Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

Angsty said:
Room correction is available at a lot less than $11k.
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Oh I know, but if I'm going to upgrade I want to make it worthwhile in terms of sound upgrade over my existing Arcam AVR and I want to try to stick to something that will have some lasting value and is only two channel. That narrows down the choices a lot. It's a lot of stuff around the same level as my current AVR or below, and not a whole hell of a lot above it and even less above it that's only stereo. And it needs the home theatre bypass and enough space in back to connect my sub, that REALLY narrows it down. I mean hey, it's not really a PROBLEM, it's fun looking for this stuff. But not a lot of companies use correction once you get into the higher end sound stuff. Also remember, I'm in Canada, your $11,000 isn't mine. It's more like $8000 for you. And that's still several thousand too much for me...
 
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Mather said:
Oh I know, but if I'm going to upgrade I want to make it worthwhile in terms of sound upgrade over my existing Arcam AVR and I want to try to stick to something that will have some lasting value and is only two channel. That narrows down the choices a lot. It's a lot of stuff around the same level as my current AVR or below, and not a whole hell of a lot above it and even less above it that's only stereo. And it needs the home theatre bypass and enough space in back to connect my sub, that REALLY narrows it down. I mean hey, it's not really a PROBLEM, it's fun looking for this stuff. But not a lot of companies use correction once you get into the higher end sound stuff. Also remember, I'm in Canada, your $11,000 isn't mine. It's more like $8000 for you. And that's still several thousand too much for me...
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I admit I’m getting out of my depth when it comes to multi channel room correction techniques. I’m an old school, two-channel guy; room correction be damned!

But, I sincerely understand that some rooms need it to sound decent without lots of physical modifications.
 
Here’s a list of components I found on the Dirac site that might do the job as an alternative choice.

I tend to prefer separates to allow me to upgrade in one area of electronics while retaining in others. I’d probably never release my Bryston 4B-ST even if I were to add a SP4.

www.dirac.com

Online Store - Dirac

Get optimal sound quality in any environment with Dirac Live advanced sound technology. Shop now at Dirac Live online store.
www.dirac.com www.dirac.com
 
Angsty said:
I admit I’m getting out of my depth when it comes to multi channel room correction techniques. I’m an old school, two-channel guy; room correction be damned!

But, I sincerely understand that some rooms need it to sound decent without lots of physical modifications.
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Oh man trust me I do not WANT to use room correction for two channel music listening and in fact the whole reason for even going down this upgrade path is to try to go in the proper two channel no digital direction instead of the all in one AVR so that I do have that freedom like you said. However because of limited space in a relatively small bungalow house, the main room where the system is has to also have an AVR for tv and 5.1 watching. So in order to keep my existing AVR but still run the left and right speakers through a separate dedicated 2 channel amp for music, I need to use an integrated with SOME digital circuitry due to the theatre bypass so that my existing amp can still do 5.1 and have actual sound in the left and right speakers when watching anything.

Anyhow that part is boring, the room correction is because here is the listening space I'm dealing with. I have two L100s jammed into the corners of a space that's only 10.5 feet across, out off the wall about half a foot...
20231216_103328.jpg20231216_103722.jpg
These cannot move because of the fireplace hearth to the left and the projector screen above.

Then directly in front of that right one that's jammed into the corner, is a giant window...
20231216_103556.jpg
Two feet in front of the left one is the side of a giant couch. That it fires almost directly into.
20231216_103454.jpg
Between them in front is a 350 pound solid metal trolley coffee table that's maybe like 3 feet away.
20231216_104332.jpg
And I'm sitting about 7.5 feet in front of these two big ass speakers behind the giant iron table.

So it's uh... TIGHT. It may be a fools errand to even try to go without the room correction. I would LOVE to get this system into a proper room with some space but it ain't happening in this house unfortunately.
 
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Mather said:
Oh man trust me I do not WANT to use room correction for two channel music listening and in fact the whole reason for even going down this upgrade path is to try to go in the proper two channel no digital direction instead of the all in one AVR so that I do have that freedom like you said. However because of limited space in a relatively small bungalow house, the main room where the system is has to also have an AVR for tv and 5.1 watching. So in order to keep my existing AVR but still run the left and right speakers through a separate dedicated 2 channel amp for music, I need to use an integrated with SOME digital circuitry due to the theatre bypass so that my existing amp can still do 5.1 and have actual sound in the left and right speakers when watching anything.

Anyhow that part is boring, the room correction is because here is the listening space I'm dealing with. I have two L100s jammed into the corners of a space that's only 10.5 feet across, out off the wall about half a foot...
View attachment 190579View attachment 190580
These cannot move because of the fireplace hearth to the left and the projector screen above.

Then directly in front of that right one that's jammed into the corner, is a giant window...
View attachment 190581
Two feet in front of the left one is the side of a giant couch. That it fires almost directly into.
View attachment 190582
Between them in front is a 350 pound solid metal trolley coffee table that's maybe like 3 feet away.
View attachment 190584
And I'm sitting about 7.5 feet in front of these two big ass speakers behind the giant iron table.

So it's uh... TIGHT. It may be a fools errand to even try to go without the room correction. I would LOVE to get this system into a proper room with some space but it ain't happening in this house unfortunately.
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Just my thoughts...

You don't need a dedicated sub with the L100s; plenty of bass there, especially in a small room.
Keep AVR and integrated amp systems separate.

Mount some bookshelf speakers on the wall for 5.1 and keep the sub going through the AVR.

This is my current setup and I would not change a thing.

Also, those JBLs sound best when the grills are in the closet 😉
 
Mather said:
Oh man trust me I do not WANT to use room correction for two channel music listening and in fact the whole reason for even going down this upgrade path is to try to go in the proper two channel no digital direction instead of the all in one AVR so that I do have that freedom like you said. However because of limited space in a relatively small bungalow house, the main room where the system is has to also have an AVR for tv and 5.1 watching. So in order to keep my existing AVR but still run the left and right speakers through a separate dedicated 2 channel amp for music, I need to use an integrated with SOME digital circuitry due to the theatre bypass so that my existing amp can still do 5.1 and have actual sound in the left and right speakers when watching anything.

Anyhow that part is boring, the room correction is because here is the listening space I'm dealing with. I have two L100s jammed into the corners of a space that's only 10.5 feet across, out off the wall about half a foot...
View attachment 190579View attachment 190580
These cannot move because of the fireplace hearth to the left and the projector screen above.

Then directly in front of that right one that's jammed into the corner, is a giant window...
View attachment 190581
Two feet in front of the left one is the side of a giant couch. That it fires almost directly into.
View attachment 190582
Between them in front is a 350 pound solid metal trolley coffee table that's maybe like 3 feet away.
View attachment 190584
And I'm sitting about 7.5 feet in front of these two big ass speakers behind the giant iron table.

So it's uh... TIGHT. It may be a fools errand to even try to go without the room correction. I would LOVE to get this system into a proper room with some space but it ain't happening in this house unfortunately.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you need to move
 
Jbraswell said:
Just my thoughts...

You don't need a dedicated sub with the L100s; plenty of bass there, especially in a small room.
Keep AVR and integrated amp systems separate.

Mount some bookshelf speakers on the wall for 5.1 and keep the sub going through the AVR.

This is my current setup and I would not change a thing.

Also, those JBLs sound best when the grills are in the closet 😉
Click to expand...
I was thinking about this idea, wife would likely kill me. Less likelihood of death if I get an amp I can hide in the cabinet. But yes this is definitely an idea.

Funny thing with the grilles. I did all the room correction with them on, which was a mistake. And it takes so long to do that I've been completely dreading going back through and redoing it with the grilles off. The issue is the room correction is actually adding back the treble that the grilles dampen. So when I take them off currently it's actually too tinny, but the stage is better. So yeah. I gotta go re do the correction and take the grilles off, 100%.
 
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Mather said:
I was thinking about this idea, wife would likely kill me. Less likelihood of death of I get an amp I can hide in the cabinet. But yes this is definitely an idea.

Funny thing with the grilles. I did all the room correction with them on, which was a mistake. And it takes so long to do that I've been completely dreading going back through and redoing it with the grilles off. The issue is the room correction is actually adding back the treble that the grilles dampen. So when I take them off currently it's actually too tinny, but the stage is better. So yeah. I gotta go re do the correction and take the grilles off, 100%.
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Hide the AVR where it belongs.
The 2 channel needs hugs, breathing room and a proper eye candy area.
best_serial_killer_movies.jpg
 
SnowmaNick said:
Ok, if you’re talking about showing it off, I say just ditch the sub in your tiny room, and you get a lot more options.

Stereophile class A rated, and now has a Canadian parent company, Audio Research I/50.

View attachment 190641

Tubes, style, tubes.
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But also I still need the HT bypass for the left and right speakers for the home theatre. The only way I'm completely free of it and clear to buy absolutely anything is to buy another set of speakers.

Don't even say it...
 
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