What stereo(s) do you listen to? What do you want?

[Sprezzatura2010]

Originally Posted by brianja

It was frustrating because I ran the setup and lived with it that way for a few weeks. I finally disabled it because it just sounded awful and the system came back alive.

Hmm. I know in my system it took out some euphonic but inaccurate midbass bloom (speakers up against the wall, right one actually in a corner) but barely touched the highs. Also, it took about two hours out of the subwoofer setup time; I just calibrated the subs re: the main sub, and Audyssey did as good a job of integrating the mains with them as I would have after lots of measurement-listening loops.

At how many points did you measure? There's a great thread at avsforum.com with the chief technology officer of Audyssey helping people out. It's not quite as easy as they make it out to be to get really good results.

Originally Posted by brianja

We will see where this goes. I have a few months to plan! I'm excited.

If you're like me, the planning is great fun, the buying is drudgery, the setting up is just annoying, but then the listening makes the middle junk worth it.

 

[Sprezzatura2010]

Thought you guys might like pics of the new subs, the Bella from a Monster Cable division called M-Design. I snapped 'em with my phone so they're tiny, but serviceable. Sub #1, on the wall next to my left speaker. The wall angles away at the end of the cabinet, into a hallway.

Same sub, no grille. It looks better with the grille. Note the signature pointy dustcap on the driver. I will be plugging that port, because I'm more concerned about using these to smooth response from 40-160Hz than in achieving ultimate extension. (Ultimate extension is what the big, corner-loaded 33mm x-max 18 powered by a 2kW amp is for!)

Sub #2 in position, with furball in the bottom left corner. Driver is about 42" from the wall behind it.

New sub 1 driver, which reveals it to be what I expected it to be, a variant of the Aura NS12-794A.

(What, you mean your first impulse when you buy audio gear isn't to take it apart to see what's inside? How silly!) Hilariously, the literature makes much of these things being "wired by Monster Cable," yet the actual wires appear to be perfectly good generic stranded copper hook-up wire. They aren't even silk screened "Monster Cable!" Looks like the con men are at least smart enough to know that they are con men! I'm using these as "broadband" subs (in Dr. Earl Geddes' terminology) to smooth out room response in the 40-160Hz octave pair. (Main subwoofer has a sealed cabinet holding an extremely-low distortion, extremely low inductance, long-throw 18" driver in a Linkwitz Tranformed alignment, powered by a 2kW amp.) Actual electrical crossover Fc is 120Hz for my subs, 2d order, to allow for plenty of overlap with the mains to further randomize excitation of room mods below the room's Schroeder frequency. Because of the extremely low inductance of the underhung Aura NRT motor, these sub's high-frequency extension is limited by the amps to about 200Hz, so the acoustic crossover is 2d order to that point, and much steeper above it. The cabinetry is really first-rate, and they look great in my living room. Which, in truth, is the only reason I bought them. Sonically, I did not need an upgrade.

 

[metroman]

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

I am curious what audio gear members here have. No judgments here - anything from iPods to large home theater systems welcome.

What do you have now?

What do you dream about owning?

Ipod Nano
Iphone
7.1 surround stereo system/TV hooked up to pc wireless via Windows Media Center

 

[chobochobo]

Originally Posted by chobochobo

Does anyone know where Cary Audio Designs manufacture their CD players in Hong Kong please? I bought one off Ebay, but one channel is faulty

the other channel is great though. I have no appetite for a dispute, so wondering on repairs.

Got my Cary CDP back from repair and it sounds good. Also had them change the voltage to 220V.

 

[RedLetterDay]

There's a few different set-ups here but just hooked these up in one the rooms paired with some custom built amps and pre-amp: http://www.lovecraftdesigns.com/speaker_ben.html

Sound great but there's still a lot of tweaking to do.

 

[dkzzzz]

I just audition Wilson Alexandria speakers and I must say WOW. Big fuking WOW. I never heard speaker so life-like and with such a perfect balance of treble and bass. Bass was so articulated and fast highs were so realistic . I was just drawn into music instantly . They are simply amazing.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by dkzzzz

I just audition Wilson Alexandria speakers and I must say WOW. Big fuking WOW. I never heard speaker so life-like and with such a perfect balance of treble and bass. Bass was so articulated and fast highs were so realistic . I was just drawn into music instantly . They are simply amazing.

I like Wilsons a lot. The Sophia 2 is a favorite. Did you hear the Version 2 Alexandrias? They are just out.

Recently the LAOC Audio Society had a meeting and comedian Gary Shandling, a big audiophile bought a pair for $148K on the spot.

 

[dkzzzz]

I was quoted $165.000, but hey different versions could be had as low as $65.000.
I thought I never say somehting like this but: They worth every penny.

I also auditioned Dynaudio Contour 1.4 bookshelf speakers and I must say they are a waste of plywood. Messy bass that does not want to ever end and covers every consecutive sound with it's reverberations, non-existing treble. Just an atrocious speaker that makes the most efficient transistor amp sound like a tube amp frm 1970s.
Boggles my mind why anyone would review Dynaudio favorably.
Next week I am driving to MA and on a way stop by to listen to ATC . At this point I don't expect anything great, as I said previously 99% of speakers are pathetic exercises in cabinet making.

 

[coolpapa]

NAD T753 A/V Receiver
KEF Reference Series 201
KEF Center and satellites
SVS Sub
Pioneer Kuro plasma

 

[Sprezzatura2010]

Originally Posted by dkzzzz

]Next week I am driving to MA and on a way stop by to listen to ATC . At this point I don't expect anything great, as I said previously 99% of speakers are pathetic exercises in cabinet making.

The better ATC's are way better than anything David Wilson could imagine, let alone build.

 

[dkzzzz]

Originally Posted by Sprezzatura2010

The better ATC's are way better than anything David Wilson could imagine, let alone build.

Which are better Passive ATCs, SCM 20 and 40?

 

[Sprezzatura2010]

Originally Posted by dkzzzz

Which are better Passive ATCs, SCM 20 and 40?
Any of the three way ones.

 

[mcpaul]

hmm, here's a list.

Denon 3808 receiver powering Paradigm Reference Studio Series speakers: 60v2's, 40v2's, studio ccv2, and a SVS smallbox powered sub SB-12 I believe is the model number.

my iphone drives my Shure 530 IEM's with in-line phone/pause button

 

[kwilkinson]

Fran, if one had less than $500 to assemble an entire stereo system (new or second-hand) what would you suggest?

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Fran, if one had less than $500 to assemble an entire stereo system (new or second-hand) what would you suggest?

I would get an iPod and an AudioEngine 5 powered speaker set.

www.audioengineusa.com

or use your computer plus the $600 Focal desktop system.