My kit and my inadequate room

[wholesome]

I recently said hello in the welcome area with a list of my kit, and here are some photos to give you an idea of how it's setup.

An honest shot of the room.
http://www.quaite.com/photos/hi-fi_1.jpg

Feels a bit like we've been running out of space since Christmas! :lol:

That said, to get the ESL's into the room at all, I had to build vertically. The units are Stolmen from Ikea, and the posts are braced between the floor, ceiling, and back wall, so it's pretty sturdy. Even with 2 small kids jumping around, I can (try) listen to vinyl without any issues, and getting the TT so high conveniently gets it away from prying fingers, although my eldest is now able to turn the knobs for me. He's proud of growing, I get to be lazy - we both win!

In the big white units towards the top is more vinyl, placed very, very carefully. Enough to make your eyes water! I'm now comfortable that they're not going to come crashing down one day. And I now what you're thinking, and yes, she is VERY tolerant, I agree. Or maybe she's learnt that if she moans, I put Joanna Newsom on. ;)

The room is awful, but I try listen at levels where it has less influence. The ideal listening spot is about 18" further forward than the natural sitting position on the sofa, but obviously if I had enough room to pull the sofa out into the room, I wouldn't have resorted to this setup. I'm looking forward to moving house asap.

The TT
http://www.quaite.com/photos/hi-fi_2.jpg

The electronics (from a tidier time)
http://www.quaite.com/photos/hi-fi_7.jpg

And in my workshop ;)
http://www.quaite.com/photos/hi-fi_8.jpg

Not the tidiest build, but it was my first go, and I'm really happy with the sound (for now).


The ESL's getting refurbed. I filled and resprayed the frames and audio transformer, sanded and danish oiled the wooden legs, changed the EHT boards, fitted new components in the audio transformer, new wiring, gas discharge suppressors rather than clamp boards, new Neutrik PowerCons and mesh grills with cloth over the top. I scratched the buggery out of the back putting the rear grills back on, but it's still a thousand times better than they were.
http://www.quaite.com/photos/hi-fi_6.jpg
http://www.quaite.com/photos/hi-fi_4.jpg
http://www.quaite.com/photos/hi-fi_3.jpg

cheers

[Thing Fish]

Hi Richard, Well as you have a family, compromise is the name of the game.

That said your room looks like a good size (I have seen much smaller) and as you say you are looking forward to moving house asap...:)

[keiths]

A nice system and a nice lived-in room.

You've done a lovely job with those speakers... :clap:

[The Grand Wazoo]

Richard, if you aren't able to get the speakers into the ideal position further out into the room, you might have a go at putting some really dense felt type material behind them to try to soak up the rear output a bit. You could try some carpet underfelt - the uncoated woolly stuff.
Maybe others have some experience trying this?
.......just an idea, maybe it won't work.

[wholesome]

You're right Dave - I certainly wouldn't complain that I don't get my fair share of the room either.

Chris, I can pull the speakers out, and have tried that, but feel it makes little difference, even though it seems like they should be further out. They're in front of the lump of a fireplace which seems the most important thing for the imaging. I used to pull them out, but then I stopped bothering. It's the sofa up against the opposite wall that seems the problem, and if I lean forward, it sounds loads better, but it's pretty uncomfortable for longer sessions! :) Maybe I should just fit castors to the sofa!

I'll definitely give damping a go, thanks for the suggestion. I know the ESL's originally had felt inside the rear grills. I've got felt behind the treble panel, but not the bass panels too. I'd really like to measure the room and try understand what's going on. It feels like there are major peaks - on some tracks you can clearly hear the level drop according to the note of the bass line.

My guess is the first issue is just about the listening position and reflections off the wall behind, and the second is somehow about the room. I've definitely experienced the bass issue with other speakers when the room was setup at 90 degrees to this. Any help, advice and experience welcome, as I really don't know where to begin! I was thinking about trying to find out more about software DRC, but what I've looked at so far goes way over my head.

[wholesome]

You've done a lovely job with those speakers... :clap:

Thanks Keith. After more than 5 years of small-scale but continuous complaint against the ESL's, the Mrs said "they look nice" when I'd finished... a moment I'll never ever forget!

[TBL]

Those 57's look stunning. I've always much preferred them in black. I always thought the gold looked sort of tacky.

[jason]

Nice system Richard, makes me regret selling my quad. great speakers mate..

[Butuz]

That's a cool setup great job on the speakers they look new!!

So what's in your modu cases??

Butuz

[DSJR]

Did you make the 57's legs yourself?

[MartinT]

Great work on the speakers, Richard.


Or maybe she's learnt that if she moans, I put Joanna Newsom on.

LOL - I know what you mean, I made the mistake of buying one of her CDs some time ago. Let's just say that it has never been played since ;)

[wholesome]

Hi Butuz, the modu boxes have
- a Gigawork Dac in one
- lots of transformers and a dc regulator for a burson audio buffer in another
- some SPower DC regulators, diyparadise Eva II pre, burson buffer and 2x Trends TA10.2's in the other

Dave R, no I didn't make the ESL legs, they were on the speakers when I bought them a few years ago. They'd been serviced by One Thing Audio at some point, so I'm not sure if they were fitted then. I found a Russ Andrews brochure from 1994 for ESL upgrades in the yahoo Quad group and it had these legs, so it's possible they came from there originally for £161.56 per speaker (an amusingly specific price). ESL Labs in the Netherlands are making new legs like this now too - their refurbs look stunning, and were an inspiration http://quadesl.nl/quad-revisie/esl-57-revisie.html I did want to make the legs gloss white, but I'm pleased I didn't because the wood's too nice to hide really (and I'd have made a right mess of it!).

Martin, I've never known anyone sit on the fence when they've heard Joanna Newsom!

[sq225917]

Speakers look great, they need moving out some though... ;-)

[jandl100]

It's the sofa up against the opposite wall that seems the problem, and if I lean forward, it sounds loads better, but it's pretty uncomfortable for longer sessions! :)

Hi Richard

Yup, I've found similar from reflections off of a close rear wall.

What you need is a sound absorbing panel on the rear wall right behind your head! That can make an amazing difference and personally, having a listening chair in a similar position to yours, I wouldn't be without one.

Have a look here :) http://www.bazaarbuilder.com/cgi-bin/gikacoustics/myshop.php?catparid=3&merchant=gikacoustics

If the aesthetics aren't to your other 'alf's tastes, I'm sure you could cover them with the designer chintz material of her choice! ;)

Here's mine ...

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/DSCF7396-1.jpg

[MartinT]

I have the sofa against the rear wall problem and solved it with a PicturePanel behind my head.

Rather like the second photo here:
http://www.asc-home-theater.com/picture-panel.htm

[baron]

Great looking speakers, your room looks remarkably similar to mine. :) (see links in sig) I'm using 63's in that room. The room the 57's are in is smaller I think. :eyebrows:.