#1
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Aperture II Experience
Received 3 Aperture II Panels yesterday, thanks Ivan. Spent the night experimenting.
I was one of those that bought a bunch of room treatments and blindly installed them relying on Manufacturers recommendations. It wasn't until one day I decided I was unhappy with the room and started to remove panels that I realized I was actually hurting the sound. Since then it has been a struggle to obtain a good balance of damping and liveliness. I ended up with 3x 2'x2' (GIK Alphas) panels at the first side wall reflection points and panels covering the front windows. I have 2'x4'x1" panels behind my blinds covering the windows. I don't have a need for bass traps. My bass is a bit on the fat side but I prefer it this way. This was the best I could achieve. But overall I felt the sound was fake, for lack of a better term. The next thing I did was install hardwood in the front 7' of the room, based off Mike Lavigne's experiences. The wood is reclaimed 50+ year old maple. This was my first revelation. The sound became much more real. I bought another 200 sq. ft. of maple and intend to install more. I will get a wool area rug around 8'x10' to go between the speakers and my listening position. Then I will experiment with different ceiling treatment. I predict getting rid of the standard carpeting I have will improve the SQ. I always assumed carpet was good for the sound until I removed it. Yesterday I received 3x Stillpoints Aperture Panels. More experimenting. I tried to combine the Aperture with my GIK panels. Like others, I preferred using only the Apertures. For the front of the room I put one panel behind the table. This resulted in a very small but noticeable improvement. Mainly, the center image improved, slightly. Better focus of the center image. Keep in mind my speakers are 6' from the front wall. The biggest change is when I installed the panels at the first sidewall reflection points. For the first 30 minutes my brain was trying to process the dramatic change. The entire presentation was much more natural, in a way I have been searching for with other tweaks and upgrades. I am still dumbfounded in what they did. I have tried all kinds of treatments for that location. Absorption, Diffusion, combo units. I temporarily put them on same old speaker stands, they happen to be very close to the ideal height. After spending hours listening I don't know what else to say. I have been put off by the pricing of the panels. $800 MSRP is crazy for a 2' x 2' panel. But if I look at how much I have spent on other things and got less of an improvement they were well worth the money. As for looks, the panels are nice. The Walnut on the Apertures is rich in color. The finish is nicer than my Timbernation Walnut stand and approaches my Reclaimed Maple Floor, which I hold in high regard. I'm a big fan of Stillpoints. I use the Ultra SS in black under my speakers (Bought used here on AA), Ultra SS under my TT and I have 2 Stillpoints LPIs. I will purchase 2 more panels in a few months and continue experimenting. I am interested in how another panel at each Sidewall reflection point or a panel in front of the other two windows will perform. For now, I am happy. Koetsu Blue Lace--FR-64S--Artisan Fidelity 301--EAR 868PL--EAR 509 Monos--Daedalus Orpheus--Duelund Cabling--WW PCs--Stillpoints Room Dimensions: 40'+L (Open to back of house), 14'W, 9'H Last edited by advanced101; 08-11-2018 at 09:08 AM. |
#2
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Lloyd... I am glad to know you are pleased with your Aperture II Panels. I also use them, and was very impressed.
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Ivan FLORIDA MX136, MC1.2KW(10) MC2KW(2), MCD1100, MS750(2) MVP881, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, HT-2 SUBS(2) HT3F(2) WS350(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) XCS350(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" MOTORIZED SCREEN, CINEMA-TECH SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: ACCUPHASE A300 AMPS, C3900 PRE-AMP, DP1000 CD/SACD TRANSPORT, DC1000 DIGITAL PROCESSOR, DG-68 DIGITAL EQUALIZER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, PS1230 POWER SUPPLY, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, WW PLATINUM CABLES CAPE COD MX150, MC501(2) MC1.2KW(10) MC2301(2) MR88, MVP881, MCD1100, MDA1000, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, ESOTERIC K-01X 30th ANNIVERSARY (BLACK) SACD/CD PLAYER, G02-X CLOCK, HT3F(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(4) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) KALEIDESCAPE STRATO & TERRA SERVERS 80-TB, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" SCREEN, SONUS FABER STRADIVARI, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, FORTRESS SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Analog Rig: CLEARAUDIO INNOVATION WOOD, UNIVERSAL ARM w/ Da VINCI' CART, 2nd UNIVERSAL ARM w/ GOLDFINGER STATEMENT CART, HRS-MXR REFERENCE RACK-GLOSS BLACK w/ M3X SHELVES, AESTHETIX RHEA SIG PHONO-PRE, BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: BURMESTER 911MK3 AMP(3), 088 PRE-AMP, 089 CD PLAYER, 100 PHONO PRE-AMP, 948 POWER CONDITIONER, ACCUPHASE DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, AVID ACUTUS REFERENCE SP TT, GRAHAM PHANTOM II SUPREME ARM, BENZ MICRO LP-S CART, GRANDIOSO P1X/D1X STACK, G1X RUBIDIUM MASTER CLOCK, N05 NETWORK PLAYER, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, SONUS FABER AIDA SPEAKERS, JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(2) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) WW PLATINUM CABLES Library System: GRANDIOSO M1 MONOBLOCK AMPS, C1 LINESTAGE PRE-AMP, K1X CD/SACD PLAYER, G1 MASTER RUBIDIUM CLOCK, E02 PHONO-PRE, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, AERIAL ACOUSTICS 20T V2, AERIAL SW12 SUBS(2), CANTON REF K1’s, VPI HRX TT w/ SDS POWER SUPPLY, ORTOFON CADENZA BLACK CART, KLAUDIO RCM, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2, SHUNYATA OMEGA QR’s, WW PLATINUM CABLES Esoteric/Bryston System: ESOTERIC C02-X PRE-AMP, P-02X TRANSPORT, D02-X DAC, G02-X CLOCK, BRYSTON 28B3 CUBED MONOBLOCK AMPS(4), BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2(2) EVEREST 8000 POWER CONDITIONER(2) ALTAIRA CG & SG HUBS, AMR-DP777-SE DAC, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, QUADRASPIRE RACK, WW PLATINUM CABLES Accuphase/Canton System: ACCUPHASE E800 INTEGRATED, DP570 CD/SACD PLAYER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, PS530 POWER SUPPLY, CANTON REF K3’s, CANTON REF K5’s, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS MXR REFERENCE MAHOGHANY RACK w/ M3X2 SHELVES, WW GOLD CABLES |
#3
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Lloyd, it is not clear how tall your ceiling is and I know it is hard to test it but you might try floating something from your ceiling. In my old room, that made a great positive improvement in the sound stage. Craig
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Main Equipment: Kharma Elegance dB11-S, JL Audio F113v2 X 2, Block Audio Line & Mono SE Amplification, Bricasti M21 DAC, Antipodes Kala K-50 Server, Clearaudio Performance SE. Satisfy tonearm & Maestro wood MM cartridge. Power: Shunyata Everest 8000, Sigma XC v2, Sigma NR v2, Block Audio PCs, Defender, ADDPowr Wizard Grounding: Shunyata Altaira CGS - 4 X Alpha CGS cables, Network : Supra Cat 8+, Twin (Nenon) Modified Buffalo GS2016 Switches, Keces P3 LPSU, Cables: Wireworld Platinum 8 USB, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse 8 Speaker cables, 6M & 1M Tubulus Concentus ICs, Other: Multiple GIK products, Stillpoint Apertures, Stillpoint Minis and Ultra SS, Three 20 Amp lines, Furutech GTX - Gold outlets, Adona Rack |
#4
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My ceilings are 9'. I currently have 4 GIK Gridfusors on the ceiling and wouldn't want anything lower. I may try Vicoustic Cinema rounds or some Wavewood Premiums that I have laying around.
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#5
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That’s great. The GIK Gridfusors should be doing the job.
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Main Equipment: Kharma Elegance dB11-S, JL Audio F113v2 X 2, Block Audio Line & Mono SE Amplification, Bricasti M21 DAC, Antipodes Kala K-50 Server, Clearaudio Performance SE. Satisfy tonearm & Maestro wood MM cartridge. Power: Shunyata Everest 8000, Sigma XC v2, Sigma NR v2, Block Audio PCs, Defender, ADDPowr Wizard Grounding: Shunyata Altaira CGS - 4 X Alpha CGS cables, Network : Supra Cat 8+, Twin (Nenon) Modified Buffalo GS2016 Switches, Keces P3 LPSU, Cables: Wireworld Platinum 8 USB, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse 8 Speaker cables, 6M & 1M Tubulus Concentus ICs, Other: Multiple GIK products, Stillpoint Apertures, Stillpoint Minis and Ultra SS, Three 20 Amp lines, Furutech GTX - Gold outlets, Adona Rack |
#6
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These appear to be very good. I’ve not read about how they perform behind the listener position. Does anyone have an experiences to share.
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McIntosh: MC 1.2kW, C1100, MX123, MC8207, MVP901 Esoteric: D-02X & G-01X, Aurender: W20 SE Paradigm: Persona 7F, C5v3, ADP3, JL Audio: F113v2, CR-1, Shunyata: Everest, Denali 6000/Sv2, Altera Shunyata and WW: PCs, SCs and ICs. |
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