westlakes

[adam_w1]

I've been using Westlake BBSM10's for a few years and have been really happy with them; they are the first monitor I've used where I find the mixes are totally translatable every time. They are kind of freaky for people not used to them however, as I know Westlakes are known for their "soft" (as in non fatiguing) top end..and I think these are pretty damn soft..anyone else got any experience of these ? Do the tweeters degrade with age ?

 

[sign]

Those are the big Westlakes right? Very awesome speakers! I don't know if the tweeters degrade in time, but I do know they sound great.

The masterhouse where I usually come has them. :tu:

 

[errollem]

We have the bbsm 10's for three years now.
Also with the foam stuff and westlakes special cables.

I agree, they are one of the best monitors you can buy in the shop.
If you compare them with all these good promoted/marketed other monitors its almost a joke.
And we had all these welknown monitors in the house.

Also the Lc series are incredible good.
We had to do a surround project and in the meantime we tested the dynaudio airs6 and after that the westlake Lc serie.
Westlake is a different league, even with their cheaper range.

How long you can use the tweeters I don't know.
But you can ask Kenn from westlake.

b.t.w. Right know we are testing eartworks sigma monitors. The are extremely accurate and a good combination with the westlakes.

Best,

Errol Lem
http://www.cut-n-clear.com

 

[subspace]

I haven't used the 10s. I mix on a pair of BBSM6s that I've carried in flightcases for about the last four years. The tweeter and mid driver are identical to those used in the 8s, but not the 10s. It's an Audax soft dome that's matched at Westlake and has a custom compound applied to the back of the driver. Audax re-designed the driver, so replacement tweeters require some modifications. I don't know which model is used in the 10s, but they should be fine so long as you're not getting any audible distortion.
I never thought of mine as having soft highs, unless you're comparing them to something that uses a horn driver. I attribute the lack of fatigue in using them more to the detailed mids, without all that crossover region weirdness you find in two-ways. Everytime I listen to powered two-ways, they just don't sound as natural, you can hear the active processing smoothing out the frequency response. I suppose the Westlakes might seem soft compared to something that's been "goosed" up top to sound "better" though...

 

[adam_w1]

I spoke to Ken at Westlake and have ordered some new diaphragms for the HF drivers,- very reasonable cost, too. Cheers everyone !

 

[audiowkstation]

In 1995 (January) the large studio I ran in New Orleans bought a set of BBSM10's. We mounted them hanging, 9 feet apart..towed in 20 degrees. 15 degrees pointing down. The bottom of the enclosures were at 6' 2". I noticed something "funky" right off the bat. The tweeters sounded out of phase from the mids and woofers, both of them. I grabbed my trusty 5 dollar rat shack iron, some ersin rosin core solder and changes the phase of both tweeters. Wow...this was it...I loved the BBSM10's after that. IF you have time to actually go through the motions of doing it...and they sound so much more coherent...then possibly you got a set that had the phase problem. Will not hurt to see!!! Right? You know if it a "correct change or not" really quick. They sounded really good out of phase...but the in-phase...WOW. They are a really nice mid field. Audax makes the tweeters and mids...then they are modded extensively by westlake. Bunch of goop added to the baskets..etc..

I would like you to try that change and see if you experience the same thing. With your head close between Mid and tweet..I could hear the cancelation. If you are very pleased with them..they may be correct. It did make a huge difference to me.