Leap into oblivion - Partly Dedicated Room

[Decadent_Spectre]

It's interesting to see a multi purpose room, particularly a computer/HT/music room. I've also got a PC/HT/Music room. These days I find myself rarely ever switching on the monitor and using the TV instead as a monitor.

 

[dnshrajn]

Nice setup.
Can you please tell about the bass traps? is it DIY? how is the before-after impact?

 

[fLUX]

Inspiring Pics.
Please upload some videos (preferably youtube).
Congratulations.

Thanks Anil, will do.

It's interesting to see a multi purpose room, particularly a computer/HT/music room. I've also got a PC/HT/Music room. These days I find myself rarely ever switching on the monitor and using the TV instead as a monitor.

I work in the same room and play a bit of FPS , PC gets used quiet often with the monitor. The PC in this room is more of a compromise as wife did not want gears with lot of wires and bigger form factor.

Nice setup.
Can you please tell about the bass traps? is it DIY? how is the before-after impact?

It is DIY done by my HT vendor , the bass traps were installed along with the back and front absorption units. I did not do measurements before and after , so everything I noticed is subjective
- Everything seemed much more clear and pronounced post treatment. For me the difference was easily noticeable and confirmed via normal recordings I had made pre and post treatment
- Bass seems much more tighter overall
- Needs higher volume to drive the speakers to the desired levels.
- Post treatment (primarily due to the bass traps I believe), bass doesn't seem to be overpowering for a room of size 15 by 11 at desired level of listening.

One issue of the treatment is the sound leak is higher to rooms outside whereas the volume feels low inside. So I think sound-proofing also would be necessary to prevent this from happening.
-

 

[Sean de Silva]

I admire the passion and dedication on display. Always a visual treat when the front towers have breathing space around them. I notice you have the TT very close to your left tower. Whenever I've kept mine on a rack between speakers, that dreadful acoustic feedback would emerge hence I've had to permanently place my TT on a wall-mounted stand.

 

[fLUX]

I admire the passion and dedication on display. Always a visual treat when the front towers have breathing space around them. I notice you have the TT very close to your left tower. Whenever I've kept mine on a rack between speakers, that dreadful acoustic feedback would emerge hence I've had to permanently place my TT on a wall-mounted stand.

Thanks Sean, it was back then. Have made a few transitions since then. Have increased distance between the TT and speakers now as they have been moved to right side, but yes the feedback/distortions are more on the rack vs when I had intermittently moved them on a dedicated small wooden coffee table. Once XTZ gets sold I get enough space to do the same again as both my floorstanders have been dedicated for stereo now so front space is little less.

Here is how the setup is now, need to make some aesthetic placements & manage the running wires but not getting time.

 

[Record Player]

Thanks Sean, it was back then. Have made a few transitions since then. Have increased distance between the TT and speakers now as they have been moved to right side, but yes the feedback/distortions are more on the rack vs when I had intermittently moved them on a dedicated small wooden coffee table. Once XTZ gets sold I get enough space to do the same again as both my floorstanders have been dedicated for stereo now so front space is little less.

Here is how the setup is now, need to make some aesthetic placements & manage the running wires but not getting time.

Sounds superb buddy !

 

[fLUX]

Sounds superb buddy !

Thanks Sohail, your inputs on Records & TT have been very helpful

 

[fLUX]

Made a few upgrades in the last year or so. Pretty much an overhaul other than a few components which have stayed



Sonus Faber Sonetto II bookshelfs with HL inputs to KEF R400B running off a Firstwatt F7 monoblock (Clone) & Monitor Audio Gold 300 connected to the ODNF PA . Both of these setups share the same source chain with ability to swap between Metrum Jade and Holo Spring dac with AL6000A CDT /Marantz SA14S1 CDT/Zen Stream via Gustard U16 DDC. The Passlabs HPA-1 (Clone) is the preamp running these with the help of borrowed Saga+ as a passive control unit.

The HT chain has the MA Gold 300 as fronts via ODNF PA , center is the MA C350 , rears Focal Chora SR800 , Monoprice in-ceiling atmos and the subwoofer for HT is Rhythmik LV12R , powered by a X4500H and an Epson 9400h projecting a 95 inch image.




Some gear pics ( Left to Right - ODNF with Gustard u16 , Saga + stacked and Zen stream , Pass Labs HPA1 and Metrum Jade , AL6000 CDT , Holo Spring and Marantz SA14S1 stack)


Ultimately, have my gaming/workdesk with PC/Xbox Series X and PS5 as the source connected to a LG C2 42 inch. Using a Sennheiser HD800 running straight of a Centrance M8 V1 as the dacamp.




It has been sometime since I got the above setup and been very happy the way everything gels together. Might make some changes by going to a higher end streamer (although I dont see any issues with Zen Stream, used to get few signal drops due to wifi issues but after getting a TPLink M5 Deco mesh drops are almost down to none) & finally need to get my TT stylus fixed.

 

[Record Player]

Wow. Quite a transformation buddy.

Cheers !

 

[fLUX]

Wow. Quite a transformation buddy.

Cheers !

Thanks Sohail, hopefully nearing the end of madness

 

[captainsubtext]

Thanks Sohail, hopefully nearing the end of madness

The madness never ends

Very neat and clean setup. Good to see you’ve stuck with the holo. That one gave me a lot of joy through the years!

 

[fLUX]

The madness never ends

Very neat and clean setup. Good to see you’ve stuck with the holo. That one gave me a lot of joy through the years!

Thanks Arjun, felt the Holo is a perfect balance between wanting the r2r sound and also having a good treble energy. Although I must admit, Jade has changed the usage equation slightly for vocal dominated numbers

Haha, hopefully the madness reduces atleast

 

[fLUX]

The madness did not end unfortunately & continued exponentially for the worse this year again

After few trial and errors this is what the main system looks like now


Speakers - Tannoy Definition DC8 & Proac Tablette 10





Preamp - Melody P2688


Poweramp - Cary Audio 805 monoblocks


Phono - Leben RS30

Source - Lumin U2 Mini , CEC TL5 CDT
DAC - Audial Aya 5 ( TDA1541A based)




For HT using a phantom center & is working out fine. While the MA Gold c350 looked & sounded phenomenal, the phantom center option serves my need so have decided to steer clear of a center speaker for sometime.

 

[chander]

the phantom center option serves my need so have decided to steer clear of a center speaker for sometime.

Do you miss the center in movies though?

I am helping a friend setup a system in a studio apartment, no surrounds or atmos, just 3.1. Though Center is becoming a pain with the TV placement, so we were looking at soundbars.

 

[fLUX]

Do you miss the center in movies though?

I am helping a friend setup a system in a studio apartment, no surrounds or atmos, just 3.1. Though Center is becoming a pain with the TV placement, so we were looking at soundbars.

Yup, Center placement was a pain for me too. I personally don't miss the center much, the caveat being normally not more than one person uses the HT. The phantom center might not work if someone is seated way outside the center imaging zone.

 

[Nitin K]

Congrats Flux, very nice setup.

 

[DB1989]

Whoa! Dunno how I missed out on this thread earlier! Killer setup @fLUX !

 

[reignofchaos]

Having heard @fLUX 's setup, all I can say is that this is the most detailed setup I have ever heard in a good way. You would be forgiven if you think it is a smooth, wooly, laid back sound due to so many tubes. However this is exactly the opposite - it throws out detail in an incredibly smooth manner where at the sweet spot, you would be hearing tonnes of things happening but you would never get fatigued. I have heard a lot of detailed setups where listening fatigue sets in almost instantly. Not this one - the presence of tubes makes it really enjoyable.

This is what really high end amplification does to a system.

 

[fLUX]

Thanks Nitin & Darpan

Having heard @fLUX 's setup, all I can say is that this is the most detailed setup I have ever heard in a good way. You would be forgiven if you think it is a smooth, wooly, laid back sound due to so many tubes. However this is exactly the opposite - it throws out detail in an incredibly smooth manner where at the sweet spot, you would be hearing tonnes of things happening but you would never get fatigued. I have heard a lot of detailed setups where listening fatigue sets in almost instantly. Not this one - the presence of tubes makes it really enjoyable.

This is what really high end amplification does to a system.

Thanks Soumya for the impressions.

If I may add on my personal impressions at a component level for some of the lesser literature/known compoments in the chain

i) The Melody P2688 is by far the best preamp I have owned & was love at first hear during the home audition. Having owned the KR Audio p130 and Cary Audio SLP03 , the melody far outweighed the other two in my setup & paired beautifully with the Cary ( it's designed to also be paired with the Melody 845 power amps)

ii) The Cary Audios are just top notch & do exactly what you mentioned when paired with the right pre. Need to get a 845 tube to see what it brings to the table vs a 211. Else it's pretty much an endgame amp for me , at 50-70wpc it's ample power for most speakers in a room of my size.

iii) Thanks to a friend of mine I was made aware of an Audial Aya 5 available in US market & I picked it up. The love for this TDA1541A based dac has only increased since then. While the mids are an absolute treat , the way it stages & the top end resolution is just excellent.

The culmination of the above has helped me achieve the most on the source & amplification part. The Tannoys do a fair job on the reproduction part too & the Proac Tablettes are a good complement to the Tannoy.

 

[chander]

Thanks Soumya for the impressions.

If I may add on my personal impressions at a component level for some of the lesser literature/known compoments in the chain

i) The Melody P2688 is by far the best preamp I have owned & was love at first hear during the home audition. Having owned the KR Audio p130 and Cary Audio SLP03 , the melody far outweighed the other two in my setup & paired beautifully with the Cary ( it's designed to also be paired with the Melody 845 power amps)

ii) The Cary Audios are just top notch & do exactly what you mentioned when paired with the right pre. Need to get a 845 tube to see what it brings to the table vs a 211. Else it's pretty much an endgame amp for me , at 50-70wpc it's ample power for most speakers in a room of my size.

iii) Thanks to a friend of mine I was made aware of an Audial Aya 5 available in US market & I picked it up. The love for this TDA1541A based dac has only increased since then. While the mids are an absolute treat , the way it stages & the top end resolution is just excellent.

The culmination of the above has helped me achieve the most on the source & amplification part. The Tannoys do a fair job on the reproduction part too & the Proac Tablettes are a good complement to the Tannoy.

Maybe I missed it somewhere - but what are your current sources?