Harman International Reference Listening Rooms

[tonmeister86]

FYI - I've posted a new article (http://seanolive.blogspot.com/2009/05/harman-international-reference.html) on our new reference listening room used for training listeners, conducting psychoacoustic research and listening tests on audio products - including computer/multimedia speakers.

 

[ted_b]

I notice, in the signal path slide, that you use a Mac Mini, via firewire, into some FW device, then into a pro DAC (my poor emulation of that slide couldn;t make out the models, etc.). Could you elaborate on that (2 channel) signal path and the pieces used. Although I am also a huge multichannel fan and want to ask questions there, this forum's relevant subject matter is very Mac Mini (or PC) -to-DAC oriented. Thx

Ted

 

[tonmeister86]

The current sound card is an EchoAudio Firewire 8-channel sound card connected to the Mac Mini. The Mac Mini was chosen because it's quiet and used for presentations, listener training (in OS X), Itunes. We also use it for running the Listening Test Software written for Windows XP (via Parallels).

 

The other signal sources are a Lexicon RS-4 (?) DVD/SACD player, Panasonic BD55 Blu-ray player connected to a Lexicon MC12B (video goes right to the JVC RS1 1080p projector via HDMI). We have 7 channel Lexicon amplifiers for the main setup and an 8-channel CROWN CTs8200 amp for the in-wall mover. There are 3 BSS Audio BLU80/32 devices used for switching/speaker management/room correction shown in the photo. Speakers are 7x JBL LSR 6312 with 4 x JBL HB5000 subwoofers (1000 watts each) using Harman's Sound Field Management to reduce seat-to-seat variance in low frequency response. Needless so say we still have headroom at the low end well after your teeth have been shaken loose.

 

The headphones (AKG K701) are equipped with an head-tracker for experiments using Binaural Room Scanning.