New Living Room System Extension

[elgrau]

On the "Other site" as well:

Well ok; even though it will be a while before I can replace the two "round magnet" drivers from AOS-II, I don't believe the slight dip in response at 44 Hz is enough to make me wait to do their "review":

First off, there are too many variables to do a really valid A/B comparison of the AOS’s to the EPI 1000's: room acoustic differences, the "Rollandized" TFM-42 vs. my TFM-45 for the 1000's (but since I've tuned it up to specs it probably sounds pretty much the same as the 42?), the 8 meter "average quality" IC's vs. the "better quality" QED IC's used with the 1000's in my LR, etc.

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The AOS's may be best for "apartment" listening because even at low volume, they are very clear and detailed. Sort of like the music is "under a microscope". The spherical dispersion and 14 drivers make even the softest passages very clear/detailed. But they can really rock as well at high power levels! But the 1000’s with their 8” woofers are probably better overall for a large, high ceiling room that you might need to “fill with sound”. The "sweet spot" of these speakers is anywhere on the sectional and from there it's a little like being "on stage" with the music. From the chair in front of the amp (the more conventional listening location), the sound stage is pretty much that of conventional loudspeakers.

More “tinkly” highs were experienced with the Nordost wires: but I will really need more time to fully appreciate/evaluate them because I really don't have a good “baseline” to compare them with because I did not get to hear the AOS’s sans the Nordosts’ enough before switching to the Nordost wires. After a few months of listening to the AOS’s WITH the Nordosts (and hopefully with the two woofers “upgraded” in AOS-II), I will switch back (briefly!) to the 12 Ga “lamp cord” speaker wires and see what “goes away”. And I’m sure that some of the extreme musical detail that I’m hearing thru the AOS’s must be from these wires! In any case, the Nordost wires (and holds mostly for all “wire upgrades”), the effect (IMO only) of premium wires is more of an “insurance policy” that anything that might be improved in your system via wire upgrades is being addressed and therefore you can rest assured that your system is delivering the best sound that it can (even if your ears cannot hear the difference or the effect is physiological or whatever). I personally believe that IC upgrades and speaker wire upgrades absolutely improve the quality of a good system’s sound, in general (YMMV!). And have proved this to myself via the “missing” lyric word’s “test” and just from listening to old songs that I’ve listened to for years before the “wire upgrade” and definitely hearing things and noticing improvements to the sound after the “upgrade”. Have not tried a power cord (PC) upgrade to date and for reasons stated previously I may never (e.g., don’t want to “mod” my vintage Carver amps to accept a different PC). Also, for numerous reasons, the bulk of my listening is (now) at relatively low power levels (under 50 w/c) and I believe that the primary effect of an expensive PC upgrade to be in its ability to transmit “power surges” during times when your amp is asking for “peak power” and the standard Ga PC may not be able to deliver that needed power for that brief time. Just my opinions! I vow to at least try a PC upgrade someday when I have nothing else left to “tweak” in my system (and I’m far, far from that right now!). Different strokes for different folks, etc….

other site linky for additional "details": http://www.thecarversite.com/yetanother ... osts&t=378

[Jag_97470]

Holly Cow! The aliens have landed! LOL! I have never seen a ball of drivers like that? Take me to your leader Bob Carver! haha! I'm just joking, That is fricken Awesome looking!! Do you have a linky for that to check out? I hear ya on upgrading IC's/Cables. I just placed an offer on AudioGon for a 2 meter Kimber Kable Hero (RCA) and, ummm, what scares me, is the seller is "Badgirl"! I will let everyone know how our transaction goes. I wonder if I'm a "Badboy" think she will spank me?? LOL!! ok, better go now, I'm in a goofy mood. Late

[BillD]

I was just thinking — the Jetson's living room.

[engtaz]

Keep us posted on your findings. You know what they say: Location , location location.

[kingman]

That is some kinda set up!!!

[OconeeOrange]

That is incredible.
I wish you were my neighbor, I need some help.

[Jag_97470]

[quote="OconeeOrange"]That is incredible.
I wish you were my neighbor, I need some help.

PM Kingman, he would probably be glad to help you.

[thuffman03]

I have never seen anything like that before.

[Rainman]

I'm glad to see you got everything done and hooked up! I like your thoughts on switching cables etc. In my line of thoughts, when you switched cables and could hear things/lyrics in songs that you never heard before that can not be a psychological change in your sound can it? Remember: better cables can NOT improve the sound of your system, they can only have as little of a negative effect as possible....

Rainman

[elgrau]

"Remember: better cables can NOT improve the sound of your system, they can only have as little of a negative effect as possible.... "

That depends on your definition of "system", Rainman. If you include in this definition of "your system" the current crappy cables that you might have, then, yes, better cables CAN improve the sound of your "system". Also, if more resistance (and in other cases less resistance!) in the (speaker) cables improves the sound of your amp (e.g., makes it more "tube sounding" as some here have postulated for the case of "more resistance"), then, again yes, better cables CAN improve the sound of your system (if "tube like sound" sounds better to you!).

add: my new AOS's are starting to sound so damn good to me that I may switch them with the EPI 1000's in my family room just to see if/how much "better room accoustics" is contributing to the AOS's sound relative to the 1000's which are kind of cramped for "breathing room" in my smaller and lower ceiling family room. Would be a lot of effort, but curiousity may get the better of me!

[treitz3]

Well, did you ever switch?

[elgrau]

Nope, Tom have not. Too much work, too little curiosity. I'm happy with the current arrangement plus I KNOW that the 1000's don't sound as good with the Sunfire as with the TFM-42 (point being I'd have to move the amps as well)....not sure why, just does not (by my ears). The ol synergy thing: the Sunfire seems to compliment the Sphere's nicely and the Carver does the same for the EPI's.... As to what room acoustics is doing to both, well I don't have to tell you that that is of course a big unknown that will just have to stay as such. Then of course there's the wifey thing about changing "furniture" around (which I'm sure is all she sees when she sees speakers!). And the 6' high 1000's probably would not look as well in my LR as do the sphere's and vice-versa. Best to let sleeping dog's lie and if it ain't broke don't fix it, etc....yes; I'm pussying out and will never know for sure....