Summit X's for nearfield listening?

[bonzo]

Hi bonzo,

How are you doing?

The rack will be gone soon all together. The Anthem P5 (in the left corner) which I purchased to be used with Summit X will come in the middle with no racks, an Oppo BD and a dish network sat box will accompany the P5.
For the front corners, I was thinking of ready acoustics Chameleon NEST 2 layer corner traps and 2 GIK 242 (like yours) or 244 panels for the rear wall to replace the paintings.

I still do not know how to raise the Summit X? Is it even necessary to do that? I asked Jonfo, but I think he hasn't checked the thread yet.

I checked the Townshend Stella, but in order to completely connect the speaker with Stella (decouple the speaker), I have to take the legs off, doing that will tilt the Summits back a little and I cannot get them perfectly vertical.

Leaving the spikes and placing the speakers on Stella, will defeat the purpose of the Stella speaker stand (which is decoupling the speaker).

What would you suggest?

I wouldn't worry about that now. First just get your speakers in and get them playing, experiment with the angles and distance from the wall. If you are buying new you would need to let them play just to burn them in before doing these changes. Also I think you have a lot of space behind your seating position so don't worry about the acoustic panels at the rear.

After I brought my Summits in, first positive difference I realized were with Townshend, but before you get there, just try spiking them to the floor, see how you like it. They were still sounding pretty boring until the Audio research burned in, and then the lampi took them to another level. And the shun mook diamond resonators (the supports that go under) completed it by enhancing everything, adding air, and cleaning the bass up. GIK corner traps that I have added, 244s, and 242s that I have tried behind the panels, in the corner, or at my back have added little value comparatively. I have sold 4 corner traps, and two 244s with diffusers built in. I will still try plain diffusers as I don't like my current 242s behind the panels, so I keep them at the rear only because I need a painting to make my room look lively. Traps do change the sound but unless you have real room problems the difference might actually worsen the sound. This was the warning I got from 3 dealers when I started, I went ahead anyway, but my experiments confirmed it. I still might add two in the corner, but I want to try Stillpoints panels first. The best systems I have heard have been non-corrected, minimal treatment, mostly corner, then minimal at first relections. Except for two, both set up by a guy who is considered to be the leading expert at correction in the UK. Jon and Ken will have different viewpoints on this. The point is, just play your system as is before you try everything else to see your preference. And you can audition a lot without committing, so enjoy the auditions, and delay the purchase decisions till you have done comparisons and are sure.

 

[sharok]

I wouldn't worry about that now. First just get your speakers in and get them playing, experiment with the angles and distance from the wall. If you are buying new you would need to let them play just to burn them in before doing these changes. Also I think you have a lot of space behind your seating position so don't worry about the acoustic panels at the rear.

After I brought my Summits in, first positive difference I realized were with Townshend, but before you get there, just try spiking them to the floor, see how you like it. They were still sounding pretty boring until the Audio research burned in, and then the lampi took them to another level. And the shun mook diamond resonators (the supports that go under) completed it by enhancing everything, adding air, and cleaning the bass up. GIK corner traps that I have added, 244s, and 242s that I have tried behind the panels, in the corner, or at my back have added little value comparatively. I have sold 4 corner traps, and two 244s with diffusers built in. I will still try plain diffusers as I don't like my current 242s behind the panels, so I keep them at the rear only because I need a painting to make my room look lively. Traps do change the sound but unless you have real room problems the difference might actually worsen the sound. This was the warning I got from 3 dealers when I started, I went ahead anyway, but my experiments confirmed it. I still might add two in the corner, but I want to try Stillpoints panels first. The best systems I have heard have been non-corrected, minimal treatment, mostly corner, then minimal at first relections. Except for two, both set up by a guy who is considered to be the leading expert at correction in the UK. Jon and Ken will have different viewpoints on this. The point is, just play your system as is before you try everything else to see your preference. And you can audition a lot without committing, so enjoy the auditions, and delay the purchase decisions till you have done comparisons and are sure.

Hi bonzo,

Many thanks for your suggestions.

I'll give you an update as soon as I change the setup and get the speakers home.

 

[sharok]

Here is my new setup (finally):
Many thanks to Gordon Gray for helping me to setup the Summit X. I still need to talk to him regarding the rest of my power cords.
OLED65E6P
Oppo-103 (external Darbee)
5 channel Anthem P5
Audio Racks: Adona Corporation
Processor: Emotiva XMC-1
Sound Absorbers: GIK Acoustics (Tri Traps in the fron corners only up to ceiling, small 244 panel behind the center channel)
Front Speakers: Summit X (Bubinga)
Center: Stage
Surrounds: Script i
Subwoofer: Paradigm Seismic 110

 

[bonzo]

Nicely done - you should experiment with and without the 244 and the bass traps, you probably have already.

When I had the Summits, I spiked them on the Auralex Gramma pads, which cost roughly 70 quid. It was superb, much better than spiking them directly onto the carpet or on Granite, or keeping them on the Summit non-spiked feet. In retrospect I should have used Track Audio spikes, they are taller, and it is possible that increasing the distance of the downward firing woofer from the ground would have increased the musicality of the bass.

 

[sharok]

Hi bonzo,
The 244 is only 17.5 inch X 11 inch which I put it just behind the panel since it is wall mounted, I hope you cannot even see it.
the back of the front speakers do not exactly line up with the corner (they mainly face the wall). I just added absorbers to the corners since my panels at only 1 meter away from the wall and the corners.
I installed the spikes and I purchases spike decoupling gliders from Herbie's shop (http://herbiesaudiolab.net/spkrfeet.htm#cone). I got the stainless steel ones.
One interesting thing is this setup is the subwoofer. Considering its size, it is an amazing sub. I used Paradigm Bass Kit on it, and it really worked. This is a powerful and accurate sub.

 

[Htguy]

So how do the Summit X sound? Compared to old speakers? Have you done much critical listening yet?

At what levels do you normally listen too?

 

[sharok]

So how do the Summit X sound? Compared to old speakers? Have you done much critical listening yet?

At what levels do you normally listen too?

My old speakers were a pair of Purity (powered speakers). I have an Emotiva XMC-1 and a calibrator is coming to calibrate the system using REW since XMC-1 can import REW filters.

I setup everything with a SPL meter at 75db and when I play 2 channel music it sounds fantastic. It sounds much much better than my Purity. Also my new subwoofer (Seismic 110) is an excellent sub. I did not expect it to be this good considering the size.