Dave's Starter Kit.

[DaveK]

Hi All,
This is my first attempt to post pics of my set up. If it doesn't display properly please be gentle with me.
It obviously does not bear comparison with some of the kit that most of you guys seem to have but it's the best my budget can run to.
, .
I have attempted to put them so that they display the left side to the left and the right side to the right, so as to make a disjointed panorama - sorry about the TV picture but the Budget Controller is a keen fan of Countdown !!
The heart of my system is a Marantz PM6010OSE KI amp in the centre of the shelf under the TV. To it's right is a Marantz CD-63 mk II KI player and above which is a Sky HD box.
To the left of the amp, on the bottom is a Sony BD350 Blu-Ray player, above which is a Sony MM PC, a Vaio VGX-XL201. Despite the close proximity of everything I have never had any suggestion of anything overheating (so far !!). Note the precision centre support under the bottom centre of the wooden unit - the weight began to take it's toll so a 'prop' was installed.
The speakers are MS Mezzo 2s in oak. At the moment the speaker cable is a bi-wire set up cobbled together by me from an internet posting (saying they were as good as any much more expensive cable) from solid core Cat 6 ethernet cable (budget again !!). I have recently bought off eBay some QED Silver Anniversary cable and plan to swap them soon - opinions on whether I will notice any improvement would be welcome and I will let you know after swapping.
The Vaio and the CD player both communicate with the amp via solid silver interconnects from 'johnandchris' on eBay. At the moment the Blu-Ray player is coupled only to the TV, using the HDMI lead - it used to be optically connected to a Marantz SR4001 AV amp which in turn drove my SS speaker set but the SR4001 and SS system had to go to make room for the 6010OSE amp.
I would be happy to receive ANY comments, criticisms and suggestions about this set up, providing they are polite and intended to help me get the best out of what I have got. Of particular interest would be suggestions on what is/are the weak link(s) in the set up and how they might be strengthened without adding to the national debt too much.
I have around 2,000 FLAC files onthe PC and my next intention is to get a DAC to put upstream of the amp to see what can be improved. Again comments, advice and polite suggestions would be appreciated.
I look forward to hearing from you - a novice like me cannot get too much advice but I may not always be able or willing to follow it - please don't let this stop you from profering it!
Dave.

[Darrenw]

HI Dave

nice looking system with some good stuff within it - need to get those speakers off the floor though with a cheap set of stands or make something yourself. Get the tweeters to around ear height and you should hear some improvement I suspect- what are they morden short? I presume they are not intended to be that low (like klipsh heresy et al)

rgds
darren

[Puffin]

There's no harm in having two self portraits in amongst the hifi pics, even though you look like you have constipation

[DaveK]

To Darren,
Yes you are right about stands but my Budget Controller has some influence on what we put in our lounge and stands are an absolute 'no-no'. If you look carefully,under each of the (Mordaunt Short) speakers is a 2 inch thick piece of black granite (ex garden sunshade base !!) - my idea of an isolation plinth and a compromise with the Budget Controller.
To Puffin,
I suppose I should be flattered (at my age) to be thought similar to Jeff Stelling BUT I'M NOT !!!
Dave.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Yes, get the speakers up onto some sort of stands & try experimenting with the positioning if you can. This will make the sound a little brighter & focussed. Even a pair of small tables will do for now - you can work on her for the stands later! If not you may try tilting them up a bit, so they beam towards ear height when seated.

Even without intruding into the room too much, there appears to be enough room to pull them away from the rear wall. You'd be amazed at the difference you may hear from doing just this.

In particular, listen to the bass - I would expect to hear differences in both quality and quantity depending on the position in relation to the rear wall. As you move them out you will reach a point where the balance of the bass weight & bass definition seem most correct to you.

Put 2 pieces of tape on the floor at the corner of each speaker (say the front / inside corner) in an 'L' - shape to define the placement so you can find it again if you need it.

Now do the same excercise, but this time listen out for changes to the soundstage. You'll find that the soundstage becomes deeper, the further away the speakers are from the wall. However, there will probably be a position when the soundstage begins to lose its 'focus'. This is easier for you to spot, than it is for me to describe, but you will know what I mean when you hear it!!

Again you will then be able to identify the optimum spot for this perameter - mark this with more tape. You now have what I think of as the 2 'polar positions'. Somewhere on or between these two, will be the perfect spot - but you'll find that later.

Now, leaving the speakers in the last position, try adjusting the toe-in. This is the angle at which they present themselves to the room (& your ears). Start off by just facing them straight out into the room at 90 degrees to the rear wall. Now compare this to a situation where each box has it's axis crossing at a point just behind you head. The easiest way to do this is to place them so you can just see the faces of the inside walls of each cabinet (in the case of your 'boat-tailed' speakers, you need to be seeing equal portions of perhaps the front 1/5th of the cabinet walls

Now listen & compare the two sounds you're hearing. You should hear differences in the sharpness of the sound & also your ability to hear what the different instruments are doing will be affected. There may be a further change to the soundstage definition and width and it will affect the relative positions of the players upon it. If you then play about with the degrees of toe in you'll find one where it all seems to snap into place.

If you notice a slight loss of clarity with the toe-in, then try moving them slightly further apart.

Now go back to finding you optimum position between the polars.

That would be my first move - I promise you that your set up isn't giving you what it's capable of!

[Spectral Morn]

Great advice Chris.

Dave you have not heard your set up yet until you get those speakers of the floor. In my time in retail I had many a Budget Controller type conversation with customers.....

Tilt them up if nothing else and make sure the angle is the same...

Nice photo....

Don't knock your set up, we all are at different levels, but this forum is for everyone regardless of system size,complexity or cost.


Regards D S D L

[aquapiranha]

What about wall brackets for the speakers? not ideal I know but at least they will be up higher which imho is going to be the one weakpoint here. there is certainly nothing wrong with the Marantz of Kef kit, very nice balanced system there. Oh, and Hi!

[The Grand Wazoo]

There are speaker stands & there are speaker stands, you know. They don't have to look like an oil platform!

Just from a 5 minute Google session............http://www.whathifi.com/Review/Custom-rc60-Deluxe/

...........or you could conceal something under some tasteful fabric.

There are loads of options......but you really should get them off the floor!!!!!

[DaveK]

Hi Chris and all other respondents for your encouraging advice. The custom speaker stands look good to me and MAY meet the approval of the Budget Controller but I could not find out any links or information on how or where to buy them or who makes them - can anyone help?
I have printed off your (Chris's) detailed instructions on moving the speakers around and assessing results - I'll let youi know if my cloth ears can decide on the best available position.
Next question: - given the shortcomings of my present set up would I be better not 'investing' in a DAC until I get the best from what I have? I spend a fair proportion of my listening time with my Senn HD280s in place as banishing the Controller to the conservatory is not an option every night, particularly in winter. I was attracted to the perceived benefits of the 7520 by it's secondary role as a headphone amp - opinions, advice, please.
Look forward to hearing from you ALL.
Dave.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Dave,
No-one has golden ears. You will hear what has been described.

There are plenty of manufacturers of such stands, that was just the first example I found.
Again a quick Gurgle search (this time about 30 seconds) gave me the manufacturer's website ...........http://www.curtains2blinds.net/page13.htm

They have stands in several types of timber: Ash, Beech & Oak and also a different style.

Happy to be of help.

Good luck
Chris