So I bought an Antec 900 to drown my sorrows :D

[taowulf]

 

That's not fair, my son is only 8....can we give him a few years before we toss him in the Octagon with your kid?

[sparkyftw]

Carl thats a good deal at the center, may have to run up there and get another one.

[Run N. Gun]

Any new updates for us? Enquiring minds want to know.

[ReelFiles]

Hey man, when is that UFC fight being broadcast, or otherwise available? I wanna see your kid in action. I used to love the old school UFC fights, I mean back when Royce Gracie, Tank Abbott and Ken Shamrock were kicking butt.

[HITandRUN]

Hey man, when is that UFC fight being broadcast, or otherwise available? I wanna see your kid in action. I used to love the old school UFC fights, I mean back when Royce Gracie, Tank Abbott and Ken Shamrock were kicking butt.

 

Yeah! Same here I want to see him kicking some butt!

[soundx98]

Actually he lost the match and was pretty depressed until they handed him the check.

(There is a new PlayStation 3 and HDTV in his crib now)

 

I'm on the road this week in Chicago and radodrill has been busy with with school and some of his own projects.

(Jebus, less than two weeks until Christmas already.)

 

I'm sending some parts to him when I return and we have been working on the design of the HDD LED assembly.

I'll try and get a pic or sketch up this weekend as well.

 

I think we have decided on a "name" for the rig.

Just doesn't seem right to be calling it the "Antec 900 Mod" any longer.

Anyone with an idea for a name, please don't hesitate to suggest it.

 

I am upgrading from the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 speaker system to the Blue Sky "EXO" Studio Monitor.

I've been very happy with the Klipsch for the last two years but the difference between the two systems is "night and day".

 

I'll have some pics up in a day or two.

Thanks for the bump Shaun

[t_ski]

Here's my suggestion for a name:

 

Carl's Significant Other

[soundx98]

LOL at t_ski.

 

I'll get the BlueSky Monitor pics up tomorrow morning.

rado and I are pretty confident the rig will give some folks a "chubby" when it's done

 

Dang, just realized I passed 8,000 posts.

[soundx98]

soundx98: Dude

radodrill: Sweet! LOL

 

soundx98: I think we need a "name" for this case mod.

 

radodrill: We could name it after you. How about "Dufus"?

 

soundx98: certainly has a nice ring to it, put I was thinking about something a little more techy.

 

radodrill: That dang Run N. Gun has already snagged "Fusion".

Maybe "Oldfaht900"

 

soundx98: Do me a favor and put your face real close to your monitor so I can biatch slap ya.

I'm serious, something with some meaning to it, like your "Rad GT".

 

radodrill: "IPinthenight"?

 

soundx98: put you face next to the monitor again

I think we should keep it short and simple.

Be very kewl if we could etch the name into the plexi we are going to use for the HDD LED.

So when you look through the 2-way Mirror it will "pulse" with the HDD activity.

 

radodrill: I got it, just 3 letters. "O-L-D"

 

soundx98: hehehe, or maybe "radodik"

We could mount the plexi between the Video Card and the TV Tuner card.

Puts it right at the center of the case.

(pours Geritol into wine glass)

 

So how about "SR-1".

(soundx98-radodrill-1st collaboration)

whataya think ?

 

radodrill: Sweet!

 

soundx98: LOL, "SR-1" is cantundastanian for "radodik", (the hyphen is silent)

 

radodrill: Did you just put on that sleeveless cardigan again?

I'm getting that "rustling" noise over my speakers.

 

soundx98: Oh Jebus, forgot to tell you about the Blue Sky Studio Monitors.

(These are probably illegal in West Virginia cause they cause hillbilly's to lose control of their colon)

 

 

radodrill:

[dr_bowtie]

I dont know why but the name "Lucille" comes to mind....?

[soundx98]

Blue Sky International makes studio monitors.

Killer Studio monitors!

 

http://www.abluesky.com/asp/catalogue/cata...e.asp?linkid=97

 

Sound has always been very important to me as I am "always" listening to music while on the PC.

I also watch TV, movies and game on it.

But unfortunately, high resolution PC speakers are few and far between.

 

I've been using the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speakers for a couple of years now.

Very happy with them for the price.

But almost all sub-sat systems I've listened to seem to have issues.

Highs are often shrill.

Vocals are colored.

Accurate bass is non-existent, usually "boomy" and ill defined.

yada yada yada

 

Stereo Imaging is almost always lacking.

Ie, I hear a left speaker, a right speaker, and a sub.

Often a "hole" in the lower mid-bass between the sats and sub that cause even more localization.

 

I heard the Blue Sky Media Desk about 6 months ago and was blown away.

http://www.abluesky.com/asp/catalogue/prod...odcode=00012_51

 

The Media Desk was designed as Blue Sky's least expensive Studio Monitor system and targeted at Professional musicians, Game Developers, and Recording Studios for mix-down and editing.

I'm talking about extremely high quality drivers, "real" amplifiers - none of those "ILS" (If Lightning Strikes) wattage ratings, quality construction and attention to detail like beveled edges to prevent diffraction effects.

In a word "musical".

 

Now the top-of-the line Blue Sky "Big Blue" runs around $7500 for a 2.1 system and a tad under $16,000 for a 5.1 configuration.

And although they do offer lower priced systems such as the Sky One and Pro Desk, the Media Desk at $599 for 2.1 or around $1000 for a 5.1 sys was an incredible value.

I was lucky enough to evaluate the Media Desk for a month.

I gave serious thought to armed robbery, but in the end I realized it was still out of my price range. :sad:

 

Blue Sky must have heard my soft weeping at night and wails of despair because they have introduced their very affordable 2.1 system, the "EXO" at just $349.

It uses the same 8" Bass driver as the Media Desk, with smaller satellite's (3" drivers instead of 4"), but the all the other Blue Sky trademark qualities.

 

It's extremely well packed in a large (and heavy) carton.

 

 

 

The subwoofer enclosure is supplied with "spikes" to better couple the enclosure to your room and contains a 90W amp for the sub and two 35W amps for the sats.

160 watts of clean power.

 

 

 

look Ma, no "spring" terminals"

 

 

You can see the multi-pin DIN connector on the back where the desktop remote control "hub" plugs in, in the pic above.

 

The "hub" features XLR/ TRS inputs (for feed off a console or DAW), L/R RCA inputs (DVD or TV analog out), a 3.5mm stereo input for PCs or iPod, and a stereo headphone output (mutes the amplifiers).

The EXO is supplied with a 3.5mm stereo to RCA L/R cable.

The front panel has a very smooth feeling "gain" and "subwoofer" level control.

 

 

 

The satellite enclosures, like the sub, are made of an extremely dense MDF and covered with an attractive silver vinyl wrap.

They are designed to be angled slightly on the desktop (15 degrees) or can be mounted via the mic stand bolt hole on the rear.

Took some pics of both the EXO and Klipsch sats for comparison.

Although very similar in physical size, there is simply no sonic comparison here.

Blue Sky wins hands down.

 

 

The front of the sats uses a molded "rubber" material that is beveled on the edges.

Each sat contains a proprietary 3" driver and 1" soft-dome Neodymium tweeter with excellent dispersion.

 

 

The EXO sats aren't as deep as the Klipsch so I even gained a little desk space.

 

 

 

 

Listened to "gun-shots" for about two hours yesterday

Pulled every movie and game I had with weapons fire.

Amazing how different they can sound on the two systems.

I'm listening to the Eagles "Melbourne" DVD right now.

Man these puppies are sweet!

 

I know the "Guitar Center" stores carry the "EXO" system.

If you get a chance read some of the reviews on the Blue Sky site and then go give them a listen!

[Guest Blooz1]

Those are some incredible speakers, Carl! (Checked 'em out before you posted the details) Is that a "Santa" present to you?

 

Ya know, "Lucille" ain't a half-bad name! HAR!