Upgrade of 804S system to 802DI system

[SPACEMANRICK]

My last upgrade was when I first bought my original system about 6 years ago, but as we have said, a big upgrade like this should be good for at least that long again. As far as an upgrade route, I have found significant improvements so far from the new amp and preamp and also the new speakers so either one of those is always a good start though I suspect your current amps are way better than the Denon 3805 AV receiver I started with so in your case I would suggest just go for the speakers :twisted:

I ended up downloading the free trial of Easy CD-DA Extractor to copy my CD'S to FLAC format and I am liking it so far.

http://download.cnet.com/Easy-CD-DA-Extractor/3000-2140_4-10018859.html

[SPACEMANRICK]

Just a quick update after almost 3 months and probably 250 to 300 hours on my 802DI's. I just love these speakers more and more the more I listen to them! I listened to them at medium level (80 to 100 decibels) for probably 3 to 4 hours today with absolutely no fatigue. The kids had to go to bed so I had to finally turn the music off at 9:00 :twisted:

With music that is well recorded the bass is just so tight and deep and the mids and highs are crystal clear with tremendous realism. What continues to impress me is the rich full sound that immerses you in the music. One of the key advantages of the 802DI over my 804S speakers is that the music does not have to be turned up as loud to make you feel like you are in the music. The soundstage from my original setup was not quite deep and wide enough but I reduced the toe in of the speakers by about 5 degrees and that has seemed to resolve most of my original concerns. I think the problem would be fully resolved if I removed the chair between the speakers but that is not an option for now.

I am considering the Rega Dac or possibly the Bryston BDA-1 Dac but that may have to wait until my birthday in July 2012. If you are on the fence about these speakers, don't hold back, they are awesome :T

[style]

Hallo SPACEMANRICK,

the 802di are great heee, surprised???

only a question,

now you use a ipad to listen music with a Squeezebox Touch?

i'm very unexpert with "liquid music" and I will try but I have see the yanaha s2000, the marantz N7004,.....is possible go use the Ipad as remote controll or?

but I go receive the CP800 next day...= make o sense do buy a S200o or n70004 that's correct???

can you give my a feed back please?
Style

[Isaac]

SPACEMANRICK,

Very nice system ;x( . One of the biggest sound improvements, in my mind, would be to get some room treatment. Try adding some treatment to those 1st refection points and you will be amazed.

http://www.readyacoustics.com/

or

http://www.realtraps.com/

[SPACEMANRICK]

Hallo SPACEMANRICK,

the 802di are great heee, surprised???

only a question,

now you use a ipad to listen music with a Squeezebox Touch?

i'm very unexpert with "liquid music" and I will try but I have see the yanaha s2000, the marantz N7004,.....is possible go use the Ipad as remote controll or?

but I go receive the CP800 next day...= make o sense do buy a S200o or n70004 that's correct???

can you give my a feed back please?
Style

Hi Style, I am also new to wireless streaming of music and as of 4 months ago knew only about music through my 6 year old Denon CD player. I am limited to knowledge only on the Squeezebox Touch that I have so sorry I can't offer any information on the Marantz and Yamaha. All I know is that in the 2 months I have had the Squeezebox Touch and Apple IPAD I have not used my CD player once. All that I do now is buy a CD or borrow it from the library, copy it to my hardrive on my computer, and then listen to the music streamed wirelessly from my computer to the Squeezebox which is connected with analog RCA connectors to my Cambridge pre amp. From my sofa with the IPAD, I can change songs, preview albums, make playlists, play random songs, change songs, change the volume..... :T

Stuart and Kal from this forum pointed me in the right direction regarding the Squeezebox Touch. Here is a link to Kal's review on Stereophile of the Squuezebox Touch http://www.stereophile.com/mediaserv...yer/index.html

[SPACEMANRICK]

SPACEMANRICK,

Very nice system ;x( . One of the biggest sound improvements, in my mind, would be to get some room treatment. Try adding some treatment to those 1st refection points and you will be amazed.

http://www.readyacoustics.com/

or

http://www.realtraps.com/

Isaac, I saw the potential for room treatment when I noticed a significant improvement in sound (softening and reduction of high frequencies) when I installed the carpet in my listening room when I had my 804's. Unfortunately my listening room is also our family room so I am limited by "wife acceptance factor" issues regarding possible room treatments.

I do agree though if I could fit some bass traps in each of the 4 corners of the room it would probably result in a better improvement in sound than any $2000 DAC and at a lower cost. Out of curiosity, what room treatments have you added to your room and how did they improve your sound?

[style]

Hi SPACEMANRICK,

yes I do that is a very good thing. I go have a cp800 next week, and I have too the Ipad, Itouch (of course a Apple pc!): I have a 100gb. music inside my macbook (and a 500gb. in a extern HD):

i go triy...connect the Mac direct to the CP800 (in a pair months will be avialable the extra cp800 ethernet part = you dnt need to go connect the mac /pc via usb to the cp800..)

On the Ipad you use what for App the "remote controll"? the App called "remote" or what?

thx.
Style

[style]

Hi SPACEMANRICK,

yes I do that is a very good thing. I go have a cp800 next week, and I have too the Ipad, Itouch (of course a Apple pc!): I have a 100gb. music inside my macbook (and a 500gb. in a extern HD):

i go triy...connect the Mac direct to the CP800 (in a pair months will be avialable the extra cp800 ethernet part = you dnt need to go connect the mac /pc via usb to the cp800..)

On the Ipad you use what for App the "remote controll"? the App called "remote" or what?

thx.
Style

[htsteve]

I do agree though if I could fit some bass traps in each of the 4 corners of the room it would probably result in a better improvement in sound than any $2000 DAC and at a lower cost.

These might be a solution. And have good WAF.

http://www.realtraps.com/p_planter.htm

Hope this helps.

[Isaac]

SPACEMANRICK,

I have Echobusters brand Echobuster panels on front wall behind speakers, Bassbusters on front wall/wall corners, and Cornerbusters on all ceiling corners. FYI: The Echobuster brand does not exist anymore. I also have Realtraps on side walls (1st reflection point) and 2 Ready Acoustics traps on the back side wall. The traping in wall/wall corners with the bassbusters and the real traps on the side walls (1st reflection point) made the most sound difference. Sound was more controlled.

Ready Acoustics seems to have a little more WAF since they have a nice frame and color choices with the chameleon series.

Realtraps GUILFORD MINITRAPS are available in many colors.

[SPACEMANRICK]

Hi SPACEMANRICK,

yes I do that is a very good thing. I go have a cp800 next week, and I have too the Ipad, Itouch (of course a Apple pc!): I have a 100gb. music inside my macbook (and a 500gb. in a extern HD):

i go triy...connect the Mac direct to the CP800 (in a pair months will be avialable the extra cp800 ethernet part = you dnt need to go connect the mac /pc via usb to the cp800..)

On the Ipad you use what for App the "remote controll"? the App called "remote" or what?

thx.
Style

Style, I am using the $10 Squeezepad app for my Squeezebox Touch http://www.squeezepad.com/ .Logitech now also has a free app (released in May 2011) to control the Squeezebox from the IPAD but I found the Squeezepad program better and easier to use....

[SPACEMANRICK]

These might be a solution. And have good WAF.

http://www.realtraps.com/p_planter.htm

Hope this helps.

Thanks Steve, I actually showed those plant basstraps to my wife a few months ago and she said she would not have those cheap tacky looking plastic plants in our music room :lol: .Thanks though for posting the idea.

[SPACEMANRICK]

SPACEMANRICK,

I have Echobusters brand Echobuster panels on front wall behind speakers, Bassbusters on front wall/wall corners, and Cornerbusters on all ceiling corners. FYI: The Echobuster brand does not exist anymore. I also have Realtraps on side walls (1st reflection point) and 2 Ready Acoustics traps on the back side wall. The traping in wall/wall corners with the bassbusters and the real traps on the side walls (1st reflection point) made the most sound difference. Sound was more controlled.

Ready Acoustics seems to have a little more WAF since they have a nice frame and color choices with the chameleon series.

Realtraps GUILFORD MINITRAPS are available in many colors.

Holy crap Issac, it sounds like you have a professional music studio in your house. You must have a separate music room in your house or a saint for a wife. Do you have any pictures posted anywhere of your music room?

[Isaac]

Yes and Yes. Here is an older picture of my system, the look of it has not changed too much.

[htsteve]

Isaac,

Very nice. B&W, Rotel and what looks like Salamander. Always a good combination. I like the treatments as well.

[SPACEMANRICK]

Looks great Issac....nice and clean :T

Are those bass traps screwed into the wall or can they be easily and quickly removed? Did you say that the point of first reflection (immediately behind where the listener sits) is where you found the most improvement with the bass traps or do you think the best results are achieved by having them in all 4 corners?

[Isaac]

They are pretty much on the wall like a picture frame but, I used heavy duty wall anchors and wire cables, just to be safe. For me, the side walls near the speakers and corners (WALL/WALL) made the most difference. I don't have too much of an issue with the back wall since it has an opening to another room, I only have a partial wall behind my listing area. The realtraps website has more info on where to hang their traps also, many of these company's offer free advise on where they recommend hanging them, if you contact them.

http://www.realtraps.com/rfz.htm

[SPACEMANRICK]

Thanks for all the information Issac.......I was hoping that the bass traps could be easily put up and also removed when company comes to our house.

I just called a local company Primacoustics that makes bass traps and 4 in each corner of my room would cost $1600 (4 x $400). http://www.primacoustic.com/maxtrap.htm .Just by coincidence they are actually manufactured only a few miles from my house.

I think my mind tells me that room treatments would result in a much bigger bang for the buck compared to a new DAC but my wife would probably not agree to that right now.....she did agree though to the new 802DI speakers and amps so I guess there has to be some compromise

[htsteve]

I think my mind tells me that room treatments would result in a much bigger bang for the buck compared to a new DAC

I would agree with this. In terms of spend, the acoustics treatments I made (mainly Realtraps) were some of the best bang for the buck I've done. They improved the entire system. A DAC would improve 2 channel, which is nice. But a better room makes all sound nicer, and typically less money.


Hopefully you can do this soon.