Barik replacements

A 52, a 6-pack and 'Briks...
That is my fantasy system. You are one lucky chap!
Good luck in your quest.
David

Exactly what is the problem with your system, Sean?

Sean

The only speakers that I have heard that will improve over a set of Briks is the NBL.

There are a pair going on Ebay for about, I think, £4000.00. Alternatively buy a new pair.

I would suggest however, that your best bet is to get the Briks overhauled, and then sell your six pack and buy a NAP 500.

That would give your a far better sound than just changing what already is a good pair of speakers.

Also, try placing the Briks on a Mana stand, I was pleasantly surprised, it improved the sound and certainly looks better than the Linn stand.

Regards

Mick

You could try having a listen to CDS2/52 or Dynavector L300/DV HX1.2/Shahinian Obelisks or Hawks (or, if you want to be whacky, the O'Heocha ISO5s).

If I had your system and wanted a change that's the system I'd go for; otherwise I'd start puting Mana under the Briks - the more the better.

Alex

Hi Sean

If you're looking for a different (but equally valid) approach to music making, check out the Shahanian range.

If you are not a tweaker and generally leave the kit as is, I think you will find it well worth a power down and full reset/retune before you make any decisions.

Regards
Steve

DBL or Quad 988. The only way forward.

Dev

So would you rather have a pair of Briks powered by a NAP 500 or pair of DBL's powered by a six pack.

I would be inclined to go for the former but in all honesty have not done a comparison, so I may be guessing somewhat.

Regards

Mick

having heard both the active ATC 100s (on Mana) and the Nap 500 ... I think perhaps it is you that is the joke

I agree with Mick about the NBLs. However, I would first replace all 4 treble units in your Isobariks with Linn's new tweeters. It is said to be a massive improvement.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
Tip 1: Change your mains plug fuses at least once a year

Or how about Wilson System 7 with NAP500
Or Big Martin Logans (what are they called again Porridgy or Prodigy??)

What exactly, are the new Linn tweets and how much do they cost? Could a ham-fisted weeny-boybander such as myself do the swap?

"All systems are perfectly designed to get the results they get."

quote:

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Originally posted by Jez Quigley:
What exactly, are the new Linn tweets and how much do they cost? Could a ham-fisted weeny-boybander such as myself do the swap?

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Installed the new tweeters a couple of weeks ago. Fairly straightforward, took about 3 hours ( including finding a very long screwdriver and magnet to retrieve a t-bolt).

1 Remove the screws.
2 Screw a M5 bolt into each hole in the old tweeter. (I used 2" long)
3 Pull the old tweeter out. Slowly. I used a claw hammer levered on a piece of wood. Listen for the old mastic separating. Work round all the screws in turn. Take your time.
4 Desolder (or cut off close to) tweeter.
5 Clean up hole.
6 Solder on new tweeter
7 Apply new silicon.
8 Slide into place. May need a gentle tap to get past the Tbolts. May need a magnet steel rod to retrieve any displaced T-bolts.
9 Replace and tighten screws.
10 Retire to lounge for a large malt.

Would also suggest a checksheet that you tick-off for each tweeter that you've checked the polarity BEFORE replacing it.

Unfortunately I can't comment on the improvement yet as the problem I was trying to address turns out to be the supercap, now boxed and off to Salisbury tomorrow.

Regards,

Willy.
past

Going from memory they're about £150 for a pair. So about £250-300 for your bariks.

Personally I'd get a dealer to do it.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
Tip 1: Change your mains plug fuses at least once a year

Following up on Jez's question. What are the new Linn tweeters? Who manufactures them and the product number? Is it Scan-Speak?

Terry

quote:

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Originally posted by plynnplynn:
Following up on Jez's question. What are the new Linn tweeters? Who manufactures them and the product number? Is it Scan-Speak?

Terry

---

They're made by Hiquphon. Type D20-LP-1, actually same type no as the ones I removed. The new ones now have Linn logo's on and I presume internal changes.

Willy.

I put the new Linn tweeters into my Kan's.
They cost me $160.00 Candian per pair ( plus tax @ 15% ), or according to the currency calculator 66 Pounds Sterling, or 104 Euro. Note that this price was through my Linn dealer in February.

HTH, regards,

michael

quote:

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Personally I'd get a dealer to do it.

---

I think so too, firstly I don't know what an M5 is (I'll resist the obvious 'joke' here), and I don't do 'take your time'! But thanks anyway Willy, you confirmed my inner voice of 'leave it alone'. My briks are late ones anyway and the tweeters probably have some life in them yet.

"All systems are perfectly designed to get the results they get."

Thanks for all the replys. Constant tweaking in the stand department has yealded a big improvement (yesterday), so much so that the old Iso's may stay. Who knows?

I'm still looking forward to hearing the SL2's although I do know people who have given them a real slating.

I'd be very interested in hearing how your new treble units sound Willy, once you've got your supercap back.

If you read this Dev, give me a call. I still have a Karma for you.

If anyone has done any further mods to Isobariks and has had good or bad results I'd like to know. I've got the chance of a second pair that may result in a wee project, provided that drive units are able to be sourced.

Anybody going to the show?

See you there.

In music.

sean.

quote:

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Originally posted by sean:
If anyone has done any further mods to Isobariks and has had good or bad results I'd like to know. I've got the chance of a second pair that may result in a wee project, provided that drive units are able to be sourced.

---

sean,

if the bottom of the cabinets are badly pitted where the spikes rest, fill with something hard.

Was a big improvement for me.

cheers, Martin

MARK,

I've had a lot of ups and downs over the years with my system sometimes sounding awsome and other times sounding absolutly dire. At one time it sounded so bad i almost sold the lot.

The big changes for me seem to have been moving house. Changing rooms has been either magical or excrutiating. I once lived in a cottage with a concrete floor and a rear wall two feet thick,there they sounded exceptional. An old guy living across the road could hear the bass notes in his living room with the T.V. on. Now thats a killer. Later I had a room that was long and narrow and nothing I did could make them sound remotly reasonable.

Since moving from that cottage I've always hankered back to that sound, to the time when I struggled to go to bed at night it was that good. I then had a 72/250 which I loved, everything just seemed to sound good. Then came a pair of 135's which moved the game on a bit further. For a while I ran four 135's through the linn panel passive crossover (the one that sat in the stand, I had been using the older crossover which was in the speaker, and which to my ears sounds better) which did'ent really do much more. I then got a change of room and went active and it ended up sounding awful. I got some bad advice about seting up the crossover (from a dealer I hasten to add) and it sounded shit for years. I eventually sent the crosover off to Naim who said there was nothing wrong with it just that it was set up rather oddly. Balance was restored and along came a 52, which opened up things a lot but still did'ent give me the sound I was looking for.

It has only in the last week when i made some bits for my stands that I've managed to get the bounce back in the bass and for the speakers to have the seperation that i know that they can have, as well as huge amounts of presence.

I think now that if you don't have a concrete or stone floor it is even more importanr to spend time isolating your equiptment properly.

As far as the best upgrades goes I would have to say I've never regretted buying a CDS2 which still knocks me out, almost as much as my LP12. New stands made a big difference (I use Quadraspire now) and also the mains spur.

I can honestly recomend buying a CDS2, 52 and a six pack as it can sound absolutly awsome. At the same time it can sound horendously dire, and when it's like that yould be better off with an Aiwa.

Have fun listening,

Sean.

Vuk, exactly, and since briks can be had for 1/6 or less than the cost of any possible alternative, why even think about it?

"All systems are perfectly designed to get the results they get."

Dave,

I had a standard quadra..... rack, well several really, and cut the bog seat out and the vineer away from the holes for the uprights. Big improvement. I tried the Fraim bit with glass sitting on ball bearings and stainless compression fitting ferrels on top of my tables. Did'ent work a bit, sounded hard and britle. I then tried it with a bit of 19mm MDF cut to the size of a Naim box with the bog seat bit incorporated. Bingo!

Not rocket science I know, but it works here. Previously I had to back the bass and midrange off to stop the sound becoming overbloated. Now the crossover is back at the factory settings and it still sounds sharp.

Have now enquired about bringing my stands up to ref. standard.........wish me luck!

Sean.

Mr P

Could you elaborate on your profound statement.

Regards

Mick