The Ultimate IB

**Ayreonaut** · **07-18-06, 07:25 AM**

Hey IB fans, you'll love this.

Did you see this guy's system described in PFO? Its supposed to sound amazing.

Quote:

all drivers (except the ribbons) exist on an open baffle wall. That is, the wall they are mounted on opens to the rest of the basement behind them.

LINK

**Sonnie** · **07-18-06, 10:25 AM**

Holy smoke... that entire wall is nothing but speakers... amazing.

I can't imagine it sounding all that great... just seems like there would be several issues with the mids and highs.

**Ayreonaut** · **07-18-06, 10:45 AM**

Quote:

Sonnie wrote:

I can't imagine it sounding all that great... just seems like there would be several issues with the mids and highs.

Or then again maybe is does sound that great? (For $500K it had better!

)

Quote:

The result was the most honest, full-range, super-realistic (there I go again!) sonic images that you have probably never heard. [we] were in complete awe when we heard Jerry's "Wall of Sound" make music. We played a solid mix of music just to make sure, but there was no doubt that Jerry's reference system produced the most life-like music playback I have ever experienced. We were all overwhelmed by what unfolded in front of us. It truly made comparison with any other speaker system utterly baseless and without merit.

Is a fascinating concept to think of a speaker system where all the rear waves have "left the building." No cabinets whatsoever.

Quote:

Speakers: Hartley 24" x 2, Hartley 18" x 2, Hartley 10" x 4, Eminent Technology ribbons x 4, Raven R-2 ribbons x 4,and JBL 2405 x 8.

**jagman** · **08-18-06, 08:33 PM**

That is just nuts. How would all of those speakers integrate? The crossovers must have been a nightmare to design.

**ThomasW** · **08-18-06, 10:48 PM**

Point source (cone drivers) roll-off at a rate of -6dB for every doubling of distance from the source. Line source drivers roll-off at -3dB for every doubling of distance from the source.

Trying to integrate point source and line source drivers means they're only focused at one single point away from the drivers.

**Exocer** · **08-19-06, 08:29 AM**

Quote:

Sonnie wrote:

Holy smoke... that entire wall is nothing but speakers... amazing.

I can't imagine it sounding all that great... just seems like there would be several issues with the mids and highs.

Sonnie you took the words right out of my mouth

It almost seems like theres too much going on there to sound like a completely integrated system. Doesn't change the fact that it looks awesome!

**Darren** · **08-20-06, 09:23 AM**

That's my wife's nightmare

**Ayreonaut** · **08-21-06, 08:52 AM**

This guy spent years adding and changing drivers, moving the drivers around and adjusting all the parameters in all the crossovers to get it where he wants it. Perhaps it shouldn't be attempted by mere mortals.

Still, I wonder how some four or five way IBs would sound, in a more traditional arrangemet?

MTMWW mains?
WMTMW center?

**jagman** · **08-21-06, 12:33 PM**

The funny thing is he still has a wimpy boxed center channel speaker under the TV

.

**JCD** · **08-22-06, 11:33 AM**

Quote:

ThomasW wrote:

Point source (cone drivers) roll-off at a rate of -6dB for every doubling of distance from the source. Line source drivers roll-off at -3dB for every doubling of distance from the source.

Trying to integrate point source and line source drivers means they're only focused at one single point away from the drivers.

Are you saying he'll get awful off-axis response?

JCD

**jagman** · **08-22-06, 01:52 PM**

What he's saying is there is only one location in that room that will sound good (left, right, up, down, forward and aft... not just on or off axis). With that number of drivers that location will be very specific.

Advertisement