KEF all but ruined the B110 mid driver as time went on and no two batches were ever the same. This driver had a nasty squeak at just over 1kHz anyway and this seemed to get worse and worse as time went on, ruining LS3/5A's and annihilating the un-equalised 'briks. My lovely 1984 pair were replaced by a horrible black pair (cos black was the thing) which shrieked badly. Linn ended up using the supposedly better high-power B110 in Kan and 'brik which smoothed the response and added loads of colouration. I can't tell you how bad the Sara 9 became after a similar 'update.' The slight squonk became a nasty squawk - really terrible - IMO of course. I got into NS1000's around 1986 and left the bloody 'Briks behind.
The best 'brik systems I've ever heard (not every one, but using this era bits) have been active PMS's with original chipboard boxes (and 1970's mid drivers) and either bolt-up Naim 250's (these weren't usually harsh at all) or in Jimmy Hughes' case, three Krell KSA50's (I believe he tried to 'improve' them...).
Thing is Andrew, I've seen them being made
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way...The time has gone, The song is over, Thought I'd something more to say...
My own Isobariks were unusual in that they were the later ones with the crossovers built into the bottom and a correspondingly long row of banana sockets for both passive and active use. In addition, they sported Scanspeak D2008s rather than Hiquphons.
They were returned by their previous owner who insisted on Scanspeak tweeters being fitted to replace the Hiquphons, because he just couldn't get on with the newer Isobariks. He'd apparently been a very lucrative customer for many years so his request was accommodated without question!
I've only owned the one pair and their uniqueness has made me shy away from trying another as they would never be the same.
The Hiquphons added sizzle to the Scan's chrome plating IME. Neither were any good and the damped version, as used by Spendor and Pro-Ac I believe, still took off at 9kHz (part of the glossy string tone). The undamped one in the later wedge shaped Rega ELA, for whatever reason, could extract fillings at ten paces - ugh!
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way...The time has gone, The song is over, Thought I'd something more to say...
Andrew wrote:Haha I've owned 43 pairs of them (no kidding) so they are a fabourite too,Bet you wished you hadn't asked now!
Andrew I am begining to think you have a secret identity , 43 pairs of isobariks thats 2.15 a year over a 20 year period . Your not Malcom Steward in disguise are you :D
Last edited by Daniel Quinn on Tue Feb 25, 2014 10:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
Andrew wrote:Haha I've owned 43 pairs of them (no kidding) so they are a fabourite too,Bet you wished you hadn't asked now!
Andrew I am begining to think you have a secret identity , 43 pairs of isobariks thats 2.15 a year over a 20 year period . Your not Malcom Steward in disguise are you :D
Haha I wish! Malcolm Steward's apparently a bit of a car collector too, and envy him that just as much as his history of hifi bits. I do tend to like the things he's known for liking too, but I guess that's as close as I get.
Yeah it was only 43 pairs of Kans I'm afraid. Maybe I should try some more Isobariks.......if I can still lift the things. When I moved house, he pair pictured needed to be shifted and I insisted on carrying them by myself because I didn't trust anybody else with them. I might struggle nowadays given that I'm older in a lower weight class
Andrew wrote:Haha I've owned 43 pairs of them (no kidding) so they are a fabourite too,Bet you wished you hadn't asked now!
Andrew I am begining to think you have a secret identity , 43 pairs of isobariks thats 2.15 a year over a 20 year period . Your not Malcom Steward in disguise are you :D
Haha I wish! Malcolm Steward's apparently a bit of a car collector too, and envy him that just as much as his history of hifi bits. I do tend to like the things he's known for liking too, but I guess that's as close as I get.
Yeah it was only 43 pairs of Kans I'm afraid. Maybe I should try some more Isobariks.......if I can still lift the things. When I moved house, he pair pictured needed to be shifted and I insisted on carrying them by myself because I didn't trust anybody else with them. I might struggle nowadays given that I'm older in a lower weight class
So, what is this Malcolm Steward like, Andrew? Is he another miserable git like the rest of us on here
I don't know him, Shane, although I always followed his columns and then his website. The Doc met him and heard his system.
He and Jimmy Hughes were the ones whose own reports seemed to be in keeping with my own likes and dislikes. Whether it was just coincidence or similar taste I'm not sure. The very opposite was always true of Noel Keywood. Everything the guy seems to love, I tend to hate.
thats 2.15 a year over a 20 year period . Your not Malcom Steward in disguise are you :D
