What’s your Hi-Fi set up? spec and pictures please

[gizlaroc]

I was using REW and Roon using the minidsp mic.

It was not completely flat, however, it was cutting some of the upper bass that was obviously a bit of a peak in my room, but after getting rid of it I realised I quite liked it.


Thanks for the links, I will give them a try, need to borrow the mix again though.


My point was, I think people get too het up about everything being perfect on paper, the reality is you need a sound you like.

Hearing artists in different venues can sound very different, sometimes a bit too much bass or whatever can sound.....well.....nicer.

[OldSkoolRS]

gizlaroc said:

I was using REW and Roon using the minidsp mic.

I went down the REW route for my home cinema, but agree with what you say...it did really help get my complex 4 sub set up time aligned and optimised (some manual eq on the sub amps), but I tend not to use room eq full range, or even at all for music as it just sounds better IMHO. I got rid of some big peaks, which made certain seats a bit unpleasant to sit in, but now they are all pretty even and I just tweak up the bass a bit to give a sound I like, even if it isn't flat/a standard 'house curve'.

[Crackie]

gizlaroc said:

I was using REW and Roon using the minidsp mic.

It was not completely flat, however, it was cutting some of the upper bass that was obviously a bit of a peak in my room, but after getting rid of it I realised I quite liked it.


Thanks for the links, I will give them a try, need to borrow the mix again though.


My point was, I think people get too het up about everything being perfect on paper, the reality is you need a sound you like.

Hearing artists in different venues can sound very different, sometimes a bit too much bass or whatever can sound.....well.....nicer.

Thanks.....I understand your point regarding some people wanting everything to be perfect on paper; the difficult part is determining what constitutes being perfect on paper. I have a pair of Duntech Marquis speakers which rank up with the most accurately measuring speakers ever made and also have a pair of Impulse H2s which don't measure anywhere near as well but they sound more open and transparent; in the mid-range. Measurements can mislead as well as inform.

A speaker's amplitude response..........measured at a metre away, on the tweeter axis, in an anechoic chamber, doesn't tell you much about what a speaker will sound like 3-4m away in a real room. Polar measurements and off axis responses give a far better idea about driver phase integration and more importantly, the actual energy that will be radiated in to a room; this power response closely correlates with a speaker actually sounds like.

Over the years I've read hundreds of speakers tests and reviews and concentrated on the ones where magazines also published a comprehensive set of measurements. Hi-Fi Choice used to be very good, Stereophile are excellent and Hi-Fi News were also good. I've tried, over the the years, to identify if Best Buy, award spinning designs have any common measurement traits. Group test winners or best buy award usually have great driver phase integration and consequently they also have better power response than their peers. Dunlavy / Duntech, Theil, ATC, AVI, ProAc and Harbeth are all extremely good.

Edited by Crackie on Sunday 26th January 01:22

[gizlaroc]

I used Dunlavy Speakers for years before going to Meridian DSPs and have used Harbeths too a fair bit.

I have enjoyed others more though, not many mind, even though I can hear they are not as accurate.

[Itsallicanafford]

A final evolution of my main system.

I’ve gone for 2 set-ups on the same rack.

Source:
Analogue - Rega RP8/ exact
Digital - raspberry PI with hifiberry hat running roopeee - roon - tidal hi-fi

Set-up 1
Amp - Naim 32.5/ hicap/ 250
Speakers - neat iota Alpha

Set-up 2
Amp- Naim Nait 2
Speakers - linn Kan

Edited by Itsallicanafford on Sunday 2nd February 20:18

[AC43]

gizlaroc said:

TameRacingDriver said:

Yeah probably the only way to be sure is to try it really, all rooms are different.

My main issue with subs is I quite like my bass fast and punchy and while a sub theoretically shouldn’t affect this, I have heard plenty where it sounds deep, but tubby and slow.

The Rel T5i is very fast and seriously impressive for the price.

I listen to dance, acoustic, classical, chorale and soundtracks mainly, oh and lots of lounge type jazz, Diana Krall etc.

I love a sub, but mainly on stuff like the acoustic stuff which doesn't even have that much bass, especially live stuff.
The thing is, when it is a live recording you often need the sub frequencies to be able to hear/see the whole picture, with some of the recordings you can tell the size of the room with a sub in place, take the sub out and it still sounds good, but the soundstage collapses.

I listen to a lot of the same type of music through a couple of Monitor Audio Gold bookshelves + a BK sub.

It's maybe not "purist" but when I see live music I love the punch from the bass bins. And I like the same through my in-ear headphones. The sub fills that part of the music out when I'm listing at home.

[TameRacingDriver]

I was thinking about this tonight and I reckon my existing Zensor 1’s and a decent sub will definitely be worth a shot!

[REM2112]

All the kit is very old, but new black glass rack from the nice people at Futureglass

[Tony1963]

Funny how we all differ, and with subs we differ lots.

I had a pleasurable couple of hours trying out some streamers and DACs at the dealer’s yesterday, all through the amazing Falcon LS3/5a monitors.

I just did not wish for more bass, just more and more music to listen to through them.

[gizlaroc]

Tony1963 said:

Funny how we all differ, and with subs we differ lots.

I had a pleasurable couple of hours trying out some streamers and DACs at the dealer’s yesterday, all through the amazing Falcon LS3/5a monitors.

I just did not wish for more bass, just more and more music to listen to through them.

Depends of course what music you listen to, also depends on the room.

My little Harbeth P3ESR's in the small room, which had a big squashy sofa, carpets and thick curtains sounded fine, however, move them into the sitting room which is 20' x 18' with wooden floors, blinds and 10' ceilings and they completely changed.


My Spender S6e go down to around 36hz before starting to drop off quickly, they never sound like they are lacking in bass, but and this is the important bit, adding a sub in makes them sound so, so much better.
Not really about the extra bass either, sure some music you can then here they are missing a bit, but the soundstage it what truly improves, it gets massive and the speakers just disappear. (I hate that phrase btw. But that is what the sub adds.)

[legzr1]

gizlaroc said:

Depends of course what music you listen to, also depends on the room.

This.

I’d add that most who don’t feel a need for a sub have probably never spent time with a well sited, well EQd sub.

Note I say ‘most’. Not all.

[legzr1]

REM2112 said:

All the kit is very old, but new black glass rack from the nice people at Futureglass

Very old but I’m guessing very good sounding. It’s been a while since I heard a Levinson set up.

What speakers are you using?

[TonyRPH]

legzr1 said:

This.

I’d add that most who don’t feel a need for a sub have probably never spent time with a well sited, well EQd sub.

Note I say ‘most’. Not all.

I have done neither, however I've never felt that bass was lacking in my system.

I did have a sub on my surround for a while, but found it simply wasn't needed. I could get room shaking bass out of my floor standers (Paradigm Monitor 7s).

[Tony1963]

legzr1 said:

This.

I’d add that most who don’t feel a need for a sub have probably never spent time with a well sited, well EQd sub.

Note I say ‘most’. Not all.

I’ve heard all sorts of systems, and all sorts of music, and I can see why some love what a sub does. I’m also willing to accept that sub tech has moved on greatly over the last few years. However, they just ain’t for me. I’m in a detached house, have the space, and could afford a decent sub.

[REM2112]

Speakers are Focal Electra 1028 BE. I bought the Roksan in 1986, and it's still going strong. Today I was listening to Focus live at The Rainbow, which I bought in about 1981 - all sounded good!

[gizlaroc]

Tony1963 said:

I’ve heard all sorts of systems, and all sorts of music, and I can see why some love what a sub does. I’m also willing to accept that sub tech has moved on greatly over the last few years. However, they just ain’t for me. I’m in a detached house, have the space, and could afford a decent sub.

But you are throwing away information.

Live recordings are often transformed with a sub, even with material with no bass in instruments.

Often it is only when a sub is added that you can tell the size of the venue it was recorded in.



But also, with many speakers they simply can't reproduce the lower end of instruments, the LS3/5a is a good example, sure it sounds weighty with the hump at 76hz, but the reality is by 70hz in 95% of rooms it is already down 6db, and 6 db is a lot.
So, you can't hear the bottom end of a Pianao, harp, harpsicord, cello, bass, bass guitar, bassoon, tuba let alone an organ or so, so much electronic music which has the warmth added and the basslines in the 50hz zone.


As I said, it depends what music yo listen to.
For me I love soundtracks and electronic mixes, therefore a system without being able to get to 40hz properly without drop off sounds pretty st to me.

Edited by gizlaroc on Monday 10th February 15:49

[paralla]

I have a pair of Monitor Audio ceiling speakers powered by a Sonos Connect Amp in my kitchen, they've been fine for the past 6 years until I learned this relativity cheap, good quality compact sub existed. The moment I knew it existed it was a must have.

https://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/archive_p...

It integrates with the washing machine, combi boiler and the ceiling speakers nicely

[Tony1963]

gizlaroc said:

But you are throwing away information.

Live recordings are often transformed with a sub, even with material with no bass in instruments.

Often it is only when a sub is added that you can tell the size of the venue it was recorded in.



But also, with many speakers they simply can't reproduce the lower end of instruments, the LS3/5a is a good example, sure it sounds weighty with the hump at 76hz, but the reality is by 70hz in 95% of rooms it is already down 6db, and 6 db is a lot.
So, you can't hear the bottom end of a Pianao, harp, harpsicord, cello, bass, bass guitar, bassoon, tuba let alone an organ or so, so much electronic music which has the warmth added and the basslines in the 50hz zone.


As I said, it depends what music yo listen to.
For me I love soundtracks and electronic mixes, therefore a system without being able to get to 40hz properly without drop off sounds pretty st to me.

Edited by gizlaroc on Monday 10th February 15:49

And yet I really, enjoyed the Falcons! With the accent on ‘enjoyed’. But as you’re hinting at, horses for courses, and who’s to tell what I’ll like in 6 months or twenty years?

At least we have options

[gizlaroc]

I love the Falcons, the new ones are even better, I also like the Harbeth P3esr, and the little Spendor S3/5r is even better imho.

My Spendors that I just sold were off Malcolm Jones apparently.

[selym]

gizlaroc said:

I love the Falcons, the new ones are even better, I also like the Harbeth P3esr, and the little Spendor S3/5r is even better imho.

My Spendors that I just sold were off Malcolm Jones apparently.

I have the Spendor S3/5R2 and they are sweet sounding little things.