The kit we bought, our current setups

[MDAguy]

I Made a video for YouTube of my system as it currently sits.... only piece I'm waiting for is the Accuphase DG-68 Voicing Room EQ...

 

[Pjetrof]

 

[Kachda]

My humble setup

Minidsp SHD -> March Audio P502 -> KEF R3.

 

[StefaanE]

Here’s my current setup:

I know the positioning of the speakers is far from ideal, but that’s the only way it could be done in our living room .
These are IKEA office cupboards from around 2011, now discontinued. The lower cupboards are used to store my LPs.
A close -up of the Nubert noPro X8000RC:

And this is how it looks with the covers on:

 

[JustJones]

Here’s my current setup:
View attachment 99220
I know the positioning of the speakers is far from ideal, but that’s the only way it could be done in our living room .
These are IKEA office cupboards from around 2011, now discontinued. The lower cupboards are used to store my LPs.
A close -up of the Nubert noPro X8000RC:
View attachment 99221
And this is how it looks with the covers on:View attachment 99222

What's that hiding the speaker on the right? Fireplace, stove?

 

[StefaanE]

What's that hiding the speaker on the right? Fireplace, stove?

It’s a Danish stove. We don’t use it all that often, and I cover the speaker when we do, but the heat doesn’t seem to be too much of a problem (the TV doesn’t get warm at all).

 

[Sal1950]

@StefaanE Could I make a little suggestion, reverse the position of the Monitor + speakers with the tall cabinet. Put the tall cabinet in the right corner and that would leave the left speaker next to the doorway, then the Monitor, then the right speakers. Plus pull the speakers forward a bit till they're even with or just forward of the cabinet fronts to open up the radiation area to their sides.
Just a suggestion as I couldn't see anything stopping that arrangement and it appears as one that would offer a better radiation pattern (soundstage) for the system.

 

[StefaanE]

@StefaanE Could I make a little suggestion, reverse the position of the Monitor + speakers with the tall cabinet. Put the tall cabinet in the right corner and that would leave the left speaker next to the doorway, then the Monitor, then the right speakers. Plus pull the speakers forward a bit till they're even with or just forward of the cabinet fronts to open up the radiation area to their sides.
Just a suggestion as I couldn't see anything stopping that arrangement and it appears as one that would offer a better radiation pattern (soundstage) for the system.

Hi @Sal1950 , thanks for your reply, it’s appreciated. Unfortunately, what you can’t easily see is the air return vent from the HVAC system, situated right below the tall cabinet. In fact, you can see the aluminium grating in the close-up picture. Having the speaker stand on the grating would, I presume, be far worse for the sound quality.

 

[Katji]

I wondered what that was.
But does the stove just vent through the wall? It must burn really clean, I suppose that's what they perfected. ...Whole thing is interesting.

 

[StefaanE]

I wondered what that was.
But does the stove just vent through the wall? It must burn really clean, I suppose that's what they perfected. ...Whole thing is interesting.

Actually, it vents into a chimney, which has to be swept from time to time, depending on how often the stove is used. Since I got my new Nuberts, I'm loath to light the stove, but the previous speaker (Infinity Primus 360) never got even hand warm in that position, so I'm probably overreacting. They are the most expensive sound equipment I ever bought, so rather safe than sorry.
As far as the stove is concerned, it's fully closed and burns quite cleanly, if one uses the right wood of course -- pine wood isn't a good choice, but beech and birch burn nice and long.

 

[Katji]

I suppose it's very different to burning leaves in the yard. And iirc, Austria produces a lot of its electricity by wood burning.

 

[StefaanE]

I suppose it's very different to burning leaves in the yard. And iirc, Austria produces a lot of its electricity by wood burning.

Or a barrel braai . In the top compartment of the stove one can make very nice pizzas -- it has a stone that accumulates heat and a separate door.
As far as Austria is concerned, I don't know, but here in Luxembourg we try to produce as much biogas as possible. Farmers bring the organic waste products to biogas plants (or have their own) and then electricity (or heat) is produced from the methane.

BTW, how's Eskom doing? Not too much load shedding these days?

 

[Katji]

Not too much. Got me on Friday and Saturday. Still no plan, but they have begun to nail some of the culprits, at last.
Austria and Slovenija, I google-checked because somehow I'd thought Slovenija used a lot of wood, but no. Austria, yes, part of the proportion that is renewable, but it's mostly localised.

 

[Harmonie]

Hi @Sal1950 , thanks for your reply, it’s appreciated. Unfortunately, what you can’t easily see is the air return vent from the HVAC system, situated right below the tall cabinet. In fact, you can see the aluminium grating in the close-up picture. Having the speaker stand on the grating would, I presume, be far worse for the sound quality.

I vote for speaker placement first.
Then the furniture/WAF aso.

 

[StefaanE]

I vote for speaker placement first.
Then the furniture/WAF aso.

You don’t argue with the HVAC . It’s a big hole with an aluminium grating, leading to a duct sucking in the return air. I am not putting a speaker on the grating, so the tall cabinet straddling the grate is the best use of the floorspace I could come up with. I looked around but haven’t found a better cabinet.

 

[M00ndancer]

Could find my old post so this is reformatted.

My electronics and transducers

Media Sources:
NAS
YouTube Music
Sony PS-LX300USB Turn Table
Pioneer CT-S530 Tape Deck
Pioneer DV-444 DVD Player
PS3 (CD/DVD/Bluray)

Controllers:
Windows 10 (USB/Ethernet 1Gbit/BT(AAC)
Motorola G8 Pro (BT(AAC/LDAC)/Wifi/Apple USB-C Dongle/Headphone)
Google Nest Hub (Wifi/Speaker)

Apps
Hi-Fi Cast (Android App)
VLC (Windows App)

Output Options
ChromeCast Audio (Wifi) #1
(Optical -> HAD-1)
ChromeCast Audio (Wifi) #2
(Analog -> Headphones)
ChromeCast Ultra (Ethernet 100Mbit)
(HDMI -> Denon AVR-1611eu AVR)
Note: All the Google products can be grouped together in any combination.

Amps and Speakers
Denon AVR-1611eu AVR -> Speakers
( Dynavoice Magic S-3 EX v3 Front, Surround | Magic C-4 EX v3 Center | Magic Sub 8 EX v3)

Swissonic HAD-1 (DAC/Headphone AMP/ADC) ->
(Behringer Xenix QX1202USB Mixer -> Fluid Audio F5 (XLR) & H&K TS-7 Sub (RCA) Speakers)

Headphones
Sony MDR-1a gen 1
Sony MDR-1000X
CoolerMaster MH-752 USB

Some combinations of consuming audio:
NAS -> 100 Mbit LAN -> Windows 10 or Motorola G8 Pro
YouTube Music -> Windows 10, Motorola G8 Pro, Google Nest Hub
Sony PS-LX300USB Turn Table -> HAD-1
Pioneer CT-S530 Tape Deck -> HAD-1
Pioneer DV-444 DVD Player -> HAD-1
PS3 (CD/DVD/Bluray) -> Denon AVR-1611eu AVR

 

[Frank Dernie]

Main system
Sources
Goldmund Reference turntable T3f arm and Ortofon A90 cartridge
Goldmund Mimesis 36+ CD transport
Lynx Theta FM tuner (actually a Magnum Dynalab board in a Lynx case)
Occasional Qobuz, iTunes or Audirvana

Amp
Devialet Original d'Atelier

Speakers
Goldmund Epilog 1&2

Alternative:

Sources
Original Da Vinci CD player
Audirvana from iMac

Amp
Job INTegrated or Classic 16.0

Speakers
Tune Audio Anima

Study
source
iMac Pro
Amp
NAD 3020
Speakers
Proac EBS
or RME ADI 2 Pro
AKG Q701, Verum 1, ZMF Eikon 'phones

Bedroom
Source
Resolution Audio Cantata
Amps
Nuforce 9se
speakers
Yamaha NS1000M

 

[Harmonie]

Main system
Sources
Goldmund Reference turntable T3f arm and Ortofon A90 cartridge
Goldmund Mimesis 36+ CD transport
Lynx Theta FM tuner (actually a Magnum Dynalab board in a Lynx case)
Occasional Qobuz, iTunes or Audirvana

Amp
Devialet Original d'Atelier

Speakers
Goldmund Epilog 1&2

Alternative:

Sources
Original Da Vinci CD player
Audirvana from iMac

Amp
Job INTegrated or Classic 16.0

Speakers
Tune Audio Anima

Study
source
iMac Pro
Amp
NAD 3020
Speakers
Proac EBS
or RME ADI 2 Pro
AKG Q701, Verum 1, ZMF Eikon 'phones

Bedroom
Source
Resolution Audio Cantata
Amps
Nuforce 9se
speakers
Yamaha NS1000M

I guess that you don't change your gear every 6 months, do you ?

.

 

[Sal1950]

You don’t argue with the HVAC . It’s a big hole with an aluminium grating, leading to a duct sucking in the return air. I am not putting a speaker on the grating, so the tall cabinet straddling the grate is the best use of the floorspace I could come up with. I looked around but haven’t found a better cabinet.

It's up to you. No you wouldn't want to block your cold air return vent but the would be no problem in diverting it. If you built a speaker stand frame about 12" high out of 2x4 and covered the visible 3 sides with black faberic that should be enough air volume to cause no restriction. Just measure the bottom of your speaker and figure the volume in square inchs width x depth. The measure the size of a 3 open sides, and compare the volume.
As long as the 3 sides added are equal to or better than the floor opening lost your good to go. Your also have to build a stand the same size for the right speaker to get the same height. Easy peasy. with a big gain in sound imaging, etc.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I guess that you don't change your gear every 6 months, do you ?

.

No.
I never did change often but I have had my main system speakers over 20 years. Yet to hear anything better
The Tune Audio Anima and Job INTegrated are the most recent at around 5 years or so.