High Efficiency Speaker Asylum: A Mod For The Brand New Cerwin Vega Classic Series CLSC 215's ! by ka7niq

I just spoke with Bill Bush of Cerwin Vega,
Bill was previously with NHT, and designed the highly regarded NHT Super One, reccommended by Dennis Murphy as a good speaker to buy if you dont build your own.

I own the top of the new Classic series line, the CLSC 215.
The CLSC 215 employes 2 15 inch cast frame paper cone drivers, a 6.5 inch paper cone midrange, and the excellent Vifa soft dome tweeter.
The midrange and tweeter are in Patented Tractrix waveguides that both control dispersion and driver integration, and increase efficiency.

In my 24 by 26 room, they kick ass, and image very well, at least laterally.
I find the sound just a bit foreward for my tastes, I prefer a more laid back sound.
I just spoke to Bill, and the original CLSC he made for himself had that sound, but it was felt it wouldnt sell very well, as it was a radical departure from the Cerwin Vega "sound".

He sent me a mod to make my speakers like the original prototypes, and I intend to do the mod to my pair of CLSC 215's.

Here, is the mod.

First, the metal grill overing the woofers must be removed by inserting an opened up paper clip in each corner at a time, and gently pulling it off.
Then , the bottom woofer only is removed, then the crossover is unscrewd and removed.

First, the 5 mfd cap is replaced with a 4 mfd cap.

Next, the 3 ohm resistor is replaced with a 5 ohm

Then the 12 mfd cap gets swapped for a 7 mfd cap.

Of course, try and use all Mylar caps, at least, or Polys, and precision resistors.

According to Bill, this mod makes the CLSC into a very smooth speaker.

He promised me, if I didnt like the mod, he would tell me how to build some BBC dip into it if I wanted !

Hows that for Customer service ?

Right out of the box, the CLSC 215 isnt horrible, just a bit too foreward for my tastes.

Hopefully, this mod will turn a good speaker into a great one ?

I just love the power and authority of these "beasts", and the lateral imaging, placing images well outside of the speakers.

And, I no longer have to make excuses when the neighbors say "Turn em up" !

I will report back to everyone after I have done the mod.

Bear in mind, one can buy a pair of these for about 700 dollars, delivered!

And, if you arent in a gigantic room like me, the smaller single 15 inch model, or even the single 12 cost even less!

And, they have all cast frame PAPER cone drivers, and a Vifa tweeter, and the latest computer designed Tractrix, non compression waveguides too !
Talk about getting your moneys worth ?

I just sold my 801's, my big room ate em up, ditto for my Klipsch CF 3's too.

My Magnepan MG 3a's sounded good, but they had to be so far into the room they blocked people on the sides of them from seeing my high definition big screen!
Cant have that ?

My Von Schweikert VR 4'JR's are in the front room, a much smaller room, and the Mighty Cerwin Vega CLSC 215's reign supreme in the big room.

I just called Madisound and ordered all the parts to do this mod.
I just cant wait !
Chris