Hi,
I’m wondering if anyone has used the Audiophiles Guide: The Collection to setup speakers but only with The Audiophiles Guide: The Stereo music tracks? Or possibly just tracks from Qobuz?
I bought The Stereo album download when it was first released and read through the book on Kindle as Paul made it available to Kindle Unlimited at first. That was years ago and now I’ve changed my room and system, I need to setup again. I was going to buy The Stereo book, however in a recent Paul’s video he suggested The Collection was probably better as it also included a section on the room as well as all the setup steps.
I have found it quite hard to follow the setup in the collection because although I could follow the initial steps from The Stereo chapters, the setup steps stop mid process. Changing to The Loudspeaker chapters seems to continue the process but references a different setup disc. I assume there are tracks which represent the same steps on both discs but I’m unsure how the tracks on The Stereo map to tracks on The Loudspeaker. Is there a reference or other posts here which suggest suitable tracks to use for setup?
Thanks
Just a guess, but when I purchased my FR10s they shipped with a setup CD that had different tracks than “The Stereo” companion disc. perhaps the music referenced in The Collection is on the setup CD included with Aspens.
Thanks for the response, I don’t actually have a pair of Aspen speakers yet, I’m using ProAc D2/Rs, but you are probably right. When Paul wrote “The Loudspeaker” he produced a new setup companion disc, and it is from that book that a lot of the setup info in “The Collection” is taken.
After buying the book, I don’t really want to spend another $30 on a second setup disc when I have already bought one (it’s actually called “Audiophile Reference Music”), and from what I can gather from the book has the same or similar type of music on it for evaluating the same aspects of performance. For example the disc I have has Chris playing a double bass to identify where the room modes are, while the newer version uses someone playing a Moog synth.
Oh, interesting. The disc I got with the Aspens must be the same as your - it is Chris playing the bass. The disc I had before was the companion to “The Stereo.” At this point I don’t know which way is up. 
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I tried using Jim Smith’s suggestion in his book Get Better Sound, about placing the distance between the tweeters at 83% of the distance between my ears and the front baffle, and heard a noticeable improvement in imaging.
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That is odd, because I’m sure what I purchased was the companion disc to “The Stereo”. I bought it back in January 2021, so I think that would have been the first version of the book, Maybe just called “The Audiophiles Guide” back then?
I did wonder if as the companion disk has been updated weather the I could now download the new version. Unfortunately the download link from my purchase email is now dead. It just takes me to a “page cannot be found” error on the PS Audio website, and although I can find my order on the PS Audio website, there are no download links available from the download page. 
The website was recently redesigned. I bet you would get the link reactivated by sending a request with the proof of your purchase. Cheers!
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Give this a try. I have heard a lot of good things about it.
L.O.T.S. Loudspeaker Optimization Techniques for Soundstage!
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Thanks, I’ll take a look.
I’ve now read through the sections a bit slower and I think I’ve found suitable tracks from the original disc to substitute. I’ve still got some further tweaking to do but things are sounding good so far.
I’ve previously relied on GBS and the Audiophile’s Guide but most recently used LOTS with more satisfying results. Because the setup starts from such a preposterous position it’s especially helpful for those like me who aren’t attuned to subtleties. The changes in sound get progressively less dramatic, which enables the user to sneak up on the limits of their perception rather than starting below their threshold.
What would make it better is a test track that is recognized for the audiophile nuances and what the listener should be listening for as more subtle changes are made.
One thing I have noticed in my setup is Jim Smith’s recommended 0.83 or Paul’s equilateral triangle aren’t mutually exclusive. One isn’t better than the other. Just different. The equilateral triangle puts me more near field and creates a unique enveloping experience. The other creates a more mid row effect. The horribly uncomfortable folding chair that I have to rely on allows me to easily move between positions.
Thanks, I’ll definitely give the LOTS a go, as I don’t think I’ll ever get it perfect in my listening room which is quite small at approx. 12’ x 14’. Paul’s recommendation of speakers 8 to 10 feet apart with at least 2 feet either side just doesn’t fit 