Stereo/Surround?

xo · Post by xo » 13/07/2006 - 12:41

I've sometimes wondered what sort of equipment people here are using to listen to remixes/music in general. It might be fun to see what people are using and maybe learn something along the way.

Perhaps some of you know the feeling of getting a new piece of equipment and just smiling all over your face when you hear it for the first time and rediscover the soundscapes of your music in a new light. I hope you'll participate!

To that end, let me start off by listing my humble stuff.

- DALI Evidence 370 "monitor" speakers. Pretty detailed and they go fairly deep considering their size
- NAD 3020i (circa 20 year old 25W integrated amplifer). It plays louder than one should think, very natural distortion free sound.
- Holfi Pre NB2 Signature Edition (ps. NB stands for No Bullshit

) preamplifier. I just got it today, man it plays deep and detailed! Is twice the size of the NAD
- LITE DAC 50, 24 bit 96 kHz DAC with tube output stage
- PC, optically SPDIF-coupled to the DAC

Image before preamp.

(I'll look for better links)

kufi · Post by **kufi** » 13/07/2006 - 13:41

Well, my "equipment" consists of a cheap "Universum" (german low cost brand, usually they use equipment from firms like grundig or philips) surround stereo, complete with big speakers, passive subwoofer and surround speakers (pro logic, not dolby digital or something sophisticated).
I rarely use the CD-Player, tape deck or anything except for the audio in, and plugged into that is a PC with a soundblaster audigy. Nothing special, really, but it sure makes the neighbours happy

crappy picture of my setup (the tall black boxes on the left and right are the main speakers):

The sound is pretty ok, the bass is *very* deep, the general fidelity leaves a few things to be desired, but that could be the fault of the room acoustics or the speaker placement. It sounded *very* different when i had it in my old room, but my new living room is about twice as big as my old room...

xo · Post by xo » 13/07/2006 - 13:51

Boy that wall is crowded! Those speakers are pressed for space. But nice setup you have there!

kufi · Post by **kufi** » 13/07/2006 - 14:00

exoskeleton wrote:Boy that wall is crowded!

Funny, after looking at your pic i thought "That wall looks empty..."

But it would be interesting if somebody here could give tips for things like proper speaker placement and such. I merely put them there because they fitted there nicely and were widest apart from each other (about four to five meters), to give a proper stereo impression.

xo · Post by xo » 13/07/2006 - 14:08

You're right. But after I aquired the Holfi preamp, which takes up considerable space, it all looks more dense.

I wanted to designate the entire wall to the purpose of sound. But to improve the sound I plan to put up diffusor panels behind the speakers. Stereo does become more interesting with a little space between the speakers of course, if your setup can bear the distance.

Analog-X64 · Post by **Analog-X64** » 13/07/2006 - 16:30

Living room is being painted at the moment, should have a picture in a day or so when I put everything back together.

Romeo Knight · Post by **Romeo Knight** » 13/07/2006 - 17:27

exoskeleton wrote:But to improve the sound I plan to put up diffusor panels behind the speakers. Stereo does become more interesting with a little space between the speakers of course, if your setup can bear the distance.

Very good!

But you should turn both speakers a little bit to the center,
just like here

in a surround setup.

Makke · Post by **Makke** » 13/07/2006 - 17:33

This is mine. Check it out!

Note the digital watch feature! It's radical!

kufi · Post by **kufi** » 13/07/2006 - 17:50

Man, that thing looks expensive and powerful! How can you afford such luxury?

xo · Post by xo » 13/07/2006 - 19:24

Makke wrote:This is mine. Check it out!

You are makke.

So you have mix tapes to go with that?

xo · Post by xo » 13/07/2006 - 19:26

Romeo Knight wrote:Very good!
But you should turn both speakers a little bit to the center,
just like here ... in a surround setup.

I'd rather not. For these reasons

- the speakers have good dispersion
- the listening position is often not in the center
- it messes with the holographic reproduction

The position is not quite fine-tuned though. The distance between the speakers sounds quite okay, not sure the distance to the back wall is optimal right now.

xo · Post by xo » 13/07/2006 - 19:28

Analog-X wrote:Living room is being painted at the moment, should have a picture in a day or so when I put everything back together.

Looking forward to it!

Post by **tas** » 13/07/2006 - 20:23

Makke wrote:This is mine. Check it out!

Note the digital watch feature! It's radical!

damn you... Bloody poser!

xo · Post by xo » 13/07/2006 - 20:57

Let's keep further posts "on topic" please.

Lagerfeldt · Post by **Lagerfeldt** » 14/07/2006 - 20:54

I hope it's not seen as "cheating" but since I have a studio I use Klein+Hummel O 300 D + O 800 sub (all active). Mogami cable, and SPL MTC-2381 monitor controller. Right now I use an RME ADI-8 DS as converter but I will be switching to DAD AX24 (http://www.digitalaudio.dk) or Crane Song HEDD 192.

At home I use a more modest surround setup with Blueroom Minipods/Cinepod and the Bass Station, hooked up to a Denon surround receiver. Denon has nice surround features but I miss the clarity and punch of the Marantz Pro amp I use for the Minipods in the studio (I have an extra set for reference there).

The Dali's look nice, and NAD usually sounds very good. After switching from ADAM S2.5As to K+H O 300 D I could never go back to anything else than pressure chamber though.