Hi Samhar

Re your drapes - they look kinda thin to me to do a lot of good, but your better positioned to know about their effect. If you want to do a check on their effectiveness - listen to them open and closed with your speakers pointed straight ahead as you have them. Now do the same thing but with a severe toe in with the axis of the speakers crossing well in front of your head, creating about the same angle as now exists between you ears and the speaker axis. This should take the first point reflections pretty much out of the equasion and the little left could easily be solved by light drapes. Try it, you might actually like it that way and not change it back. Or not. :-) BTW, re the bass node (or null?), you are probably correct. I assume you have measured it with a test disc/SPL meter? Some times it is a product of room dimensions and will not change much no matter where the speakers/chair is located. (I own one of those nulls in the 40-50hz range.) Some times it is simply the result of the location of the chair and speakers.

Regarding the CDP's. The simple version is - 1)the Raysonic is very detailed, dynamic, and responsive to tube selection. I like it a lot and it is certainly a bargain. But I think it is a unit you have to work with a bit to get the tone you are looking for. In the 'wrong' system it might not be for everybody.

Compared to the Raysonic, the Wadia 302 has (surprise!) a more subdued high end which I find preferable when playing recordings with a lot (too much?) high end energy. This Wadia model is NOT bright, but it still, so far at least, benefits from the use of a pre-amp. I've tried it with every tube amp I have in house and so far I've been close to a good match direct to amp, but ultimately the mid-range was a tad too crisp for me. I'm sure there is a good match out there but I've lost interest in finding it. :-)

The BAT, using OEM tubes no less, is more organic than either. It is warmer than either, has a bit fuller bass, and is more relaxed. It is the original version and I have never entertained the thought of replacing it. I prefer it over the Raysonic by just a small margin because of its warmth.

BTW, are you running your Raysonic thru your pre-amp or are you ging direct? What have you tried? Any preferences?

newbee May 25, 2008 18:11

Great place to move forward from. Love the cat scratching post - good way to keep them from shredding your speakers. I did the same thing and every time the cats come in they go to the post - thats the way they announce their arrival and to get my attention.

Speaking of room/set up issues. You've got some built in ceiling 'treatments' and your floors with the rug is good, but you really should pay some attention to the first reflection points to the sides of both speakers. Those windows could really screw up sound and imaging.

Another thought. Looks like your speaker to listening chair vs speaker to speaker seperation might not be ideal. When you are experimenting the first thing I would do is try moving your chair a tad closer. I know, you've got two chairs. If that is an issue you could, after moving the chairs closer, toe in the speakers until the speakers axis cross in front of the main chair and the left speaker axis points directly at the side chair. That set up not only reduces first reflection point problems, it will absolutely improve the sense of imaging for the person sitting in the second chair. Personally, so long as your speakers positions are producing a balanced bass response, I would think they are already far enuf into the room.

FWIW.

newbee May 24, 2008 19:55