Quote:
Originally Posted by
mtrot 
Seems to have arrived in good condition. Compared to my PSB cc570v.3, the Diva is smaller than I expected. I thought they would be roughly the same size, but the PSB cabinet is much larger overall. Not sure about how internal volume compares. The Swans is not ported, while the PSB is.
I was only able to listen a bit so far last night, but it does seem very clear in the mids and highs. I still hear some "boxiness" on some male and female voices, but it may be due to the acoustic setting where the voices were recorded. On other voices, it is crystal clear. Supposedly, there is some break in time on these speakers, so I plan to use it for a while before making any further judgement.
Thanks for the comments mtrot. Keep us posted on the progress with break-inI think you'll be quite surprised at what a difference it makes with the C3 (you'd be surprised how many emails we get about break-in changes with the entire Diva line). After about 75 hours, the tweeter should calm down a bit and the speaker as a whole will become much more coherent. Up through 100-150 hours, low frequency response will continue to extend and the midrange will become significantly more audible. As you've noted - the C3 is indeed a non-ported design. This is intentional - and is the result of hundreds of hours of real-world in-room testing and R&D during the initial Diva design phase. All major multi-channel HT formats (Dolby Digital, DTS, THX, etc.) mix the center channel with an 80 Hz crossover point. This crossover point isn't a "brick wall" but more of a sharp slope. As a result, it's still VERY important that the C3 be able to play well below 80 Hz, though it doesn't need to reproduce
significant output below this level (unlike the fronts in a full range music system).
As I'm sure you already know (but for those that may not) - porting a speaker is a way to achieve greater air movement (which translates to better bass response) in a smaller cabinet - and is thus great for main/floorstanding speakers like the 6.1 (as the cabinet would need to be much bigger to produce the same low frequency energy if this speaker was sealed). On the other hand, a
sealed cabinet will typically offer a much tighter and more accurate response (a property known as acoustic suspension). Take the C3 for examplethe volume of air inside the cabinet is fixed - nothing comes in and nothing goes out. Through the simple laws of physics, this constant air volume actually controls the movement of the driverswhen a driver fires out, a vacuum is created inside the cabinet, thus "pulling" it back in. On the other hand, when the driver recoils inside the cabinet, the increase in pressure creates a spring that "pushes" the cone back out. It's this opposition of movement (favoring a "neutral" position) that gives the C3 its incredible detail and accuracywhile the substantial cabinet volume and dual 6.5" woofers provide enough energy to produce a substantial midbass punch from 40-80Hz.
In addition, porting a cabinet (especially rear porting) can make placement in a "normal" living environment (i.e. anything short of a dedicated theater) very difficult. Because of the air movement in and out of a ported enclosure, the energy off the
back of a driver is reflected inside the cabinet and eventually sent out through the port. This can cause some serious frequency/imaging problems if not placed carefully (often in an acoustically treated environment). Many of our customers are using their C3's inside a cabinet, under a TV, against a wall, etc...and the C3 responds very well to this kind of placement - without sacrificing performance.
Sorry for the long post. In a nutshell - give your C3 some time and let us know how it works out for you.
