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The kit we bought, our current setups

Sal1950

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No photos.

Source - Desktop PC
DAC - SMSL M8
Pre Amp - Nakamichi Soundspace 10
Power Amps - Counterpoint NPM Hybrids
Speakers Aurum Cantus F6600

I'd like to change to a proper pre-amp as the Nakamichi is a surround sound system.
 

Sal1950

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Altec VOT's nice.
Don't crack the plaster. ;)
 

Cobra2

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Yes, I love the Altec Model 19...not the most HiFi-ish speaker, but fun. This is my test-set-up...checking out repairs & mods.
 

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Cobra2

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Yes, well spotted; it is a PC2602M, pro-amp. Cary pre/proc. (or Krell HTS7,1, or Krell KRC-2, or...) gets the signal from a Transporter or Yamaha NP-S303 streamer, both soon to be replaced by Raspberry/HiFiberry Digi-something...also waiting for a Topping D50 to complement a diy-dac
 

House de Kris

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If find myself doing most of my listening in the studio these days. I've also just moved the studio to a new building and happen to have taken some pictures before it gets messy.

The speakers:
20191123_090218.jpg


With the lights on:
20191122_165736.jpg


Normal lighting:
20191122_165758.jpg


The Harman Kardon HK-40s are powered by a JBL Power 50 amplifier. The JBL 4312Cs are powered by SAE 3000/3100 pre/power amp. The Advent Largers are powered by a Technics SU-9070 pre and Dynaco ST-70 power amp. All very different sounding, used to check mixes.
 

ernestcarl

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If find myself doing most of my listening in the studio these days. I've also just moved the studio to a new building and happen to have taken some pictures before it gets messy.

The speakers:
View attachment 41069

With the lights on:
View attachment 41070

Normal lighting:
View attachment 41071

The Harman Kardon HK-40s are powered by a JBL Power 50 amplifier. The JBL 4312Cs are powered by SAE 3000/3100 pre/power amp. The Advent Largers are powered by a Technics SU-9070 pre and Dynaco ST-70 power amp. All very different sounding, used to check mixes.

I feel like I’m looking at studio setup photos at gearslutz. :cool:
 

NTomokawa

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I'm finally fed up with looking for a replacement power amplifier for my venerable Luxman L-3. One channel would make a disconcerting "crumpling paper" noise whenever I shut the unit down. A current surge, perhaps. This unit has no protection relays.

Meanwhile one of the speakers started buzzing at high volume. A drive coil is rubbing on the magnet, it seems. What can I say - they're from the mid 80's.

New system:
Laptop -> Steinberg UR22C -> Yamaha HS8

The rationale behind this new system is quite simple. I figured that instead of trying to cut through all the snake oil in order to find a good power amplifier, I'd simply let the speaker designers do the job for me. Hence, the powered monitors.

In terms of DAC I initially wanted something along the lines of Topping D70. The final selection of the Steinberg unit is mostly because of cost, but also because the Steinberg is one of the few USB audio interfaces to offer 32-bit audio. Now I'm not saying 32-bit sounds better than 24-bit; it just makes me feel better.

Also the Steinberg has a built-in volume knob. I would have needed to buy a separate monitor controller (a volume knob) if I bought a simple balanced DAC instead of an audio interface.

Now let's hope that Yamaha quality lasts me a few years.
 

dgkula

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Hi Everyone,

I just joined the forum having lurked for about a month. I thought I would introduce myself by posting my current setup. I dont think I am the target audience for this forum as it seems focused on audio with DACs and super-clean amps and I am focused on HT. Two years ago my basement flooded when a pipe froze and burst. That gave me the opportunity to build a small (14' x 12' x 7') home theater.

Audio:
  • When I built the room I designed for Atmos 7.x.4 with in-wall speakers for all but L/C/R using HTD HD-W65 in-wall speakers. Admittedly the room is a bit small for the four ceiling speakers (rear two ceiling speakers are closer than I would like to the back wall) but it does sound good.
  • The front sound stage is delivered by the HTD Level 3 Towers and Level 3 Center speaker. I went with HTD for all the speakers trying to get decent performance at a tolerable price point. I am considering building a new front soundstage from DIY Soundgroup. Maybe the HTM-10s.
  • I built 3 x PE UM15-22 sealed subwoofers using Parts Express kits and am running them off 3 channels of two Crown XLS 2502 amps with a miniDSP HD for integration. With room response I have pretty nice bass frequency response, flat from about 6Hz to 100hz. I use REW and a UMIK to generate the filters, then run Audyssey to integrate and room correct the rest of the speakers and turn the subs back up after :)
  • Audio processing is provided by a Denon 4300 into three Outlaw M2200 monoblocks for the front soundstage (L/C/R) and an old Yamaha AX-592 for SL and SR (bypassing pre-amp stage). Rear surrounds and Atmos ceiling speakers are running off the AVR.
  • For streaming audio I have a sonos connect (no amp) running into the AVR and also use airplay from my phone to the AVR.
  • I have done some room treatments using 2' x 4' GIK 242 Acoustic panels at L & R main reflection points, 2' x 2' panels flanking the L & R surrounds, and a 2' x 4' panel horizontally on the rear wall behind the MLP. I have thick carpeting & a thick shag rug on the floor.
Video:
  • JVC RS620 projector to 100" Stewart ST100 Screen at 10' seating distance with four seats
  • Panasonic UB900 Blu Ray player, Roku Premier+ and Lumagen Radiance Pro 4242 for HDR Dynamic Tone Mapping
I have been surprised at the reviews of amplifiers on the forum - I understand that based on my usage the Denon AVR, Outlaw monoblocs and Yamaha amp are sufficient and I probably wont hear any difference compared to the Purifi and Hypex products that are garnering such great reviews, so i am sitting on my hands and keeping my credit card in my wallet for the time being!

Changes I might consider making are room treatments and more DIY speakers for L/C/R. The room is small and owing to access to a mechanical room (furnace, water heater, etc) is laid out asymmetrically which isnt great for acoustics. I have the 7 panels on the side and rear walls but would like to do something like a fabric wall system to add more absorption but then I would have to rip everything apart and spend more $$$ so it will probably stay as-is ... maybe I'll get a few more panels. I do not have a great handle on how to use REW to figure out what treatments would benefit the room in which locations. This seems like more of a dark art than doing sweeps and building filters in REW to get good room response and integrate mains with subs, etc.

I'm enjoying following the threads on the forum. I have a BS in Elec. Eng. but went into software and then sales so embarrassingly dont have a great handle on how the discrete circuitry works. I am reading up though and it is interesting - I know I had a class at one point where I learned what a "long tail pair" was. I am looking at building a simple amp kit from Neurochrome to get back into it. Maybe the LM3886DR in stereo configuration for some DIY bookshelf speakers in my living room. I appreciate everyone's expertise and contribution.

Thanks!
David
 

Sal1950

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I just joined the forum having lurked for about a month. I thought I would introduce myself by posting my current setup. I dont think I am the target audience for this forum as it seems focused on audio with DACs and super-clean amps and I am focused on HT.
Welcome David!
Although a large percentage of our gear reviews are based on the search for great measuring 2 ch components, lots of HT and Multich music gear has been deeply reviewed and many members here including myself share the same interest as you. @Kal Rubinson of Stereophile "In The Round" fame is a very active member here. The "target audience" here is simply folks that are interested in finding out which pieces of gear can supply SOTA measurements and how it's been accomplished. We all hope the old trickle down theory will come to play after the weak are revealed.
You are most welcome here and we encourage other multich enthusiasts to join in if they enjoy perusing the objectivist side of life. ;)

My meager rig/room his here,
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/sals-system.614/
 
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