Show us your equipment / kit !

[cjf]

Some very nice setups in here,

 

This is mine. System components in my sig:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cjf]

Pic's Updated..

 

Sold some equipment and relocated music server to the basement. Also added new Linear PS and Ethernet Opto-Isolator to Alix.

 

These adjustments have provided a much improved sound overall

 

[cjf]

 

BTW.... I needed to create a jig to make sure that the speaker pedestals are angled the same. You also will need a carpenter's level (long kind) to make sure both speakers sit the same height. Its requires discipline and a desire for precision. But, the results are surprisingly good. Small changes in angle, and minute changes in distance are frightening to watch how the stereo effect can be altered.

 

I could do ten different reviews of the same system by simply moving a speaker ever so slightly in a different way. It can become like focusing a microscope with fine tuning to zero in on various aspects of what you have on a slide. Stereo focus is also about minuscule movement in the higher frequencies. So, speaker distance being made equal to a given point (depending upon the quality of the recording) means zeroing in both speakers can make a difference between sounding like an audio speaker, or closer to convincingly real music. Height also is critical for the tonal balance in relation to where your ears sit with nearfield listening...

 

It is rewarding, but requires a learning curve that I am not sure everyone would be willing to put up with. Here are some pictures in what's involved with having an accurate set up. Some are for the pedestal angle jig. One, simply for how the height equality is achieved with a long carpenter's level. Of course, the angle for the pedestals themselves as far as fore and aft can use a simple level to make sure the pedestals sit equally flat.

No pain, no gain I guess?

 

Pretty wild stand you have going on there. Very cool!

 

I've had a few thoughts of a way to do this for tower speakers in the past. The image that came to mind was something that looked kinda like two bathroom scales with platers on top that rotated 360deg which the speakers would sit on. Then, having some way to spin them 1deg at a time that locked into place somehow. I bought a couple of Aurduino breadboard kits that I was going to to use to somehow try and automate the movements of the platers which could be controlled from the listening spot to dial in the toe in.

 

Seemed like a good idea at the time. Laziness got the best of me and now the kits are sitting in the closet with other projects that never came to light

[cjf]

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Looks like we have similar taste in wall color. I find that the color helps to soothe the mood a bit on those rough days

 

[cjf]

I thought I was looking at Nikhil's room! Simple and Nice, cjf.

 

Thanks

[cjf]

Thanks and I have to return the compliment on your setup!

Although I usually need a little more than paint color on a really bad day.

 

Like you I prefer to use the long wall of the room for my setup.

Those Mola Molas + Magicos must be something to hear in that room.

Can you share some more about the wood platforms and the roller balls in front.

 

Thanks

 

Yes Nikhil, I agree that color alone is sometimes not enough

 

I find the long wall setup to offer a very enjoyable sound since sidewall reflections are at a minimum. I'm sure I am sacrificing a bit of soundstage depth but I very much like the more intimate soundstage and being in the middle of it all entertainment offered by sitting closer.

 

About the wood amp stands and Rollerballs. Right now the Symposium balls are being left out of the system becuase I am in the process of demo'ing speaker cables and didn't want the balls to influence my decision on the best ones to choose. I will place the balls back under the amps afterwards and see if I still enjoy their presence in the system. This may be considered a bit backwards in my approach but in past experience with the Rollerballs they do change the sound in a noticable way (usually for the better) but I would prefer to dial in the sound with cables doing most of the heavy lifting then tweak more if need be.

 

The amp stands are supported by Solidtech IsoClear feet which offer excellent isolation from floor borne vibrations due to their seismic spring layout. In combination with the Rollerballs the setup is very effective in dealing with outside influences that effect the sound. If in this setup the Rollerballs change too much I will just move them under my front end gear which is out of sight in the posted picture and see how they work in that setting instead.

[cjf]

[ATTACH]32756[/ATTACH][ATTACH]32758[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

 

Is that an AR-REF6 Pre? If so, what do you think of it?

 

I almost took one home for a demo recently while visiting my local dealer. I was impressed with the look, feel and build quality of the REF6 that I saw.

[cjf]

New Listening Room almost same equipment. + 2 New Subs (Rythmik E15HP2's) + Audiolense Room Correction.

 

Ignore the wires on the floor, was still setting up new subs when pics were taken 😮

 

 

 

[cjf]

On 7/26/2019 at 8:17 AM, Foggie said:

Great setup, love the floor.  Do you have some close up pics of your rack and platforms and some details as to what they are? 

Thanks for the compliments. The wooden equipment rack is one that I built from Maple Butcher Block. At the very bottom of the rack are 4 Stillpoint Ultra SS feet which support the first layer of wood. Sandwiched between the two wood platforms are one layer of Cork Yoga Blocks and sitting on top of those is a slab of Granite. On top of the Granite slab sits 4 Solid Tech Disks of Silence isolation devices that are spring loaded as to allow the whole top platform to float/jiggle separately from the lower platform.

 

For the Amps I used 2 Slabs of Pennsylvania Blue stone which are about 75lbs each and very dense. They are supported by 4 Herbie Spikes inverted with points facing up so I can level the stones without harming the wood floors.

 

 

[cjf]

On 7/26/2019 at 11:56 AM, Ralf11 said:

cjf, what are those listening chairs?

Hello, The chairs are made by Stressless and the model is called "Wing".

 

Very comfortable and allows for hours of sitting without even thinking about the chair itself. I find that when a chair is not comfortable besides the obvious pain/discomfort itself that you feel, it also tends to distract you from whatever you are doing while sitting in them. With these chairs that doesn't happen and I love them. Not cheap but most things worth having never are, unfortunately

[cjf]

14 hours ago, Foggie said:

Thanks for the info!  A couple yrs ago? there was someone (maybe here) describing this same rack config - maple platform, cork blocks, granite etc..  Maybe it was you, can't remember. Anyway thanks.

 

I do however want to get Pennsylvania Blue stone for my mono's - suggestions on where to look/source?

 

Hello,

 

Yes a couple of years back I did a whole write up on the rack in question along with vibration measurements..etc. Unfortunately that post was lost/butchered during one of the site migrations/upgrades and I lost motivation to piece it back together.

 

I got the Bluestone Slabs from a local (at the time) Landscape Supply Co when I lived back East in PA. Its my understanding that the stone is only found in a few places in and around PA. If you live on the East Coast the stone is fairly easy to find in the PA TriState Area. If you live elsewhere you can probably find it on some Landscape Supply Co website from that area and have them ship it to you. Due to its density/weight I expect there will be a heavy penalty on shipping costs but its certainly doable.

 

Mine range in thickness between 2.75-3.0" depending on where you take the measurement from. They are 18"x18" and weigh about 75lb each to give you an idea on possible shipping costs.

[cjf]

On 8/22/2020 at 11:10 PM, Bazinga said:

Is that a Klipsch Chorus II on the right side of this pic?

[cjf]

A few updates to the system, namely the addition of a new Merging HAPI DA with Premium Card (no AD Card yet) but still use the Lynx Hilo for those duties (Room Measurememts).

 

I was on the fence for about a year before buying the HAPI because I was afraid of it not being able to do everything I needed it to do but it turns out that it can, and then some. I suspect this has everything to do with their new MAD ASIO driver that is now multi-client. It took a few days to figure out the basics and I still have much to experiment with but for now I have the basics up and running to allow for full operation of my 4ch setup with two mains and two subs with Audiolense/Roon Convolution and DSP volume control.

 

This unit has replaced a combo of a Lynx Hilo and Benchmark DAC3 and so far I am getting a sense that the HAPI offers more detail retrieval than the other DACs offer and I haven't even gotten around to trying the DSD256 capabilities of the HAPI yet. In my mind this is quite impressive considering the competition it replaced so no complaints there.

 

All I can say is that its real nice to be able to cut the cord of needing USB for everything. I've been wanting a divorce from USB for years.

 

Highly recommended DAC