except some very basic ones like fear

Facial expressions of emotion are not culturally universal

Since Darwin’s seminal works, the universality of facial expressions of emotion has remained one of the longest standing debates in the biological and social sciences. Briefly stated, the universality hypothesis claims that all humans communicate six basic internal emotional states (happy...

www.pnas.org

 

[Holmz]

Even though I know and enjoy "Star Trek" as well as look at Spock so many times, throughout all of your intensive lectures, I now understand how you (and I?) may use the wordings of "raise an (or both of) eyebrow like Spock".

Facial expressions of humans (and aliens?) are fairly universal, so I'm fortunate that I was able to correctly understand the changes in Spock's eyebrow movements (positive or cynical) during the movies, even before your lectures!

Yeah - my writing is not always as cleaner as it should be.
In this case, it was a surprise that the bass was as apparent as it was.

But if you pictiure me as Scotty, or Jim, then it is easy to get the negative meaning.


I am seriously considering trying the MA Class-D amplifier(s) with my current speakers, as March Audio in the neighbourhood... so it is easier than an offering from North America or the Eu.
I heard a Naim a few weeks ago powering a Focal speakers, and that sounded good. However it was 27k$ (AUD) for the speakers, and the electronics were not likely “budget” either. And it is heard to compare things from different rooms, two weeks apart… Other than both being good.

Unfortunately not, except some very basic ones like fear

Facial expressions of emotion are not culturally universal

Since Darwin’s seminal works, the universality of facial expressions of emotion has remained one of the longest standing debates in the biological and social sciences. Briefly stated, the universality hypothesis claims that all humans communicate six basic internal emotional states (happy...

www.pnas.org

I thought that the work of Paul Ekman showed that most emotions are universal?

 

[Astroboydivx]

Have they been sent to Erin yet for testing?

 

[hardisj]

Have they been sent to Erin yet for testing?

Yes.

 

[Phorize]

Yes.

Someone mentioned you’d already measured them…

 

[hardisj]

Someone mentioned you’d already measured them…

My memory may be bad, but I’m pretty sure I haven’t yet.

 

[hardisj]

*cross posted from another thread*

Update on the March Audio speaker.

The speakers sent to me were the initial prototype speaker which are the same as the final design just more 'broken in' and less a final crossover mod (discussed below). I was completely fine with that. No sense in Alan building me a brand new pair just for review that he'd then have to sell at a discount as they had been used. Logical.

When I first listened, something sounded off. Remember, I test in stereo and mono for different reasons. This is important. I took some notes and moved on to the measurements.

I tested one and the results looked really out of whack so I contacted Alan. Long story short, since this was the prototype, the inductor hadn't been zipped-tied in place and Alan forgot to do that before he shipped it and it was knocked loose in transit. I verified by disassembling the speaker and sure enough... wiggle, wiggle. Rather than fix it right away, I put the other speaker on the stand. And... wow. Good wow.

I sent Alan the measurements so he could see for sure that the two measured different and we could tie up that loose end. The (good speaker's) measurement was as he expected so no news there. But, let's visit this quote from earlier...

Received some more info about the speaker - tweeter is indeed SB Acoustics TW29BNWG-4 and there are some preliminary free field measurements made with the following note from Alan:
"Please note that the small lift in response above 9kHz has already been corrected by a crossover tweak. Otherwise its essentially +- 1.5dB. Listening window is very close to the on axis. As with the previous version F3 is around 45Hz and F6 around 38 Hz. In room the bass extends below 30Hz."

Alan knew what to expect with my (good) result and had already accounted for a HF lift in the final crossover (that wasn't in the prototype board). Knowing that I was going to have to fix the busted crossover (for my listening tests) I thought, "hey, why not just have Alan send me the updated crossover so I can test what will be the true final version". So, rather than fix it, I asked Alan to send me the updated crossovers and I'll test the speakers with those. (assuming I don't have any trouble getting them out)

Stay tuned for the final results. I'm not sure when the new crossovers will get here but I'll post and update when I get them.

In the meantime I can tell you that the measurements which have already been shared are really quite indicative of what I measured. I haven't overlaid them but I'd say to my eye they're practically the same. This might be one of the best measuring speakers I've seen so far, even with the current HF tilt. The sound power response also might be the most linear I have ever seen. Alan has done a superb job with these speakers.


(side note: to those who follow me on Patreon, this is the speaker I posted a sneak peak result of a couple days ago. )

 

[Holmz]

…
... This might be one of the best measuring speakers I've seen so far, even with the current HF tilt. The sound power response also might be the most linear I have ever seen. Alan has done a superb job with these speakers.
…

What a treat @hardisj ... Last month the Vandersteens, which I own an example of… and now these…

I am not going to claim I am golden eared, but I did not hear anything wrong with the Sonituvas... and I totally stumbled upon them being made only about 10 miles away.
Basically I thought that they were pretty damned nice as a first impression.

Hence, I cannot wait for the full write up.

 

[VintageFlanker]

 

[Rick Sykora]

View attachment 175268

Lol, would expect nothing less from Alan! The Purifi's already have nice built-in gaskets. Probably was not expecting very many field retrofits though...

Have cut the holes a little to close before though and end up having to remove the passive radiator to knock out the woofer. See the 4x4 "tool" was needed to get his driver's out. Cannot be certain, but looks as though some sealant was applied and made the extraction more challenging? Hope they seal up nicely after the crossover is upgraded. Will see when Erin measures....

 

[AdamG]

Then there's the 'yeah right' eyebrow raise...

View attachment 165137

Brad,

Don’t forget we have Spock’s younger brother. Whom is 120% Vulcan but does a similar face gesture just to taunt Spock!!!