iJoe's desk setup

[iJoe]

Sorry about the iphone pictures my old canon G10's shutter is locked up.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5322/8866642999_cf9c907bb3.jpg
My new Boston Acoustics M25 in gloss black from superfi nottingham. Very easy to listen to speakers designed by Ken Ishiwata and Karl-Heinz Fink. The leatherette finish stops the speaker emitting high frequencies from resonances, the effect of which I discovered can easily be felt if you place a granite coaster on top which then adds back the resonance. Internal damping is by "Lo-Q' where two layers of MDF are separated by a dampening layer, I think it's just on the sides so the speaker has uneven wall thicknesses to prevent resonance. The M25 is a two-way bass reflex speaker with a 1" Extended Wide Bandwidth (EWB) ring-radiator tweeter and a 5 ¼" polypropylene woofer.
http://av-brand.ru/art_img/Boston-Acoustics-M-25-r960x719-C-c98abd6e-718654941.jpg (http://xn--d1acyae.xn--p1ai/articles/text.asp?id=626

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5337/8866651905_b25dbbc4b8.jpg
Musical fidelity X-80 and V-Dac II, fed from logitech squeezebox touch.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2887/8867267672_2d61c8d8fe.jpg

Have only had the speakers for a couple of days, and I still need to raise them up by 15cm to be at ear level, but they sound pretty good.

[jason]

Tidy little set up Joe, sort of reminds me of mine in a way. Liking the speakers too how do you plan on raising them up are you putting them on wall brackets.

Jason.

[iJoe]

I will probably make some stands in bamboo to match the desk that I did. Thinking of granite tiles green glued together to provide resonant free support and ebony feet...

just coming up with ideas atm.

[jason]

Great idea look forward to seeing them, have you thought of using speaker stands at the side of the desk or is space/children a problem.

[DSJR]

Welcome from me :)


The bass should be better lifting them a bit, since reflections from the desktop can get in the way..

There's a whole world of mini desktop powered and active speakers out there just waiting to be plundered by the likes of us.

[Trumpton_Rioter]

hmm, I may have a look at these because I am after some desktop speakers for my desk in my home office.

Slightly over budget at the moment though :unfair:

[Alan]

Good to see an X-80 again! Brings back fond memories... I once inquired about going up to an A3, and was put in touch with a gent who could mod the X-80 to the level of an A5! Apparently... I went a different route though.

X-80 was a little bass monster, as I remember - it ought to work well with little speakers. I still have the manual somewhere, if you don't have one.

[stupinder]

Nice and neat!!!

[iJoe]

Alan- The X-80 is indeed a bass monster hence the new speakers. The old monitor audio audio BR2 speakers went berserk with the bass, the ports fired a lot of air and you could really feel it. They really were unbelievable with a little jucie and electric music. However I don't need that anymore in my little house mind with nice neighbours and a housemate. There is usually a computer in between which I had removed before to experiment with putting a diy 2" midbass trap behind the speakers. The smaller the speakers the less the sensitivity so you actually need more power, hence I would like the amp modded to X-150 spec at some point.

[Alan]

Great plan. You could do worse than talk with Paul, at hifiwigwam. He is now officially 'in the trade' as Purite North, but also does mods and stuff under the name Wychwood Audionics.

Aside from being very clever all round, he used to be a Musical Fidelity freak, and really knows how to get to their potential.

[pjdowns]

Nice system Joe,

Have to say, I am seriously considering building a smallish system for my office, all depends on what the LPO (Leisure Prevention Officer) says :rolleyes:

[iJoe]

Thank you all for your kind comments.

I've been testing raising the speakers with books and clarity is improved somewhat. Will look into wigwam too.

Some old photos I took;
http://rockgrotto.proboards.com/thread/7829/80-internals

and not mine but a better shot
http://www.hifishock.org/galleries/ELECTRONICS/Musical-Fidelity/Integrated-Amplifier/X-80---1.jpg

[iJoe]

And my home cinema;
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3764/8914804853_38d0a945f8.jpg
Sony 40EX723 on a pull out swivel taking it from 3.5" too 17" away from the wall and central to the sofa. Amp is a Onkyo CR-515DAB that use to be my main hifi set to +3 bass and -2 treble.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3757/8915415986_d6a65f66d9.jpg
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3677/8915414136_5cfa95b12b.jpg
Uses a Rainbow SL130 speaker in a 7"x22" baffle. I also have Rainbow CS W130 speakers spair now which could join them. Bass is non existent really but so much better than the TV speakers and cost me around £20 to do.