New woofer upgrade options [message #75973] |
Sat, 23 March 2013 16:36 |
dheflin44
Messages: 47 Registered: November 2012 Location: Carrollton, TX
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Baron |
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Wayne,
Have you looked at the new B&C 15FW76? It replaces the discontinued 15PS76, but also adds an aluminum shorting ring to control Le and reduce midrange distortion. Also it's less than half the price of a new 2226H.
-Darrell
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Re: New woofer upgrade options [message #75975 is a reply to message #75973] |
Sat, 23 March 2013 19:41 |
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Wayne Parham
Messages: 18787 Registered: January 2001
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Illuminati (33rd Degree) |
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Yes, I looked at that driver and other B&C midwoofers, very recently, as a matter of fact. I always keep my eyes open. I am currently re-evaluating my driver choices for the high-end stuff, so as I said, I've been looking at drivers very recently.
But the 2226H is a top-notch driver that I have no reason to replace.
Everyone else is in catch-up mode on that one, in my opinion, and they all have been ever since JBL introduced the 2205 over 30 years ago now. The 2205 was what I used in the 1980s, the 2225 in the 1990s and the 2226 ever since. Haven't ever found anything that beat that driver family. I'm always looking, but always end up sticking with it.
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Re: New woofer upgrade options [message #76039 is a reply to message #76037] |
Wed, 27 March 2013 17:37 |
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Wayne Parham
Messages: 18787 Registered: January 2001
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Illuminati (33rd Degree) |
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I like it. I like it a lot, actually. I still have to dial it in, but I have already done enough testing to know it is suitable.
It sounds a lot like the TD12S version from about 200Hz up, but I must admit the TD12S version has more bottom end. The Definimax upgrade is more like the Delta version with respect to low end. It's much like all my other models, needing a sub for a full foundation. But it does have clearer vocals, in my opinion, than the Delta and that's the real goal of the upgraded drivers, so I think it will serve in that capacity very well.
One thing I always like to do with my high-end stuff past simple measurements is a long-term listening evaluation. I really like to live with a speaker for a few months, and to find time to listen to it non-stop for several days. That's a real good litmus test for me: Listen to a speaker for a long time and see how much listener fatigue I feel.
All my speakers sound really clear and undistorted, so on a casual listen the standard drivers sound almost as good as the upgraded ones. The upgrades sound clearer, but not night and day clearer, just a little bit. But the better drivers won't give me temporary tinitus nearly as much as the lesser drivers after high-power usage and/or lengthy exposure. I can go to a trade show and listen to the 2226 versions of my speakers all weekend long and still feel refreshed and ready to listen some more when it's time to go home. If a driver can't do that, I won't keep it on the upgrade list.
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