How I Transformed My Home Listening Experience (Part II)

Agreed. Neither EQ, not treble boost is going to push the highs out to 40k. When you get old (like me), even though you can't actually hear it, you can still "sense" the airiness of a soundstage, the same way that, if you walk into a low ceilinged room with your eyes closed, and you move around it for 20 seconds, and someone led you - blindfolded - into a room with a 40' ceiling, you would know the difference just by your sense of your movements in the room. You could tell the difference just by the sound of your footsteps in the two different rooms. You can't actually "hear it," but you can "sense" it. There's more to hearing than just "hearing."

When people come into my 40+ tube-traps room, and then I say, "Step into the hall and keep talking," they hear the difference in sound instantly.

 

Maybe just me, but there's no way I can agree with this in general. I'd narrow it down to: adding a super tweeter is like adding a subwoofer to a speaker that is flat down to 20 hz.

 

Best way to find out is to try them. You can always return them....

 

A speaker that is flat down to 20hz might be measured in an anechoic room or somewhere out in a field, not in your room.

 

That and the fact that very few speakers on the planet really go thst low.

But, tweeters are a different animal. Most modern day tweeters can play to 20-kHz. and beyond.

But, as you point out, ehat is measured in a laboratory setting is completely different than with the acoustics of most home listening spaces.

Unlike low frequently bass information, high frequencies are very easily absorbed by the room and its furnishings.

I can take to similar tower speakers that supposedly measure similarly in the high frequencies.

I own different Polk and Boston Acoustic tower speakers that have soft dome or ring radiator type tweeters.

I can put these next to either forward sounding Klipsch towers, like my WF-35 Icon horn loaded speakers or my legacy Klipsch La Scalas and the Klipsch speakers will be much brighter in the HF range.

Then with age related hearing loss and the attenuation of the higher frequencies, as specially male members of our senior population, a boost in the high frequencies can help add that sparkle.

 

My classical records probably benefitted most from the Aperions, phe-no-men-al!

The “Concertgebouw” (Amsterdam’s Concerthall) sound stage opened up and orchestra is sparkling and shining and the Piano is right there in the middle of it!

 

ABSOLUTELY! My entire classical catalog was improved. I'm so glad you are having a good experience. I jumped into Aperion's full ribbon design, even more refinement.

 

Every time I see this super tweeter of yours I feel like I wanna throw-up by not having one. I am so mesmerized with the latest version close-up you have in your previous threading. My dad use to have the old school pioneer satellite tweeter in our old system and that was already good. Comparing to this one is just super refined.
... What's stopping me? money! I just jumped on a sent of new speakers and amp this week for my 2nd system. I couldn't pass it up for it was a deal. Sh***ucks now another $599.00.
what if I just buy a fountek 3.0 and get a box, add the capacitors.. Do you think that will be a good idea or you get what you pay for?

 

I think it will be difficult to replicated in a "professional" looking enclosure for the money, I really do. The planar design is almost as good as the ribbon design, both products are absolutely GREAT. I hope you just wait until you have the money to get the planar ones at the lower cost.

 

Great. Actually I did the math using all the paper in oil capacitor plus the tweeter and all that. Not that far in cost. so its not wise to do it. I'm just gonna do what you recommended. Ill order it today. So if I may ask, is this place in the US? I cant wait anymore..... Very inspiring.
Thank you so much.
Joe
Edited: so theres 2 designs beside the later version. Which planar?

 

Joe, it's my pleasure. I just wanted to share how the top end of literally everything I listen to has been greatly enhanced and detail added when using these little speakers, and they look so nice and can be changed to work with virtually any speaker system in a millisecond. Be sure and get back with me and let me know how it all works out.

 

Okay one more time. the latest version is 3 the planar design. thats the one you have?
Absolutely. Ill give you a heads up and Ill show you my setup later on. its a bit different and simple but you might find it interesting too.

 

well, well what do you know..? Aperion is only 25 minutes away from my house.... its just in Wilsonville, Oregon..
I'm gonna go there tomorrow.. I'm gonna tell them the guy with a microphone sent me here.

 

The man I have spoken to several times is Dallas Ybarra, let him know you found me on the Hoffman Forum, he knew I would be reviewing them! He is very helpful, be sure and ask for him.

 

Why not go for the smaller magnetic ribbon version for 299$? I am fully satisfied, but I have to admit that I don’t know the full ribbon version.
I am afraid that you just missed their sale for 249$ However, once a sale, twice a sale and it may come up again.

 

Hi,
I did the math on the paper in oil caps, the tweeters, the jacks, switches and etc.... I'll be spending more or less. After talking to @Litejazz53 on and on going a month now. , I just called them a few minutes ago and they happen to be just next town and on my way home. I'm getting one.
Its fine. The warranty is good enough for me. If I miss the sale.. that's fine. atleast their close to me if I have any problems, I can be there in 25 minutes...
I'm heading there today and Ill let you guys know. I psyched myself into this super tweeters. My dad had a system back in the 70's and he had those pioneers super tweeter that was even harsh comparing to todays technology. That when I began to realize that a system will never be complete without it. I'm glad I found you guys here other wise who knows if I can still wait another 30 years...

 

Just came back from Aperion a few hours ago and I was able to pickup the Planar-Magnetic Flat Ribbon Super Tweeter. I have to make a slight adjustment on my personal speaker crossover system to compensate my preferred sound level attaching this speaker. Wow, what a difference! On my original rauna setup, I'm already using a semi-super tweeter to cover a lot of upper midrange to hi. I definitely gotta kick out of this one. Besides a very easy hook up on my system and yess-sirr-riieh.. definitely woke up the high side of my system and its beautiful babieh! I think I'm gonna be burning some candle tonight. I just talked to your buddy Dallas and I mentioned you. He was asking who? from the forum? "Bob" I'm not sure but from the profile picture with a microphone he definitely looks like Bob to me. "The funny guy".. I told him Dallas I wouldn't even found out about this place if it wasn't for you. Anyways he said hi to you and he did mention you spoke to him a few times and he's very happy to help out.
This is a very nice experience and Thank you so much.. for being there!
I just put in one of my favorite CD David Benoit and its just "Crystal Clear"

 

I am "totally" thrilled I was able to promote the tweeters to you, it's a very flexible product, and can be tailored to almost any system. The extended high end made such a whopping difference in my system, and I have very nice speakers, it's not like I was using them with junk speakers. Unless your speakers are high end heavy, these super tweeters are going to always be a welcomed addition. As so many people on this forum are searching for a real "sure nuff" upgrade to their system, it amazes me that so many people have not jumped on this super tweeter bandwagon, because they are really nice speakers, and they look great.

Thanks so much for letting me know you had a great experience with Aperion, my experiences have been equally as good, I have a pair of these tweeters on both sets of speakers.

 

I'm beginning to retune / refine my sound with this Aperion super tweeters. after 4 days of listening to this satellite tweeters, I began to realize how much sounds I am missing on my personal music files. I didn't know that the song "Drive" by The Cars has a maracas or a synthesized sound file that's continuously running from the beginning to almost the end of the song. As the days go by, I begin dialing the frequency selection of the tweeter that will fit to complete my system. As of right now, I'm on 14khz to -1db. What an improvement. super clean sound.. Thanks Bob...

 

My pleasure. You will find yourself tuning the speakers often, which is the cool feature, YOU CAN!

 

Welcome to the club! Glad you bought them rather then messing around with DIY when such a high quality product exists for a reasonable price.

 

Playing this Al Jarreau Cassette 1986. Yesssss! my system is really worked up on this one. The bass is pounding and combining with the highs of the super tweeter, the mids and highs are whistling. My speakers are 18 feet apart and I'm 8-9 feet away from the center. Its just amazing. What a way to spend a good Friday.
Edited... Its just amazing, sometimes I wanna go near the speaker cabinet for it sounds like the cone wants come out of the shell. its clean without a muffle even on high volume. I don't even use a subwoofers and my window pane is vibrating...
or maybe I should loose the playboys....

 

This is how I transformed mine to achieve a 'live' sound. And some pot also helped greatly too to transform my listening experience - for medicinal purposes of course.

 

This looks like a cool super tweeter, the ESS Heil Air Motion Transformer AMT Tweeter. It does appear they are not available any longer. The one very important advantage of the Aperion tweeters is their adjustability, they can fit into any system with very few adjustments. I bet these ESS tweeters do get the job done, especially with some bud.

 

They are available in 3 different sizes and the choice of 8 or 4 ohms by Heil.

They too are highly adjustable if you know what you are doing as they don't act like normal cone drivers regarding attenuation.

I have mine X'd at 2K and I'm designing another set of speakers that will use an 8" woofer, 8" sub and crossed at 1.5K for a 2 way configuration (3 including the sub).

BTW, they aren't 'super tweeters'. They can be crossed as low as 800Hz and extend to beyond what I can hear.