Diffusion and absorption...spot on! I'd also add...contentment. You've got a kick butt system. Just try and keep your focus on what the system does so well. I've performed music semi-pro for the last 25 years. I've got a few truly outstanding guitars, amplifiers and vocal mics. These are tools that make me some bucks. I also play keys a bit but nothing that outstanding. As a result my (electronic) keyboard is a modest Korg. When I got it (cheap) I nearly sent it back. I was hoping for a better grand piano sound but after a day or so I decided it was perfectly in line with my current skill set and years later I still enjoy it for what is does well. Good luck with your system.
I have an L-shaped room with the same problem as he has. My solution was adding a bookshelf on the reflecting wall, and place the speakers symmetrically by neglecting the openning on the side. I can tell you my imaging is very good, and my system passes the LEDR test with a very good grade. Besides, I find that having a non regular room helps with bass and standing waves, so it is not a huge problem.
Possibly helpful to that question I have had a similar situation. What provided great imaging and sound stage. Toe both speakers in the same so that they cross about 3' in front of your sweet spot. That takes the wall out of the equation. And move the speaker that has the wall about 2' from it. But both speakers need to be equal distance apart from the sweet spot. Worth a try.
I have the same problem, but do not have so good speakers tho. But after lots of tweeking and testing, i settled down thinking it was best i could do in this room. This included using a solid wood cabinet as fake wall. (Wich my wife chose) Then when i was finished, and then come home from work. My wife had decorated the room with her stuff. Plants, pillows, wall thingys you name it.. I think for myself. "sh%¤". But then oki, she lives her too.. Later that evening i put on some tunes.. And surprisingly, i felt it sounded better. So i started testing, different songs, different sources and different volumes.. Bu my conclusion, it does sound better... Now, not like really expensive high end systems. But much better than before decorating, and even better than expected from my system. A nice pleasant surprise for me. And turns out, my wife loves the system to. Unfortly when she put something on, she also starts singing...
I think great suggestion to treat the reflecting wall side, however if you use diffusion you still get a reflection that will likely be out of time with the open side affecting imaging focus. You may be better off treating both sides with absorption if possible depending on how open the open side is. Otherwise you might get a very late echo come back from the open side still - all depends on how big that area is and how much sound decay there is.
Best diffusion is a bookcase floor to ceiling filled with books magazines ornaments etc. Along the side wall? Some dampening panels made from rockwool acoustic type preferably. 6000 by 1200 30mm stick covered in a breathable cloth can be patterned or water painted covered on the back with hemp cloth. Make sure they are hanging away from the wall this is important but some rubber feet on. half an inches will do, by the side of your sitting area and slightly in front preferably, and important that you have it above your sitting area, on the Ceiling and in front of the sitting area. a bookcase, diffuser, or damping panels on the back wall.If It's a small room smaller than 10 by 10 placing either side of the speakers on the back wall of the speakers you might want to consider some in the corners, but don't overdo it? To make an easy diffuser by getting some 2 by 2 doesn't matter on the length they can be the same length but cut the ends at a 45 degree angle butered up to each other. Just making sure that the angles are opposite and not parallel for instance if one is cut at any left angle the next one could be down Angle, next one could be a right angle, the next one could be up angle, you have to make sure the next row is opposite to this. If you can put this on a bow board as well even better. Doesn't have to go to floor to ceiling would be better not to and keep away from the sides and corners.
Is there a video or series of videos where Mr McGowan shows and presents "vintage" PS Audio Products? I like that this video started by showing the first PS Audio product and the little bit of background about it. That would be a nice intro to all of the videos for people who are still owners of those products or.. the many who are dedicated buyers of older gear that they saw ads for or read about in magazines years ago, but couldn't afford at the time. Seems that the industry today is catering to the six figure salary tech folks in Silicon Valley, but That's a discussion for a forum or blog I suppose. It would be interesting to see and hear about some of the older products. I definitely enjoy the videos and think that it's great for the PS Audio Brand. It certainly makes the company more approachable. My wallet on the other hand isn't quite ready for a set of BHK mono amps. Lets see if a recently acquired degree in Marketing can help rectify that in a few years. :)
These videos are just super. Thanks for doing them! What are some other "marriages of gear" that are known to be as complementary as the Spectral/Avalon/MIT combination?
Besides your label can you give us any reference information on other labels that tried to do it the right way would appreciate I think a lot of us would like some reference labels that might accomplish this thank you in advance
I have a question about my speakers setup I hope you will help me with advice I have a Marantz sr6014. With front Dali speakers, Center, sub and 2 back speakers. Almost every day my speakers give a strange sound, like bonk bonk bonk. The sounds come out of all the speakers. For around 30 seconds or maybe 60 sec. Then it's over. I have checked the connections many times but everythings seems to be okay. What do you think? Hope to hear from you soon Thank you in advance
Paul, in 'tuning' a system to a listening room, is an active 1/3 octave equalizer not a good solution (using pink noise, spectrum analyzer .. mike combination) ???
I once made floor to ceiling panels which where easy to move. I neatly stacked them aside when not listening, and then i just moved them into place creating a wall when listening. It also kept out unwanted noise/vision from the other half :-)
A lot of professionally treated rooms use this type of absorption. A cheap 2x4 frame, some Owens Corning 703 fiberglass boards, and some acoustically transparent (and pretty, gotta keep the SO happy) fabric does the trick, and can be made to look damn good. That alone should attenuate the first reflection of the right channel to more closely match the left. What you can't fix with diffusion and absorption, fix actively in the source. Cut a little line-level sensitivity to fix the response at the listening position with a MiniDSP and a calibrated microphone. Both solutions are extremely affordable ways to get better sound out of a listening space that is less than ideal.
I use a diffusion/absorption system called "book shelves full of books." Luckily for me two of the wall of my listening room have bookshelves covered with books. The third wall has a window that I put heavy double-drapes on (drapes over drapes). When I listen more critically I close the drapes, but because there are actually two sets of them, I can alter the reflections by moving the drapes around.
I bought that Magnavox CD player because everyone was modifying it so I modified my own and I'm still using it. It is very picky about the CDs but once it works it sounds great and its 14 bit !
Rooms are crucial to good sound. My advice, although no one asked for it, is to just put the high end system in a different room. Pick a listening room - the largest, most rectangular room in the house where you can practically put a chair or couch across from two speakers. I am lucky to be able to use my living room for my stereo, but if it were impractical to do that, or if my wife didn't want the system in that room (we didn't have to compromise on this because she totally likes the stereo and once even suggested that we could get better, larger speakers), I would just set something up in a room that was better suited to listening with more optimal room conditions. I'd even consider the basement if I had to, although basements have issues of their own of course.
I agree... Rooms seems to be coming in 2nd or 3rd all the time when hifi enthusiast decide to buy a system and i am no different. A listening room needs to have walls at the listening area, and if these are offset or 1 wall is missing then your wasting a lot of time and money and the Avalon/Spectral system mentioned is never gonna meet its potential. We don't have this hobby for the fun of it and the expensive gear we buy have a special effect on us, but it's fooling us at the same time..
Hi Paul once again your videos make absolute no sense is the glass half-full or is the glass half empty you remind me of my grandfather with Alzheimer's thanks again and have a great day.
It looks like having a Ferrari but you are only allowed to drive it on the street, not where it excells: a race track. Buying a state-of-the-art equipment has to be planned in advance as of WHERE you would install it. Otherwise, what's the point of having one?
You are so cool! Just listened zo the last L. Cohen record and the Deftones Covers in Vinyl. Please check the latter out. It is so beautiful and sincere at the same time. Please give it i try. Nothing against a bottle of dry red.
“If you’re ever in the area, come unannounced”. What a genuine guy Paul is! If I’m ever in Boulder I’ll absolutely plan a visit!
Paul, it's really heart-warming to watch your videos and listen to you. Thank you.
I love these vids. I’m new to high end audio equipment and I’ve learned more from Mr. Paul than everyone else combined. Great stuff!
Jeff Loupe
I couldn't agree more. Paul must also be a great dad/husband.
Diffusion and absorption...spot on! I'd also add...contentment. You've got a kick butt system. Just try and keep your focus on what the system does so well. I've performed music semi-pro for the last 25 years. I've got a few truly outstanding guitars, amplifiers and vocal mics. These are tools that make me some bucks. I also play keys a bit but nothing that outstanding. As a result my (electronic) keyboard is a modest Korg. When I got it (cheap) I nearly sent it back. I was hoping for a better grand piano sound but after a day or so I decided it was perfectly in line with my current skill set and years later I still enjoy it for what is does well. Good luck with your system.
I have an L-shaped room with the same problem as he has. My solution was adding a bookshelf on the reflecting wall, and place the speakers symmetrically by neglecting the openning on the side. I can tell you my imaging is very good, and my system passes the LEDR test with a very good grade. Besides, I find that having a non regular room helps with bass and standing waves, so it is not a huge problem.
Possibly helpful to that question I have had a similar situation. What provided great imaging and sound stage. Toe both speakers in the same so that they cross about 3' in front of your sweet spot. That takes the wall out of the equation. And move the speaker that has the wall about 2' from it. But both speakers need to be equal distance apart from the sweet spot. Worth a try.
I have the same problem, but do not have so good speakers tho.
But after lots of tweeking and testing, i settled down thinking it was best i could do in this room. This included using a solid wood cabinet as fake wall. (Wich my wife chose)
Then when i was finished, and then come home from work. My wife had decorated the room with her stuff.
Plants, pillows, wall thingys you name it..
I think for myself. "sh%¤". But then oki, she lives her too..
Later that evening i put on some tunes.. And surprisingly, i felt it sounded better. So i started testing, different songs, different sources and different volumes..
Bu my conclusion, it does sound better... Now, not like really expensive high end systems. But much better than before decorating, and even better than expected from my system.
A nice pleasant surprise for me.
And turns out, my wife loves the system to. Unfortly when she put something on, she also starts singing...
I think great suggestion to treat the reflecting wall side, however if you use diffusion you still get a reflection that will likely be out of time with the open side affecting imaging focus.
You may be better off treating both sides with absorption if possible depending on how open the open side is. Otherwise you might get a very late echo come back from the open side still - all depends on how big that area is and how much sound decay there is.
Best diffusion is a bookcase floor to ceiling filled with books magazines ornaments etc. Along the side wall? Some dampening panels made from rockwool acoustic type preferably. 6000 by 1200 30mm stick covered in a breathable cloth can be patterned or water painted covered on the back with hemp cloth. Make sure they are hanging away from the wall this is important but some rubber feet on. half an inches will do, by the side of your sitting area and slightly in front preferably, and important that you have it above your sitting area, on the Ceiling and in front of the sitting area. a bookcase, diffuser, or damping panels on the back wall.If It's a small room smaller than 10 by 10 placing either side of the speakers on the back wall of the speakers you might want to consider some in the corners, but don't overdo it?
To make an easy diffuser by getting some 2 by 2 doesn't matter on the length they can be the same length but cut the ends at a 45 degree angle butered up to each other. Just making sure that the angles are opposite and not parallel for instance if one is cut at any left angle the next one could be down Angle, next one could be a right angle, the next one could be up angle, you have to make sure the next row is opposite to this. If you can put this on a bow board as well even better. Doesn't have to go to floor to ceiling would be better not to and keep away from the sides and corners.
Is there a video or series of videos where Mr McGowan shows and presents "vintage" PS Audio Products? I like that this video started by showing the first PS Audio product and the little bit of background about it. That would be a nice intro to all of the videos for people who are still owners of those products or.. the many who are dedicated buyers of older gear that they saw ads for or read about in magazines years ago, but couldn't afford at the time. Seems that the industry today is catering to the six figure salary tech folks in Silicon Valley, but That's a discussion for a forum or blog I suppose. It would be interesting to see and hear about some of the older products. I definitely enjoy the videos and think that it's great for the PS Audio Brand. It certainly makes the company more approachable. My wallet on the other hand isn't quite ready for a set of BHK mono amps. Lets see if a recently acquired degree in Marketing can help rectify that in a few years. :)
These videos are just super. Thanks for doing them! What are some other "marriages of gear" that are known to be as complementary as the Spectral/Avalon/MIT combination?
Besides your label can you give us any reference information on other labels that tried to do it the right way would appreciate I think a lot of us would like some reference labels that might accomplish this thank you in advance
Is PS Audio planning anything for your 50th anniversary this year?
I have a question about my speakers setup
I hope you will help me with advice
I have a Marantz sr6014. With front Dali speakers, Center, sub and 2 back speakers.
Almost every day my speakers give a strange sound, like bonk bonk bonk. The sounds come out of all the speakers. For around 30 seconds or maybe 60 sec. Then it's over. I have checked the connections many times but everythings seems to be okay.
What do you think?
Hope to hear from you soon
Thank you in advance
Great video (super informative... as always)!
The IRS's may not sound good outside but I have some late 70's vintage powered Advents that sound good outside.
Paul, in 'tuning' a system to a listening room, is an active 1/3 octave equalizer not a good solution (using pink noise, spectrum analyzer .. mike combination) ???
as he said, "remove" the right wall acoustically, i like absorption, more the better
Put a tapestry or cloth art on right wall with damping layers beneath to suit.
I once made floor to ceiling panels which where easy to move. I neatly stacked them aside when not listening, and then i just moved them into place creating a wall when listening. It also kept out unwanted noise/vision from the other half :-)
A lot of professionally treated rooms use this type of absorption. A cheap 2x4 frame, some Owens Corning 703 fiberglass boards, and some acoustically transparent (and pretty, gotta keep the SO happy) fabric does the trick, and can be made to look damn good. That alone should attenuate the first reflection of the right channel to more closely match the left. What you can't fix with diffusion and absorption, fix actively in the source. Cut a little line-level sensitivity to fix the response at the listening position with a MiniDSP and a calibrated microphone. Both solutions are extremely affordable ways to get better sound out of a listening space that is less than ideal.
I use a diffusion/absorption system called "book shelves full of books." Luckily for me two of the wall of my listening room have bookshelves covered with books. The third wall has a window that I put heavy double-drapes on (drapes over drapes). When I listen more critically I close the drapes, but because there are actually two sets of them, I can alter the reflections by moving the drapes around.
I bought that Magnavox CD player because everyone was modifying it so I modified my own and I'm still using it. It is very picky about the CDs but once it works it sounds great and its 14 bit !
Anders Hammer I would encourage you to get a more recent CD player.
Sorry I'm more into vinyl these days. While i'm sure they have improved but by how much ?
Anders Hammer said: "Sorry I'm more into vinyl these days." Sorry to hear that.
I own several newer 16 bit Magnavox CD players and a Denon so I'm not in a rush to get a new CD player.
Always great videos, thank's Paul. Da shit man....
Rooms are crucial to good sound. My advice, although no one asked for it, is to just put the high end system in a different room. Pick a listening room - the largest, most rectangular room in the house where you can practically put a chair or couch across from two speakers. I am lucky to be able to use my living room for my stereo, but if it were impractical to do that, or if my wife didn't want the system in that room (we didn't have to compromise on this because she totally likes the stereo and once even suggested that we could get better, larger speakers), I would just set something up in a room that was better suited to listening with more optimal room conditions. I'd even consider the basement if I had to, although basements have issues of their own of course.
I agree... Rooms seems to be coming in 2nd or 3rd all the time when hifi enthusiast decide to buy a system and i am no different. A listening room needs to have walls at the listening area, and if these are offset or 1 wall is missing then your wasting a lot of time and money and the Avalon/Spectral system mentioned is never gonna meet its potential. We don't have this hobby for the fun of it and the expensive gear we buy have a special effect on us, but it's fooling us at the same time..
I have the same problem with my room however I have open baffle speakers :/
Hi Paul once again your videos make absolute no sense is the glass half-full or is the glass half empty you remind me of my grandfather with Alzheimer's thanks again and have a great day.
It looks like having a Ferrari but you are only allowed to drive it on the street, not where it excells: a race track. Buying a state-of-the-art equipment has to be planned in advance as of WHERE you would install it. Otherwise, what's the point of having one?
You are so cool! Just listened zo the last L. Cohen record and the Deftones Covers in Vinyl. Please check the latter out. It is so beautiful and sincere at the same time. Please give it i try. Nothing against a bottle of dry red.
I would try a folding oriental screen, pull it out when listening, and put it away when its not.
Pepper Schnauzer Really wouldn't do very much to improve sound.
It's called a "She Shed".
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