Room dimension are 14x19. The speakers are 6 10 " apart setup in an equalateral triangle.
I have the speakers 3.5 feet from the front and back walls (back wall distance varies depending on where I place my listening chair)
The imaging is solid now I'm currently working on improving overall depth and soundstaging
The room acoustics in this room are quite complicated The room is a difficult layout with lot's of restrictions. GIK Acoustics room treatments have helped to even out the room nodes
but there is still quite a bit of tinkering left
Ideas/suggestions how to further improve the existing layout and performance is welcome !
Hey Pat - nice to see the new pictures of your room layout. Do you notice an audible difference with the old TV gone that was inbetween your speakers? And with that massive absorber called "the couch" moved to the far right side, did that improve things too? Cheers, Kevin
Hi Todd Thanks for dropping in ! I listen to vinyl mostly these days and my tuner Jazz and Classical are my favs The Sason's are very true to the source and have amazing neutrality without sounding lean or analytical I enjoy them immensely
Looks like a tough room, but also looks like you've done a good job of working around the various dimensional challenges (damn staircase). Is your listening more weighted toward SA/CDs or Vinyl? I've not heard the Ridge Street granite speakers - but I have to assume the mass and rigidity work wonders for low level resolution.In a word: "bitchin'".
"I need to play a bit more with speaker positioning but what I'm hearing is definitely a step in the right direction"
This sounds like something I'd say!!! Well we both know the work/time behind statements like these. I hope you get as much enjoyment from the struggles/successes as I do.
Swapping out the tubed monster and replacing it with a plasma definitely helps in soundstage and imaging I need to play a bit more with speaker positioning but what I'm hearing is definitely a step in the right direction
That must be a big improvement, looks better too!!! Care to comment on the improvements in tone, soundstage and imaging? I have a rack between my speakers and am continually fighting it like you were with the old TV!!!
Pat I'd say it may be more like 'which' sort of chocolate or vanilla, rather than one with more contrast such as 'either', 'or'. Like Swiss Almond Vanilla, or Vanilla praline. Chocolate choclate chip, or Chocolate rocky road. One being richer, the other perhaps with better popularity.
Me and vinyl are not the best of friends. I've nearly 300 LPs in my closet I've not played in 30+years... and then only one side of some.
I fear the expense, and my inability to handle them properly as well as demo them without defacing them is going to preclude my involvement in that part of the hobby.
To my benefit then, ignorance is bliss. I should then sell these things I suppose.... or find an automatic TT which can handle them well, and produce solidly good sounds and that doesn't need it's own preamp. Being hard of seeing isn't advantageous with LPs, needles, tone arms, etc. .
Ya know Ive been asking myself that question for a month or so now and thats about how long its been since I listened to the Dodd MK IIs. Easy. Perhaps longer.
There is a decided difference. The 5150 acts completely different in 2ch mode, as it has more of the power supply to draw upon, without having to supply the other 3 ch. According to Butler, its pumping out over 200 wpc @ 8, that way.
Think SS power speed, and control, with a hint of tube influence. Sufficient influence to be detectable for sure. It's too bad one can not roll the tubes within the Butler amps. But better or rather more solid imagery results, with more of the image itself, being revealed. Theres no comparison as to the better bass the 5150 yields either hands down its the 5150. it wins that war outright.
By comparison and perhaps in truth, though no comparison of different topologies is really fair, the Dodd MK IIs produce the better harmonics. More colorful, richer, and with better low level detail. The MK IIs also formulate a sound stage closer to the LP, rather than rearward of the speakers plane as do the Butlers, so the room filling aspect is superior with the EL 34 amps.
Both amps, in their own rights are very very enjoyable, no question about that. I guess it's a matter of prefference. Luckily, I took the chance with the 5150 for another intention and discoverd this added benefit, and welcomed change of pace listening experience coincidentally.
Ill be returning the 5150 to solely HT duties soon enough. However it holds up very well in its own account with music too, as I sat listening last night through the Onkyo rec + BC DAC3 + 5150 + Sonata IIIs for hours and hours and hours from around 6pm untill about 230am. File after file flew by, so Ive gotta say music too aint bad with the Butler.
Add in a better pre like my Thor, and things get tuffer to choose between which amp (s) are better. For now, neither amp is going anywhere.
Its shown me one thing for sure the IIIs do indeed enjoy a fair amount of power and why I mentioned the newest Dodd venture into a hybrid amp, with tubes you can roll, class A biasing, and 300wpc @ 8. Although he uses MOSFETS instead of bipolar as output devices. The Butlers use Sanken bipolars. Something to think about anyways.
Glad your TT enterprise is proving out a great adventure.
Hi Jim Good to hear from you again Yup the room is the thing and mine is not ..lol The system is sounding really good and quite happy but like everything in this hobby we strive for that extra smidge of added detail/harmonics to reach the unattainable
The tt is amazing best purchase for the least amount of bucks and learned a hell of a lot in the process Those Lenco's are musical as all heck imo
Will update my pictures when the move is completed
Do you prefer the butlers over the dodds now that you have had some time with them ?
A flat TV vs a box should help. using a cloth of sorts, linen, thin blanket, etc over the screen when in 2 ch will help too. of course if it's not a huge screen it might not be worth the effort.
Seen the new hybrid Gary's making? 300w - 600w @4ohms. One tube per amp, one per ch! Biased class A. 5687s I think. I got a Butler hybrid recently and have been impressed. they don't claim the Dodd numbers though falling shorter at 200+ in 2ch mode, and 150w in 5ch mode.
Glad to see your rig is gainnig you more happiness lately too. Good.
Re orientation of the room in progress Will move my speakers/system to the short wall and have the speakers fire longwards The large television is on it's way it and will be replaced with a plasma
ThankS Art for the compliments i'm doing OK - I appreciate you asking Your room and system are in a whole different league baby steps will get me there one day For today I enjoy the rig and enjoy the music
