My best ever hifi upgrade...

[sanchezxxx]

Just moved to a new place with nice carpet and sofa in the middle of an odd shaped room after years of wood floored box rooms with floor to ceiling windows.

Can’t believe it...

Deeper bass, sweeter highs, open mids. Years of box swapping, upgrades, cable swaps and laying rugs have been a total waste. Nothing has hit me like this.

Most hifi shops should double up as interior decorators and carpet show rooms....

Now who wants to start a premium acoustic hifi carpet brand? 😂

[BultyBoy]

How much was the carpet though?

[Stranraer]

What inputs are you using ? Xtra Long Rug, Rug Carpet Analogue, or Lino In ?

[sanchezxxx]

Haha, to be fair with the acoustic underlay it cost more than an artisan set of interconnects.

Running on the rug carpet analogue due to DAC limitations ��

[Stranraer]

Haha, to be fair with the acoustic underlay it cost more than an artisan set of interconnects.

Running on the rug carpet analogue due to DAC limitations ��

Nice. I used to have a pair of Acoustic Underlay 109 speakers. Loved em.

How are you getting on with the Neat Iotas ? I visited the factory to pick up my Ultimatums, some years ago. Bob was testing the first pair of Iotas in the listening room. I couldn't believe that such a small box could create that much sound. They really were amazing, to the point that I was questioning my more expensive purchase.

[Gazjam]

Just shows to go you...

[Jac Hawk]

I always think you can tell when you walk into a room that it’s going to be acoustically good or bad, a good room feels quiet if you know what I mean, a place where sound doesn’t carry, where there’s zero echo and if there is a sound it can be pinpointed, my basement is like that and one of the reasons I put up with the other bits of my house that I don’t like

[sanchezxxx]

I’m a big fan of the Iotas. I got them initially to get good sound at low volumes in a small room. The are now in a new random shaped 19x21 ft room and just disappear, yet don’t seem to struggle. To me they are more fun than the R3’s and are not shamed by any means in the bass / authority department despite their size.

1st thing I looked for on moving was a speaker swap but it really is unnecessary.

I don’t play rock at high volumes but for piano, electronica and even a little well recorded hip hop they do very well.

Maybe the higher end Elac’s with ribbon tweeter could be a nice upgrade in the future but right now I’m happy. The Elac’s won me over in the past on a blind speaker wall test but haven’t been able to test head to head with other Neat models.

Main shock for me is just how much a room can have an impact. I’ve tried listening rooms at a few high of shops and have never been convinced. When you get hit at what a difference it can make to your own mid range kit it makes you ponder many past purchases.

[bumpy]

I always think you can tell when you walk into a room that it’s going to be acoustically good or bad, a good room feels quiet if you know what I mean, a place where sound doesn’t carry, where there’s zero echo and if there is a sound it can be pinpointed, my basement is like that and one of the reasons I put up with the other bits of my house that I don’t like

Clapping your hands in various location in the room will tell you everything you need to know.