kach22i's system

[kach22i]

Every little bit helps.

I raised the subwoofer an inch more to aid in cooling the amp plate which now faces the floor. It was getting warm as I played it near max for a while trying to tune it in. It's now at half volume, used to be near minimum and never got warm.

I remeasured the halfway mark on my ceiling because of the constant changes. This lead to adding two strips of 1/2" foam, removing the dome light fixture cover and taking the front plus rear baffles on the wavy ceiling diffuser mock-up off.

The sound presentation continues to expand and open up as if the room is getting larger, larger than it really is.

That last piece of ratted out foam on the ceiling (see last photo) really did the trick because I had shifted my seat four inched to the right a while back.

 

[kach22i]

After three hours of playing a built up stridency in the highs became all too apparent.

I had to knock the timbre, and quickly or retire for the night.

The covering I once had on the subwoofer to knock down cabinet reflections was available and consisted of felt and area rug underlayment.

Everything sounds better, less lively but more realistic and fleshed out better. Even the bass seems better integrated.



Mind the fact that these subtle changes were made with thin materials, not heavy or thick items.

It truly amazes me what a fine thread we weave when it comes to acoustics.

I'm more sure than ever that a wood front wall and wood faced or fabric faced first reflection treatment will work well.

The hard plastics in my room currently (blinds and curved diffuser) glare compared to wood or fabric.

 

[kach22i]

Must have been playing Uriah Heep too loudly last night, long story.

Amp has had a slight stridency that I've managed with room acoustics so I placed a maple platform under it to ease the sound in the upper frequencies, and that's when my problems were first noticed.

Everytime equipment is moved there is a risk of something going askew.

First right channel was out, redid speaker connections then both channels out.

I swapped the amp out for two other/smaller home theater amps, bridged these Rotels to mono.

So far there is an improvement, a more relaxed and fluid sound.

I also placed tall rubber pucks between and brass weights on the stacked amps.

Additional brass placed on rear heels of speakers to tilt more upright, this lead to even more detail.

Bass is sounding good too.

I've been curious for a while which would sound better, one 100w stereo amp, or two 50w amps bridged so they are running 100w mono.

My answer so far is two amps are better than one, but of course that one amp may have a capacitor or something going out for a while.



Meanwhile, back in the shed where I smoke my pipe and cigars the loudspeakers were spread further apart because of the heavy punching bag I hung. Bigger sound, and a center-stage, high up on the wall but clearly there.

 

[kach22i]

I opened up and cleaned my tube preamp, no drifting channel problems so far, fingers crossed my problem was just dirty contacts (and not a tube going bad).

Switched pos/neg speaker connection so mains match the sub in running out of phase, and there is an improvement in getting sound off the front wall - better balance too.

Recently I read a 10-year old review online (Stereophile) about Acoustic Geometry's curved diffusion and absorption panels.

The author mentioned positioning panels forward of first reflection points, that is to say point is after the arc midpoint, and nearest his listening position.

I gave it a try on my DIY curved panels, and have to admit that it's an improvement. Good thing I put mine on castors so I can move them around so easily.



Mirror on floor to show first reflection point.

Once I remove the post on the other side I will be able to shift the speakers to the left. This should move the first reflection point a few more inches into the room.

 

[kach22i]

My half subterranean listening room has been a challenge FM reception wise without an outdoor antenna.

However today while going through a box of old wires I found an old TV antenna with Archer FM bypass module and a bunch of 300 ohm wire.

I went from a couple of stations to over a dozen, and the wire is momentarily strung about on plastic cups, clips and the like.

Just in time for a Sunday evening FM 107.1 Diana Washington featured artist radio broadcast.

I did resort to flipping the toggle from Stereo to Mono for cleanest reception, but for now I'm loving it.

Also of note, seating is now tandem Eames lounge chairs, placing me a bit closer to the speakers but still outside and further back of the sweetspot triangle point.

The antenna mounting stem prong wedged nicely into an old movie reel which is standing on a bamboo cylinder that I use for drafting/art supplies.

EDIT:
Not sure why this is working better than the 75 ohm coaxial cable going to a beat up round Terk antenna in the covered up window.

Similar to this:
https://www.parts-express.com/terk-pi-b-am-fm-amplified-antenna--210-215

The retro look is making me smile though.

No substitute for size?

Is there a giant grasshopper hiding behind my subwoofer?

 

[Barry2013]

My half subterranean listening room has been a challenge FM reception wise without an outdoor antenna.

However today while going through a box of old wires I found an old TV antenna with Archer FM bypass module and a bunch of 300 ohm wire.

I went from a couple of stations to over a dozen, and the wire is momentarily strung about on plastic cups, clips and the like.

Just in time for a Sunday evening FM 107.1 Diana Washington featured artist radio broadcast.

I did resort to flipping the toggle from Stereo to Mono for cleanest reception, but for now I'm loving it.

Also of note, seating is now tandem Eames lounge chairs, placing me a bit closer to the speakers but still outside and further back of the sweetspot triangle point.

The antenna mounting stem prong wedged nicely into an old movie reel which is standing on a bamboo cylinder that I use for drafting/art supplies.

EDIT:
Not sure why this is working better than the 75 ohm coaxial cable going to a beat up round Terk antenna in the covered up window.

Similar to this:
https://www.parts-express.com/terk-pi-b-am-fm-amplified-antenna--210-215

The retro look is making me smile though.

No substitute for size?

Is there a giant grasshopper hiding behind my subwoofer?

Congratulations on the success of your ingenuity.
Might it not be better to simply invest in a good roof mounted external FM aerial?
That's what I did some years ago and it has been a great investment. Even better when I installed some NOS tubes in my MD 109 tuner.
We are fortunate to have some top class FM broadcasts here in the UK from the BBC and Classic FM so maybe more cost effective here than where you are.

 

[kach22i]

I mounted my TV antenna shortly after our move a year ago. I did not hook it up and run a cable into the house under the theory we would get more done.

When I hook up the TV's I might install a dedicated FM antenna - I think.

If there is signal splitter and filter that will allow me to use the single existing roof top antenna for both FM and digital TV please post a link to such a product.

What I have been finding is FM is treated as unwanted noise and filtered out by frequency in any 75 ohm splitter I have looked at. I hope I'm wrong, and may even have something in one of my parts boxes - still have to spend mental time looking into this.

For less than an hour's worth of work today I have new music in house.

Call it a small victory.

I heard some great stuff tonight.

 

[Barry2013]

I mounted my TV antenna shortly after our move a year ago. I did not hook it up and run a cable into the house under the theory we would get more done.

When I hook up the TV's I might install a dedicated FM antenna - I think.

If there is signal splitter and filter that will allow me to use the single existing roof top antenna for both FM and digital TV please post a link to such a product.

What I have been finding is FM is treated as unwanted noise and filtered out by frequency in any 75 ohm splitter I have looked at. I hope I'm wrong, and may even have something in one of my parts boxes - still have to spend mental time looking into this.

For less than an hour's worth of work today I have new music in house.

Call it a small victory.

I heard some great stuff tonight.

Thanks Kachi and I am glad that you have been getting some great music with the present set up.
I am not aware of any such splitter but I doubt if it would help even if it existed.All aerials including satellite dishes need to be carefully aligned to the direction of the source of the signal and it is likely that TV and FM radio signals come from different directions. That would would make it difficult to correctly align one aerial for both.

 

[kach22i]

My roof-top antenna is supposed to be directional. However past experience indicates it is pretty good in all directions.

I think that I will start with an inventory of signal splitters in assorted boxes in the shed and house that are set at different frequency ranges and also verify the exterior mounted booster preamp is also not an FM filter.

If the signal booster is also a filter then a pre-amplification split running separate cable lines down the side of the house is in order.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

I have gone through over a dozen changes in the last few months, mostly just moving stuff around but what a difference. Not more than three days go by without a change, and then it is several changes at once.

It has all been for the better, never knew what my system was capable of, and I've owned the majority of it for about 25 years.View attachment 64729

Some nice vintage gear.

 

[kach22i]

Added a new to me 2006 vintage Esoteric SA-50 CD/SACD player still being broken in as it was rarely played in an audio store owner's second system.

The cat seems to like it too.