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| Bybee V2 below the midbass driver on my loudspeakers |
The Bybee V2. One of the most powerful and versatile bits of audio tweakery I have ever had the pleasure of discovering. They are truly universal devices. They can be used on loudspeakers, on power cables, inside components like DACs, amplifiers and power conditioners (we incorporate them on our Dark Matter Stealth power conditioner) and in your listening room.
In this series of blogs, we intend to cover our and some of our listener experiences using these devices in the afore mentioned locations. This is the first in the series, and we will cover the lessons we have learned using them on our loudspeakers. Hopefully some of the things we have learned can shorten the time you will spend experimenting.
What The V2 Brings To Your System & Room
In every application of the V2, there is a common thread of sonic benefit. Clarity with low level resolution and speed, all with an even tonality. The sound is never forced or mechanical, unless of course that is how it is meant to sound. For acoustic instruments and the human voice, there is an ease and flow to the music that is quite simply more lifelike. Piano music is simply stunning. The complexity of music is there before you with openness harmonic complexity, dynamic richness. It makes you shut the analytical part of your brain off after the initial shock passes. You sit, for hours, in musical ecstasy. The effect improves when given more time, taking 24 hours to reach 90% of it's effect and 3-5 days to attain the remaining 10%. For those of you with less patience, the first effects are heard within 30 minutes.
For loudspeakers, the V2 is especially helpful with tonal accuracy, immediacy, detail, air, space, imaging, and soundstaging.
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| Bybee V2 between the midrange and high frequency driver. |
The Front Baffle
This seems to be a universal, positive placement option. It makes sense if you understand how these devices work on the oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere. Clarity with low level resolution and speed, all with an even tonality. Some users recommend placing one between the midbass/midrange driver and high frequency driver. Additional benefit can absolutely be gained by adding more; one between each driver, one above the topmost driver, and one below the bottom most driver. Essentially "sandwiching" each driver with a pair of V2's.
In my particular case (so far), I achieved the best results with one centered on top of the speaker, and one just below the 12" midrange driver. My speakers are highly efficient, and use a horn-loaded air motion transformer for 1k on up. AMT drivers are unique in that they force air outward towards the listener by "squeezing" either end of the accordian shaped diaphragm together, rather than vibrating the diaphragm back and forth like a typical driver. The motion of the AMT propels the sound outward with much more force, perhaps making it more sensitive to what the V2 does. In any event, placing a V2 too close to the horn loaded AMT was too much of a good thing. It started overpowering the 12" midrange. With a little experimentation, I found a good balance of not too close, and not too far.
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| Bybee V2 placed just above the high frequency driver. |
The Top Of the Enclosure
This worked in my particular speaker's case, and may work for yours as well. Having a larger placement area for the V2 allowed me to tune the strength of the effect. Placing it close to the front baffle had the strongest effect. Placing it further back on the top of the enclosure did two things; It added to the overall air and space of the presentation, while attenuating the effect on the high frequency driver, which in my case was necessary.
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| This worked best in my situation. A V2 centered on top of the speaker. |
Enclosure Sides
The V2 can actually shape the soundstage. This becomes evident when you start placing them on the top and sides of your loudspeakers. Want a more spatious sound? Try moving the V2 to the side of the enclosure, keeping it positioned at the same height as it was on the front baffle. Also keep it closer to the front of the speaker. Placing it on the outer facing sides of the enclosure offers a more spacious sound, but it can also hollow out the center image. Placing them on the inside facing walls of your speaker enclosure will focus the soundstage towards the center. At this point, you are starting to transition from a speaker tweak to a room tweak, and placing the V2 on the walls (our next topic) might be a better option.
In closing. The Bybee V2 can take your musical enjoyment to unimaginable heights. This can be done with as few as two of the devices placed optimally on your loudspeakers. The benefits they produce far outweigh the cost of upgrading speakers, isolation feet, or speaker cables. They are a "must try" tweak for those who have already optimized their speaker placement, room acoustics cabling and power conditioning. We absolutely encourage you to try them, and we fully stand behind the Bybee V2's with our 30-Day Money Back Guarantee.
If you are curious, contact us to get started by emailing sales@tweekgeek.com
