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Old 07-18-2018, 02:17 PM
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Lightbulb Buck's (audioguy3107) Room/System. Updated pics.

Well I haven't done a proper system thread for a really long time. My room and system have undergone a bunch of changes, some small some not so small. I felt my old pictures didn't really do justice to the time and effort I spent on the room so I wanted to post a "final" (yeah, right) thread that better shows off some of the things I did when we designed and set up the room. I know we all like pics, so I tried my best to take some good photos using the iPhone X. Even tried a few panoramic photos, so we'll see how those turn out here! I wish I had some decent before/afters, but I'll try and explain some of the things that went into the design. I'll have several posts with pics......so I don't lose my train of thought as I'm typing!

I come from the religion of "the room is one of if not the most important part of your system". I've seen and heard many megabuck systems that could really use a proper room. Marc (2fastdriving), Steve and Ed (For the love of music) were probably tired of listening to me harp on it last year at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest.

So first, we have some general room pics, the room is roughly 16 X 24 with a very high ceiling. Flooring is custom 5" hardwoods stained with 50/50 Minwax Jacobean and Mahogany color:

**pics edited on 8/8/19 with newer equipment and Avalon Acoustics Isis**

Panoramic view:







View from the french doors:





So some things about the room, it started out as a pretty dark man cave, I used a very dark reddish clay paint on the wall. It was difficult to do anything in the evening with it being so dark, so we wanted to lighten it up a bit and went with a lighter tan/beige color. We had stain grade plantation shutters installed on the bay windows and decided to do window coverings. My wife and I chose some tan dark sand colored cotton drapes from Restoration Hardware to diffuse some light coming in from the bay windows, not to mention I can pull them shut when listening so tame the front wall reflections. The couch and ottoman we thought would work well in the room since we didn't want to go with solitary seating. We were really pleased with the quality of the Comfortable Couch Company, a custom furniture maker in North Carolina, https://www.cococohome.com/about-us/. It has held up almost as brand new and looks nice, I can also pull the ottoman forward if I really want to stretch out. The rug that covers most of the floor is a Persian style offering from Pottery Barn: https://www.potterybarn.com/shop/rug.../?cm_type=gnav It wasn't centered in the room until I moved everything around getting ready for my new rack, I ended up pulling it about 2 feet closer to the bay window which provided me with about 240 sq. feet of floor coverage. I wanted a really nice floor lamp to read by but that would also add something to the decor, I really liked the look of the lamp in the above photo, I also found it at Pottery Barn as well. Next, Pt. 2.


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Library: Speakers: Avalon Acoustics Isis, Subwoofers: (2) REL Acoustics 212SE Amplification: D’agostino Momentum preamplifier, D’agostino S250 stereo amplifier Digital: dCS Rossini CD/SACD transport, dCS Rossini DAC/streamer/master clock. Analog: Brinkmann Taurus table, Lyra Etna Lambda, Audio Research Ref. Phono 3

Last edited by audioguy3107; 08-10-2019 at 05:35 PM.
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Old 07-18-2018, 02:21 PM
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OMG! Loved everything about the room and the equipment, congrats on great choices and great taste mate.

The back wall composed of books is fantastic too (for absorption/diffusion) even if you haven't read any
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Old 07-18-2018, 02:24 PM
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VERY nice.

I really like the traditional furniture/decorating scheme and I am a sucker for medium to darker woods.
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Old 07-18-2018, 02:28 PM
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Next we have some wall pics, we had custom bookshelves made for books/LPs along with a dedicated shallow bookcase to CD and media. Before the room update, I had half the books with the LPs on both walls and it just looked disjointed so I pulled everything off and moved the books to the back wall bookcases and the LPs on either side of the equipment rack. It just made more sense and looks much better as well. I've got plenty of room for further expansion as media keeps flowing in from Music Direct and Acoustic Sounds!







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Library: Speakers: Avalon Acoustics Isis, Subwoofers: (2) REL Acoustics 212SE Amplification: D’agostino Momentum preamplifier, D’agostino S250 stereo amplifier Digital: dCS Rossini CD/SACD transport, dCS Rossini DAC/streamer/master clock. Analog: Brinkmann Taurus table, Lyra Etna Lambda, Audio Research Ref. Phono 3
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Old 07-18-2018, 02:38 PM
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Now fun stuff! I don't think I've uploaded any pics since we first moved, so the only thing that's still constant is the Ayre C-5xeMP SACD player, everything else has changed. The VPI Classic 2 was replaced a couple of years ago with a Classic Signature/SDS. I also obtained a Symposium Segue ISO which works wonders under the turntable, just quiet as quiet can be, one of the best things I've ever purchased for the rig. I upgraded from a Manley Chinook phone pre which was no slouch mind you to an ARC ref phono 2 SE, just a fantastic piece top to bottom. I had a trusty McIntosh C220 tube pre which was swapped out for a C2300 and as Dan says elsewhere, just one of the best one box preamps they've ever made. Notice Stillpoints ultra minis under the C2300 and ARC phone pre....thanks to Ivan for making that happen, very pleased with the results.










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Library: Speakers: Avalon Acoustics Isis, Subwoofers: (2) REL Acoustics 212SE Amplification: D’agostino Momentum preamplifier, D’agostino S250 stereo amplifier Digital: dCS Rossini CD/SACD transport, dCS Rossini DAC/streamer/master clock. Analog: Brinkmann Taurus table, Lyra Etna Lambda, Audio Research Ref. Phono 3

Last edited by audioguy3107; 08-10-2019 at 05:45 PM.
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Old 07-18-2018, 02:43 PM
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Buck...….This is a beautiful room in every way. It looks so comfortable, and I am certain it is. Thanks for the great photos. Lots to be proud of with the job you have done.
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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A
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Old 07-18-2018, 02:45 PM
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I felt I really needed to do something with the power situation in the room, it's about the only think I didn't address when we started. I had a mishmash of various power cables, PS Audio, Audioquest and a couple of Shunyata Venoms. I decided to treat the system this past Christmas to be Ivanized and went with the Shunyata Denali power center with a full loom of the new Shunyata Alpha power cables (can't see from the pics). The Shunyata products are the real deal, they resulted in quieter and blacker backgrounds, not to mention the simple fact that I didn't have any free outlets left in my previous Shunyata Hydra. The bottom picture is the best picture I could get of the rack I ordered last fall.....I chose a Timbernation custom rack, Chris at Timbernation took my dimensions so it would fit like a glove between the 2 bookshelves and give me about an inch of give if I needed to pull it out. I know there's been some complaints about Timbernation out there on the net, but this is the third product I've ordered from him and have never had any problems. I sent him several pics of our floor and bookshelves and he did his best to match the color using maple....I love the way it turned out compared to my last misadventure in ordering a rack (totally wrong color which was my fault)





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Library: Speakers: Avalon Acoustics Isis, Subwoofers: (2) REL Acoustics 212SE Amplification: D’agostino Momentum preamplifier, D’agostino S250 stereo amplifier Digital: dCS Rossini CD/SACD transport, dCS Rossini DAC/streamer/master clock. Analog: Brinkmann Taurus table, Lyra Etna Lambda, Audio Research Ref. Phono 3

Last edited by audioguy3107; 07-18-2018 at 03:03 PM.
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Old 07-18-2018, 02:57 PM
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Here's the view looking forward, The Avalon Acoustics Isis are further into the room highlighting their strengths. The new additions in between are the 2 REL 212SEs. It took me FOREVER to get them dialed in correctly for some reason, they were much more difficult than the Brittanias but their speed and punch made it all worthwhile. They are faster and cleaner than the B2s, but to be very honest it's not as huge of a difference as you would think based on their look. I decided to try a pair of Auralex subwoofer platforms underneath (I do have an unfinished basement below). I believe it was Kal Rubinson who has gotten favorable results, my experience is the same, they seemed to tighten up the bass a bit but we're not talking a massive difference, but I think they look nice sitting on the platforms anyway.







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Library: Speakers: Avalon Acoustics Isis, Subwoofers: (2) REL Acoustics 212SE Amplification: D’agostino Momentum preamplifier, D’agostino S250 stereo amplifier Digital: dCS Rossini CD/SACD transport, dCS Rossini DAC/streamer/master clock. Analog: Brinkmann Taurus table, Lyra Etna Lambda, Audio Research Ref. Phono 3

Last edited by audioguy3107; 08-10-2019 at 05:50 PM.
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Old 07-18-2018, 03:01 PM
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The Dan D'agostino S250 stereo amplifier made it's way into the system in 2018 to replace the Mcintosh MC402....it's such a spectacular amplifier. Again, I turned to Chris at Timbernation who hooked me up with a solid 3 inch black maple platform to serve as an amplifier stand. It came with brushed nickel cones and looks nice under the S250. Power cable supplied by Ivan and Shunyata Research is an new Alpha.


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Library: Speakers: Avalon Acoustics Isis, Subwoofers: (2) REL Acoustics 212SE Amplification: D’agostino Momentum preamplifier, D’agostino S250 stereo amplifier Digital: dCS Rossini CD/SACD transport, dCS Rossini DAC/streamer/master clock. Analog: Brinkmann Taurus table, Lyra Etna Lambda, Audio Research Ref. Phono 3

Last edited by audioguy3107; 08-10-2019 at 05:40 PM.
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Old 07-18-2018, 03:15 PM
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Most of my room treatment have been here since the beginning, but I tried to get a better view of them by taking some new pictures. The corner traps are from GIK Acoustics which the panels (including the corners) are home made! They are sheets of Owens Corning OC703 wrapped in a fabric found at Joanns....my wife and I both like the darker burgundy/red accents, so we thought it would work well here. The results here are just as important as the components....it's amazing what you hear when you're out in the foyer and enter the room as you talk, I didn't deaden the room totally, it's real world and just perfect for conversations, reading and of course audio. I've always been a bit proud that my local dealer and Jim Smith of Get Better Sound said it was one of the best non-professionally designed rooms they had heard.














Hopefully you guys enjoy the pics, I still enjoy the room immensely
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Library: Speakers: Avalon Acoustics Isis, Subwoofers: (2) REL Acoustics 212SE Amplification: D’agostino Momentum preamplifier, D’agostino S250 stereo amplifier Digital: dCS Rossini CD/SACD transport, dCS Rossini DAC/streamer/master clock. Analog: Brinkmann Taurus table, Lyra Etna Lambda, Audio Research Ref. Phono 3

Last edited by audioguy3107; 08-10-2019 at 05:41 PM.
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