After the 4 way now a big boys 5 way

I loved the flexibility but was never really convinced by the SQ.
Bypassed the analogue output stages - fed the dacs through HQ caps.
Improved things a bit - but can't be doing with further mods and to two of them...

 

Vitavox S2 time

I have joined the S2 owners club - that is now working fully refurbed S2's.
It's taken me a while to track down single matching ones an get refurbed - the waiting list is quite long...

I got home tonight to find the 2nd one back from Mike at Vitavox waiting for me. Mike has worked his magic, demag, check tolerances (all within factory spec), remag, new diaphragm etc.

Here's one



The adapter/mounting rings turned from birch ply Quite ok as the horns are soooo light.

So now I can play the pair for the first time. Just plonked down with the obligatory clip leads. I'm just using a 3uF cap and the sound is electric. Vocals are so there, natural, definite.

Could be a while listening this evening...

Next up - a pair of softwood Tractrix 600Hz or even JMLC?

 

S2's measured

Here's a measure of the S2 on a 3uF cap



The wise Cat tell no lies - Well actually, I bet he wishes his measurement at ear listening position on new diaphragm S2 and 3uF cap was as flat as that
The S2 survival guide thread has been helpful. Just as he hoped.

I'm not sure where the upto 15KHz went though...

 

Positioning

I've long thought about trying the horns in a different room config.
The room is longer than wider by some 1.5m, and due to the doors and window siting I have felt that sitting longways and with the French windows opposite me and behind the horns was best. I still think that. I did very early on try it the other way around but it was all wrong with no view out and poor access.

So, what else to try. Well I've had the horns at max distance away from me, but inside the tapped horns that are in the corners.

Today I moved the horns horn stack to infront of the tapped horns.



Hmm, I like it. It's widened the soundstage and given more definition to the positioning of vocals especially. Also some of the instrument positioning and mixes have become more interesting and oriented - if that makes sense.

I can always play a bit more and move them in a bit but at the moment I am liking the widening. It is not as if it is too wide or has disconnected left from right at all.

I do have some time alignment issues but nothing the mic and Hornresp can't fix

 

A little update:

I have been using Cube Audio 600Hz tractrix horns on the upper mid channel with the Vitavox S2 drivers.
Freq range ~1200Hz - 12000Hz.
The are made of Glass Fibre / a composite material.

I thought I'd try wood instead and go for a slightly bigger tractrix.

Having glued some rings of birch ply together I turned the first section



Quite hard to see inside so a little push bike light illuminates


Then into the larger section





I made a profile gig to check I was getting the right tractrix flare.

Then glued them together and turned as one



Next was to make the screw on adapter rings for the S2's

a 16TPI Whitworth thread.

I decided to use something easy to machine yet strong enough for the fairly light horn

Plastic



Mounted up on a drive plate





Inside threading bar to make the thread cut



Lathe leadscrew gearing set to 16TPI. It needed several cuts.

Moment of truth - does the driver screw on?



Yay





Nice fit too.

spray filler and spray painted to match the system



Adapter centred and mounted



All set



Now do it all again for the other one


Listening impressions are good. Very fluid and integrates really well.