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Post your Speaker setup PICS!!!!!!

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My dealer said I could probably get away with skipping the center speaker as long as the dialogue is intelligible. You could get the 600 rears which are sort of nice. That is what I am using with my 804s. Or you could try and find the bigger 601s which would be better.

I had the 602s as front channels for years and I loved them.
 
Hey Pinni I was at Audio Consultants the other day and your PS Audio Digital Link 3 comes highly recommended. I didn't realize it upsampled to 192. I bet it is a great sounding unit. I might borrow one to test it against the dCS. I'd like to pair one up with a nice headphone amp and a squeezebox for a secondary system or possibly even my main system if I decide to hold off on my own dCS stack.

Did you know that there are some modifications available for that unit? Apparently one of PS Audio's consultants/builders offers a mod where they replace a lot of the electronics. It is supposed to improve it significantly.

"The modification consists of the following:
• Replace 28 resistors in the audio signal path with Dale Rn55d copper leaded parts.
• Replace 11 electrolytic capacitors with audio grade Muse caps.
• Replace 8 FET's in the DAC’s output stage with hand matched low noise parts.
• Install ERS EMI/RFI Suppression cloth.
• Install WBT NexGen 210cu RCA jacks.
• Install clock modification board that replaces the 2 stock clocks with new Cullen designed clocks with ultra low jitter. This is done to both the clock and CODEC."
 
PS Audio makes good stuff but it is overpriced. I will put my $500 Oritek ZHalou up against it any day. Apples to oranges really but mine cost 1/3 of the PS.
 
spaceman said:
PS Audio makes good stuff but it is overpriced. I will put my $500 Oritek ZHalou up against it any day. Apples to oranges really but mine cost 1/3 of the PS.
Click to expand...

The Digital Link III is NOT overpriced. You can get one for around $1k.
 
spaceman said:
PS Audio makes good stuff but it is overpriced. I will put my $500 Oritek ZHalou up against it any day. Apples to oranges really but mine cost 1/3 of the PS.
Click to expand...

Blackstone said:
The Digital Link III is NOT overpriced. You can get one for around $1k.
Click to expand...

And it's a lot better when you have connections in the industry who get you the PS Audio DL3 for a little over $600. LOL!

And Spaceman, how does $500 cost 1/3 of the PS Audio DL3?
 
akwok said:
Contrary to popular belief, there are people who do NOT want earth-rattling bass when they listen to music!

I do not watch movies at home -- I can see why a sub would be very important if I did, though. Most (if not all) of the music I listen to do not dip below the frequency response of my speakers..
Click to expand...

Adrian,

Lovely system, top to bottom. I'm glad that our conversations regarding Sonus Faber got some seeds planted in that head of yours.

I admire your bookshelves and I like your amp - sorry we couldn't pull through with our deal regarding the preamp.

Anyway, regarding your system - do NOT take this as a backhand comment, but I think you deserve something that handles the lowest frequencies. You don't need a sub, but I think if you were able to incorporate one in your system, you'd like it.

Something along the lines of a Velodyne DD would be perfect I think.

I know a guy local with the SF Guarneris and some Krell bookshelves who has them augmented with a Velodyne DD. I also know that even Jonathan Valin of TAS owns the Magico Minis II and has dual Torus subwoofers.

You have to be VERY careful with mating a subwoofer with a bookshelf of that caliber (Guarneris et al), but if you're able to.... you'd be very happy.
 
montypythizzle said:
I want an 805, but currently my speakers do not deserve such an upgrade.BTW, how does the Harmony handle the Onkyo? Thinking of getting one myself, and how does it handle the TV's menu?
Click to expand...

The Harmony is great. Only issue I've been working on is a slight hesitation between the X360 and the 805 handshaking, right now I'm actually trying a few different turn on orders, etc to get it working quicker. Otherwise It truly is one remote to run everything. I only keep the 805's remote out since it's so new, and I'm still trying new things on different sources.

I was somewhat skeptical, but it will really do anything your current remotes can do, but in a much simpler way. It's like the iPod of remotes, simple, yet very powerful.

805 is great though, with how much is packed into this receiver at this price, THX Ultra 2, the power, the build/design/separation of the amp/pre-amp sections, and lossless decoding, are REALLY going to cause a feature war.

Blackstone said:
My dealer said I could probably get away with skipping the center speaker as long as the dialogue is intelligible. You could get the 600 rears which are sort of nice. That is what I am using with my 804s. Or you could try and find the bigger 601s which would be better.

I had the 602s as front channels for years and I loved them.
Click to expand...



My parents have a 601/600 setup with the matching center channel, and an energy sub. The cheapest 600 is now MSRP like $435 or some shit... :eek: As important as a center channel is for movies, I want the surrounds to really give the ambiance of being there in movies, even moreso in games. The soundstage is pretty good for what i'm running IMO, the fact I can run my 602's over a foot from the wall helps immensely. Dialog is centered just fine if you're on the couch, but I'll probably look at used 600's, and the new FST 600 center... Spending as much on the center as my mains a few years ago is a bit to choke down...
 
My new center that came Fedex two days ago.

DSC_0011Large.jpg


DSC_0009Large.jpg


Ceramic/Aluminum drivers
2x5.25"
1x4"
1x1"
Built in 250 watt amplifier
80-20,000 Hz
90 dB sensitivity

Sitting on top of my new kickass home theater:

DSC_0013Large.jpg
 
Jmzais said:
The Harmony is great. Only issue I've been working on is a slight hesitation between the X360 and the 805 handshaking, right now I'm actually trying a few different turn on orders, etc to get it working quicker. Otherwise It truly is one remote to run everything. I only keep the 805's remote out since it's so new, and I'm still trying new things on different sources.

I was somewhat skeptical, but it will really do anything your current remotes can do, but in a much simpler way. It's like the iPod of remotes, simple, yet very powerful.

805 is great though, with how much is packed into this receiver at this price, THX Ultra 2, the power, the build/design/separation of the amp/pre-amp sections, and lossless decoding, are REALLY going to cause a feature war.



My parents have a 601/600 setup with the matching center channel, and an energy sub. The cheapest 600 is now MSRP like $435 or some shit... :eek: As important as a center channel is for movies, I want the surrounds to really give the ambiance of being there in movies, even moreso in games. The soundstage is pretty good for what i'm running IMO, the fact I can run my 602's over a foot from the wall helps immensely. Dialog is centered just fine if you're on the couch, but I'll probably look at used 600's, and the new FST 600 center... Spending as much on the center as my mains a few years ago is a bit to choke down...
Click to expand...

Well my dealer said dialog is usually going to be fine when you are sitting in the sweet spot and thus you can get away with not having a center channel.

They also said that you don't have to spend an exorbitant amount of money on home theater gear because often the quality of the source material is not that great (compressed audio) and generally people don't scruitinize the audio as closely when they are playing games and watching movies.

This is not to say that good home theater gear is a waste, but because it involves so many channels of amplification, speakers, and processing, it is often not practical to match additional home theater components to an existing high-end audio system.

I would skip the center channel entirely at first and try to find a pair of used 601s for the rears. The most important components will be the fronts, the rears, the sub and the display. The 600 rears that I have are ok as a stopgap but they are very small and and a little thin sounding. I can't really recommend them although they do the job.
 
noxlord said:
Don't trust dealers.
Click to expand...

Well I normally don't but the store I go to is run by enthusiasts and I've known them for more than 15 years. Also, I have never bought anything from them that wasn't great. Trust can be earned.
 
My new Rig:

speakers1.jpg


Closeup of speaker:
speakers2.jpg


Speakers: B&W 685
Receiver: Yamaha RX-V559
Source: Sony CE-595
Headphones on Wall: Grado RS-1

The setup's a work in progress; I'm in the process of designing/building some cheap speaker stands. You can see a primitive version of one on the left made of 2x4s. Unfortunately I ran out of wood and hence the placement of the other speaker for now. Over the course of the week things should improve, and once I finalize them they'll be painted black.
 
Blackstone said:
Hey Pinni I was at Audio Consultants the other day and your PS Audio Digital Link 3 comes highly recommended. I didn't realize it upsampled to 192. I bet it is a great sounding unit. I might borrow one to test it against the dCS. I'd like to pair one up with a nice headphone amp and a squeezebox for a secondary system or possibly even my main system if I decide to hold off on my own dCS stack.

Did you know that there are some modifications available for that unit? Apparently one of PS Audio's consultants/builders offers a mod where they replace a lot of the electronics. It is supposed to improve it significantly.

"The modification consists of the following:
• Replace 28 resistors in the audio signal path with Dale Rn55d copper leaded parts.
• Replace 11 electrolytic capacitors with audio grade Muse caps.
• Replace 8 FET's in the DAC’s output stage with hand matched low noise parts.
• Install ERS EMI/RFI Suppression cloth.
• Install WBT NexGen 210cu RCA jacks.
• Install clock modification board that replaces the 2 stock clocks with new Cullen designed clocks with ultra low jitter. This is done to both the clock and CODEC."
Click to expand...

Yo!

I can't believe I missed this post... must've skimmed the thread too quickly on my part. :)

Do you know if they have the upgraded PS Audio DL3 in store? Meaning, could I listen to mine and the modded version next to each other?
 
The 685s are ok but overpriced for what they are. I would much prefer the 602s used lol.
 
I've got a 5 channel 602 system I'm probably going to be selling, but you have to come to Alaska to get them. =P

That's one of my audio dilemmas right now, whether to use the 602/601/LCR60 S3 system for my PC or whether to sell it and keep using the X-LS/X-CS system I've been using.
 
Pinipig523 said:
Yo!

I can't believe I missed this post... must've skimmed the thread too quickly on my part. :)

Do you know if they have the upgraded PS Audio DL3 in store? Meaning, could I listen to mine and the modded version next to each other?
Click to expand...

No I learned about the modded version by browsing Audiogon. The mods are done by one of the consultants that helped design the DL3, I believe. I think the upshot is that they upgrade some of the internals with parts that didn't make it into the production version to keep costs down. You can send your unit in for various levels of modification. They also install higher quality feet, connectors, ect. Some of it is probably snake oil but who knows.

I probably would just get the production version and stick with it. I'm not big on aftermarket mods.

I might borrow one and audition it. I asked them what unit they liked if I wasn't ready to pull the trigger on a dCS setup and they said "actually we really like that $1,000 PS Audio" unit. Of course, there aren't that many standalone DACs anymore.

I'm not sure if I can resist an upsampling D/A converter at that price.
 
I have a feeling im the Upsampling type of guy....but at the moment i dont think the DAC is coming on my list anytime soon, feeling knobby tires roll over some fresh singletrack and the sweat and sun on my face...no stereo can help me there
 
Nicolaskl said:
I've got a 5 channel 602 system I'm probably going to be selling, but you have to come to Alaska to get them. =P

That's one of my audio dilemmas right now, whether to use the 602/601/LCR60 S3 system for my PC or whether to sell it and keep using the X-LS/X-CS system I've been using.
Click to expand...


The 602 system would be awesome for PC games, but possibly a little on the bright side, just because the source sound card and sound files probably are not in the same league. But you could probably tweak the sound controls and get good results.

Personally I think for PC gaming a nice pair of headphones is more than sufficient but before you sell it try it out with your PC!
 
Cat1yst said:
I have a feeling im the Upsampling type of guy....but at the moment i dont think the DAC is coming on my list anytime soon, feeling knobby tires roll over some fresh singletrack and the sweat and sun on my face...no stereo can help me there
Click to expand...

Well, if implemented properly, the difference between an upsampling DAC and a normal DAC is sort of like the difference between a redbook CD and an SACD or DVD audio.

The dCS upsampler is pretty remarkable. It goes beyond 192 to an even higher resolution format called DSD, also known as SACD. It basically took CDs that we would never want to listen to on a high end system and made them sound very good. It made CDs that sounded ok on a high-end system sound terrific and in some cases it made recordings I always regarded as mediocre sound like audiophile discs. That is something that no other component upgrade has ever done.

The most noticable difference is the soundstage and stereo imaging. Imaging has always been good on our system (B&W N802, Levinson, Goldmund, ect) but after adding the upsampler the sound stage really spread out. Every instrument sounds like it is coming out of its own channel and there is almost no overlap. It is hard to describe but even on the best systems there is some overlap or smear and one instrument will cover up another. With the upsampling every instrument has its own defined space and completely separated out. It takes recordings that were congested with instruments and separates each one out so you can hear the ambience surrounding each one. A lot of people probably have speaker setups capable of this but they never hear it because ordinary CDs just can't do it.

To put it in gamer terms, it is like going from no anti-aliasing to 4x or 8x anti-aliasing.

The technology has been around for a while now but at outrageous prices. It seems some of it is starting to reach more reasonable DACs. 192 is not DSD but it is a major step in that direction, and a lot of people with the DL3 unit do rave about the stereo imaging. So the DL3 is probably really good for the price range. I'll report back when I get my hands on one.
 
Blackstone said:
Well, if implemented properly, the difference between an upsampling DAC and a normal DAC is sort of like the difference between a redbook CD and an SACD or DVD audio.
Click to expand...

That seems like a very inappropriate analogy. Creating "information" via upsampling is not anywhere near the same as actually having more information as in SACD/DVD-A.
 
Nicolaskl said:
That seems like a very inappropriate analogy. Creating "information" via upsampling is not anywhere near the same as actually having more information as in SACD/DVD-A.
Click to expand...

I am talking about the difference in percieved sound quality. Upsampling is not as good as true SACD, but it is big step in that direction.
 
I've been tossing the idea in my head around of Atoms as some surrounds..

When I auditioned, and eventually purchased the 602's, my second choice was the Monitor 7's at the time, Recently got to sit down with a Paradigm Signatures for a good half hour, remembered how much I like their house sound.

But I have been toying with the idea of some Atoms as surrounds since they're less than half the price of the smallest 600 currently available, and are still pretty big on sound, they'd also blend in better being a little smaller.

Nicolaskl said:
I've got a 5 channel 602 system I'm probably going to be selling, but you have to come to Alaska to get them. =P

That's one of my audio dilemmas right now, whether to use the 602/601/LCR60 S3 system for my PC or whether to sell it and keep using the X-LS/X-CS system I've been using.
Click to expand...

Not interested in shipping? It's pretty much exactly what I'd be looking for... Atleast the LCR60, and and 601's.. I'd have no issue paying for shipping, you seem to know your gear, and I would assume respect it as it deserves.
 
Shipping from Juneau wouldn't be very cost effective. I had to pay about 110 bucks just to get my new center channel shipped up here.
 
Blackstone said:
Well, if implemented properly, the difference between an upsampling DAC and a normal DAC is sort of like the difference between a redbook CD and an SACD or DVD audio.

The dCS upsampler is pretty remarkable. It goes beyond 192 to an even higher resolution format called DSD, also known as SACD. It basically took CDs that we would never want to listen to on a high end system and made them sound very good. It made CDs that sounded ok on a high-end system sound terrific and in some cases it made recordings I always regarded as mediocre sound like audiophile discs. That is something that no other component upgrade has ever done.
Click to expand...

No and no. You can never get more information out of a recording than it has been recorded with. I suggest you do an ABX test to prove your claim, else it's just the placebo effect.
 
Here's a quick shot of my overall setup:


Mains:Boston Acoustic VR3
Center: Athena AS-C1
Surrounds: Athena AS-B1(swapping old B2's that were mains in to surround duty soon)
Sub was Def Tech ProSub 100TL, Just built a 410L SonoSub with 15" Tempest-X powered by a QSC MX1500



There's a picture of the comparison between old and new. I still have to finish the sono, line the inside and cover the outside. Few hours of work if i could just find the time.
 
dandragonrage said:
No and no. You can never get more information out of a recording than it has been recorded with. I suggest you do an ABX test to prove your claim, else it's just the placebo effect.
Click to expand...

Correct. But, it does improve the sound quality nonetheless, although the exact mechanism is unknown. I am not claiming it turns CD into SACD. I was simply trying to explain the degree of difference it makes by analogy. It sounds more like a high resolution format than CD.

You can read about it here. http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/454/index.html

By the way, I don't have to prove anything, I am speaking from first hand experience. I've got one right here. I have tested it many times. I suggest YOU do a test.
 
Blackstone said:
Correct. But, it does improve the sound quality nonetheless, although the exact mechanism is unknown. I am not claiming it turns CD into SACD. I was simply trying to explain the degree of difference it makes by analogy. It sounds more like a high resolution format than CD.

You can read about it here. http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/454/index.html

By the way, I don't have to prove anything, I am speaking from first hand experience. I've got one right here. I have tested it many times. I suggest YOU do a test.
Click to expand...

Onkyo have a similar technology, called Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry. All it does is to modify the digital signal before the D/A conversion in areas where the output might sound harsh or where the encoding is typically nonrepresentational of the recording. It does not ''Add'' informations, nor does upsampling... Good to you it sounds good to your ears.
..
 
My eventual resolution of the whole 'speaker placement' issue:

speakers4.jpg


Closeup of the stands:
speakers6.jpg


Ironically, those brackets are sturdier than the legs of my desk, so that's the limiting point. It'll do the trick for now, however. The tweeters are just about exactly at ear level (maybe a hair below) when I"m sitting/slouching in my desk chair, so it's excellent. Wish I could have them closer to the wall for the bass response, but the soundstage is unbelievable in this arrangement.
 
^^^^^^
I had to do the same with my desk.. I ended up using monitor arms (old school ones) I just gave up and got a Jerker before I moved. heh

here's the mess I have now... I am just using it to test car audio parts before I drop them into the car. the waves processor is going in too when it gets warmer. The Terratec m3po is for my audio input. My bench amp is an old school Soundstream 405s.

I am currently putting together a CSS SDX7 MTM kit.. (based on the adire extremis) will post pics as soon as I finish the cabinets in carbon fiber. :D

P1010449.jpg


P1010457.jpg
 
Does anyone have pictures of Polk's R150 (bookshelf)? I plan on getting them and I just want to get an idea of their sizes in a set up.
 
aznpxdd said:
Does anyone have pictures of Polk's R150 (bookshelf)? I plan on getting them and I just want to get an idea of their sizes in a set up.
Click to expand...

http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1031904703&postcount=2405

second picture.

When I was looking at speakers (and since I am on a limited space requirement), I made paper/cardboard dummies so I could get a feel for how big they were.

That was the main thing that prevented me from getting X-LS'... cardboard dummies, haha.
 
My updated audio setup:

Pair of X-LS in Piano Rosewood
BIC Acoustech H-100 subwoofer
Panasonic SA-XR57 - Added today; I'm really impressed with the soundfield this little powerhouse pumps out.

The only remaining update will be a new 30" LCD in another month or two.



 
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