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New to this. How do I stack my stuff?

I'm new to hifi. I've asked a lot of questions here and some of you may already know my situation but I got the following by chance and for free: Audio Research LS16 tube pre-amp, Arcam CD92 cd player, Madrigal Proceed HPA2 amp. 

It is all up and running and I'm loving it. Now just trying to maximize the little things that I can. For instance, speakers had spike stands but spikes were missing so I made a set.

Now I read in the CD manual that it recommends sorbothane feet and says sound quality will be better.

I'm now figuring out that placement of components is important and that proper stands, expensive ones, are best. Well, expensive stands are not going to happen. But I can try to make accommodations that are cheap and won't turn the room upside down.

Here is how it is all situated now...let the ridicule flow, but keep in mind that I am space limited to a serious extent. Was not sure I'd get the system in my house at all:

The (very) heavy Proceed amp is sitting on a carpeted floor on strips of wood which raise the bottom of it well above the carpet. It is higher above the carpet than it would be above a hard surface just on its own feet.

The CD player is sitting on a small, simple, wooden, antique side table. It is sturdy. The pre-amp is on top of the CD player. I have no idea what this might mean in terms of SQ but the CD player actually puts out a fair amount to heat which rises up into the pre-amp of course. That concerns me.

So other than getting some sorbothane feet for the CD player, what else would be a priority here?

Finally are there issues with which cables contact which cables, how much speaker cables are looped, etc. (Most of the cabling is Transparent Super Bi-wire.)

Thanks for any assistance.
n80
shadowcat2016
132 posts
 
Set up

There are endless "tweaks" out there, some useful, some not. In my experience, the best bang for the buck is a proper set up, meaning you take some time to find out where your speakers will sound best and where your listening chair or couch gives you the best sound. The only thing that made a bigger difference in my case was room treatment, everything else I've done had less impact. Work with the limitations of your room and lifestyle, we all have to do that. There is no perfect room, nor perfect setup, but there are relatively easy and inexpensive ways to make things sound much better.
whart's avatar
whart
1,930 posts
 
@shadowcat2016- Right on. 
@n80-at the risk of appearing to shill, Jim Smith's book will help.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
My listening chair is halfway out into the room. With my stack of equipment in shelving off to left but close enough to reach the volume knob etc.The joy of being my own ’significant other’ LOL Now if only I could train the stereo to dust itself. and maybe do some cooking..? The op might consider moving the chair out to listen, then back for all other activities?
n80 OP
1,227 posts
 
I’m looking into some of the audio test files, etc. I can move the chair around fairly easily.

I will have to admit that my wife gets more blame than her due. She has been pretty patient with all this and truth be told, at this stage of the hobby (for me) I probably would not be willing to turn the room upside down to accommodate the system even if she didn’t care.

Also, and maybe I’ve said this, this system sounds really good to me and sometimes when I tweak things I can tell there is a difference but would have a hard time telling you if the change was better or not.

I have also made changes and have them sound better listening to one type of music and not as good listening to another type. Whether that is real or not I can’t say..............but I’m not going to be willing to move 120# spiked speakers on carpet when I switch from Zeppeling to Steely Dan. ;-)

whart, I’ll look into the book. Even if there isn’t much I can do or am willing to do, I am still very curious about all this and enjoy learning about it.
shadowcat2016
132 posts
 
elizabeth

I am currently my "significant other" also. Sadly, I lost my wife and best friend of 40 years last October. It's been a very difficult time. If there is any upside to it, it is that I have been able to optimize my system and room far better than in prior years. My wife was very patient with my hobby, but there were limits and I respected that.

System is now set up, for the first time, across the short end of the room. Speaker placement is nearly 8 feet, 94 inches from the front wall. Listening chair is roughly an equal distance from the back wall, each 1/3 of the way down the room. Made a huge improvement in the sound right off. I followed that with a rather full-on room treatment, 22 acoustic panels, D-I-Y, spaced around the room. That also made a huge improvement in the sound in all respects.........Can't believe how much better the same gear sounds when I addressed room and set up issues.

Currently have my rack between the speakers simply because my 8 foot set of cables won't allow me to put it off to the side. System is bi-amped, so replacing the cables with a set essentially twice as long to allow for better rack placement will be pricey. Haven't quite talked myself into that yet.

Miss my wife terribly and I'd gladly put everything back where it was or give it away for that matter, to have her back, but at least the music sounds better.
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