For the enjoyment of music. Lot's of changes over the years. I typically won't buy something unless I can listen to it in my system. Spending a lot of time recently searching out well recorded and interesting music via hi res downloads. I have a really nice vinyl collection mostly Jazz and pop. Digital I'm filling out my classical titles and more modern recordings. Jan '16
A seriously great preamp...one of the best...if you're reading this...contact me...this is that good..
DCS Vivaldi DAC, Transport, Clock & Upsampler
dCS Vivaldi DAC, Trans and Clock
Transparent Opus Gen 5 & Magnum Opus
replaced mm2 version
Transparent Audio Opus Power and Opus Power Source Gen 5
Transparent Opus Gen 5 Speaker Cable
Speaker cable
Grand Prix Silverstone F1
stand
Spiral Groove Centroid
Uni Pivot arm
Grand Prix Audio Monaco
Direct Drive Turntable s/n 40
Nagra Classic Amp
Stereo amp
Nagra VPS/MPS and VFS
Just added the Nagra MPS power supply. Really more sublime now...the Nagra VPS/VFS combo was already great, however the MPS lowers the noise...sound stage opens up and transparency increases
Grand Prix Audio Apex - Threaded footer
very finely threaded very of Apex for minute level adjustments
Keith Monks Ruby
Killer record cleaner. I've always wanted a Monks.
Shunyata Hydra Triton v2/Typhon/DPC-6 v2
Sigma HC feeding Triton & Anaconda Zitron Feeding Typhon. All front end (dCS, Nagra, and TT motor controller...
Transparent Audio Reference XL Digital
Clock cables for dCS (2) bnc to bnc and Dual AES trans to dac
Hi John, when do you plan on being finished? I'd love to come over and hear the results. By the way, I bought your old U clock. Wish I'd gotten one sooner.
Hi again, Thanks for the time you took answering my various questions - much appreciated.
To answer your question about my room treatment strategy, I must admit to learning a lot along the way. In short, I used absorption for bass and diffusion+reflection for the mids/highs. This was a conscience attempt to keep reverb times across the freq spectrum about the same. Having a wall-to-wall carpet makes for an awful lot of high freq absorption so the hard diffusive and reflective surfaces help to avoid further absorption. When bass traps were needed I placed hard curved surfaces on them (i.e. hemi-cylindrical or poly fusers) so as to avoid absorbing the mids/highs. With a short ceiling height of 7' I opted for RPG Skylines and the upward angle of the side wall reflective boards help direct sound upwards to the Skylines; it helps raise the apparent sound stage height.
I also wanted as much flexibility in trying new things and in moving things around so I needed acoustical treatments that were adjustable. Each hemi can be moved closer or further from the wall, the reflective baffles (what you call diffusers) can open and close across a wide band of angles. Even the GIK D1 QRD-like diffusers mounted on the side wall reflective panels can be slid horizontally. Needless to say the permutations and combinations are endless and allow endless tinkering and measuring.
Hi forgot to say on the bass traps, 20mil pond liner is stretched just behind the black Guilliford of Maine fabric. The liner acts as a membrane that begins the trapping process into the fiber...
1). They are solid pine, but at critical angles and certain board lengths and widths. I also have them at the first reflection points. So it is really a sawtooth pattern. Also they are filled with owns corning r13 and help with bass trapping...They are about a inch thick and heavily braced inside like a speaker cabinet. Plus bolted onto the stud...
2) on the new bass traps, they are simply much larger and more effective. Like 4 x the volume and likely trapping ability. Also tuned to hit the right frequency my room needs. Inside the trap is another type of owners corning fiber - only one hvac shop in Austin stocked it. The diffusers went in 3 weeks ago, the bass traps yesterday. So I got to hear what each did...
3) the beams are also pine, about 9 feet up, supporting the roof trusses. Next I'll add diffusors in-between the 5 beams, wood on one side, and the same bass trap Owens fiber/Guilliford of Maine fabric on back. Again at specific angles creating a sawtooth across my ceiling. The beams are about 5 inches wide x 8 inches tall. Very solid....
Hope this helps...I could email the plans if u want .PDF file...it's room specific....
You have a nice system also....how did u arrive at your room treatment strategy?
Hi, Congrats on a wonderful looking system and the start down the a oustical treatment road. Mind if I ask a few questions about your treatments?
You refer to the large wooden wedges as diffusers - is the surface curved or perforated or are they solid flat surfaces? If the latter I might suggest they are reflective panels much like I use in my room to redirect sound to the sides to widen the apparent sound stage. What is the thickness of the wooden panel at the thickest point? Is there fiberglass inside or behind the panels for bass trapping?
Just out of curiosity, why did you replace the earlier rectangle shaped bass traps with your new ones? Are the new ones filled with fiberglass and do they straddle the corners or are they wedge shaped?
Lastly, could you tell me a bit about the ceiling "beams" ? What are they made from, how thick and how much do they extend down from the ceiling?
Sorry for all the questions - if only I could read the Rives blueprint more clearly. . .
Enjoy the benefits of your treatments, I sure have!
System edited: new pics !! Rives project intsalling...diffusors front and sides are in...bass traps in today. More RPG treatments in a few weeks and the custom ceiling diffusors...wow...why did I wait so long !!
Hi Ricred1, yes I hear you here. Plus it's the money consideration. I also think Wilson might come out with a maxx 3.5 or 4 etc..above their new Alexia...I really want to hear the new Wilsons (either xlf or Alexia) to see what this new tweeter offers...I am like the Absolute Reviewer, Wilson's current tweeter is pretty damn nice...
Hi Peter, I get up to the northeast a lot...About every 4-6 weeks. Next time I can carve off some free time, I'll contact you and see if it's convenient. I'd LOVE to hear your setup-expeciallly that table!!
The disc is by Fidelis, Violoncello. Simple and intimate 2 instrument arrangement (wish i could get it on vinyl :) I have that Brahms with Starker...its similar (and good) music...
Prior to purchasing Sasha's I considered Rockport Mira 2s. I had Sophia 3s and was told the Mira 2s were better than Sasha's. I thought the Mira 2s were very good, but preferred both the Sophia 3s and Sasha's. Once you own a very good speaker it's very hard to find something that sounds significantly better and marginal improvements are expensive.
John, you've got real troubles choosing a speaker in this sphere. What a treat to actually visit the factory. I'm only a few hours away and would have been happy to demonstrate my big SME for you.
I'm curios about the piano/cello disc you mentioned. What is it and was it analog or digital? One of my favorites is Braham's 2 sonatas for Piano and Cello with Starker on Mercury. I took that to a Magico dealer demo and heard this familiar LP in a whole new light. It's what got me hooked on my current speakers. I can relate to your experience. Next to trying the speakers in your own system, hearing them in a well set up demo with your own music is pretty good.
one more thing...did you see the Rockport Factory Tour on SoundStage? I got to see all this...really beautiful place and just a outstanding room (both looks and how it sounds)
Lloydelee21...honestly, I think Andy at Rockport is mostly a vinyl guy... ;-)...I so wish he'd build another run of the his tables...or a new model of some sort !!
hi madflloyd....I've heard the magico's a few times at babybears house (before his Rockports) They are certainly good speakers-no question about that. But I am pretty happy with my Wilson Maxx 3's and always assumed I'd snag a pair of X2's used some day. From my Magico experiences...they did bring a different set a attributes than Wilson, but more 6 of this...1/2 dozen of that. The Rockport Altair's and I must admit the Rockport Avior's bring a better set a attributes that I value.
They are all great speakers...but the Rockport's seem to have this ability to emotionally connect you. I had one of long term reference dics with me...it's just a piano and a cello...with the rockports...for the first time ever, I could hear the celloist leading the pianist in timing. Almost like a dancer with one leading and one following. It was a startling discovery on a disc I knew so very well. Then the next disc..you could tell the musicians where playing together. I am sure this is hard to comprehend from my words...those Rockport Altairs just opening a window on the musicians intent (a friend who was with me...used this phrase...I think it fits...)
As far as your demo...that seems odd to be rolled off..spectral isn't...and the 4 sets of rockports I've heard, all differing rooms and systems..never struck me that way...
With all this said...I am still unsure If I'll switch from Wilson...but I must admit, it's really got me thinking !
Thanks, Jfrech...with Gryphon and Transp XLMM2 in my system...sounds like if i am ever going to seriously consider Rockport someday...i may also want to investigate MSB a bit further. I suspect Rockport has access to whatever digital they want.
Interesting. I've tried to give Rockports a fair shake but ultimately they haven't won me over. I've heard three models at this point, the last one being massive beasts that Goodwin's used to demo Spectral electronics to me. I came away not truly knowing whether it was the speakers or the electronics but the highs were really rolled off; I attributed it to the speakers.
Arnie! Just the man...i was going to email you to say that i just read that Rockport uses the MSB in their listening rooms. Yet another important point for me as i consider my digital options beyond Zanden! Do you know which MSB they use and do they still use it?
I have heard the Wilson XLF'S at Lyric HiFi. Its hard for me to tell if they are better than the X2's without a direct comparison. But, I would be surprised if the XLF's would change your view of the difference in sound between the Wilson and the Rockport. If you do get the Altair I know of a very good moving company who can get those speakers up your stairs.
Thanks Jfrech. You are now the 5th person (of 5) i have spoken to who has heard both and also has no affiliation (that i am aware of) with either company...if anything you are a Wilson guy by virtue of owning Wilsons. And all 5 people have preferred the Altair and Arrakis to our Wilsons. (Arrakis being 2 Altairs...one basically on top of the other.) I have only heard the Merak Sheritan IIs...very, very old...and for the money was tremendously impressed. Let me know what you decide to do. Me? I have decided, barring the steal of the century, not to upgrade further within Wilsons from my X1...and to wait until i can find a second hand pair of big Rockports. Might take years, but that's ok by me.
Hi the Rockort Altairs (vs Maxx 3 or X2 Alexandria-not xlf...haven't heard those...but I do own maxx 3's and have intimately listened to the x2's at my dealers)...in every case, I feel like the Rockport's communicate the emotion/timing of the music in much more transparent way than my Wilsons...they are a very special speaker....I am seriously wondering about a switch.
I do want to hear if XLF's/Alexia's to see if Wilson's new tweeter brings this element to the table...
