What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

[mzisserson]

I was doing some listening this evening. Looking for a list of songs I would like to hear on the "New Horizons", and the "Beasties" once these all too ambitious project are complete.

I got thinking what do other do for that critical moment, the first peep they ever hear from a given design? Measure first? Listen first? What?

I usually will select a "first impression" song. A song I am extremely familiar with (does not have to be the best recording), and comes closest to displaying all of the goals designed into the speaker.

It is critical for me to get the song right, or I feel like I have just completely messed up a first date. This process takes me hours sometimes. '

Since I am waiting for my mic, and to get my test setup running, testing first is not, nor has even been my option.

Also, does anyone else get that giddy first date feeling when the last bolt is tightened? I make it a point never to finish one and listen to it before both are done.

[Hal H]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

On my three builds, I completely finished the projects before firing up. My first one, the MCLs, I was so excited I had to go pee real quick. Then I listened to 'em. The second one, I was simply amazed at what I heard, and then I pee'd. My last one, my HT, I'll probably pee when I hear that sub athumpin' :D

I think I've established a pattern?:o

Hal H

[Paul W]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

All that sawdust makes me patient . For at least the first day, all I hear are MLS signals. Followed by pink noise, chirps & sweeps.

Then the music starts :D.

Paul

[christianb]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

I put my clothes back on.

[jmc]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

I put my clothes back on.

Rofl!

I generally play music I like. If it sounds good and measures badly, it only mean I'm measuring wrong or measuring the wrong metrics.

[brianpowers27]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

Measure it to make sure that everything was wired correctly. After that all heck breaks loose.

[martyh]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

Oh, a soft prayer is generally in order, then all heck breaks loose!

As a matter of fact I'm auditioning Version Two of the Copper Project that debuted at the Iowa DIY a couple months back. I just finished them this afternoon and have had them running for the past five hours (their record in Packer game broadcasts is 0-1).

Not to hijack a thread, as I'll post more later -maybe tomorrow - but to sum up briefly, these are better!

Oh - the ritual: Christmas cookies and Leinenkugels!

[philiparcario]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

I do them one at a time. If the first one is really bad i try to go back to the drawing board to find my mistake.

[Taterworks]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

My ritual is to lean back and say "Phew, I didn't put a hole in it!"

Then I play whatever's close at hand, at a volume much louder than typical. :D

[Dirk]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

I turn them up, starting at -80dB. Veeery slowly.

Nice work, Marty. I like the stain color.

[critofur]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

How about this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4IRMYuE1hI

At "Reference Level" "-0db" :D

Of course, use a higher quality music source than YouTube :P

I don't actually listen to that often, but, when I read this thread, somehow those notes sprang into my head

Wagner "Ride of the Valkyries" would also be cool.

Its songs that are hard to make sound good, that really test your speaker's mettle, however.

Perhaps somewhat more seriously - one of the ULTIMATE test of a speakers high end is "Never Going Back Again" by Fleetwood Mac.

This is not the particular recording of that song that I would use (I use the one off the Rumors CD) - and - it's maybe not one of the best performances I've seen, but, it brought tears to my eyes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHyQS9blvIc

I love some songs by Tool for testing speakers at high volumes.

[Dirk]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

I love some songs by Tool for testing speakers at high volumes.

"Reflection", off of Lateralus. The tabla in the beginning is all over the place for impact and stereo imaging. Also a fan of the album Undertow, in general. It sounds kind of thin compared to their later works, but that album was recorded with plenty of dynamic headroom. It rewards a healthy clockwise rotation of the volume. :D

[evilskillit]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

Oddly every time I've finished a speaker (always a kit, I haven't designed my own stuff yet) I plug it in, make sure it works and then put on something kind of loud and wander off for a few hours and let the drivers break in. Then I come back, sit down, pick out a song and just listen.

[benchtester]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

Oddly every time I've finished a speaker (always a kit, I haven't designed my own stuff yet) I plug it in, make sure it works and then put on something kind of loud and wander off for a few hours and let the drivers break in. Then I come back, sit down, pick out a song and just listen.

You're doing it right. I always start listening too soon.

[mzisserson]

Re: What is your ritual when the last driver of a new speaker is in place?

You're doing it right. I always start listening too soon.

Amen...

I have that habit too. I always threaten to set up a system to break in the drivers before Iinstall them, but never seem to get that far. I usually say "f-it" and end up listeing right away. :o