Ergo E-IX Build
- Thread starter MartinC
- Start date
flashgo
DIY Practitioner
OK, this helped to improve the imaging and dynamics:
From this:
to this:
The IXs are still being powered by a single hot-rodded 140, but it's got multiway binding posts, so the spades and bananas fit simultaneously. It's all compression fit, so maybe the separate terminations just made better contacts?
Next up is true bi-amping with a pair of stereo amps.
From this:
The IXs are still being powered by a single hot-rodded 140, but it's got multiway binding posts, so the spades and bananas fit simultaneously. It's all compression fit, so maybe the separate terminations just made better contacts?
Next up is true bi-amping with a pair of stereo amps.
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Yup, completely agree. The Ergos aren't at all sensitive and my little class-D integrated T-amp can't drive them with any gusto. It farts and grunts at anything above a reasonable listening level.
But with a dual mono HackerNAP using two 500VA transformers powering the output stages? Glorious!
James
Lord of the Erg\o/s
Ditto.
Whereas the E-IIIRs sound mighty fine with 30W of class A watts, the E-IXs don't really come alive. It's the main reason I've reverted back to the big 3-ways, because I much prefer the Pioneer M-22 to the Densen B-350s.
I should try the E-IXs with my recently acquired Dynavector HX-1.2.
Whereas the E-IIIRs sound mighty fine with 30W of class A watts, the E-IXs don't really come alive. It's the main reason I've reverted back to the big 3-ways, because I much prefer the Pioneer M-22 to the Densen B-350s.
I should try the E-IXs with my recently acquired Dynavector HX-1.2.
Jeff Anderson
pfm Member
Well, I will be trying more power with my IX's. In a week or so, I should receive and have started running-in a Peachtree Audio Nova150 integrated amp. Bought it direct from Peachtree from their Ebay site and have gotten it in the standard piano black. It is a B-stock item, fully warranted but has a few scuffs on the finish. Saved me 25% over purchasing it new with no marks. I am taking them at their word that the the marks are "very minor". It is powered with ICEpower modules (class D) and is rated at 150 watts/8 ohms and 250 watts/4 ohms. I owned a Cary CAI-1integrated in the past which used ICEpower modules and I very much enjoyed that amp. My Ergo IX are nearly 9 years old and play multiple hours everyday. The new amp will give me the USB, Coax, and optical inputs I currently have along with analog inputs and a headphone amp, which I don't currently have. So now just waiting for it to ship from North Carolina to Oregon. Should arrive within several days of my 69th birthday. Jeff A
flashgo
DIY Practitioner
Ah yes, I'm currently mono-amping with Avondale NCC300 converted NAP135s, and the IXs seem to have finally bedded in. How sweet it is! The integration between the drivers is very natural, and these puppies have great dynamics. While, ultimately, I prefer big speakers, it's easy to enjoy the immediacy of the IXs.
Jeff Anderson
pfm Member
The acquisition of the Nova 150 was flawless and quick. Shipped one week ago and arrived on my doorstep on Thursday past. If there is a flaw on this B-stock cabinet I haven't seen it. It has been hooked up on standby since it arrived and has about 15 hours music-playing on it.
The most obvious early affect of the new unit is how dead quiet the system is now. The music seems to just float on a cushion of air and it is maybe even more noticeable when playing at lower volumes, which is very nice as I must listen at least part of the time that way when I am the only one awake. Effortless power, the crescendos just build in tiny smooth steps that are individually audible, ie: the dynamics show infinite shades as they grow or recede.
Couldn't be more pleased. Next up is Elbow's two iTunes Festival-London releases back to back. Just me and Garvey. This will be sublime.
The most obvious early affect of the new unit is how dead quiet the system is now. The music seems to just float on a cushion of air and it is maybe even more noticeable when playing at lower volumes, which is very nice as I must listen at least part of the time that way when I am the only one awake. Effortless power, the crescendos just build in tiny smooth steps that are individually audible, ie: the dynamics show infinite shades as they grow or recede.
Couldn't be more pleased. Next up is Elbow's two iTunes Festival-London releases back to back. Just me and Garvey. This will be sublime.
flashgo
DIY Practitioner
I'm still very much enjoying my IXs. They are very even and natural.
That said, I'm getting some saturation when things get loud. This could be anywhere in the system, but I'm wondering if it might be worth upgrading the inductors in the crossover. The inductors are currently Jantzen P-Cores (as provided by Stefan), and the upgrade would be to Jantzen copper foils.
Any thoughts on whether this would be worthwhile and if it might address some saturation? Thanks!
That said, I'm getting some saturation when things get loud. This could be anywhere in the system, but I'm wondering if it might be worth upgrading the inductors in the crossover. The inductors are currently Jantzen P-Cores (as provided by Stefan), and the upgrade would be to Jantzen copper foils.
Any thoughts on whether this would be worthwhile and if it might address some saturation? Thanks!
James
Lord of the Erg\o/s
What does saturation sound like? I've not experienced it before. It could be a couple of other things. First, the 15W Scan-speaks are rated for 60W only, and if subjected to disproportionate amounts of LF energy, they could run out of bandwidth. Second, it could be your amp if it is rated at less than 100W RMS per channel. Perhaps you can elaborate before committing to crossover surgery.
flashgo
DIY Practitioner
Hi James,
The IXs are each powered with a NCC300 converted NAP135. I split the crossovers, so each speaker could be bi-amped, but the drivers in each IX are currently powered with parallel runs from a single amp.
Lower volume passages sound absolutely sweet and detailed. At higher volume, the detail gets lost, and things muddy together. There's no buzzing or anything horrible. It's a more subtle loss of perfection, so it's noticeable when volume changes up and down.
By comparison, my video system contains active 'briks where SPL doesn't affect SQ. The big system also has a PS Audio P15 power regenerator cleaning things up, while the Ergo IX system is on wall power.
I don't know if any of this helps. I may have to spend the weekend messing with sources and amp configurations. It would've been a relatively easy fix if this were something that could be addressed in the crossover.
Flash
The IXs are each powered with a NCC300 converted NAP135. I split the crossovers, so each speaker could be bi-amped, but the drivers in each IX are currently powered with parallel runs from a single amp.
Lower volume passages sound absolutely sweet and detailed. At higher volume, the detail gets lost, and things muddy together. There's no buzzing or anything horrible. It's a more subtle loss of perfection, so it's noticeable when volume changes up and down.
By comparison, my video system contains active 'briks where SPL doesn't affect SQ. The big system also has a PS Audio P15 power regenerator cleaning things up, while the Ergo IX system is on wall power.
I don't know if any of this helps. I may have to spend the weekend messing with sources and amp configurations. It would've been a relatively easy fix if this were something that could be addressed in the crossover.
Flash
I think I know what you mean. My theory is that the Morel tweeter is rated for 200W nominal compared to the Scan-speak's 60W and, as a result, the Scan-speaks max out their linear excursion and start to distort long before the Morels do. You end up with a mushy bottom end while the top end stays sweet.
Having said that, the IXs can still play at an obscenely loud level with deeper bass than I would have believed a 6" sealed driver could do. I have to push them pretty hard to drive them into the mush!
Having said that, the IXs can still play at an obscenely loud level with deeper bass than I would have believed a 6" sealed driver could do. I have to push them pretty hard to drive them into the mush!
James
Lord of the Erg\o/s
It sounds more like the little mid woofers running out linearity, as Carl pointed out. I've used cored inductors on my bigger designs, which can be driven much harder than the IXs without compression/saturation. It's a bit unfair to compare them to 'Briks, when it comes to SPL - don't you think? The E-IIIRs would be a fairer match.
Let us know what your weekend experiments yield.
Let us know what your weekend experiments yield.
Yank
Bulbous Also Tapered
Is that sensitivity figure for the (published) wall-proximity version?
If so, how much less is the free-standing version?
flashgo
DIY Practitioner
I think the Nova would be a good match for the IX's, although I haven't listened to that exact combination. I listen to my IX's through a "Naim" system (including Avondale 300s), and I've listened to comparable sized Focals driven by a Nova at a dealer. The Nova was surprisingly impressive, and I preferred the sound from the little system to that of the monster Focal/Naim system on demo. This said, my experience with the IX's (above) is that they benefit from lots of power – up to a point. I found a volume at which they provided very enjoyable listening, and that was that. The Nova should be about that level, and it would make for a really nice, clean system.