• Looking Better

I know what you mean by some CD's sounding like shit. The first time I went to Ron's house I took some "audiophile" Cds along. About 5 seconds into the first recording, I was actually embarased by the sound. What sounded good on my system was anything but.

I'm just not blown over by the bass of the 416. I suspect I've just been accustomed to over-bloated (not accurate) bass reproduction. Alos, my 416 still have very few hours on them, and I suspect are still breaking in. Don't get me wrong. I love the sound.

The horns do reproduce a sax like no other combination I've heard. I love the sax (used to play) and I know what one should sound like.

I know exactly what you mean by TONS of sound in the room. Good, ain't it

I told Ron this is the best system I have ever heard, and could not imagine anything better, at least for my needs. He assured me I WILL be changing; this is just the first step.

I'm not changing anything until: 1) I get my SE 811-10 tube amp up and running. I have 50% of the parts ordered, and the remaining should be selected this weekend. Shit, this project got expensive very quickly; and 2) I got the green light from the wife to start finishing the basement. I have about 2000sf to complete and, honestly, this will take about a year. The basement will include a pool area, library, full kitchen, full bath with walk-in shower and sauna, small HT, dedicated listening room (9' x 13' x 22')and office. How are you with a hammer and nail?......Colin

The first two are easy: 1 - You may take some modeling clay and partially fill the upper lip in your horn. 2 - go buy a couple 2 pound "soft" weights made for diving (cloth bag filled with lead shot)and lay one in the top lip of each driver. Either of these will take out almost all the "ring" in you horns and tame some of the harshness you speak of.

This next option is a little more involved: You cut the welds out of the divider veins in the mouth of the horn, then fill it back in with some long life silicone glue like Permatex Blue gasket cement.

The last option is to dampen the outside of the bell with any number of sound dampening materials that add mass. You can buy spray on deadener like used in car audio applications, you can build up layers of latex paint and sand mixed together (layer it until the bell no loner rings when tapped with your knuckle), or line the lip of the bell with sound deadening rubber sheets.