Rhapsody.Audio Listening Rooms

Rhapsody.Audio- Listening Rooms (RLRs)

Rhapsody.Audio would like to announce that within the next 3-4 months there will be multiple new locations where several of the product lines that Rhapsody.Audio represents will be available to audition via Rhapsody.Audio Listening Rooms (RLRs).

Initially, the RLR’s will have the products available for demonstration mentioned below. Upon opening, the DFW RLR will have a very similar product offering as that available at Rhapsody.Audio in Manhattan.

Over time, all locations will be expanding their portfolio to a comparable scale as that of NYC/DFW.

The RLRs will be available to host auditions by appointment. All product ordering and delivery logistics will be processed and supported from the Rhapsody.Audio NYC location.

Product assistance and installation will be supported by Rhapsody.Audio NYC along with the RLRs depending on customer location.

The RLR locations are:


Portland - Rhapsody.Audio RLR

Products available to audition (coming soon)

-Pilium

-Alsyvox

-Diesis

-Bayz Audio

Dallas/Fort Worth Rhapsody.Audio DFW

Products available to audition:

-Alsyvox

-Diesis

-Bayz Audio

-Pilium

-VYGER

-Kondo

-Taiko Audio

-VYDA

West Palm Beach & Miami (2 Florida locations) Rhapsody.Audio WPB/Miami

West Palm Beach will open initially. Miami will follow when the RLR is ready to host customers.

Products available to audition (initially):

-Alsyvox

-Pilium

-Aurender

-TelluriumQ

Chicago, IL Rhapsody.Audio Chicago

Products available to audition (initially):

-Alsyvox

-Pilium

-Aurender

-TelluriumQ

Long Island, NY Rhapsody.Audio Long Island

-Kondo

-Alsyvox

 

@Rhapsody and @Cellcbern
I can see that you guys agree on certain elements and disagree in some areas. If you were guys to list top 3 key aspects/elements of the listening room you pay attention to what would it be?

I agree with Rhapsody's comments regarding starting a listening room from scratch. Top 3 listening room aspects for me - dimensions (for which there is lots of guidance available online), buying speakers to fit the room, and eliminating room modes/reflections that muddy/distort the direct sound. I believe that there is no such thing as a listening room that can't be improved by some amount of acoustical treatment. From my perspective Rhapsody (based on the posted photos) has a lot of untreated reflective surfaces in their rooms. Where they have done acoustical treatment in their listening rooms (again, based on their posted photos) they have used conventional room treatments, which can provide for great sound if properly deployed. The DHDI ZR Acoustics panels that I mentioned to Rhapsody (see "Trying the ZR Acoustics Panels" at this forum) by contrast are a new (disruptive?) technology which doesn't absorb, diffuse, or trap. DHDI, which doesn't market to home audiophiles, has taken the commercial/pro audio space by storm (see: https://deltahdesign.com/portfolio/). Based on my test their panels are superior to conventional treatments, and they are thin, lightweight, attractive, and mix well with conventional panels. They reduce reflections without deadening the room like conventional absorbers, and don't require the large spaces that diffusers do in order to realize the full benefit. Given the incredible increase in clarity that I realized from deploying just 16 sf of ZR Acoustics panels behind my speakers, they are mandatory for me in any listening room I am building or advising on.

 

Cellcbern, with due respect, you bring up these panels over and over again. They might be the best thing since sliced bread, and looking at them they do look promising. If I was modifying my room I’d probably consider them -- but for me if it has a chance to give me vertigo after a glass of wine or two it has to be hidden. Not to mention many audiophiles have a WAF to content with. I will venture to guess the number of dedicated rooms per audiophile is a small ratio. My wife, for example would absolutely say oh nay nay if i suggested putting one of those panels up as artwork.

Fortunately, I am already blessed with a dedicated acoustically engineered listening room. It remains to be seen how it sounds with 3 new pairs of speakers, none of which are traditional driver-in-a-box designs. Knowing the rooms design I expect good things, but one never knows without listening.

 

@Rhapsody , @Cellcbern and @Bobvin thanks a lot for your suggestions.

The DHDI ZR Acoustics panels seem very promising. I'll have a closer look. I find the short video on their website very helpful in understanding the wave particle duality.

I guess what is critical to understand is that air is fluid. For people, sounds needs air to travel on as a carrier. Without air, we cannot hear sound. The study of how air moves as a fluid and a carrier is key to understanding how to control the sound riding upon the air.

@Bobvin , as far as I understand, DHDI ZR Acoustics offers a few types of the panels. Some of them can definitely give a vertigo even when looking at them on my computer's screen but they come in different shapes, so you can probably go for a safer option too.

 

The Dallas/Fort Worth Rhapsody Listening Room, owned and operated by Chris Hesse is almost ready for visitors. Chris will be ready after September 15th to host guests, by appointment. Contact information will be available after September 15. Bayz Audio Courantes and Magico A5, not in this batch of pics will also be available for demonstration at that time.

Great listening rooms with sota hifi.

 

Constantly changing speaker placement in different rooms/walls to get the "right mix". Starting to settle speaker locations, will work on sound as time moves forward. The Alsyvox Botticelli X, Raidho TD 3.8 and Diesis Roma Triode, Ludos and Aura are all settled in their rooms as on previous pics. Still playing in the "dungeon". I love it down there!

 

Constantly changing speaker placement in different rooms/walls to get the "right mix". Starting to settle speaker locations, will work on sound as time moves forward. The Alsyvox Botticelli X, Raidho TD 3.8 and Diesis Roma Triode, Ludos and Aura are all settled in their rooms as on previous pics. Still playing in the "dungeon". I love it down there!

The rooms really look beautiful.

 

The rooms really look beautiful.

They are pretty cool, built in 1878

 

Constantly changing speaker placement in different rooms/walls to get the "right mix". Starting to settle speaker locations, will work on sound as time moves forward. The Alsyvox Botticelli X, Raidho TD 3.8 and Diesis Roma Triode, Ludos and Aura are all settled in their rooms as on previous pics. Still playing in the "dungeon". I love it down there!

The sound must be just luscious! Like you can taste it. Would love to get there sometime.

 

I agree with Rhapsody's comments regarding starting a listening room from scratch. Top 3 listening room aspects for me - dimensions (for which there is lots of guidance available online), buying speakers to fit the room, and eliminating room modes/reflections that muddy/distort the direct sound. I believe that there is no such thing as a listening room that can't be improved by some amount of acoustical treatment. From my perspective Rhapsody (based on the posted photos) has a lot of untreated reflective surfaces in their rooms. Where they have done acoustical treatment in their listening rooms (again, based on their posted photos) they have used conventional room treatments, which can provide for great sound if properly deployed. The DHDI ZR Acoustics panels that I mentioned to Rhapsody (see "Trying the ZR Acoustics Panels" at this forum) by contrast are a new (disruptive?) technology which doesn't absorb, diffuse, or trap. DHDI, which doesn't market to home audiophiles, has taken the commercial/pro audio space by storm (see: https://deltahdesign.com/portfolio/). Based on my test their panels are superior to conventional treatments, and they are thin, lightweight, attractive, and mix well with conventional panels. They reduce reflections without deadening the room like conventional absorbers, and don't require the large spaces that diffusers do in order to realize the full benefit. Given the incredible increase in clarity that I realized from deploying just 16 sf of ZR Acoustics panels behind my speakers, they are mandatory for me in any listening room I am building or advising on.

Making anything “mandatory” for customers might prove quite limiting.

 

The sound must be just luscious! Like you can taste it. Would love to get there sometime.

The sound is pretty good, but it will get better as we settle in over the next few months.

 

Rhapsody-out-West (thats me) is beginning to (finally) see speakers coming in. Global supply chain and shipping has slowed arrival, but Diesis Roma finally made it from Rome to Oregon City. The Roma are as heavy as my Wilson Alexia, so carrying them down a flight of stairs is a bad idea for this young geezer. Thats where my little Kubota comes in…

 

Rhapsody-out-West (thats me) is beginning to (finally) see speakers coming in. Global supply chain and shipping has slowed arrival, but Diesis Roma finally made it from Rome to Oregon City. The Roma are as heavy as my Wilson Alexia, so carrying them down a flight of stairs is a bad idea for this young geezer. Thats where my little Kubota comes in…

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Nice one Bobvin and what a garage floor ! wow.

 

Very impressive packaging. I would love to see more photographs of the uncreating process and set up.

 

Very impressive packaging. I would love to see more photographs of the uncreating process and set up.

Hi Peter, I hope to have an expansion of another thread showing and detailing all, and my experiences with the new kit (while trying to remain objective—there are those who will perceive any positive commentary as marketing efforts.)

Today may see the arrival of the Alsyvox speakers, my fingers are crossed. They ship in similar coffins as the Diesis, and weigh about the same (absent the external crossovers), so I’m happy I have the Kubota.

 

Congrats on many levels, Bob.

Would seem ideal if (given clear weather) Alsyvox showed up today allowing you to deal with the larger portion of uncrating speakers over Labor Day weekend.


OT: Looks to me your bucket and fork extension worked out absolutely perfect to land new crates securely on your decking. Given similar heights you could probably set up a ramp off your truck bed if the tractor gets tippy. Did you have to take ballast weights off the front of your Kubota?

 

Congrats on many levels, Bob.

OT: Looks to me your bucket and fork extension worked out absolutely perfect to land new crates securely on your decking. Given similar heights you could probably set up a ramp off your truck bed if the tractor gets tippy. Did you have to take ballast weights off the front of your Kubota?

My little 18hp diesel tractor only can lift ~500 lbs. With the fork extensions attached to the bucket it is less—holding the weight way out like that reduces lifting capacity. No counterweights to deal with, the backhoe acts like a big counterweight in the rear. If I just have my box-blade on in back the nose can get tippy with a big load going down hill. Its the winter months with wet oregon clay that I’ve found myself sliding downhill—that’ll add to the pucker-factor for sure!

Diesis and Alsyvox each weigh ~250/speaker. Add coffin weight it is a little too much to take a pair down together, so one at a time; which is fine with me I'm extremely cautious.

 

Just a few pics of unwrapping/uncrating of Roma SE at Rhapsody-out-west. I have a ways to go before I have all electronics arrived and the system playing music, but the Roma are absolute works of art. The leather wrapped, hand stitched frame is a beautiful touch courtesy of Giuseppi @ Diesis. I have to say I‘m thrilled and eager to hear the Pilium & Diesis together.

 

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Just a few pics of unwrapping/uncrating of Roma SE at Rhapsody-out-west. I have a ways to go before I have all electronics arrived and the system playing music, but the Roma are absolute works of art. The leather wrapped, hand stitched frame is a beautiful touch courtesy of Giuseppi @ Diesis. I have to say I‘m thrilled and eager to hear the Pilium & Diesis together.

Gadzooks !
Are those items with the red frame inductors ?

 

Just a few pics of unwrapping/uncrating of Roma SE at Rhapsody-out-west. I have a ways to go before I have all electronics arrived and the system playing music, but the Roma are absolute works of art. The leather wrapped, hand stitched frame is a beautiful touch courtesy of Giuseppi @ Diesis. I have to say I‘m thrilled and eager to hear the Pilium & Diesis together.

You are clearly enjoying yourself - thanks for the pictures! Will you use some sort of floor slider to move speakers in and out of position for listeners or will all the speakers have their own position in your room?

The Roma look much more impressive in your photos than in the adverts.

Congratulations Bob as things start to come together for your new dealership.

 

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Just a few pics of unwrapping/uncrating of Roma SE at Rhapsody-out-west. I have a ways to go before I have all electronics arrived and the system playing music, but the Roma are absolute works of art. The leather wrapped, hand stitched frame is a beautiful touch courtesy of Giuseppi @ Diesis. I have to say I‘m thrilled and eager to hear the Pilium & Diesis together.

Absolutely stunning congratulations.