Thanks Chas - one thing I’ve learned in this forum over the years I have participated - many ways to build systems and all have their advantages. Great forum participation thanks to a lot of great people and Paul’s dedicated approach to respectful and open participation.
I will be trying the new switch next year that will get rid of my Aquvox and Giga Foil filter. Doing that Fardad said they would reconfigure my 5V PS for the best voltage for the switch. I hear great things about this new switch @JeffofArabica and a few others. I just started the build on a new house and my music room will double in volume. Will finish in summer 2021. So, will set up system in new house, dial in the acoustics, then try the new switch w/ SMPS it comes with and if better than AQVOX-SE and Gigafoil filter; Farad will reconfigure my Farad Super Cap
@cardi, I am curious, do you plan any special construction features for your music room (maybe it is to early to ask)?
Chas
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Chas - as usual, I have the room designed already; however, have a few years to digest the acoustics. So, here goes… will start w/ the music room and covered patio adjacent.
Electrical Design - the center of the room will have a cloud so there will be no ceiling pucks.
Acoustics to date -
Front -
Back -
Right -
Left - Drapes design
The big question is what speakers?
It would be awesome to have a small warehouse and two humanoid robots that could swap speakers on demand!
1200lbs each with just a spoken command…
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Nice to see you back in the forum saddle🤓.
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@brett66 - My present system will go into my office down the road. This music room will start with the Sonus Faber Guareni Evolutions w/ REL S3 subs and Iconoclast bi-wired… That is a lot of volume for these speakers. I love SF speakers, what can I say… I have my eye on the Sonus Faber SE17 speakers. I’m also thinking of powering the office system w/ the BH250, not the BH300s. Keeping the BHK 300s for the SE17s. I was also considering going to a Basis table in the office and starting an LP collection. The acoustics are in the thought process and also what I will do with my present system. Since I am now in a lease house for 10 more months and my stereo is in boxes, I am jonesing for tunes…
So we can poke you and make fun of you? You know I love you man.
The jump from M700 to BHK250 was monumental, literally and figuratively.
@brett66 - All good, I know it is all in fun and I’m OK with that… you were smart to go to the BHK250. That is an amazing amp, same as BHK300. To be honest with you a lot were sayin how much better the BHK 300s are in place of BHK250 and I saw a difference, just not as big of a difference as advertised… it was not holy crap is that amazing. More like man does that sound good. PSA amps rock! and rolling tubes are a lot of fun to boot… also, I’m waiting for the BHK500 in a few years and that is what I will use for the SF SE17 speakers. No subs, just a nice SF sound powered by PSA BHK500s…
Those speakers have an amazing spec. response, having a low of 18Hz with a sensitivity of 92 db!!
I am using a set of M1200s but I can’t help but wonder if a set of 10 watt tube mono amps could drive them. I suspect that you will want more. Your new system will surely perform, exciting. Love your new room design too.
Chas
Chas - I love the SF sound; however, not for everyone. The SF Guareni Evolutions are book shelf size and that room is 21ft X 22ft X 12ft and that is a lot of volume for SF book shelf speakers. I also love the SF Lilium, and Adia floor standing speakers; roll off around 20Hz and would be fine in that room without subs. I have quite a few years to set up that room and contemplate my next speaker choice. There are so many speakers out there to chose from and a lot of them are amazing. That will be a tough choice.
Have you auditioned the SE17s?
Chas
Chas - not yet - oddly enough, the only distributor in the USA is in Scottsdale, AZ… 20min from my newly built (summer 2021) house. Those speakers are a 4month SF build process, hand made in Italy. One thing I can tell you is that my SF Evolutions are like a musical instrument. The Italian craftsmanship is just so good. I don’t want to audition them yet cause I’m in a lease house it will get me thinking of tunes too much. I’m holding off till next Christmas to take a visit to that stereo shop. Also - I will probably start going to some stereo events in 2022 to scope out my next purchase. The trouble with buying high end speakers based on stereo shops and events is that they don’t sound the same in your music room. This next pair I will be DEMOing and the SE17s weigh 300lbs each so that should be interesting. However, speakers make the system, one should spend huge time making sure you love that particular sound. We are all created different with our own listening experiences and expectations. Speakers are unique and lots of time is needed to interpret how they fit into our uniqueness.
I couldn’t agree with you more. I had been agonizing over a 150 mile ride to audit some. But with Covid, I am home bound or riding alone in the woods.
I may start buying some used high-end that I can listen to for 50 to 100 hours, then sell if they don’t seduce me
Chas
Yes, welcome back!
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Do they detail the acoustic center or did you make an educated guess?
As always, excellent planning and documentation.
Richard - Good to see you making progress on the new house and finding a little time to hang out with the stereo nerds. I know you are keeping the contractors on their toes.
@brett66 - most of that acoustic design (thought) is past experience. I like to detail out my plan and spend a lot of time thinking about the consequences; simulations… then slowly build the system. The cloud is a given using the acoustics from my house I just sold; bass traps too. I designed the bass trap mobility so they are movable with a push. I have a few other acoustic pieces from our house.
@Baldy - yeah - my latest is spray insulation. I opted for a conditioned attic (spray attic under decking), and opted for spraying the 2in X 6in wall framing. I then opted for insulating the 4 car garage (walls & ceiling). The house is a little less than 5,000SF one floor so I wanted to keep my electric bills (AC) lower. I have (3) AC handlers, now operating in a conditioned space (increased MTBF), reducing AC cycle time. In AZ, insulation has a direct correlation to monthly cost. The design took months; however, now they are building… concrete done by next week; framing starts the week after. House should be complete by summer, 2021. How is the business and you guys doing?
Here is some cool calculations I ran across
Now, think of this versus going solar and ask yourself which modification will net a more effective cost saving in a decade? Solar panels will degrade, batting will slump. Solar will only half your production cost and if you live in a state with high electric production cost, solar is a way to go… now think of doing the insulation upgrade, then solar down the road… We live 75mi from one of the largest nuclear power plants in the USA. Our electric (production cost) is low.
