The living room is 19 1/2' x 28'. The system is set up on the short side of the room. The house is constructed with plaster walls with the equipment wall sound treated with painted cork and a quilt. The speakers are set up 38 inches from the rear walls and the sidewalls are within 40 and 55 inches from the sides of the speakers. The Vandersteen 2Wq sub are set behind and to the right of the right speaker, a little cramped but I ran out of room. The speakers are rear tilted 1 in as suggested by Vandersteen. The living room floor is wood on slab with a large 9' x 16' Durrie carpet. There is 15' of floor to ceiling glass windows that probably add a little glare but not sure what to do about it. Eames Chair is located 13 feet away from the center point of the speakers. The room opens up to the dining room and the kitchen, which adds another 29' more feet behind the listening position, so the sound does not bounce back to me. My wife is a Master Quilter so her art is hanging up which helps with reflections. It also helps with the WAF big-time!
The current distillation of equipment has come to me over years as my hearing, taste or interest ebbs and flows.
System edited: I made most of these changes about 3-4 months ago when I got the bug. I did not realize I could change forums. So.....added the VTL MB150s. Each mono block uses 6 - 807 tubes with the anode caps. I was always intrigued by what David Manly wrote about the 807 tube so when they came available I gave them a try. Really glad I did. Sound is sweet and detailed with out being over lush. On large pieces they sound big and full. On faster moving rock they keep up. The amps get help from the 2Wq sub below 80hz. To make the VTLs work with the 2Wq sub I had to get a pair of 200K W2 fixed plug in crossovers. When I tried 100k or 150k impedience crossovers it sounded a bit bumpy on the bass. On chamber music or jazz in triode mode they sound airy with the differend sounds etched in space. On choral music I can hear the layers of voices so I guess I am hearing it all. The difference from the McCormack DNA225 was in the mid range and the sweetness of the top end. It just sounded so much more natural. I have had tubes amps before (Rogue 120s), so I will give it a another go with the VTLs for awhile. Since the VTLs are mono block I got to shorten my cable to 4 feet each side. Still like Rodger Mojeski's RAM Labs pre-amp (Music Reference). I like that it is a one tube gain stage and two tube phono stage. Seems simple and direct to me. Added a Grado Signature tone arm to the Roksan table. Read to much about the Grado Arm to pass it up when it became available. Deleted the Rega RB300 with Cardas and solid counter weight. The only problem with the Grado arm was it was high at the base so I had to have a cover made. Mid range was better than the Rega. For cartriges I have been using Grado XTZ and MR10 detachable, with a Rega Exact. Replaced the MSB LINK modded by Dan Wright with a Channel Islands DAC. Its a good sounding unit but not sure if it's better. It is very smooth though. Anyone else have one they can comment on? Replaced a blown out Roksan motor controller with a Origin Live dc motor and controller. It's impressive replacement and precise! Makes the table sound better than with the original motor. Added a Parasound DQ 1600 tuner because it had a remote. The NikkoGammaV it replaced DXed better and had the edge in the bass but now I dont have to get up! All is good for now as I quite happy with the sound, but I heard the Vanderseeen Model 7s and I am wondering where I can get $45K to buy them!!!
Wow nice set-up. My dad just took delivery of the Wood Quatro, I think Vandersteen is a special value in a hobby clouded with over-priced run of the mill products. I have the RB300 arm and am curious if you had stock wire in the past and how big of an improovement did you get with re-wire? Nice room you have there aswell!
As a fellow Vandi 3A sig owner and a firm believer in speaker placement and listener position, it's a real pleasure to read your very detailed description of your listening room.
I really feel that a properly set up moderately priced system which is well matched to the room it used in can sound as good, if not better, than a poorly set up or mis-matched room/system costing much more. A very good friend of mine as a wonderful system which sounds great when I sit about 5 or 6 feet back from his "sweet spot" - the speakers are just so large that the sound overpowers you when you're sitting that close.
The 3a sigs really benefit from a good 8 to 10 feet of distance for the sound to blend and bloom. I also have a listening room which opens into another space so there is no rear wall and do think that really helps the sound open up quite a bit.
I'm hoping to post my system on Audiogon in the near future but until then a few quick details - Sim Audio amp and pre-amp, Linn LP-12, Grado cartridge and McCormack universal disc player along with a single Vandi sub and Cardas cables - all making some wonderful sounding music together.
Speaking of music, what kind of tunes do you spin on that beautiful table of yours?
