System Optimization - Would you pay a professional?

[EfeTe]

I think getting it right room acoustics wise is a very, very important part of the whole chain. That's why I'm investing (a little bit -it doesn't to have to cost a fortune!) to get local sound engineer, Sergio Plou to set up my room.

Since moving into the new house I've got a small, actually very small dedicated room which has a lot of issues, nearly square, has a 1 m x 2 m "void" and tons of idiosyncracies plus porcelain floors and an awful location between the garage and the garden. So currently we are measuring, using instrumental to check the pressure levels on each area, the noise floor (32 db "stock" not too bad?) and going about the furniture, the carpet, the panels for absorption and diffusion and the curtains. I'm glad Sergio is helping out as I have no clue and after we are done I am sure he will get my 805 Diamonds to sing!

Surely well worth the investment.

[Toobs]

For my meager system, no If I had a super hi end such as something like Ivan's Burmester system a definite yes

[chessman]

Originally Posted by EfeTe

I think getting it right room acoustics wise is a very, very important part of the whole chain. That's why I'm investing (a little bit -it doesn't to have to cost a fortune!) to get local sound engineer, Sergio Plou to set up my room.

Since moving into the new house I've got a small, actually very small dedicated room which has a lot of issues, nearly square, has a 1 m x 2 m "void" and tons of idiosyncracies plus porcelain floors and an awful location between the garage and the garden. So currently we are measuring, using instrumental to check the pressure levels on each area, the noise floor (32 db "stock" not too bad?) and going about the furniture, the carpet, the panels for absorption and diffusion and the curtains. I'm glad Sergio is helping out as I have no clue and after we are done I am sure he will get my 805 Diamonds to sing!

Surely well worth the investment.

32 dB in a "stock" set-up is rather good.

[Diapason]

This is definitely one of those times when Ireland isn't the ideal place to be an audiophile. the more I read, the more I'd like to get an expert in.

[antipop]

Originally Posted by metaphacts

As for a Euro tour, the article about Stirl was documenting a set up in the UK. Hmm.

True but he's based in the US which would add to the cost of the whole operation. It would be more cost effective to find someone nearby, however he must be as good.

[nicoff]

I had Barry Ober tune up my system. He concentrated on speaker and subwoofers positions and integration. He brought his own CD (which he sells online (soundoctor.com) and basically followed the procedure described in white papers that he wrote on speaker positioning (the white papers are also available for free on his website). He spent over 8 hours fine tuning speaker and subwoofer positioning. No fancy instrumentation; he uses his test CD, the method described in his white papers, and his keen hearing. Although one can follow it step by step, nothings beats having the person who wrote it do it for you. He lives in North Carolina but travels to make house calls.
My system now sounds better than ever so in my experience it was well worth it.

[edkoz]

Thanks for your comments. I ordered the CD tonight. Winter is almost here plus I'm retired with plenty of time for a fun Winter project.
Ed

[redsectora]

I was lucky to have visits from Stirling on two occasions, first as a representative for VANA a couple of years ago when he was at the Festival Son Image show in Montreal. I had unresolved issues with my Vienna Acoustics The Musik speakers for which he quickly offered to pass by to check what was wrong with them and do a quick setup. Well I was in for a shock! After speaker setup, although he told me he couldn't do better as the result of defective spikes, my system sounded so natural and effortless I couldn't keep my jaws off the floor. Stirling is an unpretentious individual, easy to talk with and he wastes no time when setting up.

He came back last spring after he had told me my system was not at it's potential and he could do much better, I have to admit I thought before he came that my sound was as optimal as I could hear and nothing would make it better (well to my hearing that is). He then did the full setup with again results way above my wildest dreams. I won't go through the setup process as Roy Gregory has done a stellar job explaining it. And I wasn't alone to think so as a good friend who had heard my system countless times prior and after the Stirling Touch had his done his with the same effect.

I understand that using "A Setup Guy" can be a leap of faith and my evaluation of Stirling's work may not be enough to entice you in using his services. But having a highly competent setup individual in Bill "Metaphacts" and as well as Roy Gregory recommending Stirling should be enough to at least get in touch with the guy and see what it's all about. And if you ever use his services be prepared and wire your jaws shut!! And for those that think that their systems are too small to benefit from the Stirling touch I would at least talk to the guy as you may be surprised from the results.

For those in Europe I'm aware that from time to time he does go over, so maybe it's time for a group buy

Finally in term in terms of return on investment there is no better investment than proper setup even though you don't have a new toy to show for it!

[klh007]

I agree with redsectora, Stirling Trayle is a genius at getting the most out your system and room. He is meticulous, detailed, experienced, unpretentious, and friendly. It would be difficult to get anywhere close to the system improvement you net from a pro setup from Sterling compared to spending the money on a component.

[bart]

I recently had Ben from Acoustic matters.
He did what has been described above.
We have just ordered the room treatment panels and bass traps to be installed later this year.

https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?t=38497