# Weakest Link



## barredar (Jan 1, 2015)

So as I consider upgrading my system, I'd like to identify the weakest link. Here's my current setup:
Mostly flac files (some hi-res) on a Mac laptop, using JRiver Media 20, Musical Fidelity V-90 DAC, Naim Nait 5i integrated, and Rega Jura speakers. No fancy interconnects or speaker wire. My listening room is about 15' x 10', with a 7' ceiling. The speakers are about 6 feet apart, about 15" from the back wall. The left speaker is about 2 feet from the side wall, the right is beside an open hallway, so symmetry is not the best. Floors are hardwood, with a large area rug placed near the front of the speakers.

Looking forward to your suggestions.


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## ajinfla (May 10, 2009)

Hi Claxon,

Perhaps you could describe what you feel is missing? Are you satisfied with your bass response, imaging, etc, etc? Is this a strictly music 2ch system?

cheers,


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## barredar (Jan 1, 2015)

Sure. Thanks for sharing your expertise. Yes, this is a 2-ch set-up. Bass response is fine. Top end sounds a little rolled off to me. Not muffled, just not as airy and detailed as I'd like. Imaging is okay, but was tough trying to place the speakers relative to my LP to find the sweet spot. Even at just 50w per channel, volume and dynamics are good. Not the "blackest" quiet I've ever heard, but pretty good.

Hard to pinpoint, but it seems there's something missing that keeps me from getting that wow factor, that "you are there" experience.

Thanks again.


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## Serenity Now (Mar 28, 2014)

Can you give a little more info? How far are you seated from the plane of the speakers? System symmetry and seating position are extremely important. What is the RT60 of the room? This can greatly impact the dynamic impression of the system. Is there a noise floor in the room usually? ie. house noise, traffic etc.

I have found that if you set up even mediocre speakers "perfectly" a pretty good soundstage can be squeezed out of them. Great speakers become a revelation. Dont give up, it sounds like you may have to tweak the positions of the speakers to work with your room and acoustic listening environment.


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## barredar (Jan 1, 2015)

Sure. My LP is about 7' from the plane of the speakers. RT 60 of the room is 0.6 (sheetrock walls, hardwood floor, area carpet, two walls of windows with light draperies). The noise floor is no doubt higher than average, with a busy street in front of the building I live in, and single pane windows.

Also the placement of my speakers is not entirely symmetrical, as the left speaker is near a corner, and the right speaker is flanked on the right by an open hallway. So, as you said, I think there's some more tweaking to be done. Any suggestions on where to start? Thanks.


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## Serenity Now (Mar 28, 2014)

Uh oh! Now your in for it! 

First thing I would do is try to get your speakers set up at the end of a rectangular room. Can be width wise too, just important to make sure they each have the same boundary reinforcement. I would probably look at trying to lower the RT60 if possible. It is a bit high. It would help if you knew what the RT60/frequency were. But you didn't mention treating the room at all. Take notes as you go making small changes, and try to focus on one thing at a time.

So once you get your speakers backing onto a wall with equal boundaries:

Start with an equilateral triangle setup, speakers facing forward. No toe in.

*Soundstage width and image focus.* Experiment with distance between speakers. Based off of room center line. No toe in. Speakers set narrow results in stronger imaging and perceived upper bass at the expense of width and spaciousness.

*Bass and Spaciousness.* Once width distance is set experiment with distance off the rear wall. No toe in. Interactions with boundaries will either reinforce or null bass frequencies. An inch difference can make a huge impact in bass output and quality.

*Treble presence and clarity.* Once width and distance off wall are set, then experiment with toe in. Aiming the speakers directly at you will reduce direct sidewall treble reflections. This will improve clarity but reduce spaciousness. 

Notice how each of these can relate to perceived spaciousness? Spaciousness is a result of necessary reflections within your room. Distance\Angle relationships between your speakers and walls impact this greatly.

Making sure you keep all distances as symmetrical as possible will result in better percussion timing and a larger sweet spot. I even go to the lenghts of using a line laser and spirit level to really tighten things up. They use line lasers in the HTshack speaker evaluations. Invaluable tool.

Trying to do more than one of these things at once will lead you in circles and you wont be able to track what improvements result from which change. It can be a bit of a tedious process. But you should be able to get really close to what you can hope for within an hour or so. I wish I could be more precise for you, but your room has a huge part to play in all of this and its hard to predict the ideal placement to acheive your preferences. Good luck! :sn:

Taking the time to set up properly will outweigh any improvements a new amp or other gear will add. The weakest link is always room/speaker relationships. Once your speakers are set up better, improving acoustics will be the next huge "aha!" jump in audio for you. :T


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## Serenity Now (Mar 28, 2014)

Oh, by the way, all the junk I mentioned above is not because I read it somewhere online and am parroting it for you here. lddude: I experimented to a degree I would be embarrassed to admit to. (Several days of tweaking inch by inch.) I took notes in a ledger as I went and performed mutiple trig ratio calculations to try to create a recipe for any room. I bounced between 2 different pairs of bookshelves to try to determine a common "ideal" placement. I found this was impossible. I used a measurement program and tried to be as balanced between a subjective and objective performance ideal. I based all of my tests and procedures on lessons learned by reading the books by F. Alton Everest. Very good resources.


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## barredar (Jan 1, 2015)

Thanks for all your suggestions! No doubt step one will be relocating my speakers in the room so that they have the same wall boundaries. Then I can begin tweaking in earnest. Thanks again!


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