What makes your midrange magic ?

We've often talked about how important the mid frequencies are to the audio playback system and how many members have tuned there systems to optimize the mid range.
So what is it about your personal systems midrange that makes it special for you.

 

Tubes and Bing Crosby.

 

Great actives, good recordings and a fine source that makes the most of them.

 

I think in my case it's the absolute openness of the midrange in my speakers that has allowed me to maximize that range of playback. Finding that my amp will work with KT-66 tubes and implementing three different new production brands, "directed" by the phenomenal tone controls on my amp, has really allowed me to have a very open and dynamic sound with tonality that is realistic and pleasant. TAD tubes have surprised me by being the best of those I've tried (also Genelax Gold Lion and Tung-Sol).

 

Amp:El34 single ended and vinyl mostly for a source some gold wired filters and outlets also help

 

I would say tubes. I just installed a new Convergent Audio Technology Renaissance black path preamp. This preamp has beautiful Mids.

 

Diet and Cardio

 

Good point Lonson, a combination of the right speakers and amp should make the biggest improvement and be the least variable in reproducing a truly engaging performance.

 

Sonus Faber & Vinyl =

 

I use 2-way horn speakers with an efficient, full-range driver on top (AER - 25-25KHz; 106dB). The horn naturally cuts off at 150Hz and everything above is relatively seamless. I can power the drivers with low-watt amps and my preference is currently 45 SET monos. Single-ended triodes matched with low distortion, full-range drivers are my choice for that 'magical' midrange.

 

Vacuum tubes and Jupiter Copper Foil capacitors!

 

Depends. I aim for magic/balance across the whole frequency range ideally; and as such the mids are bound to shine as that's where most action is. A tube amp with nice EL34s, together with open, full range-ish speakers, has brought me closet to that point so far. Certainly don't want 'enhanced' mids at the expense of rolled- off treble or limited bass.

 

At best, I can only guess as to what is important. First, I agree that tube electronics have something to do with it. I also think that my horn midrange is particularly good at delivering the goods: Western Electric 713b, and KS 12025 horn. The bass/midrange driver in my system is a modern driver, but, it employs old school design elements: pulp-paper cone, pleated fabric surround, alnico magnets; I think this driver is also quite good in the upper bass and lower midrange.

 

Single ended 211 valves and saba speakers in an open baffle. Bliss.

 

Quad's design philosophy with current dumping circuit & band limiting (13Hz).

 

That 300B SET amp magic paired with wonderful AN-E hemp coned speakers with AlNiCo magnets.

 

Speakers at ear height or slightly below, toed-in about 10 degrees and set away from large reflective surfaces. That gives the best mid-range for me. Source and amplification with low distortion are important too.

 

Many factors for me personally, but the one that I believe applies to everyone's system is gain matching and flat response. Too much gain and you kill the sound, not enough and it is lifeless. Frequency peaks work hand-in-hand to mess things up, because if you have a frequency peak and the gain is correct, the rest of the sound is flat. If your gain matches most of the frequency range, then the peak is too hot.

 

Room treatments, speaker positioning, components, source material roughly in that order.

 

Single (quasi) ribbon driver in speakers covering both the mids and highs.

Doug

 

Beat me to it. Too many rooms suffer from bass bloat or untamed highs that overcome the ability of components to show their true nature and for the listener to judge.

John K.

 

Holly Cole and a glass of Scotch

 

Fisher 400 and Forte II......never heard mids like this.

 

Now that would have been an interesting combination. "White Christmas Punks on Dope."

 

Yeah, that would work for me, too... especially 'Temptation' and some Johnny Walker Double Black.

In terms of my system it would be the tubes end-to-end and the reference 3A speakers doing their magic.