My Swansong speaker build

[Toppsy]

Thats a heck of a lot of drivers! I like it.

Did you try running them all at once? I know I would

Well now Mr Bass, the answer to your question,as Arte Johnson from the original Rowen and Martins TV show would say: https://youtu.be/_SVSak1oBCw

EDIT. I should say one needs to substitute the word Serious in the video clip for SILLYOUS, which is what I thought they were saying in the first place. DOH!

[JohnG]

After a run up to Bacup after Boxing Day and being very well supported by Colins Family and visitors to their home, I set off on the long trek home with the Swangsong Speakers onboard.

I noticed when the Speakers were being packed that I thought one dial on the Hypex Amps were different to the other, which this evening is now proven, when going through the motions of initially setting them up.
One Speaker has the Rotation Dial at what can be said is as good in the lowest setting or 8.00 O Clock when I describe the dial setting.
The other Amp has the dial at set about 3/4 Rotation or set to between 2.00 O Clock and 3.00 O Clock.

Looking through images in the thread, I have also seen the dial set at 1/2 rotation or set at 12.00 O Clock.

I am OK about the idea of using the Speakers, but would like to get things as right as they should be, prior to positioning the Speakers and having the first experience of them, they are quite a heavy weight to keep moving to make space to access the speakers rear.

I am hoping @chris661 or @Scotmoose can offer an advisory on whether I need to make any changes to the dials.

Within the Build Thread, there is also referenced a selection of programmable settings created, this is above my usual involvement with Speakers, if any info can be shared, even if Technical it will be appreciated. I have a friend who can assist with a Layman translation.

All the best for 2026
John

[JohnG]

I visited the Troels Graveson Site who covers the Hypex Amp.

I have at present set both Gain Controls to 12 O Clock.

If there is the experiencing of the Speakers that suggests different gain settings are needed, I would be very keen to hear about these.

[Andrew]

The Hypex units might need their equalisation curves programming for your room.

As this thread says, it was others who did the actual programming but I was present when we set them up. If I recall, the basic idea is to measure the bass response of your room using a microphone and a laptop to generate an impulse sound wave, then program the modules using a laptop and the software that come with the modules to tune out any bass hump, or replace any bass suck out that may, or may not, be present in your particular listening room.

On the rear of each amp there's a 3 position rotary knob, one position was programmed for Colin's room at home and another for the North West Audio show demo rooms when we took them to Cranage in 2023.

[JohnG]

Hi Andrew, Thank You for sharing your experiences had with the Speakers.

I am confident a help can be offered where further programming is concerned, I will let the individual to help make their own assessment. .

Today I have been using the Speakers for quite a few hours using a Pre' Amp method that is not my most preferred and have had a extremely impressive session. Certain Tracks were delivered in a way that is unusual to me, and I will state the best I have heard these tracks in my system.

Another unusual occurrence had been the VC setting on the Pot's built into the 845 Power Amp, with the Pot's used for VC control, the rotation of the VC is typically 1/4 - 1/3 rotation to acquire the listening level. With these Speakers the rotation is much much less and able to pin one to the wall at a much reduced rotation. To get the ideal Volume Level, the dial is just a slight move from the off position.

I will be trying the SE 300b's as the next experience.

[JohnG]

Day 2 - The revisit to the Speakers started early, worked on Geometry, (Speakers now seated in a position no other cabinet speakers have been set up on), Aligning Beryllium Tweeter to ear (resulted in a new control which is elevating the listening position), Worked with VC Levels and found a tiniest of rotation will effect how the Sound is being perceived.

At this stage in relation to positioning the speaker in the room and listener to the speaker, I am 90% close.

At this stage in relation to the impression being made, I am blown away, these are very very attractive to my tastes and I am extremely pleased the opportunity to have them in my system was offered.

Additionally, in the thick of the festive season, I got to have a full day with my own Son, as the road trip to pick up the Speakers, a rare happening in today's world, what's not to like

[chris661]

I'm pleased these speakers are getting some use again.

The Hypex DSP amps had a couple of settings stored:
- Basic: lowpass filter and maybe response flattening (think Linkwitz Transform)
- EQ'd for Colin's room

It's possible there are others.

You'll need to connect a laptop to each plate amp in turn to go over the settings and figure out what's what.


The last time I worked on them, we added a large cap inline with the midrange drivers, creating a 3rd order alignment with a few dB more output around 100Hz, which is where Colin's room was causing trouble from vertical reflections. Handing some 100Hz-duties to the midrange drivers helped fill in a large dip at the listening position. Subjective improvement: better "punch" to the bass.


The results, in Colin's room, were easily world-class.


The measuring and dialling-in process is non-trivial, but very much worthwhile. I expect there are good instructions online if you'd like to have a look at the DSP yourself, and REW is free and easy enough to operate. Do you have any measurement gear?


Chris

[JohnG]

Hi Chris, Thank You for your reply.

I am a Quad 57 user for near 30 years and used them stacked for near 10 Years, along with these had readily available a few different Cabinet Speakers, if which the latest additions have been Two Built by Colin and maybe you have had an input to the ither owned models as well?

In relation to the Swansongs, I have no experience of producing a Speaker or been part of a Speaker measuring experience, I am quite unfamiliar with the process.

A friend has been both tweaking and producing speakers for quite some time and has presented at Owston in the past, where I met him. I have already been directed to Troels Graveson through this friend as there is coverage of the Hypex Amp's.

I would be interesting to find out if the Xover Mod' needs to remain or is needing change?

My friend may have the measuring equipment that will prove useful, but we will all get together and have a blast before any talk of such matters evolves.

At the current time, I can't detect through my listening anything that might need doing, as these Speakers are streets ahead of any Cabinet Speaker brought into my system, and is the most impressive speaker experience had from any Speaker used in my system, and has conjured up the notion, these surpass anything heard by myself at any location to date.

As for the Bass, I have allowed the Scissor Sisters to show this area off, as well as some very nice Double Bass from Diana Krall, both are able to create a very present in the room and honest bass.

Like Yourself being pleased for the Speakers to be getting further use, I am beyond pleased to be the one enabling the Speakers to be continued in use.

John

[chris661]

You're welcome.

Sounds like you're set to get some good results with these. IMO, one part of the "magic" of these speakers is having the LF response matched to the room, so I'd reserve judgement until that's properly dialled in.

With regards to the crossover mod, a cap inline with the mids is IMO a compromise. It lowered the low-corner and gave us a few more dB and Hz where they were needed, but decoupled the drivers from the amp.
I think we might even have used an electrolytic to get most of the value, and then put something nicer in parallel. I don't know if that was ever updated, but I think the crossover circuitry is in the foot of the speaker.

If you can get away without that cap, then I'd do that. The LPF on the woofers will need adjusting, of course, so I'd suggest wiring a switch across the cap for the measurement/tuning, and then hard-wire the result that works best for your room.


Chris

[JohnG]

Hi Chris
The additional info is very much appreciated, It looks like I need a support to take things towards the set up suggested.
When the Pupil is ready, the Teacher will usually show themselves.
More to be eked from the Swansong's, it is quite a exciting prospect.

John