I've got my "perfect" setup. Any other AKers reach the proverbial finish line?

[KDAC]

Yesterday afternoon, I received the Velodyne VRP-1200 powered subwoofer I ordered via E-bay on 10/03/16 so as to replace an admittedly ancient 42-watt Aiwa TS-W5U 8" sub I was using with another two subs to fill in the bottom end of my system (I purchased it for home theater use in '96). I purchased my original VRP-1200 during its debut in 2004 and have been satisfied with its performance ever since.

My overriding goals as far as the playback of prerecorded music consisted of the following:

1.) At least 100 watts per channel for two-channel playback.
2.) Separate pre-amplification and amplification sources.
3.) A "lake" of tight, mostly distortion-free bass to fill my listening area, in this case my living room.
4.) The music must be accessible throughout the house (LAN) and while away from home (WAN)

As I type the material for this thread, I'm listening to a Reader's Digest classical selection titled "Stardust Moods" and to be honest the sound quality is totally engaging, to the point of emotionally moving me. In this case, I can easily and clearly hear the tympani, cymbals, woodwinds, and strings in The Romantic Strings and Orchestra's rendition of Rodgers and Hart's "With a Song In My Heart" and it is simply startling.

I use the word "perfect" in the thread title given that that's the quality of sound achieved given the volume at which I tend to listen to music (65-75 dB C-weighted) when I'm around the house and not sitting on my couch 7 1/2 feet away from the front of the speakers. The size of the room I'm listening in is 20Lx12Wx210H.


Source: HP dc7600 Small Form Factor PC
Player: Winamp 2.95 with 250+ band Equalizer v1.62 for Winamp by Nevi
DAC: Audioquest DragonFly v1.2
Preamplifier: B&K Components, Ltd. PT5
Amplifier: B&K Components, Ltd. ST125.2
Speakers: KLH 9250B
Subwoofers: Velodyne VRP-1200 (x2) and Sony SA-WM500 (to be potentially replaced by another Velodyne)

Is it the system to end all systems? No. The loudest? No. Does the bass go low and loud enough to crack plaster, glass, or concrete? No. Can only dogs, cats, and birds in the vicinity of my house hear the highs? No. None of those aims were a part of my objective. My objective was to get the non-existent mid-range and fuller bass that was missing via prior off-the-shelf budget receivers from Best Buy/Circuit City into my listening space. I've accomplished that and am totally satisfied. Classical music has no business sounding like what I'm hearing at the moment.

So, in conclusion: After potentially many weeks/months/years/decades, has anyone in the forum arrived at the sound that suits their listening space, ears, budget, et al. and is totally satisfied? As with any hobby based on consumerism, it's difficult to draw a line in the sand and arrive at a final destination. How many AKers have arrived?

 

[turnitdown]

Congrats to you. I'm getting there, only missing link is a GOOD solid state receiver, 75 watts or higher with remote control. I have my JBL 4430s, a special (to me) personally built SEP tube amp and a sound card out of my laptop for .wav and FLAC files. The receiver is for the missus. She is an electronic Luddite, so the simpler, the better. The cheap SONY doesn't cut it. We listen and watch movies in two channel only. As Leo Laporte says, "I'd rather have great sound with a so-so TV, than so-so sound with a fantastic TV." I really want the receiver for me so I can enjoy the JBLs when I don't have the tube amp running.

 

[KDAC]

Congrats to you. I'm getting there, only missing link is a GOOD solid state receiver, 75 watts or higher with remote control. I have my JBL 4430s, a special (to me) personally built SEP tube amp and a sound card out of my laptop for .wav and FLAC files. The receiver is for the missus. She is an electronic Luddite, so the simpler, the better. The cheap SONY doesn't cut it. We listen and watch movies in two channel only. As Leo Laporte says, "I'd rather have great sound with a so-so TV, than so-so sound with a fantastic TV." I really want the receiver for me so I can enjoy the JBLs when I don't have the tube amp running.

Those JBLs are legendary and... very heavy. I know they weigh the better portion of 200 pounds apiece. So the question is: how did you get them into your house?

 

[turnitdown]

Haha. They are more like 127 pounds. I'm an older guy but I've been a gym rat for most of my life, so I carried them from the driveway, through the garage and then put them on dollies in the mud room. When I bought my EV Sentry llls, the previous owner asked if I brought a furniture dolly. I said, "I got it",and loaded them into the van. I didn't get a discount for that. lol

 

[OnTheBlitz]

Those JBLs are legendary and... very heavy. I know they weigh the better portion of 200 pounds apiece. So the question is: how did you get them into your house?

Hi All,

For me, I don't know if there ever is a finish line. I think I'm almost there, just need to add a turntable back into the mix, and thankfully to luvvinvinyl, I think he's got me pointed in the right direction.

Below are a couple of pics of my gear and descriptions on what's what ..:

1. 1x Apogee Big Ben Master Clock
2. 3x Furman P1800AR Voltage Regulators / Power Conditioners
The top one is always on and my 65" Flatscreen, Cable Modem/Router, DVR and Blue Ray Player are connected to it.
3. 1x Yamaha NP-S2000 Network Media Streamer / Player
4. 1x DBX 14/10 Graphic Equalizer / Spectrum Analyzer
5. Sony CDP-707ESD CD Player Used as Transport
6. Creek Audio OBH-10 Subwoofer Volume Control
7. Sony DAS-703ES D/A, that I Customized / Converted to Sony Reference Standard DAS-R1 DAC back in 1993.
8. Yamaha A-S2100 Integrated Amplifier
9. Yamaha A-S2000 Integrated Amplifier
Speakers: 2x Polk Audio LSIM707's
Subs: 2x Sunfire True Subwoofer Signature's connected to another Furman P1800AR, Voltage Regulator / Power Conditioner.

I'm bi-amping the Polk's, using the Yamaha A-S2100 as the "master" driving Polk's mid-bass, mids and highs, The Yamaha A-S2000 is driving the Polk's Woofers. The Sunfire Subs are run with preamp level inputs in stereo mode (1 for left channel content, 1 for right channel content.

Cheers,
OnTheBlitz

 

[4-2-7]

Who knows it's good enough and really it's at a point that another living location would only make it better. Sometimes you can only go so far depending on your space.

 

[KDAC]

Hi All,

For me, I don't know if there ever is a finish line. I think I'm almost there, just need to add a turntable back into the mix, and thankfully to luvvinvinyl, I think he's got me pointed in the right direction.

Below are a couple of pics of my gear and descriptions on what's what ..:

When you say "back into the mix," the presumption is you used one in the past. I'm going to take a wild guess and say you "went digital" for awhile?

 

[KDAC]

Who knows it's good enough and really it's at a point that another living location would only make it better. Sometimes you can only go so far depending on your space.

True. Given your current setup, would you describe it as finished or almost there in the room in which you currently listen to music?

 

[SiliconTi]

I may be there. I love my components, and bought what I wanted.

 

[KDAC]

Haha. They are more like 127 pounds. I'm an older guy but I've been a gym rat for most of my life...

At least you were mature enough to admit that you used a dolly along the way. I know some folks who would've claimed to have carried one in each arm.

 

[KDAC]

I may be there. I love my components, and bought what I wanted.

That was an indirect gist of my post. Given that new tech is forever being thrown in one's face (whether or not they "need" it) and the oh so human tendency to compare, it's difficult to arrive at loving what you have when being persuaded/pressured from without to always obtain something better.

 

[OnTheBlitz]

When you say "back into the mix," the presumption is you used one in the past. I'm going to take a wild guess and say you "went digital" for awhile?

Yeah, I Love my Digital, but am missing vinyl. However, look my post again, my Digital is about as close to the "good parts" of vinyl that you can get.

Regards,
OnTheBlitz

 

[4-2-7]

True. Given your current setup, would you describe it as finished or almost there in the room in which you currently listen to music?

It's finished if we don't count speakers that I push in and out. Kinda opportunity buying, not looking but the record store had these a few weeks ago. I'm really glad I bought them as they sound good and the Monitor Audio MA3 mkIIs work very good with my tubes.

But my point was to really get better sound for me it would require a bigger and better shaped room and a dedicated space.

 

[OnTheBlitz]

It's finished if we don't count speakers that I push in and out. Kinda opportunity buying, not looking but the record store had these a few weeks ago. I'm really glad I bought them as they sound good and the Monitor Audio MA3 mkIIs work very good with my tubes.

View attachment 800475 View attachment 800476

But my point was to really get better sound for me it would require a bigger and better shaped room and a dedicated space.

That is one sweet setup! My problem is space and room shape also.

 

[tyeeslayer]

If you think you are finished you're not sick enough.

 

[4-2-7]

That is one sweet setup! My problem is space and room shape also.

In general I think that's most peoples limiting factor, (Space)

 

[turnitdown]

At least you were mature enough to admit that you used a dolly along the way. I know some folks who would've claimed to have carried one in each arm.

Haha. Strong, not dumb.

 

[onwardjames]

Sometimes you can only go so far depending on your space.

This. Dan nails it.

I have a tiny room (10x11) and it's about as acoustically effed up as can be. My NHT Super Zeros fill the room easily.
The Vandersteens deserve better.

Still, I'm kinda at a point where I don't much care about getting that last 1% of accuracy. Tinnitus has robbed me of some of my vigor.

 

[moewillis]

i dont know that i will ever truly end my quest however i dont feel the need to make drastic changes in my system like i used to. im always open to try a new piece but here recently i have actually been quite impressed personally with the way my system sounds.

i really feel like the move to separates took it up a notch for me. and i have some pretty nice receivers...

 

[4-2-7]

This. Dan nails it.

I have a tiny room (10x11) and it's about as acoustically effed up as can be. My NHT Super Zeros fill the room easily.
The Vandersteens deserve better.

Well Tim that's it for me also, so we make it sound the best in the space we have. I run a balance of overall performance with sound quality. A fun system that rocks but still has awesome detail. I could maybe take a small bedroom with more equal dimensions no openings, small window, and build a dinky system in there sitting 3 feet away....