Starting Point - Bob's new room and Alexia's new home

[Mike]

Welcome to AS drb968.

 

[still-one]

Good morning everyone,

I was just told about this thread. I hope some of you will be at this coming AXPONA in Chicago. I've started a new business called Resolution Acoustics. I have two rooms as close to identical as possible. I'm using Sonus Faber Stradivari speakers, Pass Labs XA100.5 amps for both rooms. A Pass Labs XP30 will feed the signal to both rooms. Wireworld is kindly supplying all the cables and they will be identical for both rooms as well. The only difference is that one room will be treated and the other room will be left untreated. I have designed all components to work together as a system and some are patent pending. The rooms are adjoining, so with the same source playing the same piece being split at the preamp, you will be able to go between the rooms and clearly hear the huge difference a well done room can make. This is being done without the benefit of any measurements of the room beforehand. I sincerely hope some of you can make it & judge for yourself what you hear.

Bart

Great idea. I am sure it will open some eyes (or ears).

 

[Bobvin]

Removed the Herbies decoupling gliders from beneath my equipment racks this last week, and I'm sure glad I did. I had installed them wanting to spare the hardwood floors beneath my carpet, but decided to hell with the floors because when I put those Herbies devices under the racks the music went away. Even my wife said I'd f'd something up. All the sound was still there, but none of the music.

I figured so long as I don't move things around, a few little point marks in the hardwoods would be OK. The style of pre-manufactured hardwoods allows a lot of marks upstairs to go unnoticed. Huge improvment.

And it turns out Vicoustic's USA distribution is out of Seattle. I am going to visit their showroom in the Seattle Design Center next month. It will be nice to see a lot of their products at one time, in person. And I believe they offer some consulting as well at a very low cost if you're using their kit.

 

[Bobvin]

Cool... I opened the doors behind my speakers this last weekend and cranked some vinyl. Letting the room really breathe (it is open to the house behind the listening position) tightened up the lowest frequencies and the system sounded the best I've heard it. Gear is finally past the 600 hour mark, and the new Shunyata Sigma analog feeding the REF75 is settled in. Hoping the room remodel will make the room sound even better, and with the doors closed. (The remodel might include removing those doors, and widening the window. Not the best for sonics, but seeing Mt. Hood centered in the window from the listening position too good to pass up.)

 

[Bobvin]

The build-out of my remodeled room is nearing completion. Thought I'd post a couple pics showing the creation of the custom sound panels that'll be put on the walls. The holes and sizes are programmatically generated "random" pattern, and there is a different pattern centered on ear height. These fiberboards will cover differing thickness of hard fiberglass, which will then be hidden behind a fabric-wall. The panels will be located on the left, right, and rear walls. There will also be a custom suspended ceiling cloud.

 

[Bobvin]

A few more pics showing the progress in the room...

Hard fiberglass insulation layer

diffusor layer

fabric

 

[Bobvin]

We finally had the wine cellar glass installed yesterday

Inspection being performed by Merlin the cat!

Now that the wall panels have been installed and ceiling cloud hung, I am waiting for carpet to be installed (next week) and the acoustic curtains hung (2 weeks). Assuming my LED fixtures [finally] come in, I will be able to re-assemble my rig early in February. The only remaining step will be a visit from my Wilson dealer to setup the Alexias.

 

[Bobvin]

Getting closer... EarthWeave wool wall-wall carpet installed today. Beneath the carpet is SoundSense Vibramat (which is a super high density carpet pad bonded to a mass-loaded vinyl base-layer), and over the carpet pad is a layer of SoundSense Lumitex acoustic fabric.

What's left? Curtains are due next week, and I am told (fingers crossed) my LED recessed fixtures will finally be in next week too. Then I just have a few minor tweaks and can begin to reassemble the rig.

I am going to have some fabric wall panels attached going down the hallway to the bedrooms. Hand claps there produce a nasty ring, and while isolated from the music space by the curtains, I'd prefer not to have the ringing.

Vibrimat carpet pad topped with Lumitex fabric.

Racks and gear will go on this side.

Album cabinet will go on this side, in the recess area. Curtains will pull across the stairs.

Curtains will also pull across the front wall window and doors. (And of course the Christmas garland will come down!)

Finally, there will be curtains to separate the room from the hallway / wine-cellar.

 

[cmalak]

Bob...it's looking very nice. I hope you enjoy your lovely audio space for many years to come [emoji106]

 

[Melbguy1]

Your Merlin-approved room is looking great already Bob! Good move placing the wine cellar next to your listening room

 

[CouveApproved]

Looks beautiful and extremely well thought out. Can't wait to hear more about it at the next Portland Audio Club meeting.

Brian

 

[Mike]

Bob - I just saw this. WOW! Wow! Wow! Your room looks amazing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CPP]

Ok Bob the wine cellar did it for me, holy crap , very nice.

 

[Audio 1]

Absolutely gorgeous Bob!!

 

[soundqcar]

Splendid room! Well done.

 

[Bobvin]

Looks beautiful and extremely well thought out. Can't wait to hear more about it at the next Portland Audio Club meeting.

Brian

Thanks Brian, I am looking forward to hosting some listening sessions once the room is finished, the rig reassembled, and speakers dialed in. Were you in attendance late last spring when I had some members over? (Back when I thought the remodel was going to start in June.) That session was supposed to be the front side of compare and contrast events.

 

[CouveApproved]

Thanks Brian, I am looking forward to hosting some listening sessions once the room is finished, the rig reassembled, and speakers dialed in. Were you in attendance late last spring when I had some members over? (Back when I thought the remodel was going to start in June.) That session was supposed to be the front side of compare and contrast events.

I sorry, but I was unable to attend the first meeting due to a conflict with my work schedule. The one bad side of being a chef is you work when everyone else is off.

I will definitely make the time when you host the next event. Have a great weekend!

Brian

 

[RedSectorA]

Hey Bob,

How's the acoustics in the wine cellar, cuz thats where I'd live........

Seriously nice job you did, enjoy!

P.S. Don't forget to fill the cellar

 

[Bobvin]

Hey Bob,

How's the acoustics in the wine cellar, cuz thats where I'd live........

Seriously nice job you did, enjoy!

P.S. Don't forget to fill the cellar

Thanks for the kind words...

Wine cellar glass creaks and squeaks a little when I walk by... I guess the floor there has a little movement and the channel at the top must not be perfectly flat/straight. Fortunately, there will be curtains keeping the glass from reflecting sound right back into the room. The cellar itself not big enough to hang out in, about 13' long and 5'7" wide. There is enough space to put label-view racks along the glass which will add another 150-180 bottle capacity for a total of ~1000. That should be enough!

Current rate of consumption only slightly behind rate of purchase—it might take a little while to top off the cellar. Wine vs new vinyl will be the tough choice until the cellar is full.

I intend to put some panels on the hallway walls, there is some echo/long decay to hand claps that needs to be tamed. I have lots of left over material so just need more fabric-wall tracks.

 

[Bobvin]

My new vinyl cabinet is almost done! Just a few minor details and stain. (It will go in the alcove/niche on the right wall.)

The drawer faces will be covered with fabric, and the drawer box and face thickness, along with the fabric, were acounted for in the acoustic modeling of the room. I'll have another built for the rear of the room in the not too distant future.