Quad Mini's

[panda2rom]

Hiya,

Before cutting them, i would have played with an active crossover !
To remoove the frequency you don't want from the Quads, and improove a smooth the integration with your other speakers.

Well, it's not too late anyway :)

[Sligolad]

Hi p2r,

The problem was down to size of the Quads more than anything else, if the size was not an issue I could have played with cross overs and just disconnecting panels in the 63's.
I did get a nice sound with the Raidho's perched on top of the Quads but the Raidho's really need those stands to work well and once on the stands the Quads really are too cumbersome to get anywhere within the space I have available.

Rebuilding is no major issue in the future as all I need to to order some aluminium extrusions and new socks.
Cheers, Pearse.

[DaveF]

Lovely speakers Pearse. I've heard good things about them. I would have thought that it would have been really difficult to integrate a 'fast' speaker like the quads with a more conventional speaker.

[Sligolad]

I would have thought that it would have been really difficult to integrate a 'fast' speaker like the quads with a more conventional speaker.

I initially thought the whole idea a bit daft too Dave but in my mind i was thinking that while the Quads may be fast the use of delay circuitry to create a more point based origin to the sound may create a bit of lag.
I had it in my head that the Raidho's which sound fast and tight may have been ahead of the Quads before I started down this path but you could be right on the Quads.

Sometimes the less you know and the more you risk pays dividends but I am well away from calling it a success yet as I have been known to fool myself in the past!!

[nige2000]

i would have considered the Raidho's faster myself
Crystal highs and snappy bass when required
Its the imaging and soundstage that the quads seemed to excel

[Sligolad]

Got both converted and just setup, magical soundstage but not sure yet about positioning.
There will be many days playing with positioning I think, funny when I disconnect either set the music then sounds so lacking!
The single Mini was much easier to drop in, dropping in both really changes things.

[Sligolad]

Well after some further tweaking this has worked out remarkably well....who'd have thought!

I now have the most amazing soundstage with such energy in all the instruments in there it is just like being there.
I used to listed to people rattle on about PRAT and I took it with a pinch of salt but with the presentation I have now it is hard not to stop your foot tapping.

I strongly believe now that in there somewhere is this germ of an idea there has to be a solution for a really great sounding speaker configuration in this approach.
Maybe a good driver on top of the centre section of Quad 63s on their sides in a frame, something like Avantegarde Duo design.

The peculiar part of the whole result and here is the secret I stumbled upon....reversing the phase on the Quads.
I know it does not make any sense to me and maybe seasoned experts may have an idea why but it really snapped it all together.

I honestly do not think I have ever heard a set of speakers do what this setup is doing, now there is a bold statement!!
Cheers, Pearse.

[sima66]

Very interesting Pearse!

Did you try to have Quad's right under the monitors and in the same angle?
That's my first thought to have them line up.......maybe

[Sligolad]

They are exactly where they are in the picture Adam, they sound so good there I just want to listen to a load of music for a few days before I go moving them again.
I also need to make up brackets to support them on their sides free standing, they are being helped stay upright at the moment by the Rack.

The only thing I can come up with why the phase change has helped a lot is maybe because one of the speaker sets is ahead of the other a little and changing phase on the Quads just brings them together better as the Quads are pretty much the same speakers facing forward or backward from my little understanding od electrostatics.

Just a quick note after reading your query on the other thread on the PPA OCXO, it is a nice improvement on the PPA TCXO.
It takes a while to settle in but when it does it is veerryy analogue sounding but with all the micro detail....pity about the cost though.
Cheers, Pearse.

[Ivor]

The whole notion of these mini quads puts a huge smile on my face!