System #310 (Spire)

daveneumann · May 25, 2009

Name: Dave Neumann
Location: Louisville KY
ML Speakers: Spires, purchased November 2008
Tweaks: upgraded jumper wires (improved the bass response)
Associated gear:
- Mc402 and Mc275 (Gold Lion KT88, Telefunken 12AX7, Siemens 12AT7, Herbies Tube Dampers)
- C2300 (Telefunken smooth plates in MC section and rib plates in line section)
- Raven One TT, Graham Phantom II, Dynavector XX2 Mk2
- Mapleshade rack; TT sitting on 1" slate platform
- Cardas Golden Reference speaker wires
- WSS phono and 4 meter balanced interconnects
- WSS and Cardas power cords
- MF A5 CD (not used much!)
- Nordost Quatrofil for CD player
- Audience Adept Response 6 power conditioner
- Various room treatments

The room is above my garage and measures 12 X 24 X 8, with a 6 X 8 window nook off to the right.

This is one of the better systems I have put together. The Spires replaced Quad 2805 and are much better in just about everything that I care about.

The Raven TT and Graham Phantom II makes for a very nice combination and with the excellent MC phono stage in the C2300 (with Telefunkens) most of my listening is vinyl. Moving the rack out from between my speakers helped to open up the soundstage. The rack is in the window nook.

From here, I just want to expand my record collection and then keep it to about 800 gems.

Comments, questions, suggestions appreciated!

twich54 · May 25, 2009

Dave, welcome again to you and your system ! Spire's and analog....."Saaaweeeet" !!

RichTeer · May 25, 2009

It's always nice to see another Spire-based system fed by black pizza!

tonepub · May 26, 2009

Nice turntable!

Do you use multiple cartridge wands with the Graham arm?

daveneumann · May 26, 2009

Hi Jeff,

No, I don't use multiple armwands. However, I have a friend who also has a Phantom with a PC1 cartridge and we have done the switch which is very easy.

The other thing I have found is that with the cartridge alignment jig that comes with the arm, it is very easy to switch out cartridges and it only takes about 15 minutes total, including all of the fine tuning.

Dave

engtaz · May 26, 2009

Sweet setup. Congrats

FOUNTAIN · May 26, 2009

Very nice indeed!! :bowdown:

Glen

Satch · May 26, 2009

Hey Dave,

Thanks for posting your excellent system! I hope you don't mind if I drool over your Spires until I get mine.

I'll be using a Depth i on top of an 18" ASC Sub Trap and I need to get my rack out from in between the speakers.

Satch

Audioseduction · May 26, 2009

Very nice 2CH arrangement! Just out right clean setup!

FISH_MAN · May 26, 2009

Is that a bed? how nice it must be to play music in their at night

daveneumann · May 26, 2009

No, it's not really a bed. It is a mattress that we have over the window seat in the window nook. This used to be my daughter's bedroom and we put that in there for when she had sleep overs. I've considered taking it out, but it probably adds to some absorption to keep the sound from bouncing around in the nook.

By the way, I took SPL measurements all over the room and the wall where I have my rack has the lowest bass reinforcement.

daveneumann · Nov 14, 2009

New room pictures...

I have moved my system into our basement, which measures 20' X 36' X 9'. It is much larger than my previous room over the garage.

Now that things are finally dialed in, the sound is much more spacious, bass is deeper with greater impact and on some material the soundstage goes wall to wall.

The only problem with the room is the bookshelves which were built for a large projection TV. I have two Ready Acoustic Panels (2' X 4' X 6") in that center area which serve as effective bass traps as well as fill out the area so the soundstage doesn't appear to be locked into the opening. (see the picture). Long term, I need to install some louvered doors or something else that looks a little better.

It's fun having company over now and not feeling crammed into a small room. The bar at the other end of the room helps with the fun!

Wardsweb · Nov 14, 2009

Very Nice ! I bet it sounds great with the Mac pushing.

An option for the TV opening would be to install sliding doors. They look like two doors, but when open they push back into the opening.

sleepysurf · Nov 14, 2009

daveneumann said:
... The only problem with the room is the bookshelves which were built for a large projection TV. I have two Ready Acoustic Panels (2' X 4' X 6") in that center area which serve as effective bass traps as well as fill out the area so the soundstage doesn't appear to be locked into the opening. (see the picture). Long term, I need to install some louvered doors or something else that looks a little better...

Very nice setup! Is there still a TV in the niche? I can't quite tell from the picture.

The acoustic panels should work just fine. You can also offset them from the wall (or TV) 2-3" to make them even more effective as bass traps. Instead of adding (reflective) louvre doors, another option would be to buy some acoustic fabric wallcovering, cut to the proper width, and hang it to uniformly fill the entire niche opening in front of the panels. Here's one source... http://www.silentsource.com/fwallcoverings.html

If you glue or staple a strip of wood at the top of the fabric, you can use 2-3 small eye screws and hooks to make the whole assembly easily removeable. That's what I've done with my setup, which is very similar to yours. In fact, I am ordering more acoustic fabric, so I can use 2 or 3 layers for even better absorption.

IMHO, bookshelves directly behind ML's can work better than absorptive panels, for mixed absorption and diffusion (depending upon what's on the shelves). How far in front of the bookshelves are your speakers?

TomDac · Nov 14, 2009

Hey Dave,
this should be in your system post on "Member Systems". What number is your system? I'll merge this thread in there.

Tom.

Craig · Nov 14, 2009

Is that a TV on top of a TV?

Nice setup. I'm envious of your basement. That's the ideal man-cave. Unfortunately, we can't have basements in Florida. We could, but they would soon become indoor swimming pools!

FISH_MAN · Nov 14, 2009

looks good I know the logans love a large room I like the bar in the background I bet sometimes you just sit their and have a drink while they play.

Jimna · Nov 14, 2009

the mac is sexy. nice room!

Audioseduction · Nov 14, 2009

Man! I wish I had a basement. Setup looks very nice. You could hang some heavy curtains inside the center niche which would provide better center stage and depth. Also keep your Acoustic Panels behind the curtain for bass trap effectiveness.

daveneumann · Nov 14, 2009

Thanks...

...for all the advice and comments. I'll try to answer your questions.

Tom - I don't know what my system # is? I feel stupid! !%$@!^@ How do I look it up?

The panels in the center are not a TV or multiple TV's. They are two Ready Acoustic bass trap panels stacked on their sides. They are 2' X 4' X 6" and are sitting on two wooden boxes.

Comments on the Mac electronics - yes the 402 does a very nice job of driving the speakers. I found it to be an improvement over my Mac MC275 tube amp.

Thanks for the ideas on how to better treat the center opening. I was looking around today at my local furnishing store and found a bamboo "rug" with a rubber backing that is the perfect size. I'm gonna try hanging it over the opening and put my acoustic panels in the front corners. Sleepysurf - thanks for the link to the acoustic fabric, I might try some of that as well.

Regards.

System #310 (Spire)

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