Jimbos Audio ramblings

[Barry]

I discovered some years back that just closing the curtain on the window behind me was the equivalent of an entire system upgrade.

Really no exaggeration and that's just a curtain (albeit a quite thick thermal one).

Prior to that I always wondered why my system sounded better in the winter (when it was dark when I got in so curtain closed all the time).

This is why I am always saying you don't need to use expensive and possibly low WAF 'dedicated treatments' to get big gains.

Agreed!

[Jimbo]

After mucking about with room acoustics over the last few months I am now rationalising where I have got too. Although I have put up pictures of the finished panels I have also used other temporary incomplete panels to assess further where I should go. These will be forthcoming in the next few weeks or so but I just thought I would stop for a while and take stock where I have got too and how the system and the room sounds now.

So tonight I will evaluate my efforts using some well chosen records and over the weekend put down my thoughts and write up a review of my own system as of March 2023. This will give me a line in the sand so I can refer back when I make any more changes going forward.

7961D2D5-4889-4701-A409-09450658FB0A by , on Flickr

112E0D53-A76C-4D97-B134-DF6B6379BDDC by , on Flickr

[Pigmy Pony]

After mucking about with room acoustics over the last few months I am now rationalising where I have got too. Although I have put up pictures of the finished panels I have also used other temporary incomplete panels to assess further where I should go. These will be forthcoming in the next few weeks or so but I just thought I would stop for a while and take stock where I have got too and how the system and the room sounds now.

So tonight I will evaluate my efforts using some well chosen records and over the weekend put down my thoughts and write up a review of my own system as of March 2023. This will give me a line in the sand so I can refer back when I make any more changes going forward.

7961D2D5-4889-4701-A409-09450658FB0A by , on Flickr

112E0D53-A76C-4D97-B134-DF6B6379BDDC by , on Flickr

Sounds like a good plan James - doing to much too soon you can end up losing your way, and struggle to find exactly where it started to go wrong.

[brian2957]

My word you're well organised James. I wish my mind worked like that. I was always able to evaluate one or two sets of interconnects or digital cables, but always on a small scale. Ma heid would be all over the place with a project this size

I look forward to your report

[Jimbo]

My word you're well organised James. I wish my mind worked like that. I was always able to evaluate one or two sets of interconnects or digital cables, but always on a small scale. Ma heid would be all over the place with a project this size

I look forward to your report

I learnt from you mate Don't change too much at once and always leave the option to go back to what you had before!

[Barry]

I learnt from you mate Don't change too much at once and always leave the option to go back to what you had before!

Agreed! IMO, one should make a change, listen to it and stick with it for a couple of weeks or so, whilst playing as broad a range of music as possible. After this time, go back to what you had before, and listen again. If the newly-wrought improvement(s) disappear, then you know you have made a genuine improvement; but sometimes the previous arrangement may sound better.

[Jimbo]

I heard an industry reviewer on a Podcast recently and he said he preferred to have equipment with him for many weeks or a few months to evaluate as it took this long for him to really know what its strengths and weaknesses were especially when evaluating with alternative equipment and speakers. Its a complex business and I feel a judgment on anything needs time and lengthy consideration.

Also important to go back to where you were with your system to see if your were really imagining an improvement or whether a piece of equipment turns out to be just different and a sideways move. The more I work on my system and room acoustics the more I realise the whole process is so personal and unique to your own environment and listening preferences.

[AJSki2fly]

Also important to go back to where you were with your system to see if your were really imagining an improvement or whether a piece of equipment turns out to be just different and a sideways move.

I have been trying to do that now for couple of months with two phono stages and am no further forward.

[Wakefield Turntables]

My philosophy has been to keep the same kit for many years and recognise it's strengths and weaknesses. It becomes very very very easy to discern positive or negative changes to your sound once you start tinkering. I remember instantly disliking Melz 6SL7 valves when I was going through my valve rolling adventures, to my surprise the RCA coin base 6SL7 were a complete stunner. It only took a few seconds of Kind of Blue for me to discern the changes. Simple changes one step changes can be very quickly evaluated.

[Jimbo]

I have been trying to do that now for couple of months with two phono stages and am no further forward.

Great isn't Adrian!