Moving gear to front of the room? Pro's? Con's?

atmasphere said:
The place to have your front end of your system is where there are bass nadirs in the room where your gear will see the least amount of vibration. There is no guarantee that will be in the middle of the speakers!

Since the balanced line system exists to eliminate cable artifact, I used it to allow me to place the front end in the most effective spot in the room, which proved to be just a few feet from my listening chair. It should not cost a lot of money to run long interconnect cables if your gear supports the balanced line standard. If not- then you will have to get more expensive cables.... I use Mogami Neglex, about 30 feet of it. I've yet to hear any cable sound better, or for that matter, different. They all sound the same, but my setup supports the balanced line standard so that is predictable.

I have LP storage between my speakers. They behave as fairly effective diffusers. It seems as the system improved in every way by placing them there. I have the front end placed on a custom built Sound Anchors stand, which has custom platforms for the turntable and preamp. I can play any volume I want and the system is impervious- it stays relaxed and does not sound loud at all even when the sound level pressure meter says it is. That makes long listening sessions a lot easier :)
Click to expand...

Thanks. Good points.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Zero said:
Mike,

You've clearly poured a boat load of time and money into your system - so why purposefully compromise the effort just so you can accommodate more stuffs? Go for the quality solution.
Click to expand...

Well, it's actually not for more stuff - it's to stick to a new cabling budget. An 11 meter run of Siltech Royal Signature would take most of my budget! Now, I COULD do Classic Series 550 or maybe 770 and do the long run.

The other side is kind of silly, but, I kind of miss looking at all my gear. The KRONOS TT, the R2R and now the T+A PDP 3000HV. All eye candy. Silly, I know....but...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Mike said:
The other side is kind of silly, but, I kind of miss looking at all my gear. The KRONOS TT, the R2R and now the T+A PDP 3000HV. All eye candy. Silly, I know....but...
Click to expand...

I agree with that. While the sound is the obvious factor, aesthetics has its place. Just as some people say they enjoy the ritual of dealing with vinyl as part of their listening session, I enjoy the appearance of the gear as I listen. However, since the gear is in front of me, the lights on the gear drive me crazy at night when the interior lights are dim. I moved the Lumin into the main system Friday afternoon, and that night the blue ring around the power supply button was driving me nuts, so I ended up moving the power supply to a marble end table in the corner behind the left speaker. Out of sight and out of mind.
 
Mike, I'm guessing that most of your gear have remotes associated with them except, of course, for the Kronos. Are you willing to have to get up and walk all that way to flip a record over when listening to analog? Just imagine the amount of steps involved when listening to 45rpm records. :P
 
dlb2 said:
Mike, I'm guessing that most of your gear have remotes associated with them except, of course, for the Kronos. Are you willing to have to get up and walk all that way to flip a record over when listening to analog? Just imagine the amount of steps involved when listening to 45rpm records. :P
Click to expand...

I know. The horror of all that exercise must clearly be taken into consideration. However, could we then consider spinning vinyl a sport? Surely it's better for one than golf - the only sport where one is in worse shape after they play than before (beer, hotdogs, etc).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
There is something that is partially touched on previously in this thread & that is the room. IMO, "if" the room is sorted & treated properly sound-wise where the optimal positioning has been found with speakers, having the components in between the speakers is negligible if you have these 2 things. The room to have your racks against the front wall with the speakers forward of them & the racks kept to the minimum height. This has been my finding in the past in purpose built rooms that I have owned.
 
bzr said:
There is something that is partially touched on previously in this thread & that is the room. IMO, "if" the room is sorted & treated properly sound-wise where the optimal positioning has been found with speakers, having the components in between the speakers is negligible if you have these 2 things. The room to have your racks against the front wall with the speakers forward of them & the racks kept to the minimum height. This has been my finding in the past in purpose built rooms that I have owned.
Click to expand...

Thanks Kev. That's exactly what I've found in the past as well, but you know, memory can be a fickle thing.
 
If you rack is off the front wall and a little off-center from the sides you should be able to get it close to a room mode dip (nadir). You may also want it a little farther off the floor than you might think, for the same reason.

My rack front is over 2 ft behind the front speaker baffles (which are just over 5 ft into the room). When I moved from a side wall location which I thought was good (based on avoiding first reflections and being in a bass dip) to the present (off) front wall location, the sound actually improved noticeably. Although I use balanced cables either way, I think it's possible that the cables being shorter might be part of that improvement.
 
rbbert said:
If you rack is off the front wall and a little off-center from the sides you should be able to get it close to a room mode dip (nadir). You may also want it a little farther off the floor than you might think, for the same reason.

My rack front is over 2 ft behind the front speaker baffles (which are just over 5 ft into the room). When I moved from a side wall location which I thought was good (based on avoiding first reflections and being in a bass dip) to the present (off) front wall location, the sound actually improved noticeably. Although I use balanced cables either way, I think it's possible that the cables being shorter might be part of that improvement.
Click to expand...

Very interesting Rob. The idea of off the wall and raising the rack a little up from the floor is a good idea too. Thanks.
 
Mike, There is a an excellent article in the Jan-March 2015 issue of HiFi Critic about the exact issue you are looking at. You can go on line at HIFIcritic.com and buy the issue if interested. The article is titled Relocation, Relocation, Relocation. In a nutshell the reviewer found, as was recommended by Jim Smith in his Get Better Sound book, that by FAR the best place for your equipment rack is at the mid point of the side wall. Just one persons opinion I guess.
 
zagfan said:
Mike, There is a an excellent article in the Jan-March 2015 issue of HiFi Critic about the exact issue you are looking at. You can go on line at HIFIcritic.com and buy the issue if interested. The article is titled Relocation, Relocation, Relocation. In a nutshell the reviewer found, as was recommended by Jim Smith in his Get Better Sound book, that by FAR the best place for your equipment rack is at the mid point of the side wall. Just one persons opinion I guess.
Click to expand...

Thank you! I will definitely check it out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
zagfan said:
Mike, There is a an excellent article in the Jan-March 2015 issue of HiFi Critic about the exact issue you are looking at. You can go on line at HIFIcritic.com and buy the issue if interested. The article is titled Relocation, Relocation, Relocation. In a nutshell the reviewer found, as was recommended by Jim Smith in his Get Better Sound book, that by FAR the best place for your equipment rack is at the mid point of the side wall. Just one persons opinion I guess.
Click to expand...
I don't think anyone is arguing the point that a rack not in the centre of the speakers is best, as all is room dependent,but, as Rob above & myself as well have found,it wasn't as good as we thought it was going to be. I honestly wondered why I bothered to put my gear at the halfway point on the side of one of my rooms & actually moved it all back to between the speakers about 4 months later. Once having done so the result was evident but nothing I noticed a day later by much.
 
bzr said:
I don't think anyone is arguing the point that a rack not in the centre of the speakers is best, as all is room dependent,but, as Rob above & myself as well have found,it wasn't as good as we thought it was going to be. I honestly wondered why I bothered to put my gear at the halfway point on the side of one of my rooms & actually moved it all back to between the speakers about 4 months later. Once having done so the result was evident but nothing I noticed a day later by much.
Click to expand...

I know this is so silly, but I really do like looking at the turntable spinning.
 
Mike said:
I know this is so silly, but I really do like looking at the turntable spinning.
Click to expand...


This is so silly, seriously? Next you'll be telling us to post with caution in respect of peoples feelings.....:snicker:
 
by FAR the best place for your equipment rack is at the mid point of the side wall. Just one persons opinion I guess.
Click to expand...
You know I have Jim's book and tried the rack location (page 76 Tip 70) just like he noted. The only thing it did was to cause me to spend more money on LONGER cables. The sound well, it sounded the same to me. Sent the longer cables back and used that money to buy more music. After all it about the music anyway.
 
Jim's book also says turn off the WiFi in your house. How much difference do you think that makes to the sound? Also that having a 30' cable run to one speaker with a 6' run to the other sounds fine. How many of us do that?
 
rbbert said:
Jim's book also says turn off the WiFi in your house. How much difference do you think that makes to the sound? Also that having a 30' cable run to one speaker with a 6' run to the other sounds fine. How many of us do that?
Click to expand...

Also if you wear glasses to take your glasses off as it causes reflection points
 
rbbert said:
Jim's book also says turn off the WiFi in your house. How much difference do you think that makes to the sound? Also that having a 30' cable run to one speaker with a 6' run to the other sounds fine. How many of us do that?
Click to expand...

Turn wifi off? I would have no access to digital then! Why would you want 30 feet on one speaker and 6 on the other? Listening to mono LP's in two rooms? :lol:
 
Mike said:
Turn wifi off? I would have no access to digital then! Why would you want 30 feet on one speaker and 6 on the other? Listening to mono LP's in two rooms? :lol:
Click to expand...

I can see it now, honey I'm going to turn the wifi off so I can listen to MY music, response "try It" I'm listening to MY music :fingers:
 
So how does one decide what parts of Jim Smith's advice to take? Only one way, of course; try it yourself. So I think that ends up being the "answer" to Mike's OP in this thread.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top