Home Theater/Personal audio thread...

[Clipdat]

ATTN: @Vracer111 https://www.nts.live/shows/ostaku/ep...-3rd-july-2017

[Clipdat]

Thoughts on new bookshelf speakers? I currently have Polk Audio TSi100 speakers.

Thinking about the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 or the Klipsch Reference RP-160M.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_893BZ2...yl.html?tp=186

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_714RP1...ut.html?tp=186

[Vracer111]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

Thoughts on new bookshelf speakers? I currently have Polk Audio TSi100 speakers.

Thinking about the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 or the Klipsch Reference RP-160M.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_893BZ2...yl.html?tp=186

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_714RP1...ut.html?tp=186

Sorry can't provide any input on those speakers, other than they both seem good...dedent size woofers and good extension for both... Flip a coin?

Note: Klipsch should have a fairly similar sound to Polk from what I've heard, no idea on how Monitor Audio house sound is.

P.S. I've been meaning to check out that music list link in the previous post, will check it out tonight.

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

Thoughts on new bookshelf speakers?

I was gonna say some used Yamaha NS-1000 until I realized how much they are going for on eBay these days holy smokes (they are like LS3/5a price range now).

Many years ago I picked up a pair of mint KEF RDM-2 for like $450CAD. Same finish as these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-PAIR-K...sAAOSwAHtZ5WVI

Before that I rocked a pair of JBL Pro-III from the late 80's for like 20 years.

[Vracer111]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

ATTN: @Vracer111 https://www.nts.live/shows/ostaku/ep...-3rd-july-2017

Listening to this right now on a new setup I have integrated into my HT:



TASCAM MH-8 headphone amp. Running my laptop with Audioquest Dragonfly Red DAC/amp to the front RCA input on my receiver (NAD T747). Have pre-out for front channel going into a 3 way HOSA SLW-333 audio switch. Position 1 goes to the NAD C275BEE stereo amp, position 2 to the MH-8, and nothing right now for position 3. Sound quality is not bad... very nice sounding amps in the MH-8. It is not as nice sounding as my dedicated headphone setup which just got a new DAC upgrade though. But the reason I picked it up was to be able to listen to HT system whenever the kids are sleeping (my brother, sister-in law, and their kids are staying with me for a while until they can get a place of their own - because of hurricane Harvey). So we've been able to watch shows and movies or whatever at whatever volumes we each want since the MH-8 is 8 individual headphone amps each with 3 inputs... Pretty sweet amp that works well for HT headphone use.

The same time I got the MH-8, I also picked up a DAC I've been wanting to get for a little while - the Gustard X20U. So now I have a stock Gustard X20U DAC (used), modded Gustard H10 amp, and modded Fostex TH-X00 PH headphone combination that is an absolute lovely match.



The X20U/H10 combo have been at work this week, will be bringing them home tomorrow. The X20U DAC & H10 combo playing through my TH-X00 PHs is something else... details, dynamics, precision/speed, BASS, atmosphere... love the musical experience with that setup! Bass is in another level as is the detail... Plan to add a Gustard U12 DDC (run the USB to the U12 and HDMI from U12 to X20U) and Schiit Loki mini to the setup (to help shape the sound for the Sennheiser HD700 and Monolith M1060.)

[Clipdat]

JBL buttcheek speakers! Those KEFs look sweet. Best sounding speaker I've ever heard was the KEF R300 bookshelfs, just can't afford them.

Originally Posted by krayzie

Many years ago I picked up a pair of mint KEF RDM-2 for like $450CAD.

Interesting setup, as soon as I saw the pic of that Tascam I was wondering what you were using it for. Do you notice any audio degradation as you go down the signal chain in that setup? What type of cables are you using?

That Gustard stuff looks legit as hell. Great design and I'm sure it sounds nice as well!

Originally Posted by Vracer111

TASCAM MH-8 headphone amp.

The same time I got the MH-8, I also picked up a DAC I've been wanting to get for a little while - the Gustard X20U. So now I have a stock Gustard X20U DAC (used), modded Gustard H10 amp, and modded Fostex TH-X00 PH headphone combination that is an absolute lovely match.

I just picked up this off eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rotel-RCD-1...-/152751327934

[krayzie]

One day when I have like a couple of grand to burn I will get a pair of these 35th Anniversary KEF LS3/5a Raymond Cooke Edition.



But I've listened to a few pairs of other LS3/5a at a local 2nd hand audio shop many years ago (Rogers, Spendor, etc) and I didn't like any of them. Seems like they are only good for pure vocals (BBC did design them for use in mobile broadcast vans afterall) and not the 80's pop trash that I listen to often.

[Vracer111]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

Interesting setup, as soon as I saw the pic of that Tascam I was wondering what you were using it for. Do you notice any audio degradation as you go down the signal chain in that setup? What type of cables are you using?

That Gustard stuff looks legit as hell. Great design and I'm sure it sounds nice as well!



I just picked up this off eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rotel-RCD-1...-/152751327934

Using pairs of inexpensive HOSA Mono TS to RCA cables to connect between receiver front channel pre-out and switch (2m length), and HOSA SLW-333 switch to C275BEE and MH-8 (both 1m length.) Have not noticed any change in sound quality at all, seems 100% transparent when listening through the mains. And putting the RCA output from X20U DAC through the front RCA input of my receiver and using analog bypass mode sounds EXTREMELY nice through the NAD C275BEE stereo amp and Polk RTi A5 mains.

[chad1376]

Some quick pictures of my inside and garage setups. They are pretty much polar opposites.


Inside: Scratch-built 300b SE tube amp, tube phono section, 4" full-range horn loaded Fostex speakers. With Vinyl, it's 100% analog and tube driven. No crossover.





Garage: Line arrays + two double 10" woofer boxes. The big orange box was a 15" horn sub, but it's currently retired. Its driven by an Adcom for tweeter duty and two Crown class D amps. A Linux PC handles crossover duties, along with parametric EQ, and any number of other processing plug-ins you can imagine. This just plays digital audio off of my server and streaming content.

[cjd]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

Thoughts on new bookshelf speakers? I currently have Polk Audio TSi100 speakers.

Thinking about the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 or the Klipsch Reference RP-160M.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_893BZ2...yl.html?tp=186

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_714RP1...ut.html?tp=186

Just going to throw this out there... sometimes it's what you need to do (don't look at my office setup...) Bookshelf is the worst possible way to set things up, though being back-flat-to-the-wall is also horrid. Lovely nulls you can't eliminate.

Beyond that, I know nothing of commercial stuff any more. I simply custom design something for the space now...

C

[Clipdat]

Yeah you definitely weren't kidding about opposites, wow, totally different approaches. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your setups, very cool to see how other people enjoy listening to music.

Personally I'd like to get my ears on both of those setups, as I've never heard anything like either of them! I already have a few choice vinyls I would bring over to test out on that tube amp. The way you have it setup though makes it look a little tricky to put a new record on the turntable though!

Regarding the line array, also very interesting, and doesn't that technically "go against" a lot of the things they like to teach/preach about sound reproduction and driver arrangement? However, there must be a clear reason why a few companies make speakers like this! I'm sure it sounds good.

Originally Posted by chad1376

Inside: Scratch-built 300b SE tube amp, tube phono section, 4" full-range horn loaded Fostex speakers. With Vinyl, it's 100% analog and tube driven. No crossover.

Garage: Line arrays + two double 10" woofer boxes. The big orange box was a 15" horn sub, but it's currently retired. Its driven by an Adcom for tweeter duty and two Crown class D amps. A Linux PC handles crossover duties, along with parametric EQ, and any number of other processing plug-ins you can imagine. This just plays digital audio off of my server and streaming content.

It's just a 13'-11' bedroom, so there's not really any room for towers. There is a good 8-10" behind the bookshelf speakers until the wall though.

The TSi100s sound great for acoustic and classical, but they don't extend very low for a lot of the electronic music that I like to listen to. I was hoping a bookshelf with a 6 or 7 inch woofer would remedy that. I hope the issue isn't with my 40wpc NAD C316BEE.

Originally Posted by cjd

Just going to throw this out there... sometimes it's what you need to do (don't look at my office setup...) Bookshelf is the worst possible way to set things up, though being back-flat-to-the-wall is also horrid. Lovely nulls you can't eliminate.

Took some pictures inside the Rotel RCD-1072 earlier:

[chad1376]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

Regarding the line array, also very interesting, and doesn't that technically "go against" a lot of the things they like to teach/preach about sound reproduction and driver arrangement? However, there must be a clear reason why a few companies make speakers like this! I'm sure it sounds good.

Actually there's a lot of advantages to an array. Now, this is not a system for pinpointing each instrument in an acoustical performance, but it does offer a "live" sound that's great for rock and "amplified" music.

Advantages:
* Each speaker is sharing only a small portion of the load. They operate in their linear region (low distortion) at very high volumes. Paralleling all the speakers also makes them extremely efficient. Dynamic range is limited by amplifier power.

* The sound radiates in a cylindrical pattern, rather than spherical. This means spl drops with the square of the distance, not the cube . Result - it's loud, even from a distance. Like three blocks down the street loud with the garage door open.

* Boundary reflections from the floor/ceiling are actually reduced (see above). Wall reflections are more distributed. OK, this is in a garage, so room acoustics are crap anyway.

* Small footprint

Disadvantages:

* To the extent possible, driver centerlines need to be as close as possible to reduce comb filtering.

* Lots of speakers mean I have to do some deep buyout shopping to keep costs down, so, these are not the best drivers in the world. With these drivers, there are dips and peaks that I can't fully tune out, even with heavy parametric EQ.

* Box construction and wiring is a big task.

[Clipdat]

Update: Ordered the MA Bronze 2. They were on special for $378 instead of $500.

[Vracer111]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

Update: Ordered the MA Bronze 2. They were on special for $378 instead of $500.

I find price is often a factor for me in picking up gear, makes it easier to decide if there is no preference to the choices. If there is a particular piece that I do want though, I try to get it used if it's a higher priced item that makes sense to do so, like reputable headphones, DACs, or amps. For lower priced, tend to buy new.

Let us know how they sound when you have a chance to become familiar with them.