What audio system do you have, or plan on getting?

[Irons]

^In Norway the Topping headphone amps are quite popular. They seem to be able do drive anything. Mind you, they're designed to have no sound of their own so they will not be to everyones liking.

Throwing in a pic with a view to our living/listening room, wife's plastic sandals and all. The main speakers are as mentioned dipoles, designed to operate below the dipole peak (ok, that falls apart at about 6 kHz for physical reasons. The tweeter is just too big). In practice they shower the room with a frequency spectrum that doesn't change much as you move around. Subwoofers between the main speakers and the front wall. The listening chair is that rocking chair. I sit fairly close when I listen seriously, about 1,8 m speaker-ear. Note the 10 cm reflection killing "box" above the listening triangle. It also does wonders to the acoustics of this rather classic L-shaped Scandinavian living room.

Good to see a turntable is part of your system. A lot of speaker toe-in but with such a close listening position that makes perfect sense. I would slightly worry of sound radiating from the back of the speakers causing effect to the delicate interface between stylus and record.

[Daverz]

Good to see a turntable is part of your system. A lot of speaker toe-in but with such a close listening position that makes perfect sense. I would slightly worry of sound radiating from the back of the speakers causing effect to the delicate interface between stylus and record.

I don't know about those speakers, but one can use extreme toe-in (so the speaker axes cross in front of the listener) to widen the sweet spot: as you move your head off center you move closer to one speaker but further off axis while you move further away from the other speaker but closer to on-axis.  This is called time-intensity trading.

I'm the only listener here at home, so I toe out my speakers slightly for a wider soundstage.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

SPEAKERS: B&W 803D3
AMPLIFIER McIntosh MA9000
CD/SACD PLAYER: Esoteric K-03
DAC: Chord Qutest
TURNTABLE: VPI Prime Signature
PHONO CARTRIDGE: Ortofon Cadenza Bronze
BLU-RAY/DVD PLAYER: Oppo 205
HEADPHONES: Sennheiser HD800S and, Audeze LCD-XC

Bachtoven,

Is that your dream system that you want to get one day or the one that you do have?  Or are you part way there in acquiring the pieces?  In any event, bet that it would sound lovely together!  I don't know the B&W 803D3, but some years ago, I tried out various B&W speakers at a store including their 801 Nautilus...fell in love with them.  Alas, they were too big for my living room--which was probably a good thing budget-wise for me at the time.

PD

[Irons]

I don't know about those speakers, but one can use extreme toe-in (so the speaker axes cross in front of the listener) to widen the sweet spot: as you move your head off center you move closer to one speaker but further off axis while you move further away from the other speaker but closer to on-axis.  This is called time-intensity trading.

I'm the only listener here at home, so I toe out my speakers slightly for a wider soundstage.

I suppose it would be simple to measure toe-in. Take a straight line from the inside back edge and then measure the distance to outside back edge.

I have, with the help of my wife holding a piece of wood! My speakers are 21" wide and 15" out from rear wall. Surprisingly, as I originally positioned by eye the toe-in is exactly the same for both at 3". 

[Fëanor]

I don't know about those speakers, but one can use extreme toe-in (so the speaker axes cross in front of the listener) to widen the sweet spot: as you move your head off center you move closer to one speaker but further off axis while you move further away from the other speaker but closer to on-axis.  This is called time-intensity trading:  hadn't heard that before.

I'm the only listener here at home, so I toe out my speakers slightly for a wider soundstage.

By any chance do you mean listening area rather than or in addition to "soundstage".  It makes sense that the width of the listening area could be expanded by extreme toe-in.  Interesting the the effect is called "time-intensity trading".

Another effect of extreme toe-in is a reduction in early reflections that typically cause by sound bouncing of the wall near to the speaker.  This might have the effect of sharpening imaging.

Interesting maybe is that Audio Note recommend that their speakers be placed very close to room corners and at 45 degrees with respect to each other's axis.  At most listening distances this wouldresult in extreme toe-in as well as weaker early reflections.

[Valentino]

Sorry for being away.
It's the only such system ever made. I see the inside of the speakers from the main listening position. It's a wide setup with a short listening distance. Makes a big stage without any  "hole" in the middle. That may have to do with the linear phase filters and the precise impulse response this system has. The speakers are as mentioned dipoles.
From 40 Hz to 6 kHz the radiation pattern is almost a perfect figure of eight. Below there are omnipole subwoofers and above the nude Mundorf AMTs just become too big and lobing starts.

I hear no acoustic feedback when playing records.

[Irons]

By any chance do you mean listening area rather than or in addition to "soundstage".  It makes sense that the width of the listening area could be expanded by extreme toe-in.  Interesting the the effect is called "time-intensity trading".

Another effect of extreme toe-in is a reduction in early reflections that typically cause by sound bouncing of the wall near to the speaker.  This might have the effect of sharpening imaging.

Interesting maybe is that Audio Note recommend that their speakers be placed very close to room corners and at 45 degrees with respect to each other's axis.  At most listening distances this wouldresult in extreme toe-in as well as weaker early reflections.

Would not extreme toe-in result in loss of stereo imaging?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Would not extreme toe-in result in loss of stereo imaging?

Good point Irons!

From where mine are to my 'sweet spot', they are about 9 1/2 feet away. And, they're roughly 25 - 30 degrees toed in?  And a bit over 7 feet apart.  I'm very happy with how they sound. 

PD

[fbjim]

I've got powered speakers with Bluetooth and phono in. Can I post here? 

(they're not bad for the money and I'm not setting up a "proper" system in an apartment bedroom)

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I've got powered speakers with Bluetooth and phono in. Can I post here? 

(they're not bad for the money and I'm not setting up a "proper" system in an apartment bedroom)

Sure!    Is this a temporary situation or long-term (living in an apartment)?

All that matters is that you're able to listen to music and enjoy it!

PD

[fbjim]

They're a set of Klipsch bookshelf speakers. I got an open box deal on them from a local audio shop- the next purchase is a new turntable to replace my defective one (and a setup to make them more isolated from the speaker vibrations).

It's probably the setup for the near future - the idea of owning my own place is financially improbable for the next decade or so, unless the housing market crashes.

For the record I think a lot of people my age are in the same boat, which is a big reason there are few mass-market/"mid-market" stereo receiver manufacturers these days (apart from the specialist high-end stuff, are there any apart from Onkyo?) and the big name companies are more or less trying to emulate Sonos.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

They're a set of Klipsch bookshelf speakers. I got an open box deal on them from a local audio shop- the next purchase is a new turntable to replace my defective one (and a setup to make them more isolated from the speaker vibrations).

It's probably the setup for the near future - the idea of owning my own place is financially improbable for the next decade or so, unless the housing market crashes.

For the record I think a lot of people my age are in the same boat, which is a big reason there are few mass-market/"mid-market" stereo receiver manufacturers these days (apart from the specialist high-end stuff, are there any apart from Onkyo?) and the big name companies are more or less trying to emulate Sonos.

Your best bet might be to do some online searching for used equipment (though I imagine that even that is going up in price these days) and also asking some of the more knowledgable members here about the brands and models too.  A friend of mines future son-in-law just purchased a used integrated amp nearby and also is wanting to get a better turntable (He has a huge record collection apparently).  I'm not sure what he paid for the amp, but from what I understand, he didn't have a huge budget.

Good luck in any event!   

PD

[Daverz]

By any chance do you mean listening area rather than or in addition to "soundstage".  It makes sense that the width of the listening area could be expanded by extreme toe-in.  Interesting the the effect is called "time-intensity trading".

Yes, the "sweet spot" is the area where the soundstage comes into focus and doesn't shift to the left or right speaker.

[Daverz]

Would not extreme toe-in result in loss of stereo imaging?

It may improve imaging (focus of individual instrumental images in space), particularly the focus of center images, but perhaps at the cost of soundstage width. 

I don't think it's really necessary for a single listener sitting in the sweet spot.  My own speakers (Buchardt S400) are toed out 15 degrees or so.

[LKB]

I don't actually listen to music very often these days, having memorized around 300 hours worth over decades. But when l do, it's from my laptop or my phone via AKG K702 headphones.

[Fëanor]

Interesting maybe is that Audio Note recommend that their speakers be placed very close to room corners and at 45 degrees with respect to each other's axis.  At most listening distances this wouldresult in extreme toe-in as well as weaker early reflections.

Would not extreme toe-in result in loss of stereo imaging?

I haven't heard such a setup myself.  However if, as I speculate, the arrangement reduces early, side wall reflections, it might actually improve stereo imaging provided the speakers have uniform dispersion across the frequency range.  That is, some speakers have a smooth on-axis response but jagged response off-axis which can only harm imaging.

[Irons]

Would not extreme toe-in result in loss of stereo imaging?


I haven't heard such a setup myself.  However if, as I speculate, the arrangement reduces early, side wall reflections, it might actually improve stereo imaging provided the speakers have uniform dispersion across the frequency range.  That is, some speakers have a smooth on-axis response but jagged response off-axis which can only harm imaging.

Although not a horn loaded speaker Audio Note - which are a copy of Snell speakers - are designed to use corners to boost bass. They are built to work that way. For most designs placing in a corner or up against a back wall results in muddy slurred sound. I would love my Tannoy speakers in such a position, the wife more so, but they sound horrible so aesthetically not the best and out in the room they stay.   

[Bachtoven]

Bachtoven,

Is that your dream system that you want to get one day or the one that you do have?  Or are you part way there in acquiring the pieces?  In any event, bet that it would sound lovely together!  I don't know the B&W 803D3, but some years ago, I tried out various B&W speakers at a store including their 801 Nautilus...fell in love with them.  Alas, they were too big for my living room--which was probably a good thing budget-wise for me at the time.

PD

That's my system--I don't like posting actual pictures online. Yes, the components complement each other very nicely. I love the 803D3s--incredibly transparent, detailed, and dynamic.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

That's my system--I don't like posting actual pictures online. Yes, the components complement each other very nicely. I love the 803D3s--incredibly transparent, detailed, and dynamic.

Neat!   Good to hear that you're enjoying it. 

PD

[T. D.]

That's my system--I don't like posting actual pictures online. Yes, the components complement each other very nicely. I love the 803D3s--incredibly transparent, detailed, and dynamic.

Forgive a possibly stupid question, but with the Esoteric CD/SACD player/DAC pictured (original MSRP $12,000 or more), why the additional DAC? I assume you're not using the Esoteric unit as just a transport.