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Our home system: How good it is?

My music sound philosophy/reference is the live music/event that unfortunately I can’t mimic on my system or in any other audio system that I heard. I always say that the very best we can achieve is to be nearer to the recording and even this target is a little “ elusive “ to get for say the least.

Through my audio life I heard a lot of different audio systems: I heard it on audio shows, on dealer rooms and on home people’s systems.

With out any doubt the best audio system performances that I already experienced were/are on home systems where I learn several subjects ( including the people music sound priorities ) and one-two of them are the in deep care in the SET UP of each link on the whole audio chain ( including room ). Some of high price systems that I heard it are not very good because its “ lesser “ care on the each link SET UP.

I want to share with all of you my latest experiences that I had 2-3 weeks ago when I visit some audio friends on USA.
I was exposed to 7 different home systems and I share with you my thoughts on only 4 of those home audio systems that I consider have nothing less but top/first rate performance and where I really enjoy the music.

First than all I want to say that all those audio friends were very gentle and with a very high sense on hospitality: thank you in deep to every one for that I really appreciate it in every way including your very value time that you take/give me.

The best subject during my visit to each one of those great people was to know/meet them: meet people with an in deep knowledge on music ( music lovers more than hardware lovers.), with in deep audio experiences, with in deep know how on their each priorities, with in deep care on whole room-system SET UP, with a great software, with an open mind to share and to accept different points of view, with in deep understanding that there are no perfect systems, with a “ humility “ attitude that it is a must to have to grow-up and with the enjoy “ feeling “ of music listening.

This was a very rare opportunity that I enjoy it and that I know I was so lucky about: Thank you again to all of you!!!!

In no order of preference here it is:

HOUSTON: Fred’s place with a dedicated audio room. Acapella big Triolon speakers, Einstein front end electronics, Rockport/Titan i analog rig, Nordost, JC-1s amps, etc.

When the first music note comes from this system you know that it is something special and after a few minutes you forgot about the hardware and start to enjoy fully the software ( either analog/digital ).
The system is so easy to transmit the music “ feelings/emotions “ and let that the sound/music flow directly to your mind.

Those Triorlon are really great and my hat off to Acapella people because they blend three different speaker drivers in an almost perfect mix. I don’t like ( but the immediacy ) horns ( I heard many of them ) and the Triorlon’s has two of them in the midrange frequency range and I have to say that these horns are the lower horn-signature that I ever heard, the mid bass/bass are moving coil drivers and the Plasma tweeter is ( probably ) the speaker star but with out saying “ I’m here “, like I say almost perfect driver blend.

BOISE: Steve’s place with a dedicated audio room. MBL 111 speakers, custom made Berning’s monoblock amplifiers, Technics SP10 MK3 with a Steve self design/build gorgeous plinth with Schroeder Reference tonearm and strain gauge cartridge/front end by Soundsmith and Lyra Olimpos.

This was my three time that I heard MBL speakers and my first time on a home system: what a difference!!!!, these system/speakers are so near the real music that, like in Fred’s system, the only think that you want is to hear music and more music: LP after LP and again!!!!

Those custom made amplifiers are very good match to the MBL’s and has the lower coloration of tube-signature amplifier I ever heard. I know that the MBL speakers are not easy/friendly with tube electronics and in this system everything is on target, of course that Steve’s hand on this count a lot for that.

I experienced here two different quality performance sound: the Soundsmith one ( that is good ) and a MC cartridge one. I have to say that the Soundsmith rig was only 20-30 hours from new and even Steve was “ playing “ with the set-up. Anyway IMHO that day the Lyra quality performance was way better and I enjoy it for many hours. With this MC cartridge things ( great things ) come out specially the non-sense audio system: disappear!, I had only the LP music performance: great performances.

DALLAS: Louis’s place with a dedicated audio room. Kharma Exquisite 1A speakers, CAT’s monobloks ( new ones: 30 hours on it. ), Lamm/Aesthetix front end electronics, Garrad 301/Triplanar/Xv-1and Technics SP-10MK3/SME/Air Tight both with a custom made wood plinths and the 301 with a custom made power supply.

First thing you note at Loui’s place is that huge room, the biggest I ever know ( maybe 2.3 times the Steve or Fred ones that are big. ) in a home stereo system.

Here I think that the stars are those 550 pound each speakers and its room good integration ( not an easy task ). Like the other systems this one is different but really good. This is my second time hearing Kharma speakers and I have to say that are very very good performers.

The whole sound is a refined/sophisticated one where you or anyone are asking for more, not more quality but more time to heard/hear and enjoy music. I was surprised by the 301 rig quality performance ( where I know very well the XV-1 quality. ): first rate, I can’t hear any coloration that I can/could say: “ that’s was the 301 “.

As good as I heard that system Louis told me that through his Lamm amplifiers ( SE 15-18 watts ) the quality of the system’s sound is a step higher!!, unfortunately I can’t hear it with these amplifiers. Anyway a pleasure to hear it on the Cats.

SAN DIEGO: Mark’s place with out a dedicated audio room ( the system belongs to the sitting room ). Revel speakers, Threshold amplifier, Hovland front end electronics and Raven/Triplanar/Ruby 2.

It seems the “ modest “ system on the group but a top quality performer where we know immediately the very hard work that Mark made to achieve that high quality performance. I know very well the Ruby 2 and in this system is something to hear.
Here there is no single “ star “ but a very good set up of audio items group that sounds a lot better that some very high price systems that I heard, money means nothing at all with out whole/overall knowledge.

As different as are all these audio system all them share common things: system whole synergy, when you heard it you know everything is there ( soundstage, good tonal balance, inner detail, transparent, fast response, dynamics, etc, etc, ), nothing is telling you “ I’m here “ ( very well balance ), sounds good with different kind of music and at different SPL levels, you can heard it for many hours and enjoy every minute, etc, etc.

Are these audio system “ perfect “ ?, certainly not: nothing is. Their owners ( all of them ) already know that they have “ land “ to improve and more important that this fact is that all them know where to improve.

Something to “ ask “ to these systems?, well as you know I’m for full range ( octave to octave ) audio systems and if I put really exigent then I can say that all these system “ miss “ the last bass octave/half octave. This bass octave is system/room dependent and speaker design specification dependent: non of those speakers were designed to achieve that low bass frequency range with the same high quality of the other frequency ranges.
Anyway I can say that I never feel the necessity of that bass octave during all those many hours of music pleasure hearing all those audio systems.

It is a nice thing to learn, through other home audio system listening experiences, if what we have at home is in the right “ road “ and this fact help all of us to grow up in the quest of home audio music sound reproduction heaven.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
Ag insider logo xs@2xrauliruegas

Showing 3 responses by clio09

clio09
2,978 posts
 
As Raul mentioned due to space I have had to put my chair up against a wall. Definitely not the most ideal position. I have found that an acoustic panel placed on the wall behind ones head helps tremendously in improving the sound in this position.

Interestingly enough I have found other reputable speaker and component manufacturers who preferred having the listening position within 3 ft. of the back wall. Again, with the caveat that one acoustically treat that back wall.

Overall this is another interesting and enjoyable thread from Raul. I have personally felt for a long time that replication of a live concert experience in ones listening room, even a dedicated or custom built one, is largely unattainable. However it certainly is possible to be true to the recording (and depending on the quality of the recording that could be a good or bad thing, but that is for another thread). If I want a live experience I go see a concert (at the least great for tuning the ears). If I want a musical experience I sit and listen to my system.
clio09
2,978 posts
 
Yes, I used the Audio Physic method of speaker placement very effectively when long wall placement was afforded to me in a very small room. The chair was about 1.5 ft out from the wall and my head maybe 6" further when I sat in it for a total of about 2 ft. With proper absorption on the back wall (as well as treatments in other areas) I was able to get very good sound.

You'll see a lot of debate on speaker placement and listening position over on Audio Asylum (Rives Forum). As Raul mentioned this certainly will influence the sound, but as always there is more than one way to skin a cat.
clio09
2,978 posts
 
I've done some extensive reading over on the Rives Acoustic forum on AA. In many of the posts you will find two primary participants, Ethan Winer and David Aiken. Both are very knowledgeable fellows when it comes to room acoustics and treating rooms.

One, Ethan, favors short wall placement of speakers and I believe the 38% rule, while the other, David, subscribes to the Audio Physics method which involves long wall placement of speakers and having your listening chair 1 - 3 ft. from the back wall (there are some other parts of the equation as well, including placement from the front wall and the fact that the speakers to do not have to be symmetrical with one another).

Due to room size and constraints up to recently I had my chair 1 - 3 ft. from the rear wall with absorption panels on that wall. I also use a combination of Eighth Nerve products through out the room. Now I have short wall placement of the speakers and sit closer to the front wall. I still use the Eighth Nerve products and also have recently purchased some of Ethan's Mini Traps which are well built and very effective. I use acoustic panels on the ceiling reflection points above and in front of the speakers as well (as Ethan suggests).

If I had my druthers I'd go back to the Audio Physic method which suits my tastes better, although my set up now sounds very good. The Audio Physic method allows the speakers to be further away from side walls reducing the effects of side wall (1st and 2nd) reflections. Being able to place the speakers 5 - 6 ft out into the room helps as well.

That's just my preference and as you would read on AA there really doesn't seem to be a fool proof method, short of investing a small fortune in building a custom dedicated listening room. For those of us whose listening rooms double as living rooms or dens, or if dedicated, are less than ideal in terms of dimensions and symmetry, we're left with trial and error and tradeoffs.
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