Sod it, done the RCA connector. The Audioquest cable came today, will take that home with me.
Tag Mclaren.
- Thread starter ALXAndy
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Sod it, done the RCA connector. The Audioquest cable came today, will take that home with me.
I fitted the USB cable in last night. So it should be a case of get sound stuffs, mount sound board on table, glue in table, plug it in and put the lid on. Ripped a load more CDs last night. All done on those now. It also managed to rip two CDs I could not rip all of before, so that was nice. I think by sacrificing the actual writer it reads better. Could be way wrong on that, could just be it's a Sony drive and thus will read their own music stuff better.
Ah, forgot one thing. I don't know if the isolator is going to fit in there straight into the board. Time you put a USB into it it could poke out quite a bit. So I got this.
Also for a laugh I will talk about ripping CDs. I forgot that douchey Sony put protection on audio CDs so they could not be played in computers. They are actually DATA cds, and when you launch them it has an embedded player that will play it back at like 1khz. It sounds absolutely terrible. In the end they stopped it, because other CD players were having trouble reading it. Any way, a couple of the CDs I have are Sony (IE the music company) and from the early 2000s. As such they ripped and sounded horrid. Thankfully I then realised how to get around it. You have to play the CD, skip a few tracks until it sounds normal, THEN rip it. So it would seem Kodi knows about it, and once you play it you can bypass the nastiness and rip. I ripped all of them last night. I even had successful rips on two CDs I bought years ago that crashed about half way through. So that was nice. I think it is because the DVD writers are not so good at actually reading CDs.
Ah, forgot one thing. I don't know if the isolator is going to fit in there straight into the board. Time you put a USB into it it could poke out quite a bit. So I got this.
Also for a laugh I will talk about ripping CDs. I forgot that douchey Sony put protection on audio CDs so they could not be played in computers. They are actually DATA cds, and when you launch them it has an embedded player that will play it back at like 1khz. It sounds absolutely terrible. In the end they stopped it, because other CD players were having trouble reading it. Any way, a couple of the CDs I have are Sony (IE the music company) and from the early 2000s. As such they ripped and sounded horrid. Thankfully I then realised how to get around it. You have to play the CD, skip a few tracks until it sounds normal, THEN rip it. So it would seem Kodi knows about it, and once you play it you can bypass the nastiness and rip. I ripped all of them last night. I even had successful rips on two CDs I bought years ago that crashed about half way through. So that was nice. I think it is because the DVD writers are not so good at actually reading CDs.
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Yeah it was pretty nuts that.
I attempted to put the cover back on it yesterday. I failed. It was a sod at the best of times, but it seems because of the way I built the internals it would not slot in at the sides any more. So I had to cut off the tangs that used to go in. I also had to cut the back, as it would not clear the new power socket.
So for the first time since the day it arrived it is now back in one whole piece.
The only issue is you can see the silver through the sides now. Easy bit of painting at the end.
It's worse the other side. I had to clearance around back too.
But it is all happy enough now.
I attempted to put the cover back on it yesterday. I failed. It was a sod at the best of times, but it seems because of the way I built the internals it would not slot in at the sides any more. So I had to cut off the tangs that used to go in. I also had to cut the back, as it would not clear the new power socket.
So for the first time since the day it arrived it is now back in one whole piece.
The only issue is you can see the silver through the sides now. Easy bit of painting at the end.
It's worse the other side. I had to clearance around back too.
But it is all happy enough now.
Nah still needs the sound card thing. The box is a DAC, which I will need here to make sure that works as it is digital only.
Aye, I am quite excited about getting it home.
I have tried in vain to paint the horn body to finish like, everything. Problem is it has done nothing but rain. *sigh*. Hopefully the later part of August will offer up some better weather. On the days it has not rained I have had family over.
I have tried in vain to paint the horn body to finish like, everything. Problem is it has done nothing but rain. *sigh*. Hopefully the later part of August will offer up some better weather. On the days it has not rained I have had family over.
We’ve had two days of reasonable weather in the last month.
Off home now. Noticed one of the sound boards is now in the UK so hopefully that will arrive before I come back.
Off home now. Noticed one of the sound boards is now in the UK so hopefully that will arrive before I come back.
Well frig, that’s annoying !
Got a noti to say the sound thing has been delivered.
Grr.
Got the box out earlier, not going back now until next weekend.
Got a noti to say the sound thing has been delivered.
Grr.
Got the box out earlier, not going back now until next weekend.
Apparently both have now been delivered. I have not tracked the isolator, but it may be there also.
I go back next Thursday, possibly on Weds. However, I have a couple of "side quests" to do before I can bring it home.
I go back next Thursday, possibly on Weds. However, I have a couple of "side quests" to do before I can bring it home.
I'm back. All parts are here.
Sadly I have had to take on a behemoth of a project I am really not in the mood for, so this is on the back burner for at least a couple of weeks.
Harumph.
Sadly I have had to take on a behemoth of a project I am really not in the mood for, so this is on the back burner for at least a couple of weeks.
Harumph.
OK so finally some time. I set up the sound device, with a DAC just to make sure it works.
It does.
Hoping to get some more time at the weekend to finish up.
It does.
Hoping to get some more time at the weekend to finish up.
Not much needed now tbh.
I then gave up because the humidity is absolutely horrible here today.
Well I am not using the Tag's DAC yet. However, I will say that the DAC I used for testing today sounds better than the Realtek onboard in the PC I use here. I have no idea what DAC chip is in there though.
So today I machined what will hopefully be the last pieces. Last night after I posted I drilled and tapped the little table thing for the digital sound thing. I then fitted that properly. Today I made something similar for the filter in the rear.
I just didn't want it hovering around in there.
That should be all of the machining done. I do have a couple of things left to do, namely painting the edge where it meets the face panel here.
The top used to have tangs in that area that push fit into the sides of the front. Problem is it had been mangled and when I repaired it it ended up that the tangs would not go in there. Not even with a plastic hammer
so I cut them off, but now you can see that silver metal through the gaps. I will likely just cut some vinyl pieces and stick them down.
I just didn't want it hovering around in there.
That should be all of the machining done. I do have a couple of things left to do, namely painting the edge where it meets the face panel here.
The top used to have tangs in that area that push fit into the sides of the front. Problem is it had been mangled and when I repaired it it ended up that the tangs would not go in there. Not even with a plastic hammer
so I cut them off, but now you can see that silver metal through the gaps. I will likely just cut some vinyl pieces and stick them down.
OK just a quickie. I decided to cover those parts with vinyl. If I paint it the likelihood is it will scratch off very easily. I ordered the vinyl but it didn't arrive in time (common theme).
I also needed a 5m HDMI cable to set it up properly. 3m will reach but will be hanging in the air (never ideal). Problem is every 5m I have ever used has been crap, and either dropped signal or didn't work at all. Decided to splash on this, £35.
I also needed a 5m HDMI cable to set it up properly. 3m will reach but will be hanging in the air (never ideal). Problem is every 5m I have ever used has been crap, and either dropped signal or didn't work at all. Decided to splash on this, £35.
It’s finished. Didn’t get pics but yeah, all done. Will be setting it up in a week or two.
TBH you don’t get a lot of choices in such a tiny shell.
I’d like to have fitted a BR. That said I only have one of those…. Also if the drive ever packs in I will go with a slot loader for sure.
Still haven't bought it home 
Every time I go to collect it I end up needing to bring loads of stuff back with me. I did just get these, though, so it is a priority now.
wub wub.
Every time I go to collect it I end up needing to bring loads of stuff back with me. I did just get these, though, so it is a priority now.
wub wub.
Yes many. They sound amazing. They are also nowhere near as big as you would think either. Like, before I was running two pairs of small speakers up front. I didn't realise that what I was looking for wasn't achievable.
What I mean is? dynamics. I had always had big speakers with three way designs. Apparently stereo imaging is better on small speakers but it wasn't that I wanted. So I relocated the L52 classics to the rear, put the Revel in the bedroom (ongoing project in there) and these actually take up less space than what I had before.
Sadly when I returned I returned with a nice dose of Covid, but that has given me a lot of time to listen. BTW the legs? yeah, after I got the speakers for £999 delivered I was in no mood to spend 1/3 of that on the stands. So I spent £30 on 8 chrome legs, 8 M8 spikes, and a pack of 16mm screws and did it that way.
Just a simple drill and tap and they were good to go.
So as for the sound? forget what you think they will sound like. I really thought I had gone too far and it was worrying me. I don't want to be evicted. However, they sound nothing like you would think. I suppose "Studio Monitors" should have given that away but they go no deeper than what I had there before. However the 3 way design? is what I had been missing. I forgot just how dynamic larger speakers sound with a purposely fitted mid range driver. IE, taking that duty off of the woofer.
To save you many hours in research... The difference between these and the L100? not much. The bass driver is pretty much identical, same frame etc, just a slightly smaller magnet. The mid driver is the same one, and the tweeter is all but the same only the dome is alu instead of Ti. The biggest "cut" is the cabinets. Whilst almost identical they are covered in white plastic veneer instead of real veneer and apparently there is less bracing. So basically yeah they are a slightly cut down L100 but then the L100 sell for over 4 grand. These had an RRP of 3 grand, but at £999? you will feel like you just pulled off the great train robbery.
I would imagine that loud they are absolutely mind blowing, but I have found myself actually turning them down. Simply because of the details and dynamics. It almost feels like if you turned them up really loud you would lose that.
End game speakers for sure. Something that no bookshelf speaker, no matter how expensive, can match. I had a set of Revel M105 there (£1600 RRP) and a set of L52 Classic (£1000 RRP) and these sound very different and far more expensive. And again, nothing like you would expect either.
What I mean is? dynamics. I had always had big speakers with three way designs. Apparently stereo imaging is better on small speakers but it wasn't that I wanted. So I relocated the L52 classics to the rear, put the Revel in the bedroom (ongoing project in there) and these actually take up less space than what I had before.
Sadly when I returned I returned with a nice dose of Covid, but that has given me a lot of time to listen. BTW the legs? yeah, after I got the speakers for £999 delivered I was in no mood to spend 1/3 of that on the stands. So I spent £30 on 8 chrome legs, 8 M8 spikes, and a pack of 16mm screws and did it that way.
Just a simple drill and tap and they were good to go.
So as for the sound? forget what you think they will sound like. I really thought I had gone too far and it was worrying me. I don't want to be evicted. However, they sound nothing like you would think. I suppose "Studio Monitors" should have given that away but they go no deeper than what I had there before. However the 3 way design? is what I had been missing. I forgot just how dynamic larger speakers sound with a purposely fitted mid range driver. IE, taking that duty off of the woofer.
To save you many hours in research... The difference between these and the L100? not much. The bass driver is pretty much identical, same frame etc, just a slightly smaller magnet. The mid driver is the same one, and the tweeter is all but the same only the dome is alu instead of Ti. The biggest "cut" is the cabinets. Whilst almost identical they are covered in white plastic veneer instead of real veneer and apparently there is less bracing. So basically yeah they are a slightly cut down L100 but then the L100 sell for over 4 grand. These had an RRP of 3 grand, but at £999? you will feel like you just pulled off the great train robbery.
I would imagine that loud they are absolutely mind blowing, but I have found myself actually turning them down. Simply because of the details and dynamics. It almost feels like if you turned them up really loud you would lose that.
End game speakers for sure. Something that no bookshelf speaker, no matter how expensive, can match. I had a set of Revel M105 there (£1600 RRP) and a set of L52 Classic (£1000 RRP) and these sound very different and far more expensive. And again, nothing like you would expect either.
Oh and as for power to drive them? don't worry about it. I have the Tag 100P going into them and it is more than enough. They are "only" rated 100-200w. It's the sensitivity that helps them no end. The Revel? low 80s. That means to get what you want out of them you had to drive them pretty hard. Meaning loud and shouty. These are the complete opposite. They emit buckets of sound at much lower volumes. And again, the dynamics make them fill the entire room with sound without driving them in any way hard. I would say 60w per channel will be more than enough for the desired result tbh. I've never turned the volume up more than 43db on the pre amp, which is less than half of what it goes to.
Tadaaaaaa
