Making baby steps into Hi-fi

Can you post an image of the cables (specially the ends)?

Here you go :)
9qlcns.jpg


:beer:

agree with captains point. hydra IMO if the differences are apparent and worth it then dont even bother to re-check with the chord cable installed back.

In any case the speaker cable is only one not from the rethm stable ( from what i see ) - might as well sort that out too. so its all one big ( happy :lol: ) rethm family !!

mpw

I did swap back to the Chord Silverscreen cables yesterday, after a long session with the Raagam cables. I needed to do this just to be doubly sure I wasn't hearing things.

After the swap, I was completely convinced I wasn't imagining the improvement that the Rethm cables made. Swapping back to the old (Chord Silverscreen) cables felt like I'd clamped some kind of choke on the new (Rethm Raagam) cables. That special sparkle in the highs was gone, and vocals sounded a bit recessed.

I've asked Jacob George to make me a pair of these cables. He was good enough to let me keep cables as standby till the new ones come in: I'm definitely not switching back to the Sliverscreens anymore, heh heh. :ohyeah:

Now everything downstream of the interconnects from the DAC is indeed one big Rethm Family!
 
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Hydra please try raising the cables from the floor. Put them on whatever you like - supports, old books or magazines. It doesn't matter as long as the cables are not dangling on the floor ;-). You should notice an improvement for sure.
 
Thank you, Record Player! You're welcome to visit and listen to the setup. Just give me a shout when you're in Kochi. :)

roc, I'll definitely try raising them. The Rethm cables are much shorter, so there's less of the cables to snake around the floor. That should make the job easier. :)
 
something like this maybe..or see the setup in the pic..

PS : I never wanted to introduce merlin into this thread but i think the setup in the pic is well managed cablewise.. just to give you some ideas.. ofcourse you are wise enough to ignore if not relevant

there may or maynot be sonic advantages and i think there was a thread started sometime back and which went on and on and came to an end on its own..

Just that somethings that look good .. make one feel good.

rgds
 
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Ahhh! Great minds think alike :p

I had exactly that design in mind. I have a few small pieces of two by fours left over from work at the house done many years back. I'm planning to cut them to a standard size, smoothen them up and make a wedge shaped cut in them for this use.

I like things are neat and arranged and stowed away, so that is reason enough for me to do this!
 
additionally..you might like to make a mirror image of if so the speaker cable passes thru it + it can be clamped in place and it will add to the weight as well and i am sure your vacuum cleaner and the cable will not have disagreements anymore :lol:

mpw
 
PS : I never wanted to introduce merlin into this thread but i think the setup in the pic is well managed cablewise.. just to give you some ideas.. ofcourse you are wise enough to ignore if not relevant

there may or maynot be sonic advantages and i think there was a thread started sometime back and which went on and on and came to an end on its own..

Just that somethings that look good .. make one feel good.

rgds

Nice setup Mahesh!! Looks classy!!:clapping:

regds,
shafic
 
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awesome setup buddy!! I hope you don't mind if I come over when im in kochi..?! im from ernakulam/kakkanad/perumbavoor belt...born and raised here in Mumbai land.
 
Thank you, Pratim! :)

The placement did take up quite a bit of time. But it was fun to see how the overall sound reacted to the changes, and the final result (as of now) has extremely rewarding.

The room treatment is limited to a thick-ish cotton carpet, the panels on the first reflection points (foam pasted on plywood), a panel behind me and to my left (the wall to the left behind me is closer to me than the wall on the right, because a bathroom juts into the room), and the removable panel on the TV.

The room treatment isn't really scientific, and I've mostly played it by ear (and personal preference). The foam panels are just 2" thick, but they do contribute a bit to the final result, and I prefer the overall presentation with the panels in the room. I mostly think it is the slant of the panels in the FRPs that's contributing (more than the foam on them), to the effect they have.

Thankfully, the Trishnas don't really need a treated room (in fact, they prefer a mostly untreated room), and I don't have bass boom issues in this room at all.

The bass issue that I do have in the room (at my current seating position), is one of lesser bass, not more bass, or bass boom. The speakers are placed 4ft from the wall behind them. I'd rather compromise toward better midrange, imaging and a wider soundstage with them pulled out this far, than sacrifice all this for better bass by pushing them towards the wall.

I've identified a listening position about 1 ft behind the current one, that gives a slightly better bass response, but that puts me much too close to the wall behind me for comfort, and there are also other (minor, non-audio) practical issues with that seating position. I prefer the current compromise, heh heh.
 
The bass issue that I do have in the room (at my current seating position), is one of lesser bass, not more bass, or bass boom. The speakers are placed 4ft from the wall behind them. I'd rather compromise toward better midrange, imaging and a wider soundstage with them pulled out this far, than sacrifice all this for better bass by pushing them towards the wall.

I've identified a listening position about 1 ft behind the current one, that gives a slightly better bass response, but that puts me much too close to the wall behind me for comfort, and there are also other (minor, non-audio) practical issues with that seating position. I prefer the current compromise, heh heh.

IMO, your approach is correct. I'd too opt for better everything at the cost of some bass. However, you might still be able to get some more bass without sacrificing other qualities by reducing the height of panels behind you (assuming they are tall-ish).
 
Last month, I'd asked Ali (magma) of SoundFoundations to build me a pedestal for the amp, and a rack for the rest of the equipment. The pedestal and rack arrived today, and I'm very happy with what Ali's made for me! I'd given him a free hand with the pedestal, and I really like what he's done!

The rack & pedestal came in bullet-proof packing, and with minimal assembly needed. Most of my time was spent in taking the cling wrap off without scratching the members!

The rack is the latest version of the SoundFoundations Gamma Rack, and the pedestal has also been made along the same design lines.

Here's how it all looks now:

wjudzb.jpg


..

ae4gg2.jpg


The pedestal for the Gaanam amp:
2mzaxwy.jpg


And the Gamma Rack:
5ygfoi.jpg


I have some minor wiring adjustments still to do, which I will, after I get a new pair of interconnects in the necessary length. I'm also considering wall-mounting the TV, to free up some space.

As always, please excuse my photography skills! :o
 
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hydra,

the TV is the only odd man out.. :)

and further to that rationalize the electronics and the chain to retain just what you need.

mpw
 
Hi Hydra

What cables are you using now? I am a little surprised you are not getting enough bass for the room. Also try increasing the bass volume in the Rethm bass module. My guess is something is strangulating the bass
 
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