RSS
Robert Learner Reviews: Cathedral Sound Panels
I don’t doubt that cables sound different, but unlike speakers, for example, I’ve heard little correlation between performance and price. More to the point, I think they are a generally poor value proposition -- very often large cash outlays for differences (better or worse) that you have to spend a day listening for.
In contrast, strategic acoustic room treatment can be immediately heard, and yields almost unquestionable improvement. Things like bass traps in corners, absorbative panels behind the speakers and on the side walls at the point of first reflection can clean up the sound in a relatively dramatic way. I’ve made effective, good-looking absorbative panels for less than thirty bucks a pop; prefinished panels with an array of color choices are available for under a hundred dollars. Although, this being a territory mined by high-end audio, you can easily spend much more.
More to the point -- before you tweak with cables, brass spikes, wood blocks, carbon fiber cones, brass footers, 99.9999% pure rubber alloy cable risers, double-helical wound inverse-square pole-aligned (North and South) power cords, critically-tuned, Akashi-Kaikyo-inspired algorythmically correct suspension racks, and finally, cryogenically-frozen then double-baked Heimholtz-modeled acoustaresonators; it might be worth addressing the room the stuff sits in. It seemed important to the guys who designed Carnegie Hall anyway...
| Permalink | Acoustic Treatment , Writer: Robert Learner | Posted by Robert Learner on May 18 '07
HE2006: MBL's Babies
This little MBL system uses mere mortal speaker drivers instead of their omnis. Alas, this was a non playing demo. With the big 101s casting their spell, it's really no surprise. Shown above are the $3250 MBL 311 E speakers, $7480 7008 integrated and $8400 1531 CD player.
Pictured below is the new line of entry-level components: $4700 model 7006 integrated, $3600 4006 preamplifier, $3500 8006 B power amp and the 1431 CD player (no list price). Thoroughly confused by the numbering system yet? Me too.
| Permalink | Acoustic Treatment , Disc players $2 to $5k , Disc players $5k to 10k , Integrated Amp $3k to 6k , Integrated Amp $6k to 10k , Shows and Expos , Speakers $2k-5k | Posted by Josh Ray on Jun 07 '06
HE2006: Signals Super.Fi, Peak Consult, Continuum Caliburn, Eighth Nerve
Importer Signals Super.Fi went gunning for best-in-show with their Peak Consult InCognito X speakers, claimed to be the best two-way speaker on the planet. Priced at $16,500, the InCognitos sure got the attention of other audio press. Signals also imports the famed Continuum Caliburn turntable, the $99,500 black pie champion. One industry insider said, "I'm completely skeptical of a $100k table but that room had the best vinyl reproduction I've ever heard." Doesn't get much better than that.
I had to come back to the room three times before I could actually get in the door, it was always so packed. Finally I got my chance and, luckily, the room was empty. Signal's Chris Sommovigo and Eighth Nerve's Nathan Loyer are two guys that know what's up, throwing Death Cab for Cutie and Postal Service onto the Continuum Caliburn before the easy listening masses returned.
If there's a big question mark above your head, that little amp is the 10lb Berning ZH270, putting out an amazing 70 stereo watts of OTL tube power. Wild. Installed in the cracks and corners of the ceiling were Eighth Nerve's room treatment panels. Eighth Nerve is a company putting "cool" into room treatment and speaker placement optimization, as crazy as that sounds. And despite everything else in the room and from other treatment companies, their goods are low priced.
Keep reading for many more pics.
(Prices corrected)
COMMENTS (3) | Permalink | Acoustic Treatment , Shows and Expos , Speakers $20k and up | Posted by Josh Ray on Jun 06 '06
Vegas - Signals Super-Fi and Eighth Nerve
How can you not visit a room boasting the most expensive turntable in the world? Importer Signals Super-Fi brought out the big guns with their $90-120k Continuum Caliburn turntable and $35k Peak Consult Zoltan speakers. As you can see, the Zoltans aren't very large at all, appealing to people who want statement speakers without the statement size. Japanese Wavac provided the juice from their $69k 150 watt SET monos. Sadly, I didn't get much of a chance to hear the system - the room was packed and people were more interested in talking than listening.
A number of people raved about the sound, as one would expect, though most of the gossip swirled around the justifiability of such expensive components. If you're not aware, Stereophile gave the cover to Continuum for their January issue, causing all kinds of debate in the online forums and halls of CES. If one thing can be said about CES, it's that everyone has an opinion. I think I was one of the few people who didn't have a concrete view about anything other than "I can't afford that. Or that. Or that."
Interestingly, for a room on the extreme end of the price spectrum, room acoustic treatment was provided by a new company bringing low priced, easily configurable gear to market. Eighth Nerve's products start at $100 for a set of four triangular corners or wall seams (shown next page - yes, they come in other colors). The young and hip Nathan Loyer of Eighth Nerve told me about his special speaker placement method where speakers are positioned within a millimeter on axis of the listening position. The details of how it works is more complicated (obviously) but the science behind it sounds logical and people who have tried it say the results are anything but subtle. Check him out.
Permalink | | Posted to Acoustic Treatment | Shows and Expos | Speakers $20k and up
ASC Sound Panel Review
Positive Feedback Online checks out the Sound Panels from ASC, the guys who make the famous (to some) Tube Traps. For those who don't know, acoustic treatment like the Tube Traps and Sound Panels turn your living room into a recording studio of sorts. If fact, ASC tricks out many of your favorite artists' studios. So why bother?
I have not come across any other product that has improved the performance of my system so fundamentally for this amount of money.
$548 for a package of eight, the article goes through all the steps on setting up your system to kill echos and other sonic nastiness. The Sound Panels are the flat wall-hanging devices in the picture with their big brother Tube Traps below. The Sound Panels come in a number of different colors and can be hung on the wall with a single nail.
ASC Sound Panel Review [Positive Feedback]
ASC Home
Permalink | | Posted to Acoustic Treatment
Rives Acoustic Analysis Review
That's some serious acoustic treatment hanging from the ceiling. Positive Feedback tests out Rives Audio, providers of room acoustic analysis, consultation and, for a price, sweet talking your wife into turning your living room into an earthquake-induced death trap. But, hey, anything for audio.
"The most important thing was that I have achieved noticeable sonic improvements sound without getting divorced. In fact, my wife is quite happy."
You're a lucky man. Check out the review for more on Rives and why acoustic treatment really is some of the best money you'll ever spend. Analysis starts at $2000 but doesn't include treatment devices (which Rives selects for you from a bevy of manufacturers).
Rives Audio Acoustic Treatment Review [Positive Feedback]
Rives Audio
Permalink | Comments (1) | Posted to Acoustic Treatment
Fifth Element Room Acoustics
Stereophile's Fifth Element column talks to Richard Rives Bird of Rives Audio about all things acoustic. Basically, acoustics of your room will define if your room sounds like the symphony's concert hall or the symphony's bathroom.
"$15,000 worth of equipment with $5000 spent on acoustical design and treatment will sound far better than even a $30,000 system in an untreated room. The acoustics are just fundamental."
Rives Audio provides acoustic analysis of your room with prices starting at $1000. They also sell couple of other products to help tailor your own system and achieve the best acoustics possible. This is a must read for anyone who has even the slightest desire to achieve their full potential.
Fifth Element Acoustics [Stereophile]
Rives Audio Home
Permalink | | Posted to Acoustic Treatment
Real Traps Acoustic Treatments
YOU NEED THESE. Acoustic treatments have been the final frontier in pimping your audio rig to the fullest. Save for building an entirely new room, Real Traps (as well as a few other companies) makes an excellent solution for killing the terrible audio nastiness.
"The RealTraps room treatments work better than any other products I have tried. I venture to say that virtually anyone can more dramatically improve the sound of their system by using RealTraps than by spending thousands of dollars on a CD player, turntable, or amplifier upgrade."
And you can add as many as you want and the sound only gets better. Check out the review for all the details. Prices for the MiniTrap runs $200 and the MondoTrap goes for $300.
Real Traps Review [Positive Feedback]
Real Traps Home
Permalink | | Posted to Acoustic Treatment
