Topic: My little venture into tuning my new room

[BayTaynt3d]

Um, wow. Jealous. Nice, very, very nice.

[runonce]

Nicely done...

My only criticism is the two couches in front of the speakers...

The couches are taking up so much airspace - they have to be imparting a "tune" of their own.

I'd seek to clear the path in front of the speakers.

[Jimna]

your reading my mind.  both the couch and chair (+ end table) are out of there and are now behind the desk with the table that was behind the desk out all together, and the desk and loveseat are 1 ft forward too..  ive also got the speakers on the floor and off the old speaker cabs since all that lift (24") isnt needed, but a solution to raise them slightly (9" - 1' after testing a buttload of positions) is needed i think.  still having trouble finding a solution to plinths that is cost effective.   i also have serious limits on where the electronics can sit due to cable length and im needing a real rack or something solid and permanent to sit them on.  many things to figure out yet, but what a fun journey it has been so far.  i think this is more rewarding than taping simply because i can enjoy this everyday!

*and in my defense the original design wasnt my first choice.  my wife wanted the room to stay a social area where people could hang out.  she has been very cool so i have to give her respect on the few request she has had on the matter.  i do think this is a win-win situation since all the "social" furniture stays and the only loss is the big table which was very helpful making my panels but was not so used afterward.   

[Jimna]

Update:

now as you can see i moved all furniture but my primary listening seat out of the front of the room, made a set of plinths for my speakers which are finished, and created the wife friendly "social area" behind my desk with the couch and chair that used to be up front by the speakers.  now my speakers are 4' from the front of the box to the wall behind and 2.3' from the side walls.  i also removed 6 HF panels which has brought better balance to the room over all, none were bass traps though.  I still need to build a rack to sit the TV and gear on but think ill wait until im more sure of what my needs are.  over all im very happy with the improvements, the sound is noticeably better in both image and sound stage, a performance bump indeed just by opening the buisness end of the room for sound waves....











the speakers seem to really benefit having the plinths in the low end.  i have them spiked on the stone so they are as solid as a rock, thats for sure.  the centers are concrete, with a rubber dampener between the concrete and the stone toppers.  the wood is just cosmetic of course.











and this fossil was free with my purchase of the cut stone

[Tim]

looks great Jim, oh how I wish I could get my listening chair out in the room like that. Nice that you have that back area to sit in for folks not interested in being in the sweet spot.

[Jimna]

it is convenient, but i keep asking what kind of person doesnt want to be in the sweet spot?  and why am i hanging out with them?

[Tim]

[capnhook]

it is convenient, but i keep asking what kind of person doesnt want to be in the sweet spot?  and why am i hanging out with them?

Just ask them to bring over their favorite recording, and play crank it for them.....you won't be able to get rid of 'em.....


Real niiiice job!

[Distant Jay]

freak
thanks for doing all this after I visit.
 

[Jimna]

dude, you visited me 10 days after i moved in!  im good but not that good.

[rastasean]

have you attempted to put a bass trap or another form of absorber on your head while jamming out in the sweet spot? that may help deflect sound towards the far quadrant of your ears pronouncing the high frequency SPLs just ever so perfectly.

[Jimna]

no i have not.  ive been rather pleased with sound lately and that leads to lazy......


........and i forgot to post this here but i did get the Emotive XPA-2 (and an Oppo 980HD universal disc player which i have no pics of right now so ill leave it out of the conversation) which has been a huge improvement over my 24yr old adcom.  the biggest immediate improvement was the dynamics / sound stage and the low end.  as for dynamics and SS, it throws the sound from in front of you to all around you, it is quite cool and very pleasing to listen to....but the low end seems much improved in clarity and depth, which has made the sub blend better than before.  along with much more over-all detail and clarity, it is a very forward amp compared to both the adcom and my denon 3808 also, and with that forward presentation i find it more engaging and very fun to listen to.   ive now had many extended listening sessions which were enjoyable not fatiguing.  over all its not giant killer, but i would have to spend at least 2k more to do better, so im very happy for now.  its the perfect unit to use as a building block while i upgrade all the other components around it, and its totally able to push big loads like a set of full ESLs .   oh and its really fucking loud.   like retarded loud, which is not really an improvement since i never listen at that level. 

here are some pics and stuff:




















blacked out or STFU.

Specs:



• Number of Channels: 2

• Topology: Fully Discrete, Dual Differential, High Current, Short Signal Path Class A/B

• Power output (all channels driven):
500 watts RMS @ 4 ohm (0.1% THD)
300 watts RMS @ 8 ohm (0.1% THD)

• Power Band Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz with less than .05db deviation at rated power

• Broadband Frequency Response: (-3db): 5Hz to 150kHz

• Amplifier Gain: 32db

• Signal to Noise Ratio:
1 watt:  >91db
Full Power:  >110db

• Input Impedance:
Unbalanced - 23.5kohms
Balanced - 33kohm

• Transformer Size: 1,200VA

• Secondary capacitance: 45,000uF

• Output Devices: 12 per channel

Size: 17” W x 7.75” H x 19” D
Weight: 75 lbs (89 lbs boxed)

FEATURES:

• Fully protected from all fault conditions

• Soft start circuitry

• External trigger turn on

• Soft touch power switch

• 4RU chassis w/ solid milled aluminum faceplate

• IEC power inlet, 120/230 VAC configurable

• Output design: Triple Darlington with On output stages

• Differential Drive: Dual Differential input

• Types of inputs: Balanced (XLR) and Un-balanced (RCA)

• Type of outputs: Audiophile quality 5 way binding post

• Display type: Digital status indicators

[Tim]

that thing is sweet looking!

[hzgone]

wow the whole thing is awesome.  Great work!

[Javier Cinakowski]

what kind of sub is that Jim?  How do you have it hooked up.  Is there a dedicated sub out from your reciever/amp?  Or do you feed the main speaker outs to the subs crossover?