My TQWT build some time ago, was straight
forward, following the excellent and detailed plans laid down by Mr.
Gravesen.
I used 22mm MDF covered with bamboo veneer. Only deviation in my build,
was heavy oakwood ring for extending the woofer for 2,4 cm, instead of
building the additional front plate.
I bypassed 8,2uF Alumen tweeter cap with Duelund JDM Pure Silver Foil
0,01 uF, and kept tweeter 1R0 resistor (as the most appropriate).
After hundreds of hours of listening and changing so many other
components, I am ready to give my assessment of the TQWT. Of course this
is strictly subjective perception with my old ears in my room, with my
gear.
I have dedicated Win Server 2019 music server, heavily modified Intel
NUC Tiger Canyon in Acasa fanless case, Matrix Element H USB interface,
IFI Audio Gemini 3.0 USB cable is with separate power/audio. All powered
by separate PSU 19V, 12V and 5V. DAC is Musician Pegasus, amp is Pathos
Classic Remix, analog cables Acoustic Zen.
I have dedicated acoustically treated room 4m x 5m x 2,4m.
First thing I noticed is the excellent reproduction of voices, male or
female. Diana Krall, Alison Krauss, Jill Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Maria
Callas, Kiri Te Kaneva or even 60 + years old recordings of Kirsten
Flagstad. No sibilance! Very natural sounding female voices in all kind
of vocal timbres. Male voices also very faithful to mention only few
singers with J, Jack Johnson, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, John Mayer
or John Fogerty.
At the recent Audio Show here in Ljubljana, I heard $$$ speakers with
much less convincing male voices. Next thing I praise is the stereo
imaging, boxes disappear acoustically. When I listen Malia (w BB) the
sound is very enveloping like coming from the outer space. And her voice
deadly in the centre and above. It depends great deal of the recording.
The TQWT are also very transparent to the source and amplification.
Whenever I changed the source, even a miniscule change would be noticed
for better or worse. Bass reproduction is punchy and extended - beyond
my expectation.
To build TQWT or DTQWT was eternal question for me, I may never have an
answer. Luckily the bass reproduction is more than adequate for my room
size. Better then my previous speakers ATC or Dynaudio C1.
Every bass note is clear down to 30-35 Hz and has a nice timbre (bellow
40 Hz the room modes are prevalent). I built the pair of BMS 12in ported
subwoofers tuned to 26Hz, driven by Hypex FA501, but they are
contributing very little and after a lot of DSP changes and measurements
and repositioning, I crossed them low at 40Hz. Sometimes I listen the
music without subs.
TQWT, as others have said are good for all kind of music, maybe IMO
leaning towards fusion jazz and rock (sound very good with George
Benson/Earl Klugh - Colaboration 1987). But sounds good also with
classic music preferably chamber music. I was pleasantly surprised with
Vivaldi - Four Seasons - Alexandra Conunova - Orchestre International de
Genève 2020.
Well even though the midbas dynamics is also pretty good, maybe little
under par compared to Dyna C1 and Gryphon Callisto combo I previously
owned, which were real midbas champions in my book.
Now I might be wrong since I owned completely different equipment, so
difficult to compare. All in all, very pleasant and excellent sounding
boxes are here to stay.
Thank you Mr. Gravesen for your great contribution to our HIFI
community. Regards, Predrag from Ljubljana
|