Local Listening party

[hjames]

After some conversations over the summer, Opimax and I agreed to get together and listen to each other's respective systems, get a chance to hear other vintage gear. I'd been wanting to hear a set of 250TIs ..., he wanted to hear a pair of the pro monitors, but as luck would have it, he invited Emma and I to drop by today. He's got quite a system, with multiple speakers, a B-460 and Velodyne to carry the bottom end, and a gorgeous pair of 250tis that have been redone with revised drivers and CC networks. He's even had the supertweeters aquaplased. And what a sound! Very very nice.

With complex music, I think the 250TIs have a bit more resolving power - how you say it, better definition for each of the instruments in the music than our 4341s have. But he's more of a hard rock and blues guy, while Emma and I are all over the map.
That said - I think I prefer listening to jazz with horns on the 4341s - Miles, Ornette, Chet Baker - all of that, and at somewhat lower listening levels

But between the plasma and the power recliners, those glorious speakers and amps - what a fine place to enjoy music!

[Titanium Dome]

That's it? No more pictures or comments?

What music did you listen to? Was there a particular genre that came to life that your own system doesn't do as much for you? Did the physical size surprise you?

Can I ask any more questions? Have I lost the ability to write a declarative sentence?

[hjames]

Yes 'spose I hadn't realized just how big the 250s were until I stood by one!
Mark was quite hospitable and even had cut roses for us (to take home afterwards).

He tends to play much higher levels than we do, but the system was quite amazing. He runs his subs fulltime, and says he doesn't have movies, just concert and music videos (grin). We rarely run our B380 subwoofer on music, we only use it for movies. Room sizes were pretty similar, tho his is somewhat larger), but his home has a basement underneath, our music room is on a slab. We both have too darned much speaker for the room (ya think??) ...

He runs the subs fulltime, so the low low bass, say, under 120Hz is very full (expected, with 2 subwoofers to fill the bottom), but with the subs off it sounds like he may have a small hole in the bass range - he thinks its in the bass guitar range, but perhaps up into the bottom range of low (male) vocals.

We didn't know if his taste in music was different than ours, so we brought this stack of "test CDs" to try out:

Acoustic Alchemy - Positive Thinking (Bo tipped me off to this one)
Boz Scaggs - Dig (Mixed or tracks, plus 6-8)
Giora Feidman Magic of the Klezmer (Cut 14 - Gershwin suite - Delos CD)
Larry Carlton - Sapphire Blue (Most - bits & pieces as we spoke)
Lunasa (1st album) - (cut 7. the Kelzmer done on ullean pipes)
Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat (cut 2. Bird on a Wire)
Steely Dan - AJA (of course)
Beatles Love DVD-A
Hilary Stagg - too darned much low bass to listen to with subs.

Didn't get to Tommy Emmanuel - Only, or Goldfrapp - Supernatural, so I can't comment on them.

That's it? No more pictures or comments?

What music did you listen to? Was there a particular genre that came to life that your own system doesn't do as much for you? Did the physical size surprise you?

Can I ask any more questions? Have I lost the ability to write a declarative sentence?

[bigyank]

Heather is that a working fireplace? What are the center channel speakers? What is driving the analyzer program?

From the looks of the system must have sounded awesome!


Yank

[hjames]

Heather is that a working fireplace? What are the center channel speakers? What is driving the analyzer program?

From the looks of the system must have sounded awesome!


Yank

Working fireplace - yes (gas), but he said when he plays it hard the system creates plenty of heat.

He's currently using a high end Sony receiver as the control center, but, like most of us, he talked about swapping this or that piece for something different. It wasn't running in biamp mode with the 2 Perrault amps - his newer Perrault had crashed friday night so he just had the one in place, and had an Adcom running his subs.

Center channel speakers - I'm miserable on model numbers, but does 18ti sound right?
He had some software output from the Velodyne SMS on screen - just shows the low low bass response - had a mic input sweeping the room for a while ...

[ChopsMX5]

The screen and "right" center channel looks like they're ready to fall off the wall to the right!

[hjames]

You wouldn't believe the brackets and lags holding that stuff into the fireplace. I think a lot of the apparent "lean" is because I shot the picture from behind the left corner of the recliner-chairs, at an angle to the suspended gear. It really doesn't look that way in person.
(speakers are suspended from one bracket, plasma from another huge one) ...

The screen and "right" center channel looks like they're ready to fall off the wall to the right!

[Titanium Dome]

Thanks, Heather. Now that's a worthy report.

[toddalin]

You wouldn't believe the brackets and lags holding that stuff into the fireplace. I think a lot of the apparent "lean" is because I shot the picture from behind the left corner of the recliner-chairs, at an angle to the suspended gear. It really doesn't look that way in person.
(speakers are suspended from one bracket, plasma from another huge one) ...

I found that it is not always the brackets that let go! This one almost fell 16' to the demise of everything below. Luckily it wedged itself between the rafters rather than falling on the L200+, Sunfire Signiture, and artwork on the wall all immediately below it.

[hjames]

No doubt Opimax will have an eye on it, much as you clocked yours before the fall! He seems pretty on top of his stuff ...

I found that it is not always the brackets that let go! Mine almost fell 16' to the demise of everything below. Luckily it wedged itself between the rafters rather than falling on the L200+, Sunfire Signiture, and artwork on the wall all immediately below it.

[subwoof]

Whenever we installed "consumer" style cabinetry we used a 1/4-20 threaded rod that went thru the entire height of the speaker. One on each rear corner was enough to allow down angle adjustments with a small wirerope.

Instead of regular nuts we would use cascading diameters of brass washers and an "acorn" nut ( with removable loctite) on the bottom for aesthetics.

The top used a forged / threaded "female" eye bolt directly onto the rod. This set up was easy to pre-install in the shop and removed any glue fractures from the equation.

sub

[JBL 4645]

Heather is that a working fireplace? What are the center channel speakers? What is driving the analyzer program?

From the looks of the system must have sounded awesome!


Yank

Well I’m not too bright but heat raises doesn’t it! And there is no way I’d place electronics above a fireplace no mater lets not talk politics.

So I take it that’s you’re JBL B460 18” sub bass there? And buy the way you look fabulous you’re quite a dish.

“Northwood” showed me a link to one of those last year and I liked it straight away nice looking one and I bet she’s goes down low and with high SPL levels to match!

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=5382



(Shh, quietly) I like redheads.

Hmm I guess that would make you 4” tall than me judging by the height of JBL 250Ti.

[hjames]

So I take it that’s your JBL B460 18” sub bass there?

“Northwood” showed me a link to one of those last year and I liked it straight away nice looking one and I bet she’s goes down low and with high SPL levels to match!

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=5382

Nah - thats all Opimax's gear (thats him adjusting the 250TI connection).
The 250tis and the B460 are quite a nice set, but Emma didn't get a picture of the Velodyne subwoofer in the room - between the two subs, that system goes WAY Down deep!

I brought a copy of the deluxe 2 disc DVD of King Kong, but we stayed with music all night and didn't get to it. We get to any classical music so I didn't play my Telarc 1812 (with the digital canons) either - we'd blow the walls out with that, for sure!

[JBL 4645]

Nah - thats all Opimax's gear (thats him adjusting the 250TI connection).
The 250tis and the B460 are quite a nice set, but Emma didn't get a picture of the Velodyne subwoofer in the room - between the two subs, that system goes WAY Down deep!

I brought a copy of the deluxe 2 disc DVD of King Kong, but we stayed with music all night and didn't get to it. We get to any classical music so I didn't play my Telarc 1812 (with the digital canons) either - we'd blow the walls out with that, for sure!

Heather

Go ahead blow the walls out just remember to stick those ear plugs in first!

Nah I can look at that JBL B460 all day long if necessary how on earth did I let that beauty slip past me. I guess they fetch for quite a bit on the Ebay.

But if I where to see one in the free adds newspaper I’ll have it!

Hmm I haven’t tired “King Kong” (2005) with the DXC2496 yet hay, hay don’t get me started, no sorry can’t resist I’m going to play the bi-plane sequence see you in a jiffy.

[opimax]

normally i am indiferent to having my picture taking. there was a mix up and they showed on time but didn't call as i was expecting, didn't get to shower ! although not gross I was certainly self consious of it the whole time. they didn't make a thing of it and stayed til after 8.

Yesterday I avoided TVs and computers and stayed out cleaning 1 of my vehicles til dark and then watched the Skins lose, did not see the end til 1 am ish so i didn't post or read much.

Today i am being hammered w/calls, tonight i wil post some comments

Mark