Levinson HQD

hatrack71

hatrack71

distracted by everything
So I have paid almost all of my Levinson purchase off through trades and cash. These were custom made by the previous owner. They should be even more fantastic when I get the other one today and set them up. I'm really stoked. Here is the pic of one I got yesterday. They are too big to take two in the vehicle I had. I still need to pay off the Decca ribbons which go in the center and the DB systems crossover which is extremely flexible.
 

Attachments

  • 101_0236.jpg
    101_0236.jpg
    88.7 KB · Views: 272
Last edited:
hatrack71 said:
So I have paid almost all of my Levinson purchase off through trades and cash. These were custom made by the previous owner. They should be even more fantastic when I get the other one today and set them up. I'm really stoked. Here is the pic of one I got yesterday. They are too big to take two in the vehicle I had. I still need to pay off the Decca ribbons which go in the center and the DB systems crossover which is extremely flexible.
Click to expand...

That's very cool! Is the cabinet with the stacked drivers in the picture the Hartley subwoofers?

Best Regards,
TerryO
 
Last edited:
TerryO said:
That's very cool! Is the cabinet with rhe stacked drivers in the picture the Hartley subwoofers?

Best Regards,
TerryO
Click to expand...

Hi Terry. Actually I am going to use my RBH sub and outboard power amplifier/crossover. What you are seeing on the left are my JBL Apollos which I am substituting the LE-14As for the D-140fs. I was not all that impressed with the Hartleys the previous owner had and for that reason am going with the RBH. What he had were 2 crudely built transmission line subs using 10" Hartleys. If it had been an 18" or 24" Hartley, they would be mine. The 10" Hartleys are nowhere near the performance and sound of the 18 or 24" drivers. The cabs he built were nowhere near the quality craftmanship he put into the stacked panels. He definitely knew what he was doing. He also has 3 303 power amplifiers I might try to pick up as well as they run the ESLs safely without any arcing.
 
Last edited:
Here's a couple more pics- I just got back with the other one- wooohooo
 

Attachments

  • 101_0242.jpg
    101_0242.jpg
    145.8 KB · Views: 123
  • 101_0243.jpg
    101_0243.jpg
    95.6 KB · Views: 158
That sounds like it will be an impressive system. If you should want stupendous Bass output at some point in the future, you may want to try a pair of Maelstrom 18's or 21 inch woofers.
Here's a link to the Maelstrom 18:

http://www.diycable.com/main/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=681

I'd certainly go with your present Sub first, as there has been a great deal of improvement in Subwoofer design since the HDQ system was sold and it may be enough, or you may want to add a relatively inexpensive "Distributed Bass" system to create a SOTA system that will complement your present subwoofer.

In any event, that's going to be some system when you're done!
:thmbsp::music::banana:

Best Regards,
TerryO
 
very very nice,

i have the decca london tweeters, eventually hoping to get some esl 57s and stack them
 
Those HQD's are very nice. The frames the seller made look gorgeous. Single ESL 57's have midrange to die for but not enough volume. A stacked pair solves the volume problem. The Decca ribbons add needed high end air and sparkle. A decent sub or (better) subs is almost mandatory.

I heard a pair of HQD's many years ago.They soured me on cones and most other speakers. That listening experience caused me to sell my then Maggy MG-3's for some ESL's. ESL's have been all I use since then.

hatrack71:
SOTA = State Of The Art. The HQD system at one time was considered SOTA.
 
JoeESP9 said:
Those HQD's are very nice. The frames the seller made look gorgeous. Single ESL 57's have midrange to die for but not enough volume. A stacked pair solves the volume problem. The Decca ribbons add needed high end air and sparkle. A decent sub or (better) subs is almost mandatory.

I heard a pair of HQD's many years ago.They soured me on cones and most other speakers. That listening experience caused me to sell my then Maggy MG-3's for some ESL's. ESL's have been all I use since then.

hatrack71:
SOTA = State Of The Art. The HQD system at one time was considered SOTA.
Click to expand...

Joe, by my ear, I would say that it is definitely still state of the art. Better than anything I've ever heard. I do have a new appreciation for my Acoustats as well. ESL's are so sweet.
 
More pics with one set up in the previous owners home. He did better on the frames than the stock Levinsons in my opinion. There is a pic of the crossover I will be getting ( it also has a separate power supply). I am considering the 3 303s he has too. You can just make out the Hartleys behind the stand. Should I go for them even though they are only 10"?
 

Attachments

  • Quad 303.jpg
    Quad 303.jpg
    78.9 KB · Views: 84
  • Quad 004.jpg
    Quad 004.jpg
    60.9 KB · Views: 84
  • decca ribbon.jpg
    decca ribbon.jpg
    120.7 KB · Views: 73
  • db x-over.jpg
    db x-over.jpg
    78.6 KB · Views: 92
hatrack71 said:
More pics with one set up in the previous owners home. He did better on the frames than the stock Levinsons in my opinion. There is a pic of the crossover I will be getting ( it also has a separate power supply). I am considering the 3 303s he has too. You can just make out the Hartleys behind the stand. Should I go for them even though they are only 10"?
Click to expand...


looks like your planning on using the decca super tweeters, not the horn loaded decca londons? i thought the londons were the original spec units
 
The SGD said:
very very nice,

i have the decca london tweeters, eventually hoping to get some esl 57s and stack them
Click to expand...

Your 1/5 of the way there. Keep being patient- it is well worth the effort. I can also draw up plans off of these stands if anyone would like them.
 
hatrack71 said:
Your 1/5 of the way there. Keep being patient- it is well worth the effort. I can also draw up plans off of these stands if anyone would like them.
Click to expand...

the 57s are fairly common units, decca londons not and i am undecided on a bass unit, if anything i feel there has been real advancement in terms of bass units in the past twenty years while the mids and treble of the deccas/57s remain cutting edge.

i would like info on the crossover :D
 
The SGD said:
looks like your planning on using the decca super tweeters, not the horn loaded decca londons? i thought the londons were the original spec units
Click to expand...

I'm not sure about that- I've seen both in HQD systems. I don't have the ribbons as I have to pay for them and the crossover yet. A little at a time for me due to my financial sitting. I've been working on this deal for 8 months and it has definitely had it's frustrating moments but all is downhill from here. I don't think there is much difference other than the horn. I could always make one out of wood and contrast it against the oak baffle- like a dark walnut to match the front grills- that would look and sound good. That should also give the tweeter much more volume. I have gravitated to wood horns after building a set of 1200Hz Smiths.
 
The SGD said:
the 57s are fairly common units, decca londons not and i am undecided on a bass unit, if anything i feel there has been real advancement in terms of bass units in the past twenty years while the mids and treble of the deccas/57s remain cutting edge.

i would like info on the crossover :D
Click to expand...

DB systems crossover. Still a working company. These were custom made for this system incorporating Butterworth filters and a separate power supply. 3 way crossover with attenuation for all 3 bands. It is extremely sweet. Should I try to get the 10" Hartleys?
 
The SGD said:
looks like your planning on using the decca super tweeters, not the horn loaded decca londons? i thought the londons were the original spec units
Click to expand...

Are these what you have? There is a pair on eBay right now.
 

Attachments

  • !C!H8j5QEWk~$(KGrHqEOKiEEzQdQqLw9BNB0hvrWp!~~_12.JPG
    !C!H8j5QEWk~$(KGrHqEOKiEEzQdQqLw9BNB0hvrWp!~~_12.JPG
    29.7 KB · Views: 34
  • !C!H8ou!Bmk~$(KGrHqUOKi8EzwfCV8mbBNB0iEko4g~~_12.JPG
    !C!H8ou!Bmk~$(KGrHqUOKi8EzwfCV8mbBNB0iEko4g~~_12.JPG
    33.6 KB · Views: 35
JoeESP9 said:
Those HQD's are very nice. The frames the seller made look gorgeous. Single ESL 57's have midrange to die for but not enough volume. A stacked pair solves the volume problem. The Decca ribbons add needed high end air and sparkle. A decent sub or (better) subs is almost mandatory.

I heard a pair of HQD's many years ago.They soured me on cones and most other speakers. That listening experience caused me to sell my then Maggy MG-3's for some ESL's. ESL's have been all I use since then.

hatrack71:
SOTA = State Of The Art. The HQD system at one time was considered SOTA.
Click to expand...

Joe, I will say the ESLs have spoiled me for cones too. One cone design still sounds good to me though- Dahlquist DQ-10s. They are sweet too.
 
hatrack71 said:
Are these what you have? There is a pair on eBay right now.
Click to expand...


those are the decca kellys, they were earlier designs but so popular they ran concurrently to the londons, i attached a pic of the londons.

regards the harleys, personally i would only purchase them with a view on selling for a profit, cant help but feel better bass units are out there, subwoofers have come a LONG way in the past 30-40 years.
 

Attachments

  • deccalondon.jpg
    deccalondon.jpg
    38.6 KB · Views: 19
I may be wrong here but aren't all of the Decca ribbon drivers mountable to horns? Couldn't I build a lovely set of walnut tweeter horns for the ones I am getting? Looks like it has the same 4 mounting points.:scratch2: Also, on the Hartleys, is it true that they can play under water? Just a weird tidbit the previous owner was telling me. Isn't there a better box that I can build for the Hartleys? They are currently in TL boxes and extremely tall behind the panels as you can see in the pic of the one set up. I've seen subs mounted in boxes that fit between the stands and just come up to the panel. Check these out- in the second system. http://www.marklev.com/systems/index.html
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

nerdorama
Gold Ribbon Concepts ribbon speakers
2
Replies
22
Views
722
nerdorama
nerdorama
SpeakerLabFan
Bohlender Graebener ribbons from CL today - woohoo
2 3 4
Replies
62
Views
13K
srinath
S
Robvolz
Bose 901 series II continentals great find!!
Replies
16
Views
549
zebra03
Z
genlabs
When vintage worlds collide
Replies
14
Views
1K
rick3803
rick3803
Fhamre
Stark Designs?
Replies
7
Views
4K
hjames
hjames
Back
Top Bottom