NFS Luna / Duo Follow up

[SunByrne]

I did the Duo upgrade today (LCR for my HT setup). If anyone out there is worried about doing it yourself, don't—it's very straightforward. As someone noted in the Luna thread, there's a LOT more damping material. You do have to press the woofers into it, but it's not difficult.

The results are also quite something—it's a little more dramatic than I expected. I mean, I expected them to be better, but the difference is a bit more stark than I thought it would be.

Honestly, I've always thought the Duos were good, but not quite the "Ascend wow" feeling I have for the Sierra bookshelves. I always figured it's because they're so small, and you have to give something up because of the size—and not just bass extension. I was kind of hoping they'd sound like 2EXs (but with less bass), and they didn't quite get there for me.

The V2s, however, get there.

Immediately noticeable improvement, even just with dialog. And with music, well, now they sound on par with my other Ascend setups. Pretty amazing what new crossovers and more damping can accomplish.

Fantastic work, Dave, and thank you for making the upgrade so affordable!


Side note: Dave having a Klippel is paying off for us customers and then some. The Duos are markedly improved and the LXs are simply amazing. I cannot wait to see what Dave is cooking up next!

[racrawford65]

"Side note: Dave having a Klippel is paying off for us customers and then some. The Duos are markedly improved and the LXs are simply amazing. I cannot wait to see what Dave is cooking up next!"

Hopefully the Tower upgrade ;-)

[davef]

Happy to read that the upgrades are going well and the improvements are audible and welcomed!

Side note: Dave having a Klippel is paying off for us customers and then some.

That was the goal

[John Galt]

Just upgraded my center DUO last night and here are my thoughts:

- The new crossover looks impressive in quality and design

- The instructions for the port baffles could be more clear. They assume that you are used to using the speaker in a vertical position and not horizontal like I do for a center channel. If the baffle installation baffles you give Ascend a call. A tiny diagram would have made it the baffle installation very clear and simple. Aside from the baffle instructions the rest were very clear.

- The upgrade is relatively easy, but if you're not careful you can break things, strip out the screws in the wood, damage speakers, or scratch your cabinet. If you are experienced with hand tools, and have a careful gentle touch you should be fine...but if you are not, and don't want any damage I'd send in the speaker and let the pros do the upgrade.

- When re-installing metal screws that go into wood always try to find the original threads in the wood by starting the reinstallation of the screws by hand. Be gentle and try to find the original threads by turning the screw counter clockwise then gently clockwise. You'll know when you've found the original threads when the screw catches and starts to chase the threads easily. Most people just start the screw wherever and make new threads...do this more than a few times and you have no threads left and have to do a wood repair.

- I found that the gasket on one of my woofers was not installed correctly when it was originally assembled. Most of the gasket was crushed, but half of it was hanging inside the cabinet and still 'fluffy' because it was never located between the wood and the speaker. I used very tiny pieces of double sided tape to secure the gasket before re-installing. This means that I never had a good seal on the cabinet from day one, but now I do. Makes me wonder about the gaskets on my towers.

I'd say that the speaker sounds better for my center than it did before the upgrade, but it's more difficult to tell then if I was using them for L+R music or something similar. Dialog seems clearer, and I don't notice as much of a 'honky' sound for dialog as I did before the upgrade. I know that this speaker has limitations based on size, but I just don't have room for anything larger. Glad I did the upgrade.

[davef]

- I found that the gasket on one of my woofers was not installed correctly when it was originally assembled. Most of the gasket was crushed, but half of it was hanging inside the cabinet and still 'fluffy' because it was never located between the wood and the speaker. I used very tiny pieces of double sided tape to secure the gasket before re-installing. This means that I never had a good seal on the cabinet from day one, but now I do. Makes me wonder about the gaskets on my towers.

Hi John, glad the upgrade went well for you. Regarding the woofer gasket, the gaskets we use do not have any adhesives on them, this is by design. More than likely, when you removed the woofer, the gasket simply shifted to one side and fell into the woofer cutout. This happens to me all the time because of the way the woofer is removed.

The woofer gasket, prior to installation, is 2.5mm thick, it then gets permanently compressed down to about 1/4mm one the woofer is installed. If the section of the gasket that concerns is compressed, than you know it was installed properly.

That being said, every speaker we ship is fully tested for air leaks by using high amplitude sine wave sweeps so there is no concern there. In most cases and with many manufacturers, gaskets aren't used and aren't required as they have become quite expensive in the past 2-3 years.

[John Galt]

Dave

The gasket on one speaker was clearly compressed evenly for the entire circumference. The gasket on the other speaker was only compressed for around 2/3 the circumference. 1/3 or more of the gasket was never between the speaker and the cabinet...it was hanging inside the cabinet.

I tried to line it up when re-installing the speaker, but it kept trying to bend back into the shape it was in before I removed the speaker. I used a few very tiny bits of very thin Scotch double sided tape to hold it in the correct shape while I re-installed the speaker.

I don't think it's a huge deal, but I also know the gasket wouldn't be there if it wasn't needed.

[davef]

Dave

The gasket on one speaker was clearly compressed evenly for the entire circumference. The gasket on the other speaker was only compressed for around 2/3 the circumference. 1/3 or more of the gasket was never between the speaker and the cabinet...it was hanging inside the cabinet.

I tried to line it up when re-installing the speaker, but it kept trying to bend back into the shape it was in before I removed the speaker. I used a few very tiny bits of Scotch tape thin double sided tape to hold it in the correct shape while I re-installed the speaker.

I don't think it's a huge deal, but I also know the gasket wouldn't be there if it wasn't needed.

Hi John,

My apologies - in this case, it does appear that it shifted prior to our production installing the woofer. Still, honestly, it makes no difference... We have been considering eliminating gaskets altogether, I never use them in my engineering samples.

[MDinno]

I would like to see the LX upgrade for this speaker or make a LX DUO Center. That would make it a definite challenge to the Horizon as the flagship center.

[msound]

I would like to see the LX upgrade for this speaker or make a LX DUO Center. That would make it a definite challenge to the Horizon as the flagship center.

No it won't. As the Horizon already has the lx as an option. The Horizon is the top of the totem pole from Ascend.

[davef]

I would like to see the LX upgrade for this speaker or make a LX DUO Center. That would make it a definite challenge to the Horizon as the flagship center.

I'm not sure I follow you. Do you mean swapping the RAAL ribbon in the Duo for the Titan dome that is used in the LX?