Show us Your Kit!

Well, seeing as I can't upload any more photos, I guess I have to post a link to it: http://www.hifiwigwam.com/forum1/29-88.html

Cheers,
DT

 

Long overdue piccies:

Full view of rack:



NAD C320BEE amp, NAD C521BEE CDP, Sony MDS-JB980 MD deck & Philips CDR-760 CD Recorder:



Rotel RQ970BX phono stage, Rotel RT-940AX tuner and Sony SLV-830 VCR (VCR not used right now):



Pro-Ject Debut II turntable:






Final purchases are going to be an LCD TV and a DVD/Hard disc recorder with built-in Freeview tuner.

 

Some 'minor' updates

btw, The picture quality don't do justice to the Fraim imho!












From top to bottom:
Naim CD5x, Nait-5i, Flatcap2 all on Fraim.
Rogers Studio 3 on 'LS3/5a' stands.

regards,
Alco

 

Updated piccies and bedroom system....

 

My modest stereo setup

Amplification: audiolab 8000S
Source: marantz CD63SE
Loudspeakers: AR 318PS
Iterconnect: XLO PRO100
Speakers cables: Monster cable

 

I like the smiley in the mirror!

 

Updated pics of my room.

I have finally completed the front wall construction - we have added a custom made and custom designed mid-bass traps. As far as I remember, the upper and lower parts are tuned to 180Hz, and the center parts are tuned to 120Hz. The internal volume is divided into two smaller chambers by an MDF plate with lots of small holes in it. So basicly, the sound enters the traps by those front gaps, goes to the first chamber and then through the holes to the next chamber, where it can dissipate in a mineral fiber.



I have also upgraded my 12 months old McQuay A/C split system to ultra silent Daikin unit from Japan. The difference in noise levels generated by those two units is staggering. Daikin is so quiet (22dB) that you can barely hear it from the listening chair. There are CD-players that generate more noise than this ! The other outstanding feature of this unit is that it can work when outside temp drops to -15'C - so it can be used during winter too.

The system (before fitting the bass traps):


The new CDP:


Sidewall:


Room frequency response:


I still have to paint the ceiling and do the lighting.

 

great - all you need now is a comfy chair!

 

Elberoth, your room does look impressive. Is it your own design or did you get it done professionally? How much of an improvement have the changes made to the sound?

Are the bricks on the walls part of the acoustic treatment and what is the purpose of the 3 half cylinders? I notice the ceiling is untreated.

And finally, if it's not a rude question, how much approximately did it cost?

btw mr cat, ikea chairs are very comfy and cheap too

 

No it is not my design.

The room was designed by a company that specialises in acoustic design.

The room acoustics was was first designed in a digital domain and then improved upon with the real world measurements taken during all stages of construction work.



The sand stone blocks you see on the walls are a vital part of acoustic design. Their effect on the room acoustic was quite dramatic. When we have put them on the walls - and that was the firs thing done to the unfinished room, even before the floor was laid - almost all reverberation was gone. If you ever been in an empty room, you know how bad it is.

We have taken this idea from one of their previous projects - namely a recording studio.



The 3 cylinders you see on the on the wall are acoustic panels made ny german company ACS. They diffuse the sound and also absorb at certain frequencies. I have 3 such a cylinders on left wall, 3 on the rignt, and 5 on the rear wall as well, to diffuse the sound refected from that wall.



The ceiling is unfinished as of yet. We were to cover it partly with suede, but after measuring the room RT-60 (reverberation times) we dropped the idea since that would make the room overdamped in the HF.

I still have to put 5 wooden diffusors there, just over the listeners head, according to this drawing:



The semi-circle you see in front on that drawing is the place where ceiling lowers by 10cm - it is also a part of acoustic design.

The room is also soundproof (a second importand feature) and among other things features soundproof windows, double doors and 11" thick double walls. The measured noise level inside the room is 26dB during the day (measured during rush hours, at 16:00).

As for costs - I honestly do not know. I was finishing the whole flat at the same time, and the costs of my dedicated listening room just got buried in total costs.

If there would be enough interest in my room design, I may open another thread, since I have 100+ pics fromm all stages of construction work.

 

I would be interested in your more details of your room design. I doubt that I will be happy with my system until I get the room sorted. Although I will not be able to employ professionals to do such as a good job as yours, if I can pick up any pointers or useful tips it will be most helpful.

I think that people (me included) spend too much time box swapping and playing with tweaks without getting the room sorted first. So if you have the time to start a new thread .....

 

My current setup





Toshiba SD9500 DVD Player / CD Transport
Genesis Digital Lens
Perpetual Technologies P3-A DAC with Modwright Level II Signature mods
Perreaux E160i Amplifier
Revel M22 Speakers
Sky Box
Sony 32" LCD
Base Platforms for CD and Amp

 

My System!

Speakers: Silverline Sonatina mk II
CD: Lexicon RT-10/MF KW SACD
Amp: MF KW 500
Speakercable: MIT 750 bi-wire serie 3
Interconnect: MIT MI330 serie 3.

H.sam

 

i've got another modded cdp99 (still unopened in the box) but the only real tweak is the brass effect handles on the cabinet, which were available at no extra cost.
polishing them definately improves cd sound...

 

room treatments need to be subtle as the idea is to reduce certain (primary) reflections but keep the rest - it's what creates an ambience -the illusion that you are listening in a much larger venue than your lounge in the same way that a yamaha dsp unit uses delays and extra speakers to create 'distant' echoes. i cannot comment on elberoth's treatment, but the idea is to get away from an acoustically 'dead' recording studio environment (although this is type of treatment is used to test the frequency response of drive units).
a frequency plot for your room will not show any directionality to the different frequencies - but just how loud certain frequencies are in your listening room but this you can hear with your own ears (viz bass boom).

the standard treatment is to prevent side wall reflections by placing sound tiles midway between you and the speakers - put a mirror on the side wall and when you can see the speaker from your listening position then this is where they need to be, pretty much as the same height as the drive units and your ears. wooden floors need rugging in the same way. the ceiling also requires treatment (especially if it is low) although beams and/or heavy papering are easier to live with.

finally tiles are needed inbetween the speakers from floor to wall (or as high as you dare) - equipment racks also help - you need to stop rearward reflected interactions between the two speakers (dipoles especially).

damping behind speakers (depending on the type) can attenuate certain frequencies that are not supposed to be reduced (viz using your speakers outside - try it -bloody awful) and damping behind the listening position will lead to a similar effect and destroy ambiance - it's space that's needed. Quad ESL's should never have and were not designed to have any damping behind them



bass treatments are ok but speaker positioning should always be the first port of call. different speakers (sealed, front ported, rear, horns, quarter loaded, dipoles, electrostatics and sizes) will interact and excite resonances at certain nodal points in your room. you need only move them a foot or two to reduce these interactions. in terms of interactions, electrostatics are the easiest to place but they have directionality issues as a drawback.

hope this helps

 

My kit

Photo's should show Nait 5i/cd5i/Project Debut and Spendoe s5e.

Think my next upgrade will be a decent camera

 

update

new toys

 

Nice rack

 

Thought it was about time to post some photos of my gear.

If this works, i'll send a few more of the rest of my system later on.

Unfortunately due to the poor lighting in my loft, theyve came out pretty crap, but hey.















Plinth Close-ups maybe OTT

 

Rock - Are they home made plynths ?

BTW, nice Exposure !