Where do I go from here?


I'm 58 and just recently decided that a nice, dedicated two-channel listening room will be my thing - I don't golf, or ski, or spend crazy money on a sports car, so I think my wife is good with this!

My room is less than ideal - 3/4 below grade room, 17'x24' with a 6'10" ceiling height, and a few weird corners, poles, and beams to deal with.  I have a nice, new love seat, tables, and lamps, with a couple of 8x10 rugs - its pretty cozy and comfortable, but the walls need something (discussed below).

My equipment today - Vintage 1980 Klipsch Heresys, with a pair of REL T/7x subs, McIntosh MC312 amp, McIntosh C47 pre, and an Eversolo A6 (with a 4TB SSD).  I have decent cabling and go balanced from the A6 to the C47, using the A6 DAC.  My rack is VTI BL404 from stands and mounts.com. 15A wall power into a Panamax M4315-PRO for all components including subs.

The audio quality I have right now is the best I have ever had in my life, and I am loving it!  But I know I can improve it over time in ways that will be quite noticeable and appreciated.  So, I welcome advice on where to go from here and what to do first...

The room: I have not used room correction software yet.  I am liking the idea of vertical slat acoustic paneling on one, two, or all four walls.  It looks really nice and seems a versatile first layer on the walls before getting serious about bass traps and other such things.

Speakers: I've had 600 series B&Ws in the past and my ears love their sound signature.  I really have my eye on the 702 S3s that are out there.  I wonder if I need the subs with those, or maybe the 703s with the subs?  Any issues with my Mac equipment?

Streamer/DAC: I'm thinking the upgrade path here is in the $3-5K range?  Or, if I do end up with the 702s am I shooting too low?

Turntable: I know there is blue sky on expenditure here, but I really want an automatic turntable, and the Dual CS 529 looks pretty good to me.  Comes with the Ortofon 2M red cartridge.  Is that good enough for now?

Like I said, I welcome advice on priorities, and if you think I'm missing something let me know.  Thanks all!

128x128mattsca

I upgraded my 40 year old system a year ago.  I audition several streamer/dac's in my music room after replacing old JSE Infinite Slope speakers with  Klipsch RP-8000F II speakers, my Aragon 4004 Mark II with Musical Fidelity M6si integrated amplifier, and adding an RLS 12S Speedwoofer.  Likewise upgrades of power cables and interconnects, including XLR's.   Among the streamer/dac's I auditioned were Eversolo's DMP-A6 and DMP-A8.  No question about the A8, much better than the A6 and worth twice the price.  And it has room correction software. 

That said, I fully endorse the comments on the importance of the listening space.  My space is 12' x 15' with a ceiling that slopes from 8' up to 22,' where there is an open walkway.   With no room treatment, the echo with just a clap of the hands reverberatedseverely and cautioned against any music played in the room.  I tried nevertheless,  and the clap echo confirmed that listening to music would be intolerable. 

After layering carpet over the entire wood floor and hanging carpets on three walls, the space was entirely transformed, with onlya trace of reverb.  I can eliminate that trace by drawing down the honeycombed 8' shades on the 3 full-length windows/sliders on the fourth wall. 

I say treat your listening space first to see what difference it can make with your current system.   Or if you're keen with anticipation, you could mix variables and treat your space in concert (pun intended) with your component upgrade. 

Enjoy the voyage.  

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The 3 most important considerations in a quality system in my experience are, 1. Your room and listening position.  2. The source - suggest a separate streamer and DAC and 3. Your speakers and subs.  I would start with your room.  Once you get it setup the way you like move on to your source and finally speakers and subs.  One thing at a time. Trust your ears and eyes - what sounds good and looks good to you in your listening room- and stay within your budget.  It’s a great hobby.  Enjoy it and enjoy the new musical journey you’re starting on and the experience over time.  

My advise to OP is record every sound change of your system with a cell phone or video camera. Don't trust your ears. Your ears will trick you every times you try to remember of past sound. After change has done or in progress, listen/compare recorded new and older sounds. You'll find which sound you like better. Alex/Wavetouch audio

Given what you've got, I'd fool around with the room itself first....

Aesthetics vs. application will rear up and create a fight, but an attempt to create a workable average potentially would help with selecting the next set of drivers to live within it.