System #335 (Preface)

1. Jim Mimna

2. Denver, CO

3. Preface

4. 2008

5. Mods/Changes: Complete room treatment for acoustics, and a set of plinths

6. Associated Electronics: Outlaw 970> Emotiva XPA-2

7. Welcome to my man-cave. This is a 100% digital listening room anchored by a set of Preface's. I am a live concert recordist, so not only is this my R&R casual listening spot, but it is also my reference source for post recording work and critical listening. This is strictly a 2 channel system, the TV is for the many stereo concerts I have on DVD. My source is a custom built PC using M-Audio's Audiophile 192 soundcard feeding high resolution digital audio to an Outlaw 970 pre/pro which runs into an Emotiva XPA-2 amplifier. For the very low frequencies i am using a Paradigm PS-1200 sub which warms things up nicely. I'm using Segue Dogstar Silver IC and speaker cables, along with a few custom built silver cables ive made additionally. Given the layout of my room and personal preference i have elevated the Prefaces off the floor with 2 plinths i built. The plinths serve 2 primary functions, one being an 11" lift in height which I found to be the best over-all sonics, and second with the Preface spiked into the stone top they get a solid mass loaded base to bind themselves to giving the bottom end a clean boost. I have 8 low frequency bass traps with a variety of high frequency absorbers and broadband traps through out the room to optimize the room acoustics. The sweet spot is on the love seat in front of the desk. A benefit of the ATF hybrid speaker is a larger than average sweet spot from an ESL which extends almost back to my desk chair. This makes makes my room optimal for me to mix and edit recordings at the desk and then review the results from the primary listening seat in front. I love these speakers, ML really hit a home-run with these in both price point and performance.

Welcome aboard! :music:

thanks! here are some final shots:


this is stealy, he hangs with me as he must be a fellow music lover.






and here is a link to how i did all the room treatments:
http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10071

Wow! tremendous room acoustic treatments you have there.

thanks!

now to start saving for a new amp. seriously considering the DIY tube amp kits on ebay. my wife has put a spending freeze on me for a while so lots of window shopping is in my future.

Great looking room Jim, glad to see it posted here. Sweet looking pooch too - Newfoundland?

Looks like a very comfortable place to enjoy your tunes with your listening buddy!

Cool. Looks like the kind of place you just want to settle in and crank it up!:rocker:

MiTT said:

Great looking room Jim, glad to see it posted here. Sweet looking pooch too - Newfoundland?

Looks like a very comfortable place to enjoy your tunes with your listening buddy!

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yep, Newfy. he is the best! he can open doors if he has to go bad enough! i drink a canadian beer for him now and then.

slowGEEZR said:

Cool. Looks like the kind of place you just want to settle in and crank it up!:rocker:

Click to expand...

exactly!

i installed track lighting today so the only thing constant is change 'round here!

Looks great man! I really like the effort on the acoustic panels. Great taste in music too!

thanks, Jerry changed how I intake music. The fat-man had the magic that touched my soul.

I just got my camera back from a friend so ive been having some fun since i now have better lighting taboot. I updated my pics in the OP to include my new fixtures. I really like the Preface's and they aren't to hard on the eye either....









they love the blues...


Rocking out to Zappa Halloween in 24/96! Its no set of large panels but the sound down here does not offend the ear at all.

Big Zappa fan too! :music: AWESOME!

I like your room looks like a good place to chill and jam out to some good old dead ! the preface rock I really like those speakers !

DrWily008 said:

Big Zappa fan too! :music: AWESOME!

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oh yes, ive got 500gb of just live Zappa alone! i sure wish they would release more of the 24/96 stuff though, the last 2 were mind blowing. i should tell them that when i see ZPZ this week!:rocker:

Hi Jimna,

Great looking room and system.

Out of curiosity, have you tried moving the couch on the right side wall so it's not in the way of the right speaker?

My sense is that you will get a serious performance bump if you do so.

What mod did you do to give your system "balls"?

GG

Nice room looks like a chill place to hang

no i cant move the couch, not now anyway. my wifes one original request was that all the seating pictured stays in the room, she wanted it to stay a social area. she has been pretty damn cool so im trying to give her respect on this issue. but its a huge issue, its why the speakers are off the ground so high, ect...

im going to let this all set in a while and then ill start scheming with her, i have jedi skill over this one.

Jimna said:

no i cant move the couch, not now anyway. my wifes one original request was that all the seating pictured stays in the room, she wanted it to stay a social area. she has been pretty damn cool so im trying to give her respect on this issue. but its a huge issue, its why the speakers are off the ground so high, ect...

im going to let this all set in a while and then ill start scheming with her, i have jedi skill over this one.

Click to expand...

Yeah you have to give some to live smoothly. I am in the process of using my jedi mind tricks over Becca (my wife) to add a drop down screen, a projector and nice seating.

These aren't the droids you're looking for.

well!...it just so happens we had drinks down stairs tonight while we listened to the new live release i just acquired and i asked using Gordans post/question to open the conversation. largely the music has sold itself but with some salesmanship too i think she is cool with me moving the love seat and chair behind my desk and moving the table and chairs to the bar area since its going to take while till we can make it a real bar anyway... so it would be just the couch and system up front with a faux hangout social area in back! this is huge! ill be able to drop the speakers and have nothing obstructing them at all. im a happy camper! looks like i need to find some stone to make plinths!

thanks for asking gordan. you have inspired change.







FWIW, my music of choice tonight sounded terrific, this was such a fruitful period for the band, and it proves how much a big system can inspire you and comes highly recommended:



Grateful Dead
Road Trips Vol. 2 No. 3


Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the spectacular Wall of Sound, we invite you on a sonic excursion into back-to-back shows from June of '74. Propelled by the heart-thumping power of the Wall, these shows capture the band during a period of heightened intensity and brilliant musicianship.

Disc one finds the Wall of Sound towering over the State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa for a Thursday, June 16th show that's loaded with beautifully inventive jams and inspired transitions. Amazing moments abound, like the 29-minute odyssey of "Playing In The Band" that blissfully dives into space and brings us back again. Disc two picks up two days later at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. This legendary setlist includes a brain-melting jam that rolls from "Weather Report Suite" through "It's A Sin."

Of course early orders will also receive the bonus disc that's packed with exceptional tracks, like the "Morning Dew" encore from Louisville and the massive "Truckin'" into "Wharf Rat" jam from Des Moines.

Once again Jeffrey Norman has worked his magic on the soundboard masters so we can experience all this classic Dead in crisp-and-clear HDCD. The set also comes with an essay by Dennis McNally and of course photos of the band - and their mighty Wall of Sound.

Please note: Orders will ship on or before Thursday, June 18

Tracklist:
CD 1: State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, IA 6/16/74

1. China Cat Sunflower>
2. I Know You Rider
3. The Race Is On
4. Eyes of the World>
5. Big River
6. U.S. Blues
7. Playing In The Band

CD 2: Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY 6/18/74
1. Loose Lucy
2. Eyes of the World>
3. China Doll
4. Weather Report Suite>
5. Jam>
6. Other One>
7. It's A Sin Jam>
8. Stella Blue

Bonus CD
1. Morning Dew (6/18/74)
2. Around and Around (6/18/74)
3. Deal (6/16/74)
4. Greatest Story Ever Told (6/16/74)
5. Truckin'> (6/16/74)
6. Nobody's Jam> (6/16/74)
7. Wharf Rat (6/16/74)
8. GDTRFB (6/16/74)
9. Sugar Magnolia (6/18/74)

:rocker:

Progress report: moved the furniture yesterday and gordan was right big change in image. although once i moved the speakers down off the old speaker cabinets i got 2 new effects, one being a much tighter bass and smoother low end, and the second being a changed dynamics over-all which it is hard describe but im sure it is tied to the Prefaces sitting that low to the ground. keep in mind they were at 24" off the ground before, so this was drastic change. so today i did some shopping and bought some concrete slabs for the base to my plinths. ive got a dampener between the pieces of concrete, but still need a pretty piece of rock for the top. im thinking maybe a nice piece of red flagstone, or there is the standard granite, marble, ect. i have them on the concrete for now though, huge tightening of the bass and over all im very happy.

the wife also seems to like this since the hangout area is now in the back and not in the direct line of fire, its more of a talking volume now. WIN!

so now to settle into a listening of a very familiar album to me, Wilco's Sky Blue Sky for testng purposes...and of course some bourbon too.:cheers:

Hi Jim, congrats on the new changes.

Also, as you noted, where the speakers sit makes a huge difference as well, so raising them up a bit is probably helpful for the highs.

Since you obviously care about room acoustics and correct balance, may I suggest you look into a processor that features Audyssey room correction. It would add another layer of detail and soundstage cohesion that has to be experienced to be believed.
Well treated rooms show even better results on the soundstage front that one would think.