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Terrible room. Contemplating headphones. Help

I need help here. I have PSB Stratus Bronze speakers, an Audio Refinement Complete amp, and have just sold my Denon 1650ar, because it just wasn't "doing it" for me. I realize the Bronze speakers might like a different amp, but I used to have Triangle Titus speakers(needed more bottom end) for which I purchased the ARC amp. I am a college senior who got the short end of the stick during room selection and have moved from a suite with a large common room to a single that is a dismal 10'x13' with nasty sound-reflecting walls. If I clap my hands or whistle I get a nice echo. So, I am thinking of either purchasing a Sony 9000es(perhaps after the replacement drops the price) and hoping the room doesn't completely ruin the sound, or selling it all off and getting a nice cdp and headphone amp. If I go the speaker rout I have about $700 to spend on a player. If I sell it all off I'll have around $1700 (my gear isn't in perfect condition). If I had to I could stretch a couple hundred more, but not far. What should I do? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
mrip
9 responses Add your response
ejlif's avatar
ejlif
1,375 posts
 
If your room sounds terrible the most expensive system in the world won't make a diffrence. I have recently moved my gear into a newly built dedicated room. I was so bummed with the sound, flutter echo boomy bass, it was awful. I have been working on treatments for the past couple of months, and my opinion now is that the room is the most important link in the system. In my untreated room no system would have sounded good. Now it is sounding really good, I've got a ways to go still, but what a diffrence some tube traps and wall panels make.

I would say you shouldn't worry about the gear you are using until you get the room fixed. They have a lot of DIY suggestions on Audio Asylum for low cost room treatments. I have made a number of the DIY tube traps and have also bought some of the ASC tube traps, which are quite expensive, and I like the DIY ones better. You would be amazed at what a diffrence 4 16" tube traps can make.
avideo
222 posts
 
I have to agree with Ejlif, that even if your room sounds horrible right now; with some sound treatments it can be improved upon. There are all sorts of modest cost room treatments you can get without spending lots of money. Just for starters, log on to Markertek.com and you will find all sorts of studio-grade foam panels that can cure those slap echos in no time.
bob_bundus
1,834 posts
 
Look at it this way: the equipment will probably be with you longer than you'll be stuck in that room, so just hang some blankets on the walls, maybe carpet the ceiling, install some inexpensive tweaks etc. This way you won't need to start all over again later on. If the ARC doesn't have a headphone jack, you can easily fabricate some pigtail wiring off of the speaker outlet connections, connected to a dangling headphone jack. Or go to Radio Shaft & buy premade, cut & strip the cable & connect it yourself. Just unplug the phones when playing the speakers, & vice versa. It's a compromise, but not permanent; you're already in a compromised situation.
ezmeralda11
303 posts
 
http://www.silentsource.com/afoams-profoam.html

PROFP022-6 should do it. I noticed audioadvisor has now jacked the price of that kit up to a rip-you-off $90. Its still $70 at silentsource and it wasn't long ago its claim to fame was only being a $50 tweak.
rives
953 posts
 
I would suggest 2 things. First of course is the room. You clearly need some absorbing material, and you can get it cheaper than the foam recommended above. Medium density fiber board such as owens corning 703 works great to get rid of slap echo and has a broader bandwidth than foam. You can buy some stretch fabric and wrap these panels. The room is so small I wouldn't worry too much about diffusion, due to it's effects being difficult to manage in a small room and diffusors are more expensive. Yes, they will make the room sound better, but you need ones with the right band width, design, and placement--it's just not very cost effective. The other area I would seriously consider is changing your speakers. PSB stratus series is really for larger rooms and does not accomodate nearfield listening very well. A pair of very good monitors that are designed for nearfield imaging (not as close as desktop though). One pair of speakers (although not monitors) that I have heard work very well in smaller rooms was the Totem Arro.
dolphin
142 posts
 
What about Sonex??? Not that expensive and kinda cool looking.
delphinj
30 posts
 
Sonex and a decent parametric EQ. E mail me for details I'll tell you how to measure out the room and set the thing properly
ehart
215 posts
 
Reviving an old thread here. Does Bob's suggestion (hang headphones off speaker output on your amp) really work? How is sound quality compared to "real" headphone amp? Do you risk damaging the phones (or ears)?

Thanks

Eric
phasecorrect's avatar
phasecorrect
2,013 posts
 
I would second the notion of monitors...it is all about the room...and your PSBs are simply too much...you may initially be turned off by the "leaner" bass...but it will be more accurate and "boom" free...besides...once you go with monitors that have that 3-d imaging...you will wonder why you didnt do it sooner...I could go on and on...check out the Quad 11Ls...or the Spendor 3/5...both great monitors..cheers...plus you can experiment with the long or short side of the room for placement...the Quads are rear ported...but they have more bass...
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