Demo Day Suggestions

[Andrew]

This is the thread for members to post suggestions of what they would like AVSA to set up in the listening room for future get-togethers. Please be as specific as possible about what you are looking for, so that we can see whether or not it is feasible from an available resources point of view.

Please avoid getting into discussions/arguments over what someone has posted, as I'd like to keep this thread focused. If you wish to discuss a particular request made, please open a separate thread.

[Andrew]

First suggestion from Rodney:

Computer based audio vs CDP/transport+dac..

[joel]

This one is pretty easy to do so, I'm willing to do the comparison.

My CA 840 has a decent DAC built in so we could do a direct comparison between CD playing in the player and the same track playing into the 840's DAC via one of the USB to SPDIF converters. I can try to get the Musical Fidelity one, can definitely get a Trends one.

I'm cool with TV calibration too. My calibration system is already sitting in the studio.

What about looking at the affects of room treatment?
We could listen to music in the studio while I remove the acoustic panels, or add bass traps.

[PearlJam]

I like the suggestions of TV calibration and room treatment (and I would also add to the room treatment if possible to also look at speaker positioning - stereo)

[Andrew]

If Ampdog sneaks in here after hours, tell him he is only allowed to post here after he has submitted his work. 

[KlyvQ]

Damn good ideas.......
I'm all for the shoot outs...

Though this has already been touched on:

1. AV Amp vs Dedicated Stereo Amp for music reproduction.
....
2. CD vs Vinyl (Products in the same price range)
3. Valve vs Solid State?

Or is this another preference battle?

Klyv........

[fdlsys]

Room treatment - like the idea.

5.1, 7.1 ... xx.xx HT setup, speaker integration & level calibration?

[Music_Lover]

Andrew,

I'm not sure how difficult it would be to set this up but it would be good to

• do our own Richard Clark amp challenge
• test whether there really is an effect on performance due to burn in

BTW. The effort in setting up the cable listening tests is highly appreciated.

[joel]

Richard Clark is on record as stating that amplifiers sound diferent. He has said (and this is from memory so possibly not an exct quote) that he could degrade the sound of a solid state amplifier to make it sound like a valve amp.

To do any amplifier or source component test properly you need to
Be able to seamlessly switch between the products.
Carefully level match all components (to within 0.1 of a dB(spl or v,))

I can have a switch box made, but obviously there is some cost involved.
Should I get a component list so those with the elevant skill can get quotes on parts (from Mantech  )so we can get an idea of cost?

If we did such a test it would have to be a simplified version, and would recomend using an array of music (possibly the same disc I used for the cable session) and listen to the amplifiers at low level (say 0.5 v), mid level (around 5v) and high level.   

[---------]

Great idea Andrew!

As someone who suffers from incurable upgraditis, I have always wondered which component (i.e. source, amplification or speakers) contibutes the most to improving a sound system. While the logistics of such a test might be demanding, it would be interesting to know where one should spend your money to get the greatest improvement. The test would require 2 CD players, 2 amps and 2 sets of speakers - one high-end and one low-end setup. The test could proceed as follows: (1) start with the low-end set-up; (2) add a high-end CD player; (3) put the low-end CD player back and add the high-end amp; (4) put the low-end amp back and add the high-end speakers; and (5) listen to the full high-end setup.

Not sure if this is practical or worthwhile ... just curious.

[Rodney_gold]

Pretty much a given that a change of  speakers or speakers/room interface  are the items that would change sound the most , whether it's an improvement is a different story. Not sure what a test of various speakers and room treatments is gonna prove in any venue other than your own?

[u235]

I'd love to be involved with a Clarke test (http://www.tom-morrow-land.com/tests/ampchall/index.htm) or a comparison between CD and DAC.

Here's a simplified methodology:
a) Play a piece of a track through setup A
b) Replay through setup B
c) Replay through either A or B at random
d) Participants say whether the third play is A or B.
e) Go to next track

Repeat 10 times.

[joel]

As someone who suffers from incurable upgraditis, I have always wondered which component (i.e. source, amplification or speakers) contibutes the most to improving a sound system. While the logistics of such a test might be demanding, it would be interesting to know where one should spend your money to get the greatest improvement.

Your room

[joel]

Here's a simplified methodology:
a) Play a piece of a track through setup A
b) Replay through setup B
c) Replay through either A or B at random
d) Participants say whether the third play is A or B.
e) Go to next track

Repeat 10 times.

The problem with such a test is that every other component in the system has to be the same.
CD players initially seem to be easy to compare. Plug both into an amp and switch between them.
However if they put out different voltages then they will sound different (usually the louder one will win). You then have to gain match them and this introduces other problems.

Integrated amps are a little easier in that you can get 2 identical CD players (and cables) and then use the volume control to set output voltages the same. How then do you switch between a single set of speakers? You cant use 2 sets of speakers as each will sound different due to placement. You need a switcher to seamlessly switch between speakers. Build this wrong (or buy a cheap one) and you stand a chance of blowing up the amplifiers, and if you use rubbish components, you end up listening to the losses that these introduce and not the amplifiers.

Rodney is correct that all rooms are different, but by adding treatment (or taking it out of the AVSA Studio) we could show what differences can be achieved. We should however bear in mind that as the AVSA Studio was designed to be a listening room from day one, it would probably sound better untreated than most Home rooms.

[---------]

Your room

Oh, okay that debate is settled then.