A truly exemplary system

[spiritofmusic]

That is pretty far away for such a small room, 13x14 feet as Bonzo says.

I sit about 7 feet 8 inches away (ear to tweeter) from my speakers in a 12 ft wide room. That is about 2.35 meters.

The room is bigger than Ked states, but I'd still put it on the small/small-mid size.
Steve's sofa is pretty much against the rear wall, the spkrs are relatively close to the front walls (and side walls), albeit with a deeper bay window between the spkrs.
The owner has said 3.25m listening distance, I have no reason to doubt him.

 

[Al M.]

The room is bigger than Ked states, but I'd still put it on the small/small-mid size.
Steve's sofa is pretty much against the rear wall, the spkrs are relatively close to the front walls (and side walls), albeit with a deeper bay window between the spkrs.
The owner has said 3.25m listening distance, I have no reason to doubt him.

So what are the actual room dimensions?

 

[spiritofmusic]

I can only relay the info I've been given.

 

[stsxerses]

Room is approx 5.2m long x 4m wide, ceiling 2.7m

 

[Al M.]

Room is approx 5.2m long x 4m wide, ceiling 2.7m

Thank you.

That is longer than had been suggested before, but about as wide (13.1 feet).

 

[stsxerses]

Measurement is into the bay but because this is angled the speakers have to come more into the room as you will see in the photo. I must commend Marc on his photography skills in making the room appear larger than it is - he would put an estate agent to shame!

 

[bonzo75]

Thank you.

That is longer than had been suggested before, but about as wide (13.1 feet).

The 13x14 feet is the box within which the speakers and the listener sit, the rest is Bay Area which is where there could have been the rack between the speakers but isn’t

 

[Al M.]

The 13x14 feet is the box within which the speakers and listener sit, the rest is Bay Area which is where there could have been the rack between the speakers but isn’t

Yes, that is clear now, thanks.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Yes, that is clear now, thanks.

I love it in audio when someone says "yes, that is clear now, thanks". It's just so rare.

 

[bonzo75]

I love it in audio when someone says "yes, that is clear now, thanks". It's just so rare.

Quite common when I tell Al something

 

[Tangram]

Room is approx 5.2m long x 4m wide, ceiling 2.7m

Really lovely room and system. Clearly a great deal of care has gone into every aspect of it. This isn’t the first time I’ve come across a setup with a bay window behind the speakers that provides stellar sound. It doesn’t even appear you have much in the way of room treatments.

 

[PeterA]

Really lovely room and system. Clearly a great deal of care has gone into every aspect of it. This isn’t the first time I’ve come across a setup with a bay window behind the speakers that provides stellar sound. It doesn’t even appear you have much in the way of room treatments.

I noticed what looks like absorption behind the left speaker but not the right speaker. Is that somehow because of the asymmetrical location of the rack system? I like the minimum use of treatment. And I think it is revealing that Sterling Trayle did the set up and it sounds so convincing without a lot of treatment. Impressive. I would love to see a video as I’m sure would Bonzo and others.

 

[bonzo75]

I noticed what looks like absorption behind the left speaker but not the right speaker. Is that somehow because of the asymmetrical location of the rack system? I like the minimum use of treatment. And I think it is revealing that Sterling Trayle did the set up and it sounds so convincing without a lot of treatment. Impressive. I would love to see a video as I’m sure would Bonzo and others.

Peter, I have heard that system thrice and the Goebbel Divins in the same room. I do not need videos.

Some improvements would have been made since. I remember the bamboo floor under the speaker was being planned, and is now there.

 

[PeterA]

Peter, I have heard that system thrice and the Goebbel Divins in the same room. I do not need videos.

Some improvements would have been made since. I remember the bamboo floor under the speaker was being planned, and is now there.

I understand. You do make videos of other systems that you have heard multiple times. I was just curious to hear a representation of what Marc describes.

 

[stsxerses]

Really lovely room and system. Clearly a great deal of care has gone into every aspect of it. This isn’t the first time I’ve come across a setup with a bay window behind the speakers that provides stellar sound. It doesn’t even appear you have much in the way of room treatments.

Thanks for the kind words

 

[stsxerses]

I noticed what looks like absorption behind the left speaker but not the right speaker. Is that somehow because of the asymmetrical location of the rack system? I like the minimum use of treatment. And I think it is revealing that Sterling Trayle did the set up and it sounds so convincing without a lot of treatment. Impressive. I would love to see a video as I’m sure would Bonzo and others.

Peter
On the left wall there are decorative panels in each alcove (either side of the fireplace), they were installed as part of the interior design for the room (many years ago) and done for aesthetic not acoustic reasons. Of course like the curtains, carpet and other materials they will influence the sound of the room. I did try some acoustic treatment about 10 years ago (some GIK panels) but did not like the result.

 

[stsxerses]

Peter, I have heard that system thrice and the Goebbel Divins in the same room. I do not need videos.

Some improvements would have been made since. I remember the bamboo floor under the speaker was being planned, and is now there.

In terms of changes to the room over the last 18 months I took up a heavy carpet (and rubber underlay) that covered the entire room and replaced this with the bamboo (in the bay and under the equipment rack) and a new pure wool carpet (and wool felt underlay) to the remaining area. This combination has definitely improved the room acoustic (it sounds much more natural when you speak) and more importantly provides much better mechanical grounding for the speakers

 

[spiritofmusic]

One takeaway from listening to Steve's system is something I've always been aware of, but was really highlighted from the visit.
Although we didn't listen to much digital, there isn't a chasm between his Wadax Studio Player and my Eera Tentation CDP, especially after major mods to my player.
But my vinyl pales to his analog front end.
Yes, he has some amazing pressings, but even my more standard fare sounded great at his.
I cannot deny that my TT does not get close to his exalted level of LP playback.
Sure, his Monaco 3.0 w LPSU/Supatrac Nighthawk/Opus 1/CH Precision phono is at another level of engineering prowess, and cost, to my more basic level setup, but the quality gap is undeniable, less so the digital (don't all flame me, these are impressions rather than hard and fast opinions).
And so if I was going down a major, but single area upgrade, it wouldn't be the Zus that would go, augmented so well by the Airblades, or even my amps...it would be a TT/arm change (my Straingauge cart would hold up well in a TT like Steve's).

 

[bonzo75]

One takeaway from listening to Steve's system is something I've always been aware of, but was really highlighted from the visit.
Although we didn't listen to much digital, there isn't a chasm between his Wadax Studio Player and my Eera Tentation CDP, especially after major mods to my player.
But my vinyl pales to his analog front end.
Yes, he has some amazing pressings, but even my more standard fare sounded great at his.
I cannot deny that my TT does not get close to his exalted level of LP playback.
Sure, his Monaco 3.0 w LPSU/Supatrac Nighthawk/Opus 1/CH Precision phono is at another level of engineering prowess, and cost, to my more basic level setup, but the quality gap is undeniable, less so the digital (don't all flame me, these are impressions rather than hard and fast opinions).
And so if I was going down a major, but single area upgrade, it wouldn't be the Zus that would go, augmented so well by the Airblades, or even my amps...it would be a TT/arm change (my Straingauge cart would hold up well in a TT like Steve's).

It's quite amazing how by listening to a system in its entirety with different pressings you decided what would stay and what would go in yours.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Yes, it's quite amazing, isn't it?