[XEagleDriver]

A few months after the youngest child moved out during college, my wife suggested we turn his old room into an office for me. In turn, I suggested a 2-channel stereo room instead, paperwork is so 1980's.
She is a wonderful lady and got fully on board.

Built on a relatively modest budget in a small room of 10' × 9' × 8'H with the following equipment:

Speakers - Ascend Sierra 2s (recent B Stock sale, ~$1200) on 24" Pangea stands (~$70)
Subs - Two SVS SB12-NSD (~$400 each)
AVR - HK 3485, stereo only ~120W/ch (used from ebay a few years back, ~$300)
Source 1 - Oppo 980H (B-Stock several years ago, ~$200)
Source 2 - NFC Bluetooth (Amazon, ~$35)
Equipment Rack - Pangea 400 (AAdvisor sale, ~$150)

Connected as follows: L/R stereo channels are sent individually from the HK 3485's L/R pre-amp output to one sub input on the respective side, with the sub HPF output (80Hz) returned to the respective L/R main amplifier input and hence to the respective L/R Sierra 2.

Pics:

 

[tonyvdb]

I bet that sounds really nice, those subs would fill that space with authority Im sure.

 

[HiFiStereo]

Looks great. It is a great starting point!
From my experience maybe there are some tips that can help to get the full performance of the system.

#Try to do a a/b listening test with the book shelf speakers grills on/off

#you have a "complicated" back wall. But as you surly know that the distance to it effects the bass reproduction. And as consensus says that "closer to the back wall gives more bass and further away less".
BUT what I found that it is not only that to listen after (more/less bass). Listen after the bass couture to close and to much bass have a bomy swelling couture. When you move it further away the bass gets not only thinner but less bloomy and you will get a contour of when the bass note starts and ends. That may be the thing to listen after.

#then you can try gradually toe in the speakers. This efects the width of the soundstage. Listen for how wide is the mouth of the artist that is in the center of the image. Is the voice coming from a small hole in the center or is the mouth to wide.

#as I understand you have 2chanel stereo bas speakers there. That is actually great setup. Because now you can adjust the bas individual without effecting the midrange and top as described above. But remember that you can also listen to image in the bas and try different width between them so you get a great drum set Infront of you!

#your sidewalls are acting as a great first reflection points. Maybe there are room for some traps. Especially the reflection point on the left wall that are from the right speaker (and the right wall and the reflection from the left speaker). Because reflection sound from left wall and right speaker reaching your left ear are not doing anything good.
But the reflection point from right speaker on the right wall (and left speaker and left wall) can help you to get wider sound stage. So listen for sounds that are that perceives coming to the right and PAST the right speaker and the same for the left side. Here can the reflection points help as said before.

Some tips to try during listening sessions.
Happy listening!

 

[culliganman]

Nice room I like it. I have a small office and have just two speakers but with two subwoofers.
Two subs is a definite improvement.
I used REW room sim to help position my subs and found after measuring that it was quite accurate.
One of my subs is on the left side near the left speaker but the 2nd sub ended up on the right rear corner.
Enjoy your new setup!

 

[AudiocRaver]

Anyone who thinks an empty nest is a bad thing deserves to have their older kids move back in with them!

Empty Nest usually means more AV project space, and is a reward of parenting.

Good advice above. Looks nice!:nerd2:

 

[Lumen]

Sharp setup! Looks like a lot of thought went into it. I'm a little confused, though. What's the function of the speakers on top of the subs?

 

[culliganman]

Yea, I wondered that too but forgot to ask.

 

[ajinfla]

Nicely done.
What types of music do you listen to?

cheers

 

[XEagleDriver]

Sharp setup! Looks like a lot of thought went into it. I'm a little confused, though. What's the function of the speakers on top of the subs?

Lumen and Culliganman,

Thanks for the kind words.

The speakers on top of the subs are Wharfedale 10.1s which the Ascend Sierra 2s replaced. I connected them to the HK receiver's B-terminals and experiment with them just for fun and since I have no other compelling use for them.
- First, I disconnected the 10.1's tweeter bridges and tried them as a mid-bass sub of sorts just to see how that sounded. The idea came from seeing that Rythmik's sells a FM8 mid-bass unit.
- Now, I have reconnected the tweeter bridges and use them for either A/B tweeter comparisons to those who have not heard a RAAL vs. a silk dome tweeters and as a poor-man's sound stage manipulation like the digital signal processing (DSP) feature found on more advanced receivers then my old and lowly, but powerful, HK3485.

My conclusion; with certain music genres/artists/songs (but not all) using both the S2s and the 10.1's provides a depth to the sound stage that is pleasant and more live performance like.

 

[XEagleDriver]

Nicely done.
What types of music do you listen to?
cheers

AJinFLA,
About 60% instrumental jazz (50's to present), 20% vocals/pop (same time frame), 10% classic rock/Motown, and 10% classical/opera (learning about these).

Only types of music I do not care for are Rap and Chant (the monk thing), they tend to drive me a bit nuts. addle: :hissyfit: :scratch:

 

[ajinfla]

AJinFLA,
About 60% instrumental jazz (50's to present), 20% vocals/pop (same time frame), 10% classic rock/Motown, and 10% classical/opera (learning about these).

Ok, good dose of non-electronic type music. If you start listening to even more classical, I'll share some suggestions with you. Might involve spending around $100 or so, moving stuff around and a red pill.
Or if you're happy as is, take the blue pill, the story ends.

 

[XEagleDriver]

. . . If you start listening to even more classical, I'll share some suggestions with you.

Always looking to expand musical knowledge and horizons, share away I say!!

Might involve spending around $100 or so, moving stuff around and a red pill.

$100 is very doable; I will need to know if red pill is legal/illegal and upper/downer :smile:

Or if you're happy as is, take the blue pill, the story ends.

Nothing prevents going back home after the trek, learning and the journey is key.

 

[ajinfla]

Ok. First, there is no 100% guarantee on anything. Annoyances like ground loops and hum are a possibility. But if your still willing..
The $100 is for a used HK AVR. The only requirement is that it has Logic7, which practically all do. Tons of 5.1 HKs on ebay, etc, some will match your current aesthetics. The idea is enhanced stereo, grounded here.
Your front 2 channels are pure stereo. A Y-jack from your 3485 feeds the 2nd HK and of course your subs>mains setup as is. The HK AVR will drive your Wharfdales as rear surrounds, in Logic7 mode. They need to be positioned at least direct to your sides, or slightly behind and pointed upwards (towards ceiling).
When done properly, you can't hear them.:smile:
The only time you will be aware that they were on is if you turn them off and the soundstage collapses towards the front of the room, aka traditional "stereo".
The next step would be to place your subs wider, even to your sides if possible.

 

[XEagleDriver]

AJinFLA,
Interesting idea I will search for the HK AVR.
Question, in my current setup the subs are fed the HK3485 preamp output and in turn provide a high pass filtered signal (>80 Hz) back to the main amplifier for the FR/FL respectively.
Do I understand correctly the Y connectors would be applied at that point (i.e. sub HPF output) in order to avoid sending excessively low frequencies to the rear surrounds as I am doing for the mains?


Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk

 

[XEagleDriver]

AJinFLA,
Will a HK AVR 146 meet the criteria?
Logic 7
30 W/ch
circa 2007

Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk

 

[ajinfla]

Yes, 146 should work. Having the remote is helpful when setting levels

 

[ajinfla]

Question, in my current setup the subs are fed the HK3485 preamp output and in turn provide a high pass filtered signal (>80 Hz) back to the main amplifier for the FR/FL respectively.
Do I understand correctly the Y connectors would be applied at that point (i.e. sub HPF output) in order to avoid sending excessively low frequencies to the rear surrounds as I am doing for the mains?

Yes can be done that way as well, though the AVR146 "rear" speaker settings can apply hpf as well. Or Y coming out of 3485

 

[XEagleDriver]

Yes can be done that way as well, though the AVR146 "rear" speaker settings can apply hpf as well. Or Y coming out of 3485

That makes sense, thanks.

 

[XEagleDriver]

HK AVR 146 ordered.

Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk

 

[ajinfla]

Well?