Pictures of your B&W Set-up

[BlazeMaster]

If I remembered correctly, Igor happened to be the owner of the hi fi salesroom, so it is technically his to show off. Who cares if it's really his, it's still a room to drool for.

[ssabripo]

Dont be impressed - it's a hi fi salesroom!

Igor turned out to be a bit if a bull$#i!!er

WOW...is that right?! :E What is it with people posing online all the time with stuff that's not theirs. I mean christ, if you have it you have it, if you dont you dont. I love Ferraris, but I can't afford one and certainly wouldn't go online posing for one.....what's the point?!




anyways, here is my little humble system:

[Fife]

Your subs dont look too humble :E :banana:

[Joey_V]

SS,

I like I like!!!

[caleb]

What are those big cylinders in the corner??

[ssabripo]

What are those big cylinders in the corner??

8O

oh nothing....just a couple of big tubes that house an Avalanche 18" XBL^2 driver, powered by a Crown K2 and EQ'd with a DEQ2496, tuned to 12.4hz, flat response to single digit Hz.

nothing really

[Nolan B]

If I remembered correctly, Igor happened to be the owner of the hi fi salesroom, so it is technically his to show off. Who cares if it's really his, it's still a room to drool for.

LOL. Igor owns the store I shop at and have been shopping at since my first system. I will say this thou...that is in his house, and not his store.

[Race Car Driver]

nothing really

:rofl:

[Race Car Driver]

LOL. Igor owns the store I shop at and have been shopping at since my first system. I will say this thou...that is in his house, and not his store.

ORLY? 8O

[Nolan B]

ORLY? 8O

yup. He does however invite clients over to see that room. He has another room at the store with most of that equipment.

[Avairen]

good lord those are huge.

[Briz vegas]

I don't want to sound like a broken record, BUT (here is comes) why a plasma with a HT like that when you can have the scale of projection for the same price.

Its a dedicated room, cinemas all round the world use projection, it has scale, romance, history and the "real thing" vibe all going for it but people still go with a tiny little plasma. He has subs that can give enormous scale but when the mammoth or the star cruiser comes on the screen its the size of a basset. Plasma is the solution when you can't control the light or if you want to watch .................television (yuck splutter spit........sport is exempted from this distain),

Nice speakers by the way (see, I do have something nice to say)

[ssabripo]

I don't want to sound like a broken record, BUT (here is comes) why a plasma with a HT like that when you can have the scale of projection for the same price.

Its a dedicated room, cinemas all round the world use projection, it has scale, romance, history and the "real thing" vibe all going for it but people still go with a tiny little plasma. He has subs that can give enormous scale but when the mammoth or the star cruiser comes on the screen its the size of a basset. Plasma is the solution when you can't control the light or if you want to watch .................television (yuck splutter spit........sport is exempted from this distain),

Nice speakers by the way (see, I do have something nice to say)

simple:

I work with video and video codecs all day in my job...I'm an advanced technology engineer and one of my main jobs is developing future technologies for my company......and one of those is advanced video codecs including H.264 -AVC codecs for many applications. Thus, for me, my concern at home/work/anywhere has and will always be VIDEO QUALITY, period.

I could care less if I have a 50" plasma instead of a 110" screen with a Runco 20K projector.....I could care less about how big things look or how expensive things are.

I went with a Pioneer Elite plasma because it had the absolute best PQ out there, the most Accurate IRE levels from 0-100, one of the best processing engines (sans the AVM2 in the fujistsus), and the absolute best SD reproduction of any flat panel display, and contrast ratios that blow any projector back to kingdom come.

additionally, my wife/kids use it all day, so yes, TV is a big part of our lives.

When I get a dedicated "HT room", and plasma's are not there in terms of size vs cost ratio (which they will be), and their PQ has improved, then I will surely consider one.

[Cambs12]

I considered projectors,but until i build a dedicated room,the visual element has to be accessible by my wife also,she doesn't want to watch Coronation Street(dodgy UK soap) or friends on a 9 foot screen!! I think also the viewing distance has to be a factor also.Anyway,with subs like those,you can't fail to be immersed when the star cruiser comes into view!

[Briz vegas]

ssabripo

Yeah, but its too small. Given your constraints and what you do for a living I can understand your decision. To me, even through I run an cheap oldish Hitachi with very ordinary black levels, a dead pixel in the top left corner and lots of other fairly ordinary characteristics, I just could not go back to a small screen for movies. A modern HD projector with the sort of contrast they are producing would be just amazing (one day maybe I will have one)

I use a 17 inch widescreen LCD screen for TV. Its contrast is hugely better than the projector and it is high definition so no pixel structure - yet I still go for the projector to watch a movie and love it. Screen size is one of the few areas where size really matters IMO. The projector is only used for DVDs or for very occasional sport, like the world cup soccer.

[ssabripo]

briz...like I said, to me size is not an issue. I sit 8 ft from the screen, and believe me, 50" is NOT small. Sure, it's not a 110" screen, but I much rather have the incredible picture quality in a "smaller" size, than a huge theater-like screen with washed out colors, grey-ish black levels, and rudimentary details.

and trust me, when the lights are out, and I have the system cranked up to moderate levels, the movie experience is there... You should see how 120dB @ 18hz, 10%THD < , feels like!

[Briz vegas]

thatth phweedy laawww.............I seth thatth fweedy lhhhhhhhh. MAYBE I SHOULD SHOUT SO YOU CAN HEAR ME...THATS PRETTY LOUD. Almost night club levels in fact.
I would wear hearing protection if I were you or you will miss out on the amazing subtley of your fabulous sound system (yeah I'm getting old).

I would not doubt your professional opinion on display devices, so I guess it is just horses for courses. Thats not to say that I would not really enjoy a movie or a good concert on your system.

[ssabripo]

yup...different strokes for different folks. I'm just too much of an anal guy when it comes to picture quality that I cannot fathom a projector in my house...it just wont cut it. Like I said, when plasmas become larger and cheaper, my problem of "size" is done. for now, I'm more than happy with a 50"

returning a 60" SXRD XBR2 1080p display, for a 50" 768 display while paying well over $1500 more for it, was a no brainer to me....that's how much of a difference there was in PQ.

[Maverick71]

A while back I posted a few pics of my new 803D's. Well, I couldn't resist trying the 802D's and this is the result :

[Maverick71]

And one more..

[Nolan B]

A while back I posted a few pics of my new 803D's. Well, I couldn't resist trying the 802D's and this is the result :

great. Just great. Obviously its nice equipment, but your floors loo nice too :T

[audioqueso]

Maverick, very nice setup! You have a beautiful room as well.

[Maverick71]

Thank you ! :T . I really love how it sounds!!

Mav

[scanido]

Maverick71,

Awesome setup! What are those things under your HTM2D that raises it off of your stand?

[Joey_V]

Maverick... woooow....

[Briz vegas]

Very classy room Mav.

What electronics and other bits and pieces are you using, and does your gear get hot in that cabinet?

Have you been tempted to move the 802s into the room a little more?

[sikoniko]

here is an updated pic of my ht / garage conversion...

[Maverick71]

Thanks !

Maverick71,

Awesome setup! What are those things under your HTM2D that raises it off of your stand?

Ceraballs: http://www.finite-elemente.de/en/products/ceraball . I was planning on using superspikes, (http://www.superspikes.com/) but end up using these that work well for now. When I have time i'll do some testing to see which one reduces the most in terms of vibrations originated by the HTM2D.

Very classy room Mav.

What electronics and other bits and pieces are you using, and does your gear get hot in that cabinet?

Have you been tempted to move the 802s into the room a little more?

Above the cabinet there's a TAG DVD32R transport and a TAG AV32R DP processor. Inside I have the power amp (TAG 100x5R), a second DVD player (Denon 2910), a Sony DVD recorder and a minidisc player.

For now I have my 802D on their rollers (with something else to protect the wood floor) but I ordered the spike kit from B&W.

I opened the cabinet on the back so that would be enough ventilation (and it's far easier to plug all the cables), so it doesn't get much hot, although things will change a bit when I exchange my TAG 100x5R for a new Classé CA5200 power amp, due in a month...

The 802D's were about 3 inches closer to the rear wall a few days ago and the sound did improve when I placed them a bit away. It's hard to go further as they'll end up a bit on a passthrough area. There's no boom now (especially with the Classé amp :P) and the area which I'd love to put my hands to (but don't know how) is with some sort of accoustic ceiling treatment so that the room becomes a bit more silent. Someone talked to me about Illsbruck panels but I don't know where to start.

Mav

[caleb]

Nice setup there maverick, and also compliments on your TAG kit (we ae getting to be a dyeing breed).

I know your TAG power amp wont get hot in that cabinet - Ihave the 250x3 and it never breaks into a sweat no matter how hard I play my music.

[pbarach]

here is an updated pic of my ht / garage conversion...

I wish my neighborhood had a drive-in movie theater like that.

[scanido]

Ceraballs: http://www.finite-elemente.de/en/products/ceraball . I was planning on using superspikes, (http://www.superspikes.com/) but end up using these that work well for now. When I have time i'll do some testing to see which one reduces the most in terms of vibrations originated by the HTM2D.

Mav,

Great find! I was actually so close in getting Soundcares SuperSpikes, I have opted to look at these ones now. Hopefully the price is within reason. Which ones did you go with for your HTM2D? I assume it had some sort of adhesive?

I'd be interested in your findings if any differences can be heard with them.

[Maverick71]

Nice setup there maverick, and also compliments on your TAG kit (we ae getting to be a dyeing breed).

I know your TAG power amp wont get hot in that cabinet - Ihave the 250x3 and it never breaks into a sweat no matter how hard I play my music.

True, we're getting into "vintage" section... . What used to be some sort of "common ground" makes me now feel like the last of the mohicans. I still have 3 TAG's on my system, but the 100x5R wont last for long.

Mav,

Great find! I was actually so close in getting Soundcares SuperSpikes, I have opted to look at these ones now. Hopefully the price is within reason. Which ones did you go with for your HTM2D? I assume it had some sort of adhesive?

I'd be interested in your findings if any differences can be heard with them.

I don't think they have adhesive, but the HTM2D weights so much that it isn't a problem whatsoever. The superspikes have less height (and adhesives), I believe, but sonically they should be similar. 2 years ago I tested the Cerabals below my TAG gear and felt it made a difference on the DVD. Still, they were small differences that I personally qualify in the "placebo" section: I heard differences but admit that on a blind test I might not be able to tell them apart.

For me, the most important feature of the Cerabals or the Superspikes is the isolation that they provide so that my rack does not get afected by the HTM2D rumblings.

Mav

[Dave Roberts]

Hi, my name is Dave Roberts and Ive just joined. I started Blueroom Loudspeakers in my shed at the start of 91' . I designed ,sculptured and produced the housepod (which the award only has my name on it) and the technopod then later the minipod and wall bracket. All later designs have nothing to do with me, I only ever used fibreglass.

Regards

Dave Roberts
dkroberts@tiscali.co.uk

[Gremal]

Well, I'm a few years behind many here and am considering upgrading which led me to this forum. This is basically the system I have now, although I moved out of my condo four years ago, and my current HT room is much different.

[caleb]

Very nice setup, I love the black finish on the 800 series - wish I'd gone for it myself now.

[Gremal]

Very nice setup, I love the black finish on the 800 series - wish I'd gone for it myself now.

Thanks, but I like the other finishes just as much because they make the speakers look a little more "cozy" and old-fashioned even with their aggressive styling. The black is more modern but a little colder, too.

As the kids say these days: "it's all good".

[Fife]

Gremal,
I must say your HTM1 cant be positioned any better than the way you have it now! Looks and probably sounds great.

[Maverick71]

Gremal,

Congrats! You have a great setup!

Mav

[DarkZ]

Here is my XT Setup

[ssabripo]

very classy! I like it.

ps- are the showcases on the corners the ones from Ikea? like these:

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15561&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=11638&langId=-1&chosenPartNumber=10011055

[caleb]

Lovely setup there "Z" but is your Rotel stuff right on your carpet.

If so I strongly reccomend you taking it off the carpet and putting at least somthing hard under it like a wooden shelf or you run the risk of it getting hot withthout adequate ventilation, and also the carpet fluff has a bad habit of getting inside and warming it up even more.

RGDS

[sikoniko]

looks like you have a small arsenal there...

[DarkZ]

very classy! I like it.

ps- are the showcases on the corners the ones from Ikea? like these:
http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/store...umber=10011055

Yes sir, they are from Ikea, I just painted them in black

Lovely setup there "Z" but is your Rotel stuff right on your carpet.

If so I strongly reccomend you taking it off the carpet and putting at least somthing hard under it like a wooden shelf or you run the risk of it getting hot withthout adequate ventilation, and also the carpet fluff has a bad habit of getting inside and warming it up even more.

RGDS

I was going to put it on the glass but the cleareance on the top is so tight , and only the front panel is on the carpet, as you can see the main area they are sitting on tiles (2nd Pic), so it keeps them nice and cold :P

looks like you have a small arsenal there...

I think I have pissed off my gf enough just to replace all our pictures with these toys :roll: , but I like it :B

[Pookie007]

The ventilation is finally working

I've finally got the ventilation working and running silently. It is ugly but works great. I have 4 supply fans and 4 exhaust fans the pull the area across the space. The fans are turned on by a switched outlet linked to the 12V trigger on the receiver. I have a thermal switch to control the fan speed. The fans run at a lower speed until the switch detects the set temperature has been exceeded. If that happens, the fans switch to high speed. You also can't see it in the photos, but i have holes in the top of the cabinet to let the heat rise out the top.
I will be installing the new shelves and painting/sanding the next couple weekends.
Now I am in the market for a few new amps then the pre-amp.
The system consists of
803S mains
Monitor Audio Gold center - soon to be B&W 803S
Monitor Audio inwall surrounds
Velodyne SPL-1200II sub - want to add a second one
Audio Research 150.2 - mains
NAD receiver - processing, center and surround amp
Denon 2910 DVD - will upgrade when the format war end
Motorola HD DVR cable box
Octavia HDMI switch
Hitachi HD TV - want to change to 50" - 60" plasma
Monster power voltage regulator

I hope to purchase one Parasound Halo A23 by end of the month. I will use it for the center (running mono); if I like it I will add one for the surrounds. If I still like the sound, I will probably add a third and run three A23 (mono) for the front channels and use the ARC for the surrounds. If I don't like the A23, I will move it to the surrounds and probably add a ARC 300.2 or McIntosh MC252 for the mains and move the ARC 150.2 to the center. I will only make this sizable investment if I am not happy with the Halo sound.

Now that I know the cooling is adequate, I also am going to work on cleaning up the cabling.

[linuxtx]

Well, it is kind of an HT setup, but I really care about music much more than HT. My current setup is:

Squeezebox 3 for flac audio.
Yamaha RX-V657 Receiver
Rotel RB991 (2x200W) amp for mains
Nautilus 804 Mains
Nautilus HTM-2 Center
LM-1 Surrounds
CWM-Cinema in wall rear center
Velodyne HGS-12 Subwoofer

I have had this setup for 5+ years now, and still dont see any reason to upgrade it until we move to a bigger house and I could give 802s the room they need.