New Build Thread - Ardent D by SMJ

[theSven]

Looks pretty good, either they haven't stopped making them or their tooling and processes are rock solid. Or both!

I also have an odd number of older versions. Unsure what to do with the spare...unless actually treat it as a spare in the case of a failure?

From my point of view it's always good to have a spare! I blew my coax on the center channel and had to order a new one. Thankfully it was readily available. After such an experience I'm definitely in favor of having spares now... Yes they collect dust, but one never knows what can happen.

[theSven]

I can say I have no test panels, I'm sure you make up that for me and many other members on the forum.

[JonMarsh]

Looks pretty good, either they haven't stopped making them or their tooling and processes are rock solid. Or both!

I also have an odd number of older versions. Unsure what to do with the spare...unless actually treat it as a spare in the case of a failure?

spare in case of failure is a good idea, but then I have one like that which I just move around to different test projects- like an update of the Kii inspired concept.

You know, I don't think I've ever had one of these die for any reason.

[letiennam]

I am also waiting for some DA25TX products that I purchased since PE announced it would be available in May and was re-announced shipping date in August. Hopefully it will arrive as scheduled

[technodanvan]

Looks pretty good, either they haven't stopped making them or their tooling and processes are rock solid. Or both!

I also have an odd number of older versions. Unsure what to do with the spare...unless actually treat it as a spare in the case of a failure?

[JonMarsh]

You may find this interesting... of course, what matters is 1kHz and above.

DA25TX, 2017 Vintage, one of the oldest I have:





DA25TX, 2025 Vintage, as recently received this week:


I find this quite acceptable for "randomly" selected parts...

[JonMarsh]

when I can find a little spare time I'll do a few impedance checks.

[JonMarsh]

I always check parts before mounting in a system. To date, the DA25TX have been very, very consistent. Even just an impedance sweep will give good indications, such as Fs being off, impedance being off spec, having a surround resonance (will show up in impedance curve. I have a ridiculous number of test baffles and enclosures. Doesn't everyone else?

to the best of my knowledge there has been no change in the specification or construction methodology of the DA25TX008. Consistency of impedance curves attests to that, unlike, say, some Dayton Audio products.

I went to the Tymphany site this AM and downloaded the current published data- there are small differences, but well within the tolerance of what to expect from different samples of the same design.








I know this has got to be boring to hear from me, but the DA25TX008 is my "go to'" part. I would use it even more widely, but for the availability problem. I've even considered testing it in the Saint-Saëns configuration... may still do that.

Current data at PE indicates availability in mid August, but who knows, and of course pricing will be up in the air.

[technodanvan]

Any concerns about the 'new' Peerless tweeters measuring the same as the 'old' versions?

[JonMarsh]

And, yes, checking and if needed, adjusting the crossover updates with the vintage RS52AN has been moving towards the head of the queue.

Pesky stuff keeps coming up- today, it was taking my wife's Lexus in for service, and then visiting the T-Mobile dealer where we got her two year old Samsung Galaxy S23+ to see if there was any assistance to be had for it quitting working late yesterday evening- they did a little input side diagnostics- the charging circuit and battery appear to be working normally, but other wise it's a "deadode". Situation for the phone is complicated also in that it's part of a family plan HQ'd in Seattle- going to have to contact her younger daughter. No service by T-Mobile or Samsung locally.

So, somedays it's basically one step forwards and two steps back!

[JonMarsh]

Just to update slightly, and review the DA25TX status, I have received the two pairs from Sound imports, from order placed in January, so they have been able to get parts- in due time.

I confess I may seem like a hoarder to some, but when reasonably priced high performance tweeters are so difficult to source regularly, what's a person to do?

Between Australia and Europe and past PE purchases my inventory for a variety of projects, including some HTG collaborations, is adequate, but hardly what I think of as excessive-

• Four matched pair sets boxed by Peerless for retail in a paired configuration (came from Australia and Netherlands)
• One matched pair of DA32TX- the larger diameter part. Never played with these, but got them at a good price from Australia.
• 7 NIB individually packaged parts, most old stock from the US and one driver from Australia that was part of a matched set, that the vendor sold one driver to someone else.
• 5-6 loose parts, two or so of them mounted in evaluation cabinets.

Now, I'll grant that may be more Peerless tweeters than some folks own pairs of underpants, but then, I'm similarly overweight in guitars, as I prize those more than pairs of underpants also!

[JonMarsh]

Just a heads up about buying parts from Europe in the current state of things- I have an order coming from Sound Imports in NL, that I placed in January, has just been shipped, a backorder until at least the beginning of May was expected when I ordered these; if I recall correctly, just two pairs of the DA25TX00-8 tweeter (matched pairs) and I just prepaid the tariff and brokerage charge to UPS, $137 altogether. I have older "stock" on hand for Jim, but it's clear buying drivers from Europe will be a problem for while...

[Steve Manning]

Fortunately all that oddly shaped work is not in the scrap pile! 😁

There has been a little bit of progress on this at SMJ Central ...... a good chunk of the drawings are underway/done. Also all of the material is on hand, so we're not starting from zero.

[JonMarsh]

I bet you're going to have some fun with this... I've enjoyed updating some of the crossovers, for the NOS RS52AN, and these are just a nice size system, IMO- sort of a "Goldilocks" level, not too big, not too small, not hard to move around, but pretty satisfying when setup with good gear and a reasonable room layout. Drivers are in my assembly work room (one of the secondary bedrooms in our house), and I'll do another QA checkout before sending them to you...

[theSven]

Looking forward to see this build develop. It's nice to see another Ardent D project from a forum member as well, especially one that lives close to me that I can go listen!

[JimS]

Well, now that Steve's pile of oddly-shaped wood is looking much closer to a few really nice subwoofer enclosures (congrats Sven), it's likely time to begin to turn his attention to some Ardent D cabinets .

Plan for this build is based on what Jon is listening to in the living room right now, Ardent D in an Avalon-style cabinet with NOS DA25TX, RS52ANs, and AS168s with Duelund crossover. Cabinets will be built by Steve with rock maple baffles and I'm planning on tinted finish. Drivers are either in hand (or in Jon's storage) and will need to begin pulling parts together for crossovers soon.

For more backstory and education on the design and Duelund approach, the development thread is: Ardent D (aka Kurosawa Jr) Winter Camp

Looking forward.....