amey01
Well-known member
So how does it sound with all that lamp cord in the walls? :devil:
System #95 (ReQuest originally, then CLS IIz , now YG Acoustic Carmel's)
- Thread starter MiTT
- Start date
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User211
Well-known member
En'light'ening Adam, I bet.
Hi Tim,
It looks like a very expensive investment. I bet those Kef are really great in the new room with all the new gear. Those metal drivers are just so unique. How did you go about choosing them?
Let us know if you ever want to sell your clsiiz. Please give me a chance to buy them if you ever decide they are not right for your new room. I am picky about provenance and you are a person who takes great care of his gear.
Regards
Duke from Madison WI
608 238-0501
It looks like a very expensive investment. I bet those Kef are really great in the new room with all the new gear. Those metal drivers are just so unique. How did you go about choosing them?
Let us know if you ever want to sell your clsiiz. Please give me a chance to buy them if you ever decide they are not right for your new room. I am picky about provenance and you are a person who takes great care of his gear.
Regards
Duke from Madison WI
608 238-0501
MiTT
Super User
Thanks for the comments Duke. It was a bit of an investment, but this is where I maintain my sanity, so worth the time and money.
The KEF's were a pretty easy decision really. When I knew I was going to build the room I wanted something that could keep me listening to music in the short term. Having heard them several times at RMAF, and given their incredibly low $1500.00 price, I knew they would do the trick. I like that they present themselves as a single point source, and the metal drivers, by virtue of their stiffness, give a very detailed and fast presentation - not entirely different from a 'stat to be honest, just a point as opposed to line source.
Still debating what I'm going to do with the CLS's. It's hard to imagine a life without Logan's. Still, if I do decide to part with them I'll give you a call. They have been well taken care of to be sure.
MiTT
Super User
Adding a few updated shots. Finally got all the equipment situated just so and have the bath and bar all finished as well. No more trudging upstairs to refresh my cocktails!
I finally updated my first post to the thread as well to reflect all of the latest equipment and the room.
I finally updated my first post to the thread as well to reflect all of the latest equipment and the room.
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roberto
Well-known member
Hola Tim...awesome! I wish to you the most happy listening!
projectormovielover
Well-known member
Nirvana ? I think so, what kind of speaker cables are you running?
MiTT
Super User
I had been using some of the Anti-cable Reference when I had the LS50's up in my den. Now that the main system is back on line and I have the LS50's mounted to some mass loaded stands I'm back to using the Synergistic Research Designers Reference Active X2's. These are several generations removed from their current offering, but they sound fantastic. The Anti-cables sound great for the money, but now that I can do some direct comparison, I prefer the Synergistic quite a bit - much more detail and a bigger soundstage.
Thanks for saying you might contact me in the future about your clsIIz speakers. I would take good care of them and give them lots of room. You are very gracious.
I have to agree that the anti cable is a stepping stone for those that like inner detail but I only speak of the originals back in 2006. They are a good value at the price point. I like active shielding because it does work and I think the price/value is much higher with Synergistic Designers Active x2 than with anti cables. I remember that the Synergistic x2 are Sterophile recommended at least for one year that I can remember and I think it was also in 2006 or so because i tried just about everything in those two years. I liked them better than anticables and au24. Eventually, I gravitated to Nordost. If I have extra to spend, I would try the x2 one more time. They are a real steal at today's prices. Kenscollick uses the Apex and I have been following him since his Prodigy’s.
Have you ever tried them with and without the mini coupler active? I could tell if one was unplugged because the difference was pretty dramatic. It took me forever to find the problem because they wire looked connected at the time, but it was not.
I think detail is a big part of musical and I wonder what the differences between active or inactive might be for you.
I have to agree that the anti cable is a stepping stone for those that like inner detail but I only speak of the originals back in 2006. They are a good value at the price point. I like active shielding because it does work and I think the price/value is much higher with Synergistic Designers Active x2 than with anti cables. I remember that the Synergistic x2 are Sterophile recommended at least for one year that I can remember and I think it was also in 2006 or so because i tried just about everything in those two years. I liked them better than anticables and au24. Eventually, I gravitated to Nordost. If I have extra to spend, I would try the x2 one more time. They are a real steal at today's prices. Kenscollick uses the Apex and I have been following him since his Prodigy’s.
Have you ever tried them with and without the mini coupler active? I could tell if one was unplugged because the difference was pretty dramatic. It took me forever to find the problem because they wire looked connected at the time, but it was not.
I think detail is a big part of musical and I wonder what the differences between active or inactive might be for you.
MiTT
Super User
Got in my Auralex LENRD Bass Traps and put them up in the corners of the room. I would never have described the bass I was getting in the room as "one note", but after installing these I have a much better understanding of the term. Much better overall articulation and it's fascinating to actually follow rhythmic lines now. One thing I wasn't prepared for was the amount of clarity it brought about in other areas as well, in particular the ability to understand lyrics more clearly and separate vocalists out. I was listening to Eric Clapton and B.B. King's "Ridin' With The King" the first night I installed them and was really pleased with how much more of their vocals I was hearing. Very easy to install as well. I did have to cut two of them to get them to fit exactly floor to ceiling in the front of the room, but it was a piece of cake to do it with a bread knife.
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TomDac
former MLO owner/operator
Great pic, Tim... and look at all that vinyl on the shelf!! wow!
MiTT
Super User
Thanks Tom. I am blessed with a decent record collection by virtue of working a lot of years in a record store and just taking my wages out in trade as opposed to depending on it for any real income. I still have a half dozen box's over at my sisters house, but they are almost all older things I don't care much about. Almost all of these are clean (gotta love my VPI 16.5 cleaning machine), and sorted by Genre and either Composer (Classical) or Artist. I'm kind of anal that way.
I've considered getting a good A to D Converter and ripping everything into Pure Vinyl, but it's a daunting task and I think I'd miss the "ritual" of playing my vinyl.
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greg2putt
Well-known member
Jaw dropping collection.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Bernard
Well-known member
Tim, with a collection like that you need a SERIOUS record cleaner, like the KLAudio. It has a lot of fans on Audio Aficionado). Not cheap, though.
I have a VPI 16.5 as well, but a more modest record collection.
I have a VPI 16.5 as well, but a more modest record collection.
slowGEEZR
Well-known member
Tim, excellent! I have to agree with you about the benefits of traps. I commented years ago that acoustic treatments are the biggest factor to great sound.
Bernard, I think one can get excellent results with the VPI 16.5; it's all in the process. For years, I used to just put any kind of fluid on the record and brush it on a few revolutions and vacuum it off. I have now found that using an enzyme cleaner and leaving it on while lightly pressing the record with the VPI brush for at least one full minute and then, without removing the enzyme cleaner, but adding some detergent cleaner and again, lightly pressing the VPI brush on the spinning record for at least 30 more seconds and then vacuuming does a fantastic job. The secret is to watch the record surface as the cleaning continues. It takes the enzyme cleaner a while before it has eaten through to the surface of the vinyl itself, as evidenced by the adhesion onto the surface. There will be no spots on the surface that become dry when spinning, rather it will appear glass smooth. It can take up to a minute (or more for filthy records) for this to occur. This technique is especially effective for removing the mold release agent. I use the Nitty Gritty Enzyme cleaner and the Nitty Gritty 2 plus 2 cleaner.
Bernard, I think one can get excellent results with the VPI 16.5; it's all in the process. For years, I used to just put any kind of fluid on the record and brush it on a few revolutions and vacuum it off. I have now found that using an enzyme cleaner and leaving it on while lightly pressing the record with the VPI brush for at least one full minute and then, without removing the enzyme cleaner, but adding some detergent cleaner and again, lightly pressing the VPI brush on the spinning record for at least 30 more seconds and then vacuuming does a fantastic job. The secret is to watch the record surface as the cleaning continues. It takes the enzyme cleaner a while before it has eaten through to the surface of the vinyl itself, as evidenced by the adhesion onto the surface. There will be no spots on the surface that become dry when spinning, rather it will appear glass smooth. It can take up to a minute (or more for filthy records) for this to occur. This technique is especially effective for removing the mold release agent. I use the Nitty Gritty Enzyme cleaner and the Nitty Gritty 2 plus 2 cleaner.
Bernard
Well-known member
Steve, you certainly are patient when it comes to cleaning records. Don't know if I could do all that.
MiTT
Super User
Similarly Bernard, I'm not so sure I could part with $4K for a record cleaning machine. My regimen is different than Steve's, but similarly involved. It's not so bad when you are cleaning 4-5 at a time on any given day. I do like the way the KL operates, cleaning both sides at once though, and I also get the rationale of using the ultrasonic cleaning to get into the grooves.
Tim, the new room really looks great. So ………… what's your preferred set up….KEF or CLS ???
Hi Tim, I understand that it is not easy to switch out the speakers again and again, but which do you prefer in your new room overall?
MiTT
Super User
Hey guys, sorry not to respond sooner, it's been a busy couple of weeks on the road for me.
I hate to say it after all my years as an ML owner, but I find myself enjoying the KEF's a bit more than the CLS's. HERESEY I know, but as Roberto always says, I have to trust my ears. Could be synergy with my new amps, room interface I don't know.
To that end, I'm going to listen to the KEF Reference One tomorrow. Not that there is anything wrong with the LS50's, but I want to make a final decision based on their top of the line stand mount.
Pending that outcome, I am more than likely putting my CLS IIz's on the market, possibly as soon as this weekend.
I'd worry about Tom banning me 'cept he's a KEF owner now too!
I hate to say it after all my years as an ML owner, but I find myself enjoying the KEF's a bit more than the CLS's. HERESEY I know, but as Roberto always says, I have to trust my ears. Could be synergy with my new amps, room interface I don't know.
To that end, I'm going to listen to the KEF Reference One tomorrow. Not that there is anything wrong with the LS50's, but I want to make a final decision based on their top of the line stand mount.
Pending that outcome, I am more than likely putting my CLS IIz's on the market, possibly as soon as this weekend.
I'd worry about Tom banning me 'cept he's a KEF owner now too!
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