As you already know, this is a major expense, not an investment. Seek professional help so the out come will be optional. Consider using someone who is a trained acoustic an. Remember the room is going to last longer then any piece of equipment you use. So, start by reading Toole's 'Sound Reproduction'. Reading it a least three times would not be overkill. I did a room in a new house I built in Princeton in the 80's. I had help and guidance from an acoustican who taught in the engineering department at Princeton. Enjoyed the room for many years before I moved on after a divorce. The room was the best money I ever spent in seeking better sound. |
Solecky,
Email gon member Agear via the audiogon system. He has sucessfully completed a dedicated listening room.
Regards, |
Five years ago, I was fortunate enough to build and design both a stereo room and a home theater room as part of a new house construction. It was expensive, but well worth it. I used Rives Audio to design the room (interestingly there was conflict between the people building the house and the Rives design. I had to step in and insist on the construction to go as designed.). I also acoustically isolated the rooms using materials and designs from Quiet Rock (double studded rooms with high end QR on each side.). I have 9 dedicated circuits between the two rooms, each connected to Oyaide RS-1 receptacles and used JPS audio heavy gauge, cryoed in wall AC wire. For me, the expense and final products are worth it, but I fully realize that if I sell the house I will not get a return on my investment, unless I sell it to an audiophile.
Enjoy and good luck,
Reg |
Shouldn't you be consulting professionals instead of asking for advice here? |
With all due respect to differing opinions, asking for advice based on actual experience can be extremely valuable. That's where A-gon members can be most helpful. Professionals will sometimes give recommendations that favor their own interests. |
What about your transformer off main line? Do you share it? is it old? Are you in a urban area? What about the line from transformer is it lower gauge old or new? I would suggest a separate service for audio room all outlets run direct to breaker at min use hospital grade outlets. Many cant not address the transformer but when I has able to get one just for my home my AC cleaned up so much I have no need for a re-generator or much filtration. |
I am also looking to build my own house and will be looking to customize my media room to fit 2ch. I will be following this thread and emailing Agear.
What are the basics that every audiophile should have in their listening room?
Dedicated 20amp circuits and an isolated room? Probably something to block or disperse first reflections off the rear wall, side wall, and ceiling? |
I'd recommend reading "Premium Home Theater" by Earl Geddes. Don't remember it going into electrical distribution per se, but at the very least it will give you a working knowledge of the basic concepts of and what it takes to build a room that sounds good. And although it looks like the ASC system incorporates many of the concepts found in the book it probably comes at a fairly high premium. After reading the book you may find you can achieve much the same results in your own (with your contractor of course) using things like Dietrich resilient channels, green glue, etc. rather than ASC products. I'm not a handyman and can barely nail two pieces of wood together, but after reading that book I'd feel comfortable working with a contractor I know and trust to construct a good sounding room (which is exactly what I plan to do). Then again, if you're willing to pay for the ASC system it looks like it addresses the main issues assuming it's implemented properly. FWIW and best of luck. |
No need to spend the money on a Rives room. I've done several dedicated rooms over the years. By a wide margin the best results I've achieved is by building exactly to Cardas Golden Ratio dimensions. Cardas also has a formula for speaker placement and listening chair position (equilateral triangle) and it's the best I've heard. I'd go with an MGE Power Supress 100 isolation transformer- $1000- dedicated AC lines and Jena, Porter Port or Oyaide outlets and you're pretty well done. Save the Rives money for better equipment, more music, etc. The Rives program is no panacea!! |
The Wattgate 381 outlet is another option to consider. |
I've had good luck with Hubbel 5362's and Pass & Seymour 5362's recently cryoe'd.I agree that building a dedicated room is the best route to a great sounding system, be patient and do it right. Well worth the work. |
Want a real listening room? Go to this website and start learning-
http://northwardacoustics.com
This team, led by Frenchman Thomas Jouanjean, are regarded as the top designers of mastering labs in the world today. Take a look at what they are working on right now, and you will understand. Then, go to this webiste, a facility they did in Amsterdam-
http://amsterdammastering.com
Click on the Studio tab, and look at the slideshow which has extremely detailed drawings and images of the actual construction. I seriously doubt you or anyone at Audiogon will go to these lengths on a home listening room, but it is good to know what the professional approach to a listening room is, as opposed to what you will get on a board like this.
Weisselk
OMA |
Jweiss... WOW... That's a lot of pictures. Very Cool to say the least. |
This may sound a bit strange at first, but if you're building the room from scratch (something I've done). Hang all of your high end electrical outlets from the ceiling on the sides of the room. Also if possible, build in a rear access point if you can (like a hallway behind your gear). This has saved me many headaches! If you don't already know try to use dedicated breakers in your main fuse panel for each power outlet location, personally I use four separate breaker in my fuse box. I know a lot of people argue to have the power outlets in the floors, but, I have found this to only add to the clutter and trip hazards already around in such rooms. Another advantage of this idea is that it helps to separate power from audio lines thus reducing interference. |
The first link doesn't work for me. |
