My system is playing to a tough room –suggestions for a new amp?

[Vincenzo]

This is very helpful, guys. I can see I'll need to address both areas. Dan, instead of acoustical panels, might some sort of drapes help with the side-wall reflections? There are windows along one wall. I assume by "point of first reflection" you mean the part of the wall nearest the face of the speaker?

[chessman]

Vincenzo, here is how you find a "first reflection point." It is, as you said, an area on a wall. Take your left main speaker as an example. Have a helper hold a mirror at tweeter height against the wall while you sit in the listening position. The helper slowly moves the mirror along the wall until the listener can see the tweeter in the mirror. The mirror is at the first reflection point. It is not a pinpoint effect, but that is where the absorbtion panel should be placed.

[Vincenzo]

I just wanted to follow up - it's been a while, but I want to thank everyone for pushing me to experiment with speaker placement. I had pretty much given up on that due to the restrictions of the room. But by a rather simple adjustment - moving one speaker just a little more out from the wall made a dramatic improvement. Everything came into focus. I can now proceed with other issues! Looks like I tuned into the right place - you guys don't "fool around" either!

[bzr]

I only just saw this & as I have owned & own quite a few Plinius products it doesn't sound like thats where your problem is to me. Which component do you have?

[Vincenzo]

Plinius 8200 MKII integrated.

[bzr]

Haven't heard that model, at least you have it sorted though. With the separate components the Plinius normally have bass to burn.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by Vincenzo

I just wanted to follow up - it's been a while, but I want to thank everyone for pushing me to experiment with speaker placement. I had pretty much given up on that due to the restrictions of the room. But by a rather simple adjustment - moving one speaker just a little more out from the wall made a dramatic improvement. Everything came into focus. I can now proceed with other issues! Looks like I tuned into the right place - you guys don't "fool around" either!

Vincenzo.......Don't fall into the trap of thinking you are done with tweaking your speaker positions or thinking that just because you made some improvement in focus that's all there is to do. I would continue to make adjustments to speaker locations toe in, distance apart and from the wall behind them, but use blue masking tape to mark the location you now have just in case you need to return to it.

Answering your question about drapes instead of acoustic panels, yes drapes can have some positive effects if the are heavy enough. None the less, bass traps in the corners behind your speakers will almost certainly improve the quality of your speaker's bass performance.

Don't give up or become complacent just yet. I think you can still improve your system's performance to a higher level.

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Don't give up or become complacent just yet. I think you can still improve your system's performance to a higher level.

We all can!

[ronenash]

Originally Posted by Vincenzo

I recently had to move the system to a smaller room where the speakers are very close to the wall. As a result, the tone has become much harder/brighter and suffers from a real lack of bass. This room just swallows up the bass. It just disappears at low volume, which is where I listen most of the time – low to lower, rather than even a moderate level (it’s New York City apartment living!). So here’s the system: Lipinski L-505 speakers, Plinius 8200(mkii) integrated amp, Sony xa5400es cd player, Thorens 145II table, and a Sherwood tube tuner. I was hoping a tube amp would help, so I’ve just replaced the Plinius with an EAR 859 integrated. Well, I got what hoped for in terms of reducing the ”hardness”, and the increased front-to-back soundstage has been a real plus – and more bass! Not as deep, but more present, especially at low volume. The downside – I’ve lost a lot of transparency. So the question is, what course of action will get me that transparency back, but without that edge (and give that rich low-volume bass)? I may just try another tube integrated – Cary, VAC, CJ. I just don’t want to go a step backwards from the Plinius. Another option would be to use the Plinius as a preamp or power amp (as it can be split) and supplement it with a tube pre or tube power amp ( I just don’t have the funds to buy a new pre and amp together now). If I go that route, what would be suitable units? My budget is about 2K.

Oh, by the way, I’m new here. Looks like a good forum. I especially like that there is a CJ forum – I’ve been reading over there. Maybe I need a CJ in the mix!

Thanks, Vin

In cases like this Room Correction can be the answer. Try one of the Lyngdorf or Mac units. I think you will be surprised by the result.

[djwhog]

Yep it is like the setting on the MX150 and many of the older gear too, a loudness button of a type to compensate for extra ump to the low end at night and low power levels.

Can you EQ it? Not real familiar with your gear sorry

PS and welcome and thank you for the support too Vincenzo

I think you need a bass trap and at the same time maybe some side panels to expand the room to feel and sound like a wider stage, and them some boost to the 50 and under HZ levels at low power is in order too maybe.