My new - VERY HEAVY - F112

[jdandy]

Julian.......Very happy to hear the Sonus Faber Guarneri Memento's and the JL Audio Fathom f112 are now making sweet music together. That speaker combination is so good, I expect it would make almost anything connected to it sound better, and make great gear sound absolutely incredible. Congratulations on a job well done.

I can offer this to you. When I come up from the studio where my GM's are performing so wonderfully, I do not feel I have lost anything when i turn on my main system. It might be time for you to consider a pair of PMC EB1i speakers. They are serious performers, too, and won't leave you wanting to go back to the Guarneri Memento's to find audio satisfaction. Find a PMC dealer, take some familiar music, and audition the EB1i's. They will knock your socks off.

[two dot]

+1 on the Eva Cassidy... I have found out about much great music on this forum...

Eva being among my favorites.

Thanks for clearing up the question about the GM's/Auditors...

This GM/JL combo has me wanting the same!!!

[Milimetr]

@ jprice,
Congratulations of your new purchase. I hope that your Memento supported with sub will satisfy you.

Unfortunately my two attempts to using subwoofer in high-end stereo setup failed. I have started from floorstanding Thiel CS2.3. Because I used them in the same room where I have second (separated) home theater system I found that would be great to integrate both systems a little.

I sold florrstanding stereo speakers and purchased Thiel monitors and Thiel sub. It is worth to mention that Thiel developed really interesting and effective system to integrate subwoofers with main speakers. This system bases on passive crossover that is specially developed for particular front speakers model. It eliminate all dialing with crossover frequency setting and subwoofer volume level setting. Also Thiel subs have regulations allowing to correct performance depending on position of the sub in the room. So it was very promising.

Unfortunately the whole effect was far from my expectations. Bass was great, but I cannot place my subwoofer between front speakers. It was positioned near right channel speaker. Regardless of the subwoofer settings it would not integrate well with the front speakers and sound was not homogenous. I sold Thiel sub (I do not liked them also from other reason).

After that I purchased quite unusual and unique in construction sub from Wilson Benesch. I also could not place them in center between stereo speakers, so I do not use them in stereo system. It is intended only for use in second home theater system and works very well in this system regardless on positioning in the room.

Of course I have tried this sub also with my Mementos, but only for a while. Torus is great match both sonically and visually with black Mementos, but I will not use them in stereo system if I cannot place them between speakers and one-two feet behind them.

However I am not surprised that you like Memento with sub better than you Avalon. Before I purchased Memento, I auditioned Avalon Indra and Avalon Ascendant in my system. Both speakers are nice, but I definitely preffered Sonus Faber top of the line monitors. If your Mementos will integrate well with the sub it can be a bargain.

If I can advice you something about setting the sub – many users sets roll off frequency in sub too high and sub volume level too low. Try to set it the opposite way.

You can also purchase SPL meter – even cheap one from Radio Shack. Download some test tones – for example from Real Traps web site and try to get the same SPL level at your listening point from your sub and from main speakers.

Hope it helps.

Regards!
Milimetr


BTW if we talk about heavy subs look at this Thiel monster. It is their top of the line SS4 (currently discontinued). It measure 50 inches high and weights almost 300 lbs. I never heard it but I suppose that it could be nice weapon to destroy building walls.

[AudioNut]

Originally Posted by Milimetr

@ jprice,
Congratulations of your new purchase. I hope that your Memento supported with sub will satisfy you.

Unfortunately my two attempts to using subwoofer in high-end stereo setup failed. I have started from floorstanding Thiel CS2.3. Because I used them in the same room where I have second (separated) home theater system I found that would be great to integrate both systems a little.

I sold florrstanding stereo speakers and purchased Thiel monitors and Thiel sub. It is worth to mention that Thiel developed really interesting and effective system to integrate subwoofers with main speakers. This system bases on passive crossover that is specially developed for particular front speakers model. It eliminate all dialing with crossover frequency setting and subwoofer volume level setting. Also Thiel subs have regulations allowing to correct performance depending on position of the sub in the room. So it was very promising.

Unfortunately the whole effect was far from my expectations. Bass was great, but I cannot place my subwoofer between front speakers. It was positioned near right channel speaker. Regardless of the subwoofer settings it would not integrate well with the front speakers and sound was not homogenous. I sold Thiel sub (I do not liked them also from other reason).

After that I purchased quite unusual and unique in construction sub from Wilson Benesch. I also could not place them in center between stereo speakers, so I do not use them in stereo system. It is intended only for use in second home theater system and works very well in this system regardless on positioning in the room.

Of course I have tried this sub also with my Mementos, but only for a while. Torus is great match both sonically and visually with black Mementos, but I will not use them in stereo system if I cannot place them between speakers and one-two feet behind them.

However I am not surprised that you like Memento with sub better than you Avalon. Before I purchased Memento, I auditioned Avalon Indra and Avalon Ascendant in my system. Both speakers are nice, but I definitely preffered Sonus Faber top of the line monitors. If your Mementos will integrate well with the sub it can be a bargain.

If I can advice you something about setting the sub – many users sets roll off frequency in sub too high and sub volume level too low. Try to set it the opposite way.

You can also purchase SPL meter – even cheap one from Radio Shack. Download some test tones – for example from Real Traps web site and try to get the same SPL level at your listening point from your sub and from main speakers.

Hope it helps.

Regards!
Milimetr


BTW if we talk about heavy subs look at this Thiel monster. It is their top of the line SS4 (currently discontinued). It measure 50 inches high and weights almost 300 lbs. I never heard it but I suppose that it could be nice weapon to destroy building walls.

✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭ ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭


MILLIMETR:

Thank you so much for your shared experiences and very sound advice.

I also have tried and failed with subs on several occasions. The last was a huge JM Labs Focal Sub Utopia with a pair of Micro Utopia Be speakers - never could get it to sound anything but bloated, and I tried it in vain, with the Avalon Eidolons - AWFUL!!!. I tried several other subs over the years and couldn't wait to dump them on Audiogon.

The JL Audio sub, however, seems to be a different kind of animal. From the get-go, this sub sounded "good" with the Mementos, and the more I mess with it and dial it in, the better it is sounding.

Because of room configuration, I had to place the sub to the left and behind the left speaker - couldn't place it in the middle - but after I employed the built-in setup program in the sub, and adjusted the volume and crossover frequency, it fully blended with the Mementos and appeared to come from wherever the bass notes were being played within the soundstage. Even when I sit off-center, imaging is very, very good.

As you are very well aware, the Mementos are very refined speakers, capable of almost eerily realistic reproduction of anything that is thrown at them - from the most delicate to the fullest, most powerful orchestral crescendos imaginable, and the addition of the F-112 absolutely completes that illusion.

I'm crossing the sub over at 55Hz and have adjusted the output to what my recently purchased Radio Shack SPL meter, and the first Stereophile test recording have advised. I'm not there yet, but I'm very pleased by what I'm hearing. I employed the setting to reduce the lowest bass notes by 3db and to roll off the frequencies above the crossover point by 12db - the lower setting reduced room rattles and the upper setting made the sub blend better with the Mementos.

I think the mammoth Thiel sub you have pictured would knock the pictures off my walls - but it is beautiful.

I do like the almost tiny JL Audio F-112 and it is proving to really do the job with my mementos. It is so fast and so clean in its presentation that I'm certain that it would do a good job in any situation where monitor speakers are being used. For bigger speakers, JL makes bigger subs.

Pretty obvious that I like the thing.

Again, thank you for your helpful advice - - - My newly discovered advice to you is to try a JL Audio sub with your Mementos. It works!

Julian

[j3brow]

Julian, congratulations on your latest acquisition (not to mention slipping it past the wife...I did the same thing when I purchased my 2nd REL B2 while my wife was giving birth.....she still hasnt noticed!).

It really is amazing what subwoofers bring to the table, its not just the deep bass but it also opens up the soundstage revealing subtle ambient clues I never knew I was missing. The sound perfectly compliments my Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors. I wouldnt dream of listening without the subs.

by the way, it is my opinion that stereo bass is the way to go. No contest.

glad to see you have a Koetsu riding your VPI arm. I recently upgraded my Scoutmaster to the 10.5i arm (w/ Clearaudio Maestro). Someday, gonna buy a 2nd arm wand and get a top flight MC cart, Koetsu is on my dream list if it mated well VPI.


Jason

[iefbo]

Hi Julian,
Owning the MA7000 (to drive the SF cremona) I was just curious how you connect the f112 to the amp. Do you connect the balanced inputs on the sub to the MA7000 balanced pre out?

Looking at all the fantastic reviews I have to admit I'm getting curious what the f112 would do to my system...

Yves

[-E-]

There seems to be a lot of confessions on this forum... I suggest clearing your browser cache and login/password list in case the significant other somehow slips on here.

[AudioNut]

Originally Posted by iefbo

Hi Julian,
Owning the MA7000 (to drive the SF cremona) I was just curious how you connect the f112 to the amp. Do you connect the balanced inputs on the sub to the MA7000 balanced pre out?

Looking at all the fantastic reviews I have to admit I'm getting curious what the f112 would do to my system...

Yves

Yves,

I do connect the sub with XLR cables to the balanced pre-outputs and it works very well in that configuration.

One real advantage to this configuration is the ability to switch the sub on/off with the remote control.

The F112 seems to be a match made in heaven with my Sonus Faber Guarneri Mementos - I've been told that a pair of subs would be even better, but I am very satisfied with the single sub.

Thanks for asking - and good luck.

Julian

[AudioNut]

Originally Posted by Vesuvius

There seems to be a lot of confessions on this forum... I suggest clearing your browser cache and login/password list in case the significant other somehow slips on here.

CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL!!! So long as you don't get caught confessing. Good idea about cleaning out history and browser cache.

Fortunately, my wife and I each have Mac laptops and I don't think she knows how to get past my passwords. (Who really knows though, she has probably been reading everything I've ever written }-

She did ask me about my Facebook page a couple of weeks ago - so I am being very careful there.

Thanks,

Julian

[-E-]

"No, honey, that wasn't my old girlfriend before you... I swear - she's a cousin..."

*BANG*

News report: A really nice guy named Julian had a 112 pound box of metal dropped on his head last night. He died with both a smile and a look of shock on his face. His wife is being sought for questioning, but is believed to have taken a vacation to the Cayman Islands.

Good luck!