My relaxation space

Awesome! Looks like a wonderful space to enjoy your tunes.

Very nice!

Yeah, the benefits optical provides is not at all subtle. I'm using a 30M run of Corning 9/125 single-mode LC/LC fiber that cost me all of...30 bucks. Optical does not pass a number of noise factors* that impact digital playback from a networked music server pretty significantly. I expect we'll see more and more companies allow for connectivity via optical interfaces over time. Just a note that different optical transceivers can sound different.

Just a tip: put your Hydra power distributor on top of a stiff (e.g. maple or IKEA Aptitlig) board resting on some footers (even small wooden blocks will work) instead of directly on the carpet. It will result in a nice improvement in audio quality.

* - Low-source impedance leakage current, high-source impedance leakage current, and threshold jitter.

Looks GREAT!!

Puma Cat said:

Very nice!

Yeah, the benefits optical provides is not at all subtle. I'm using a 30M run of Corning 9/125 single-mode LC/LC fiber that cost me all of...30 bucks. Optical does not pass a number of noise factors* that impact digital playback from a networked music server pretty significantly. I expect we'll see more and more companies allow for connectivity via optical interfaces over time. Just a note that different optical transceivers can sound different.

Just a tip: put your Hydra power distributor on top of a stiff (e.g. maple or IKEA Aptitlig) board resting on some footers (even small wooden blocks will work) instead of directly on the carpet. It will result in a nice improvement in audio quality.

* - Low-source impedance leakage current, high-source impedance leakage current, and threshold jitter.

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Thanks for noticing and saying something Puma. It has been, until 2 days ago when I finished the changes. I used it under my SonicOrbiter with the footers. I have not been back to my shop to make another board for it to sit on.

brad225 said:

I thought I had posted my system long ago but it clearly is not shown if I did.

This is the most current change I have made this week.
I eliminated the 8M interconnects from the side of the room near my listening chair to the amps at the front of the room. This is done running through 1" PVC conduit under the floor.

I moved the Preamp with its power supply and DAC/CD player to the front next to the amps. This allowed me to make new interconnects that are less than 2M.

The run between the other front end equipment that is still in its original place by my chair is now handled my a 10M fiber optic cable run through the conduit.

The sound is ever better than I had hoped. Quieter if that was possible more open sound stage and even better placement of instruments and voices.

All of that plus 2-10M fiber optic cables were $18. That is amazing.



View attachment 32429
View attachment 32428

This link is to the Martin Logan Owners site. I shows, in this and other links the history of my room and system.
System #174 (CLSIIz, SL3) | MartinLogan Audio Owners Forum

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Beautiful! Love the space.


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brad225 said:

Thanks for noticing and saying something Puma. It has been, until 2 days ago when I finished the changes. I used it under my SonicOrbiter with the footers. I have not been back to my shop to make another board for it to sit on.

Click to expand...

Yep, no worries, Brad. Just a tip for consideration.

Room and system look great! Happy listening!

Very nice - I presume this is a dedicated listening room and not a living room.

How far forward are the ML speakers from the back wall? I ask because 3 years ago, I thought I'd move from horns to electrostatics. After reading several reviews and carefully listening at a London showroom, I was convinced they'd offer a significant improvement over my 17 year old Avantgarde Unos. I bought a pair of Expression 13As, but despite the efforts of Anthem and a set-up visit by the UK distributor, they were a serious disappointment.

After further thought, I concluded that they just didn't like my room. They were centrally placed with 12 ft behind one and 15 ft behind the other where there was a floor-to-ceiling curved glass wall. The trouble seemed to be that these speakers squirt 50% of their energy backwards (even the hybrid bass drivers) and this energy could not be productively harnessed. You’ll appreciate the problem from the photo below.

All visitors confirmed my own reluctant opinion that the old Unos sounded far better, so the MLs were sold at a big loss. Moral - always insist on a home demo for speakers in particular!

Since then, I found a pair of used 2006-vintage Avantgarde Duos, but more recently I bought new Duo DXs. Horn speakers are so much less fussy on placement regarding nearby walls and really don't need much if anything by way of artificial room treatment. They still need very careful setting up to get best performance though.

Your room appears far more suitable for electrostatics than my almost semi-circular one and seems to have no windows where the view would be seriously obstructed by those impressive panels.

I'm sure they sound great. Well done.

HH it is a dedicated listening room. It was at the request of my beloved wife that was tired of having equipment in out living room since the early 70's. I was happy to accommodate her request.

The CLX's are 5'-6" from the back wall.

I understand that the horns sounded better than the panels did. I followed your trials and tribulations of the decisions you were faced with with the speakers.

I still love the room and the view you have.

brad225 said:

HH it is a dedicated listening room. It was at the request of my beloved wife that was tired of having equipment in out living room since the early 70's. I was happy to accommodate her request.

The CLX's are 5'-6" from the back wall.

I understand that the horns sounded better than the panels did. I followed your trials and tribulations of the decisions you were faced with with the speakers.

I still love the room and the view you have.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I’m sure that had I a room such as your, the MLs would have been a great choice. I chose these tall, relatively narrow speakers partly on account of their “transparency”.

With a dedicated music room of normal shape and dimensions, I may well be a happy Martin Logan user. Great that you - and presumably your patient wife - are both very happy with the new audio kit. A great deal of thought and care has obviously been put into your new room and I guess the sound is fantastic.

A real beauty!