Main System 06 – August 2022

5 Comments

1. Hi Christiaan,

   “The story of my most recent room acoustics improvements is intended for a new installment in the HFA Setup History. Alas, I have yet to find the time to write it as I have to prioritize regular reviews.”
   I’m very muck looking forward to this. The room after all is the most significant “component” of your setup. Trumps all cables any day.

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   1. Hi Per, I absolutely agree: the room is the single most important factor!

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   2. Hi Per, it took me several years, but the I have just published a new installment in the HFA history section and am working on another that will be published soon. I hope you’re still interested after all this time:-)

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2. Hi Christiaan,
   Good comes to them that wait. I’m glad I had the notification turned on.
   Thanks for the insight into to your acoustic journey in your home. The acoustic issues get far too little attention in the HiFi-world, yet is the single most important factor to get great sound in a listening room. Most of the time people get very uncomfortable when the acoustics are highlighted because they very well know that they haven’t addressed the basics but invested large amounts of money in equipment. Moderately expensive HiFi equipment, properly set up in an acoustically balanced room outperforms really expensive HiFi equipment poorly setup in a room with acoustic problems every day of the week. Far too many people just push the acoustics under the rug, mumbling that the ‘esthetics committee’ (wife) will not allow it, and spend even more money into some new piece of equipment, in total denial. I understand many people can’t have the room acoustics they need and have to live with a compromise. But in that context it is ironic to read about how much effort and money they put into switching out the fuse inside the amp and how great impact it has on the sound quality. I’m not saying that a fuse can’t make a difference in the sound, but it is really insignificant if you don’t have a good acoustical setting to start with. “Strain at a gnat and swallow a camel”
   Looking forward to read the continuation of your story.

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   1. Hi Per, thanks for the feedback! Acoustics often present a huge learning curve. First reflections are easy enough to understand and control but compounded room modes can be very complex and seemingly unsolvable. For me, too, it has taken a long time to get to the point where I can say with confidence that my acoustics are finally ok. Still not perfect, but certainly good enough for enjoyment and critical assessments. I think part of the delay in addressing acoustics comes from being so comfortable in the known environment, and I believe this goes for many people, we’re just so used to our existing acoustics, good or bad, that we stop noticing it consciously. But once you have addressed the largest acoustic issues, you cannot unhear the effects as present in other systems. I’ve also been stuck many times, having exhausted all solutions I could think of and not knowing how to proceed. That’s when input from others can be invaluable, and I am fortunate to have had great input from some experts, so that I could finally fix some deep-rooted issues. But as you mention, little upgrades are also meaningful. The relative differences between fuse A and fuse B are also identifyable when the room acoustics are not good. It’s just that you won’t be able to assess them more absolutely. And there is a risk of compensating in the wrong places. But ultimately, it is a super-interesting, if sometimes super-frustrating journey.

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