CLS's? Not Quite; Kinnergetics SW800 Subwoofers; Any Users?

[nsgarch]

It looks like you had your MLs in a very narrow room with no more than 3' or so (according to my calibrated eyeball) from inside edge to inside edge of each speaker. That seems incredibly close for speakers the size of MLs. I also see you had them set up on what appears to be a bare tile floor. Was that room bright and ringy?

Hi mep, the room was actually 15'W x 24'L. Most of the tile floor was covered with a thick pile Karastan wool area rug (which you can barely see at the bottom of the picture.) In addition, you don't see the acoustic blankets that covered the entire back wall (behind the equipment) and the side walls up to where the speakers are (either because the picture was taken before I installed them, or when I was getting ready to move -- can't remember.) In any case, the room was configured as a classic live-end/dead-end listening room and had wonderful presentation. I often wonder what it would have sounded like had I already made the few changes that advanced things to where they are now ;--)

As to the speaker placement, you are quite right (the floor tiles are 12" square ;--) Having lived with the CLS's for 20 years, I've come to favor a close(er)-together-with-minimum-toe-in arrangement. I've noticed Soundlab owners often favor this arrangement; and wonder if it has to do with the curved panels.

-- N

 

[karma]

Hi Sparky,

No, no! We are both right! I've been down all those exact same roads you've traveled; I had the very same results/experiences as you have; and I was quite happy with my achievements, and proud of them as you have every right to be. So I'm not going to respond to your comments one by one, simply because I understand each of them; and recognize each of them as places I too visited along the way to my audio here and now.

And if you will have a little courage, and are not content to "rest on your laurels", and if you can embrace the idea that there is always more knowledge and deeper understanding, you too will discover a good deal of so-far unrealized potential still latent in your lovely system. And not only will you enjoy even more realistic performance than you do now, but you will gain further insight and understanding; having connected first-hand with some of the truths that govern the interaction between the physical science of acoustics and the biological science of human auditory perception.

Because I've come directly from where you are now, I can tell you with complete confidence that you are almost there! So good luck and have fun. And I promise here, publicly, never to say "I told you so!"

Neil

HI Neil,
Clearly, we have not had the same experiences and I have to think the problem was you, not the speakers. That, plus I don't appreciate being talked down to. I am certain I could match or exceed your experiences. As for your future "progress", I have no way of judging. You have not had the courage to provide a system profile. So, I really don't know what you are talking about. There is no need to be secretive here.

You mention the Wilson Watt's and Puppies. I've never owned them but my best friend did, powered by ARC electronics. I liked them-sort of. To be truthful, I don't think they compared with my CLS/SW800 set up. Just not my cup of tea. I could enumerate my dislikes but I don't feel like spending the words. Generally, I thought they were pretty good.

Sparky

 

[mep]

HI Neil,
Clearly, we have not had the same experiences and I have to think the problem was you, not the speakers. That, plus I don't appreciate being talked down to. I am certain I could match or exceed your experiences. As for your future "progress", I have no way of judging. You have not had the courage to provide a system profile. So, I really don't know what you are talking about. There is no need to be secretive here.

You mention the Wilson Watt's and Puppies. I've never owned them but my best friend did, powered by ARC electronics. I liked them-sort of. To be truthful, I don't think they compared with my CLS/SW800 set up. Just not my cup of tea. I could enumerate my dislikes but I don't feel like spending the words. Generally, I thought they were pretty good.

Sparky

You just need to change one letter in your name. Change out the "p" in Sparky to an "n" because that is who you are. If someone doesn't agree with you, they get a heaping helping of your friendly attitude. I saw nothing in the post from Neil that warranted your response. Neil has a right not to like your speakers-he owned them. We all value different things in the sounds that we hear which is why there is a zillion different combinations of gear you can put together. It doesn't do anyone any good if you get mad because other people don't like the gear you chose to live with and you can't convince them how great it is.

 

[nsgarch]

HI Neil,
Clearly, we have not had the same experiences and I have to think the problem was you, not the speakers.
By "problem" do you mean to imply that I wasn't as happy with my (almost identical) SW800 system as you are with yours? -- That's absolutely not true. Did you miss my clearly saying, "I was quite happy with my achievements, and proud of them as you have every right to be."

That, plus I don't appreciate being talked down to.
That's an odd response! The intent of my original remarks was to inspire you to go further, not to judge what you've accomplished so far. Boy! Did I call that wrong ;--)

I am certain I could match or exceed your experiences.
Well, you could certainly match them if you want to -- I just gave you the basic recipe for doing that; and if in the process of trying what I suggest, you discover some new twist I'd not thought of, I'd be delighted to hear about it.

As for your future "progress", I have no way of judging. You have not had the courage to provide a system profile. So, I really don't know what you are talking about. There is no need to be secretive here.
Had you read my post more carefully, you would have noticed I provided a link at the end of it so you could look up my current system (now in my signature as well.) So when you replied, "I have no way of judging. You have not had the courage to provide a system profile. So, I really don't know what you are talking about. There is no need to be secretive here." I was somewhat astonished by your oversight, and just a little offended by your tone.

You mention the Wilson Watt's and Puppies. I've never owned them but my best friend did, powered by ARC electronics. I liked them-sort of. To be truthful, I don't think they compared with my CLS/SW800 set up. Just not my cup of tea. I could enumerate my dislikes but I don't feel like spending the words. Generally, I thought they were pretty good.
Sparky, if you'll go back and check, you'll find what I actually said was that I initially used Wilson Puppies (by themselves!) as my subwoofers. I made no mention of the Watts. And frankly, those Puppies, combined with the (still-to-this-day) incredible Bryston 10B electronic crossover provided sonics that were lightyears ahead of the Kinergetics equipment -- speakers and crossover -- which made changing to the Kinergetics equipment all the more disappointing!

I do think you need to slow down and read others' posts more carefully -- and with an open mind -- instead of preparing for a fight, which was certainly not on my agenda. Sorry.

Neil