Let's share diagrams (and photos) of our total physical audio system and the whole signal path, with a few words and/or links

[Keith_W]

View attachment 387694

You make the rest of us look like amateurs.

 

[Multicore]

You make the rest of us look like amateurs.

Not even half baked.

 

[Petrushka]

You make the rest of us look like amateurs.

Phil Spector weeps in envy.

 

[Timcognito]

I believe that's the first married kitchen and woodworking shop I've ever viewed. KOOL
Just keep the sawdust out of your Fettuccine Alfredo !

Those were Sematic (German) cabinets from the mid '80s with plenty of strong rollout shelves and gasketed doors perfect for my tools in my seaside environment. They migrated to my separate garage/shop in 2005 with large home remodel. The real kitchen looks like this and it is open to my HT system. Kitchen is my wife's workshop as my subpar cooking skills stay outside on the BBQ.

 

[OCA]

 

[Hear Here]

I’ve spent a good deal of time trying to minimize the number of pieces. My dream system would be a streaming preamp wirelessly connected to active speakers. Or just streaming active speakers that have an adequate list of services.

Couldn't agree more! My current system is an all-on-one supplying first-class horn speakers. I'm likely soon to switch to your plan of streaming preamp to power monos, or perhaps to new active speakers, but not of the basic / simple (eg ATC) type of active design.

 

[Mart68]

You make the rest of us look like amateurs.

Prior to this thread I would have classed myself as a 'serious enthusiast' but now I realise I'm not even scratching the surface.

 

[IPunchCholla]

 

[dualazmak]

Have 5000 ripped CD's (50%/49% split between Blues and Jazz, the rest Rock) and 500 ripped music DVD's (I dont watch movies, tv etc anywhere so the system is purely for music playback).

Hello again @fatoldgit,
Amazing to know you have 5,000 CDs and 500 music DVDs!

I believe, on this thread, it would be also very nice to share our concept/policy/operation on "how to organize/maintain our digital music library" which should include the backup policy and practices.

Just for example in this perspective, you would please find these two posts I have already shared;
- How to organize digital music library; sharing my policy and operation: #004(remote thread)
- My backup policy and practice of digital music library: #60(remote thread)

And in my post here, I wrote;
Around when my LPs+CDs exceeded 500, it became difficult for me to remember which LP or CD I have or not... So I have decided organizing all in digital format within SSD under my strict policy and rule, and added them to JRiver (or Roon), as shared in my above post #4.
After giving proper tag info to each of the tracks/files, now I (JRiver) can search and identify specific album(s) or individual track(s) almost instantaneously among the total ca. 40,000 tracks/files; really amazing and convenient.

 

[dualazmak]

Hello again, @StigErik,

I am also very much interested in "how SDGs friendly or not" your total audio system would be.
I believe you have dedicated AC electricity circuit breaker for your amazing audio room including your enthusiastic giant audio gears.

I would highly appreciate if you could share the peak AC power consumption (in transient Watt or in average Watt-Hour, Ampere-Hour with your nominal AC voltage) when you listen to music in rather loud gains, of course loud gains with your 24 L26ROY sets.

In this perspective, you would please refer to my separate thread here;
- Apparent power consumption of whole audio system during daily audio listening sessions: how SDGs-friendly is it? (not the idle power, please.)
- https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/apparent-power-consumption-of-whole-audio-system-during-daily-audio-listening-sessions-how-sdgs-friendly-is-it-not-the-idle-power-please.51987/

 

[StigErik]

Hello again, @StigErik,

I am also very much interested in "how SDG's friendly or not" your total audio system would be.
I believe you have dedicated AC electricity circuit breaker for your amazing audio room including your enthusiastic giant audio gears.

Since the system is in a dedicated room there is also a dedicated circuit... for no other reason that just that.

When everything is powered on, the idle consumption for the audio system alone is around 500W. When we watch movies, the projector will draw 400W in addition to that.
I really don't expect any significant increase in power consumption during regular listening sessions, as the average output power from all amps remains very low, way below 1W.

I don't power on the Atmos, Center or Surround channels when they are not needed, typically when listening to music in 2-channel format.

 

[dualazmak]

Since the system is in a dedicated room there is also a dedicated circuit... for no other reason that just that.

When everything is powered on, the idle consumption for the audio system alone is around 500W. When we watch movies, the projector will draw 400W in addition to that.
I really don't expect any significant increase in power consumption during regular listening sessions, as the average output power from all amps remains very low, way below 1W.

I don't power on the Atmos, Center or Surround channels when they are not needed, typically when listening to music in 2-channel format.

Thank you so much for your quick response!
I now well understand and relieved knowing your audio system is still "SDGs friendly!" in spite of the amazing big setup.

BTW, I have corrected: "SDG's" should read "SDGs".

 

[Multicore]

Prior to this thread I would have classed myself as a 'serious enthusiast' but now I realise I'm not even scratching the surface.

Now consider how much of a serious enthusiast you need to be to even understand the systems presented here.

 

[Gary_G]

 

[GXAlan]

This is my reference home theater and 2-ch audiophile listening room. It is a 5.3.2 Atmos setup that will be updated to a 5.4.2 setup to utilize Trinnov Waveforming shortly. The AppleTV 4K is a great streaming box for the simple fact that you have fewer advertisements than other integrated smart TV applications. The Sony UBP-X800M2 is a great SACD player which reliably converts DSD to PCM multichannel, but it's a mediocre UltraHD Blu-ray disc player ergonomically since it does not automatically switch between HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The Panasonic UB9000 is a better Ultra HD Blu-Ray player with great analog performance -- but it doesn't support SACDs or DVD-Audio. The UB9000's analog performance is unused since the Trinnov digitizes everything. The Trinnov Altitude 32 is audibly transparent when it comes to 1 kHz SINAD but isn't a SINAD champion. The real strength is in its room correction and speaker remapping.

The 1980's era Linn LP12 turntable has been upgraded with the Valhalla Electronics Minos power supply/motor speed controller. This was done primarily for reliability reasons, but there is an improvement in the noise. The tonearm is the Linn Ittok LVII and cartridge is the Monster Cable Sigma 2000. The cartridge was made by zyx, which is a well established Japanese cartridge manufacturer. The Luxman LXV-OT10 phono stage adds a lot of harmonic distortion, to the audible level, and the op-amp substitutions meaningfully decrease noise to the inaudible level. Even though this does not measure well, it sounds really good and I prefer the coloration over the more precise Sony PS-X555ES/Shure V15 Type VxMR (which may be due to the frequency response of the cartridge).

Meyer Sound speakers are used throughout the setup. The Trinnov/Meyer Sound Amie combination is the reference standard at Skywalker Sound. Even though the frequency response is not ruler flat compared to something from Genelec or Neumann, because this combination is used at Skywalker Sound, the circle of confusion is reduced. Even with full room correction, there is a different sound of something like a lightsaber with different high-end speakers. Watching something like Ahsoka, the question arose if the lightsaber was supposed to sound raw and energetic to reflect the lethal power of the weapon or more subdued as it was an instrument of more civilized time. Without a reference like a Steinway piano or human voice, I chose to go with Meyer Sound and accept the sound from the Meyer Sound speakers as what is intended. (The answer is that it's not as raw/sharp sounding). The JBL Synthesis S2S is a passive 15" subwoofer with a robustly braced cabinet and 4 ports. The original woofer was replaced with the 15" woofer from the JBL M2. The MiniDSP PWR-ICE250 receives LFE data from the Trinnov via the AES/EBU digital connection.

The Meyer Sound MPS-488X is a 48V DC power supply supporting 8 channels. It delivers DC power and balanced audio. It has an audible fan which fades away into the background when the music or movie starts. This powers Meyer Sound 48V intelligent DC speakers (the rear surrounds, rear subwoofer, and Atmos) speakers.

In this combination, the JBL S2S/2216nd provides the bulk of the 16 to 35 Hz output while the MM-10's provide the "chest feel" bass in the 35Hz region and up. Combined with Trinnov's 3D remapping, this 5.3.2 setup provides an incredible cinema experience.

In the casual listening room where no one is sitting anywhere in between the two speakers, the Arcam SR250 provides a single-box solution for HDMI ARC, robust Class G amplification, and Dirac to correct the speaker response of the Bose 901 Series VI without the need of the equalizer. The Bose 901's are 8 ohm loads, and Stereophile notes that the SR250 pushes 165W into 8 ohms. The Benchmark AHB2 clips at 108W into 8 ohms, and running out of power is more audible than the superior measurements of noise and distortion. The newer Class G/Dirac products do not decode Dolby Digital or DTS. Not shown in this chart are the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One S that are attached.

165W into 8 ohms is pretty potent integrated amp performance by Stereophile standards, even though I admittedly have enjoyed using the Bose 901’s even with a 300B SET. Stereophile’s measurement of the Marantz Model 30, for example, with its HypeX NC500 also had 1% THD+N at 165W into 8 ohms.

The HDMI CEC support of the SR250 is pretty good for input switching, but volume control is finicky and inconsistent with the Sony TV. I would upgrade the SR250 for improved HDMI compatibility, but it is hard to find an affordable product with Dirac Live without a substantial increase in cost over what I could sell the SR250 for.

The SR250 is unique for handling Dirac at 96 kHz, although the Bose 901’s do not extend into the ultrasonic range anyway. Much like the superior analog performance of the Panasonic UB9000, the robust Dirac implementation is underutilized in this system.

But it sounds great.

 

[Petrushka]

View attachment 387935


This is my reference home theater and 2-ch audiophile listening room. It is a 5.3.2 Atmos setup that will be updated to a 5.4.2 setup to utilize Trinnov Waveforming shortly. The AppleTV 4K is a great streaming box for the simple fact that you have fewer advertisements than other integrated smart TV applications. The Sony UBP-X800M2 is a great SACD player which reliably converts DSD to PCM multichannel, but it's a mediocre UltraHD Blu-ray disc player ergonomically since it does not automatically switch between HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The Panasonic UB9000 is a better Ultra HD Blu-Ray player with great analog performance -- but it doesn't support SACDs or DVD-Audio. The UB9000's analog performance is unused since the Trinnov digitizes everything. The Trinnov Altitude 32 is audibly transparent when it comes to 1 kHz SINAD but isn't a SINAD champion. The real strength is in its room correction and speaker remapping.

The 1980's era Linn LP12 turntable has been upgraded with the Valhalla Electronics Minos power supply/motor speed controller. This was done primarily for reliability reasons, but there is an improvement in the noise. The tonearm is the Linn Ittok LVII and cartridge is the Monster Cable Sigma 2000. The cartridge was made by zyx, which is a well established Japanese cartridge manufacturer. The Luxman LXV-OT10 phono stage adds a lot of harmonic distortion, to the audible level, and the op-amp substitutions meaningfully decrease noise to the inaudible level. Even though this does not measure well, it sounds really good and I prefer the coloration over the more precise Sony PS-X555ES/Shure V15 Type VxMR (which may be due to the frequency response of the cartridge).

Meyer Sound speakers are used throughout the setup. The Trinnov/Meyer Sound Amie combination is the reference standard at Skywalker Sound. Even though the frequency response is not ruler flat compared to something from Genelec or Neumann, because this combination is used at Skywalker Sound, the circle of confusion is reduced. Even with full room correction, there is a different sound of something like a lightsaber with different high-end speakers. Watching something like Ahsoka, the question arose if the lightsaber was supposed to sound raw and energetic to reflect the lethal power of the weapon or more subdued as it was an instrument of more civilized time. Without a reference like a Steinway piano or human voice, I chose to go with Meyer Sound and accept the sound from the Meyer Sound speakers as what is intended. (The answer is that it's not as raw/sharp sounding). The JBL Synthesis S2S is a passive 15" subwoofer with a robustly braced cabinet and 4 ports. The original woofer was replaced with the 15" woofer from the JBL M2. The MiniDSP PWR-ICE250 receives LFE data from the Trinnov via the AES/EBU digital connection.

The Meyer Sound MPS-488X is a 48V DC power supply supporting 8 channels. It delivers DC power and balanced audio. It has an audible fan which fades away into the background when the music or movie starts. This powers Meyer Sound 48V intelligent DC speakers (the rear surrounds, rear subwoofer, and Atmos) speakers.

In this combination, the JBL S2S/2216nd provides the bulk of the 16 to 35 Hz output while the MM-10's provide the "chest feel" bass in the 35Hz region and up. Combined with Trinnov's 3D remapping, this 5.3.2 setup provides an incredible cinema experience.


View attachment 387939

In the casual listening room where no one is sitting anywhere in between the two speakers, the Arcam SR250 provides a single-box solution for HDMI ARC, robust Class G amplification, and Dirac to correct the speaker response of the Bose 901 Series VI without the need of the equalizer. The Bose 901's are 8 ohm loads, and Stereophile notes that the SR250 pushes 165W into 8 ohms. The Benchmark AHB2 clips at 108W into 8 ohms, and running out of power is more audible than the superior measurements of noise and distortion. The newer Class G/Dirac products do not decode Dolby Digital or DTS. Not shown in this chart are the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One S that are attached.

165W into 8 ohms is pretty potent integrated amp performance by Stereophile standards, even though I admittedly have enjoyed using the Bose 901’s even with a 300B SET. Stereophile’s measurement of the Marantz Model 30, for example, with its HypeX NC500 also had 1% THD+N at 165W into 8 ohms.

The HDMI CEC support of the SR250 is pretty good for input switching, but volume control is finicky and inconsistent with the Sony TV. I would upgrade the SR250 for improved HDMI compatibility, but it is hard to find an affordable product with Dirac Live without a substantial increase in cost over what I could sell the SR250 for.

The SR250 is unique for handling Dirac at 96 kHz, although the Bose 901’s do not extend into the ultrasonic range anyway. Much like the superior analog performance of the Panasonic UB9000, the robust Dirac implementation is underutilized in this system.

But it sounds great.

Curious how you dialed in the Bose EQ. there are lots of graphs available, but do you do ant tweaking? And which curve do you use?

 

[Gorgonzola]

OK, here we are: my stereo setup. It's simple and maybe a bit old-fashioned by some standards:

 

[GXAlan]

Curious how you dialed in the Bose EQ. there are lots of graphs available, but do you do ant tweaking? And which curve do you use?

If you run the Bose 901 flat in Dirac at +0 dB, it actually results in an upswinging response with REW.

I suspect that Dirac assumes a certain degree of HF attenuation in calculating direct vs. reflected, but because the 901 is all reflected sound, it doesn’t work as well.

If you set your target at -10 dB, the Dirac prediction looks better in the HF in the program but when you actually measure things, it has an even greater upswing so you don’t need to compensate at all for the high frequency roll off.

So after experimenting a lot, I just run the +10 dB bass boost curve from here

https://youthmanreviews.com/harman-target-curves-for-dirac-live/

If you look at the result (from a different room in the past) of the electrical measurement of the box (teal) and the pre-out measurement of the Dirac output, you can see that the Dirac +10dB curve from the site I showed, largely matched the factory middle detent spec in that particular room which was absolutely perfect.

One might assume that I would always gravitate to my premium “costs as much as a car at MSRP” Trinnov/Meyer Sound setup, but the reality is that the two rooms give very different but equally enjoyable experiences.

Modern electronics plus a healthy Bose 901 specimen is a potent combination.

I have made mention of this many times, but if anyone is a Bitcoin millionaire, it would be really interesting to see if a modern day version of the 901 using the top of the line drivers from Fostex or similar would perform well. Instead of going full range, you could still do a sub-sat approach or even a super tweeter approach crossing over 10 kHz or something like that.

 

[Petrushka]

If you run the Bose 901 flat in Dirac at +0 dB, it actually results in an upswinging response with REW.

I suspect that Dirac assumes a certain degree of HF attenuation in calculating direct vs. reflected, but because the 901 is all reflected sound, it doesn’t work as well.

If you set your target at -10 dB, the Dirac prediction looks better in the HF in the program but when you actually measure things, it has an even greater upswing so you don’t need to compensate at all for the high frequency roll off.

View attachment 388005


So after experimenting a lot, I just run the +10 dB bass boost curve from here

https://youthmanreviews.com/harman-target-curves-for-dirac-live/

If you look at the result (from a different room in the past) of the electrical measurement of the box (teal) and the pre-out measurement of the Dirac output, you can see that the Dirac +10dB curve from the site I showed, largely matched the factory middle detent spec in that particular room which was absolutely perfect.
View attachment 388007

One might assume that I would always gravitate to my premium “costs as much as a car at MSRP” Trinnov/Meyer Sound setup, but the reality is that the two rooms give very different but equally enjoyable experiences.

Modern electronics plus a healthy Bose 901 specimen is a potent combination.

I have made mention of this many times, but if anyone is a Bitcoin millionaire, it would be really interesting to see if a modern day version of the 901 using the top of the line drivers from Fostex or similar would perform well. Instead of going full range, you could still do a sub-sat approach or even a super tweeter approach crossing over 10 kHz or something like that.

Am I wrong to assume the official curves are pretty good?

 

[Zaireeka]

As you can see by my signature I like to keep things simple...