Pictures of your B&W Set-up

[Angioguy]

New HT

Arcam AVR-300
B&W 803S
B&W HTM4S
Nordost Super Flatline Mk II Speaker cables
Pioneer Elite Pro 920 HDTV

Working on a new power amp.... :T

[L01]

I am a pure musiclover, so I just have my 802s, my mcintosh 602 AC, my DAC1 as DAC and preamp and of course my music-storage (the PC with the Palm as remote).

After all adjustments (PC-jukebox) and amplifier, I am completly happy with the system: I have two systems two compare with (802D and 800s) and I guess it is normal, that you like your system most ;-)

Next investment will be a huge TFT-TV.... and in some time, after I moved to a bigger place, I will buy a second system for home-cinema:
- Some Pro-Speakers and amps to kick movies the way it should be :-)

Kind regards
Andreas

[Angioguy]

pics

LO,

That is some crazy system you've got there! I'd kill for a pair of 802's or better-- on my way up to a Mc too!

[caleb]

LO1 - lovely set up, but doesnt your room sound a bit "live" with no soft furnishings in.

Wouldn't some curtains help?

[L01]

@caleb:
there is a carpet in front of it and a big sofa at the very end to get some better room-acoustics, but after all: The room is far from perfect: The windows at the back certainly have their effect, too.

But: I am working on finding another place to live in, where I can still listen at the levels, I am used to listen to.

PS: I don´t like curtains :-|

@Angioguy
Yes, a dream came true! The mcs and the 802s make a perfect match, making it possible to listen to music with any volume, , even beyond the 802s could handle.

I btw. get another PC-case, because black would fit much better now, and a new soundcard, which enables my PC to send its signal via XLR to the DAC.

Andreas

[masterwick]

No where close to others but I am working on it. Be gentle please...

B&W N802s
B&W HTM1
Sony STR-DA777ES
Rotel RMB-1090
Monster AVS-2000
Mit WS-65869
Hughes HR10-250
Denon DVD 2200

[RebelMan]

Nice start masterwick. Curious do you experience any excessive room gain with your speakers next to the walls? How wide is that part of your room? I am considering building a dedicated theater room and your image gives me a pretty good visual.

[masterwick]

14' Wide at that location. I am still moving the speakers around to balance the sound. The room opens up 1' or 2' in front of the speakers so the gain is not excessive. I'll prob bring the speakers closer and out as much as the wife allows

[sikoniko]

I used to have my htm1 on top of my tv. I recommend getting the stand and putting it in front of your tv, down below. i know it will stick out a little, but it does sounds fuller...and better.

[JKalman]

14' Wide at that location. I am still moving the speakers around to balance the sound. The room opens up 1' or 2' in front of the speakers so the gain is not excessive. I'll prob bring the speakers closer and out as much as the wife allows

My 802Ds sound their best at 4 feet from the front and side walls. I fought it for a long time and had them at 3 feet from both walls... but I finally gave in, it is so much better like this. The image is not diffused at all anymore and the bass is not overwhelming either.

[JKalman]

One of the things that kept me from doing it was the idea that the sound image would be too far forward for the TV screen, but it actually worked opposite of my thinking. As I moved the speakers forward, the sound image actually sunk back and filled all the empty space between the speakers and the screen, blooming dimensionally and becoming more real in its representation.

[bigburner]

My 802Ds sound their best at 4 feet from the front and side walls. I fought it for a long time and had them at 3 feet from both walls... but I finally gave in, it is so much better like this. The image is not diffused at all anymore and the bass is not overwhelming either.

Do you have a photo for us?

[RebelMan]

My 802Ds sound their best at 4 feet from the front and side walls. I fought it for a long time and had them at 3 feet from both walls... but I finally gave in, it is so much better like this. The image is not diffused at all anymore and the bass is not overwhelming either.

Jeff, how far apart are your speakers from center to center? Are your measurements from the side wall to the speaker's center and from the back wall to the driver facia? Just curious.

[masterwick]

I used to have my htm1 on top of my tv. I recommend getting the stand and putting it in front of your tv, down below. i know it will stick out a little, but it does sounds fuller...and better.

One thing my wife has not allowed me to do yet. One day that'll prob change.

[JKalman]

Are your measurements from the side wall to the speaker's center and from the back wall to the driver facia?

They are 4 feet from the ends of the speakers to the walls. I was running into an occasional problem when they were 3 feet away from the wall, where certain octaves in the voice range would become diffuse. Moving the speakers out further finally eliminated it for good. I was using the B&W recommendation for wall distance first and the diffusion was very large, then I moved them to three feet out and it was better but occasionally with certain songs I would still hear it. Four feet eliminated it. It is also possible that moving them out 4 feet from the back wall had the largest effect since the speakers were not only being moved further from the wall, but further from the TV, which was closer to the speakers than the wall. I'll take a pic and post in a few minutes.

[JKalman]

Wow, I had no idea how long it would take to DL pictures from a Canon EOS to my computer, talk about time consumption. My next serious purchase is going to be a 60 inch 1080p TV, most likely a Sony, but I don't know, I'm sort of pissed off at Sony for not making the SXRD TVs take a 1080p input signal (I mean, how stupid a design decision is that... especially since the PS3 will be 1080p output - my Denon DVD-5910 is upgradeable to 1080p output now as well). Thus, I may wait on that purchase till their 3 chip DLP TVs have 1080p inputs or till one of their competitors has a TV with those specifications.

I'm also in the process of cleaning my office, so excuse the mess...

Hi-Res pic of my listening space (AKA the front of my office)

[JKalman]

Jeff, how far apart are your speakers from center to center?

The speakers are around 57 inches from center to center between one another.

[Race Car Driver]

Well, its 4 am here, and i just got my equipment back into "close" placement for the time being.
The last week and a half ive been painting, I put up a textured "granite" paint on the side walls with a flat deep red on the back wall.

I still have some trim work, blinds and what not to take care of, but im glad to have music again after a week and a half!!!!

802s
Aragon 4004
Sunfire TGII
Denon DCD-1530
RCA 36" HDTV with VGA and USB inputs and outputs (my pc monitor)

Soon to be replaced by a Sony 50" SXRD

Room is bare at the moment, but will get some heavy curtains and some acoustic foam directly behind the speakers in a clean manner.

Meh, i need to sleep, its been a 14 hr day trying to finish the majority of this.

[tdiciple]

Nice remodeling of the room. Good job.

[masterwick]

Very nice. Almost doesnt look like the same room.

[audioqueso]

That looks a lot better, Chris. The color looks great.

[JKalman]

The two colors make that room look professionally designed. Nice work.

[aphexist]

Well, its 4 am here, and i just got my equipment back into "close" placement for the time being.

How does it sound?

[dyazdani]

The "new" room looks nice. Your system also appears to be coming together quite well!

[PewterTA]

Bring those speakers a tad bit more forward and a slight bit closer together... maybe 10"s forward and 1/2 distance that you currently have to the PC on the right and components on the left.

Should make them sound much better. Also look to put something in the corners behind the speakers...or get bass traps!

Room looks AWESOME btw... I like this set up over how it was!

JKalman, I think you need to move the 802s out more...your sweet spot has to be pretty small with them right in your face like that. I'd say move them out more and toe them in a slight bit more...and you can move them back towards the wall a slight bit. You might loose some bass but that can be easily fixed.

[Race Car Driver]

Thanks for the info, yea i want to move them away from the walls, and inward a bit. Just being carefull with them close to the TV.

Thanks for the compliments, its been a long process squeezing this into my 14hr work days.

Ya, some bass traps/ acoustic treatment are planned, probably mid jan after i get my recent spending taken care of.

[JKalman]

JKalman, I think you need to move the 802s out more...your sweet spot has to be pretty small with them right in your face like that. I'd say move them out more and toe them in a slight bit more...and you can move them back towards the wall a slight bit. You might loose some bass but that can be easily fixed.

I have moved them around quite a bit and so far this has been the distance that is giving me the best sound. The image fills in the space inbetween the two speakers and back to the TV since the TV is giving the center area some breathing room; the image is literally sinking dimensionally all the way back to the TV, whereas the closer I had them to the front and side walls, the more diffuse the center image became and the more the bass overpowered the mid and high octaves. If anything I may play around with the space between the side walls and the speaker a little bit and see how much I can pull off before the problem becomes uncomfortably noticable again.

I'm not having problems with the sweet spot, if anything it has gotten a lot better. Before I moved the speakers out I was having problems with the center of the image being too diffuse and swallowed by the bass. The closer I have moved the speakers together, the stronger the center image has become and the more the image has extended past the ends of the speakers towards the side walls, while also taming the bass quite a bit as well.

Perhaps it is a problem due to the construction materials of my office space; my office is in my basement. The system truly sounds better like this than it did 3 feet out from the front and side walls and toed in more, and worlds better than when I was using the B&W minimum recommendation from the manual. The only thing I need to do now, which I haven't had time to do yet, is fine tune their final position in half-foot distances and then quarter-foot distances (etc) to see exactly where the center of the image becomes diffuse again. :T

[JKalman]

Now that someone helped me figure out how to post a decent quality picture directly to the forum page I'll post the pic directly to this site. I was originally trying to do it by using the attachment option but it placed a strict limit on the size.

[Nolan B]

Finally got around to taking some picture of my FPM setup. I have yet to see anyone elses FPMs posted online so I may be the first.

Here is what you are looking at:

In the Bang & Olufson AV Rack:
Rotel RDV 1060
Rotel RSX 1067
iScan HD
Belkin Pure AV power center
xbox 360

Out of the rack:
B&W FPM6s for the mains
B&W FPM4s for center and surounds
panasonic HDTV plasma
Bang & Olufson aluminum cable coverings

maybe someone can send me a pm on how to post higher quality pictures?

[Nolan B]

one more

[JKalman]

How does the TV work on top of that sub? Won't all the vibrating be bad for the TV?

Nice setup BTW.

[Kens1]

I think it is just the centre channel mounted on the sub. All I know is now I am craving an espresso - nice machine vancouver!

[JKalman]

I think it is just the centre channel mounted on the sub. All I know is now I am craving an espresso - nice machine vancouver!

I don't know, it looks like it is slanted at the same angle as the sub and center channel speaker. If it isn't on top of the sub that's pretty cool; it solves the problem of subwoofer symmetry.

You should look into mounting the center channel also, not sure if being on top of the sub is good for the sound output of the center channel either. Can you mount a TV on brick or is it too risky and liable to crack?

[Nolan B]

thanks for the comments. The plasma is mounted to the brick wall as you can see by the picture below. The FPM is sitting on top of the sub and needs to be right in front of the plasma far a specific reason. The only way I can send the plasma its native resolution to achieve 1:1 pixal mapping is via the VGA input on the front of the plasma. The FPM 4 hides that nicely.

I have ordered a PV1 and although its round and the center cant sit on it I am having a steel stand custome made as a solution.

[Nolan B]

I think it is just the centre channel mounted on the sub. All I know is now I am craving an espresso - nice machine vancouver!

thanks...i use it twice a day :T

[JKalman]

Cool, sounds like it will be excellent. I just got worried when I imagined the sub shaking the center channel speaker while the center channel speaker is pushing/pulling the air. I was thinking it might warp the intended center soundstage.

[Nolan B]

Cool, sounds like it will be excellent. I just got worried when I imagined the sub shaking the center channel speaker while the center channel speaker is pushing/pulling the air. I was thinking it might warp the intended center soundstage.

valid concern, but i barely turn my sub up because I share my walls with nieghbors. The speaker stand is VERY heavy and solid and rest on rubber feet.

here is a couple pics of the coffee machine for fun

[JKalman]

here is a couple pics of the coffee machine for fun

It is a nice machine, lacking rolled-off highs, but I have heard it can be quite sibilant. :rofl:

[Nolan B]

It is a nice machine, lacking rolled-off highs, but I have heard it can be quite sibilant. :rofl:

chicks dig it too! :W

making a girl a pepermint mocka latte on it is almost as good as getting them drunk...almost.

[Race Car Driver]

Ha!
My X wanted a nice one soooo bad, i looked into the prices and was like "are you out of your fuggin mind!!?!?!"
All for some coffee?! i thought, now that im single, and have the house to myself again.... I wouldnt mind having a nice one... cuz chics DO dig it!
mmmmmm fancy pancy coffee stuff.... *licks lips*

Ohh, and on topic... nice setup!

[PavelL]

Never knew Miele's part of B&W group Or is it now? Then I might have to upgrade. My KRUPS stuff that is .

[Nolan B]

miele has a partnership with BMW...thats sounds close to B&W.

by the way..i really wish you could have a listen to the system. There isnt much posted or much info on these speakers, but they really are under rated!

[GregLett]

My XT4's

[caleb]

If you like coffe so much - you should listen to TONY LEVIN's CD "DOUBLE ESPRESSO".

He He He He

[Nolan B]

My XT4's

very cool....

I have thought about changing my FPM 6s which I use for mains for the XT4s...not sure how it woud sound with a FPM4 for center and surounds when watching movies however, because of the different cross overs.

You REALLy have to do something about the cables. Can I suggest finding a Bang and Olufson Dealer and buying some of the cable covers they sell. There is one which is one thick round rubber peice which you can place two or three cables into to make it look like on thick black one. I think it would be perfect for your set up. If needed I can post a couple pictures of it...