My current setup is as follows (2.2)
Speakers x2- KEF R11 Meta
Subs x2- KEF KF92
Amps x2- Benchmark AHB2
Minidsp Flex Htx with Dirac room correction
Sonos Port
I also have a Benchmark LA4 and a RME ADI-2 DAC, which I had been using for my laptop prior to getting the Minidsp, and I think they are superfluous at this point.
So I have worked with the Dirac and the room correction really makes a big difference in the sound. I still don't know if I've got it dialed in correctly, but I'm learning. And I think with my room I will have to have room correction. It is not a dedicated listening room, is probably 25 x 30 feet in size, and has five doors. There is also a wall of glass windows/doors leading to the outside. So I think room correction is the only chance I have to make it sound right. Room treatment is not an option, really.
According to what I have read here at ASR, all of my electronics measure very well and will perform at a level that my golden ears will not be able to tell a difference from any other piece of equipment. The KEF R11s are really nice. I bought them based on the measurements, which seemed reasonable. I just can't imagine having speakers that "sound better", although I would listen to suggestions. I could certainly improve on the appearance of them, although the walnut finish does look pretty good in the room.
So am I done? Endgame set up? Sell everything and get the new Dutch and Dutch (would improve my cabling, haha)?
Thanks!
I would not say just selling everything and going Dutch and Dutch would be a panacea.
It really depends on the location of your listening wall to the glass wall.
I hung up 4 layers of (maybe overkill) sound proofing felt lined curtains. It’s nice to be able to open them when needed and close them when listening.
I bet your room correction takes the FR very well. However how’s the RT60? With a room your size it doesn’t have to be too low but probably something keeping it under 350ms would be nice to have.
Cardioid bass is nice however it’s a different paradigm. I was playing with it recently. I also read the condo system thread.
In the condo system thread people were talking about how you have to pressurize the whole room and how you need to size your subwoofers to be able to do that.
Sure that’s true. However even your neighbors will get pressurized. So will your corners and resonances of walls etc.
So cardioid will help with those bass problems. But I didn’t notice much effect on my decay times. Just correcting the FR in the bass is 90% of the battle. There are other practical reasons for it. Such as reducing that wall resonance and keeping the peace with that neighbors.
It’s isn’t a panacea imho. It’s a strange feeling. The bass subjectively sounds so tight. It also sounds so connected to the instrument that is producing it whether that be a kick drum or bass guitar. It’s a very nice effect.
The flip-side is that it sounds so different from how we experience bass in every other scenario. Go to an indoor concert or any other venue the bass does generally pressurize the entire room. It’s what we are used to.
I think that’s changing these days with the insane tech we have.
I’ve been watching Michael Curtis videos on YouTube where he talks about cardioid deployed in live music settings. Also a lot about live music sound reinforcement.
If anything it probably is closer to hearing actual unamplified instruments in real space.
It’s an adjustment process I guess.
