Daedalus

Another thing a speaker needs to do to "disappear" is recreate a soundfield wherein the speakers do not cue your ear as to their location. This my DA-1.1's do very well but are not in the same league as the best I've heard in this regard.
Dodgealum (System | Reviews | Threads | Answers)

That is what I wanted to know.

A couple of comments based on above: Soundstaging will be profoundly affected by the room and setup, and of course the system behind it. No offense meant at all to Dodgealum, but the room in his system pics does not look like it's optimized for two channel listening (though a very nice WAF runaround on the corner bass traps!). Neither is mine for that matter. I too have to deal with a large TV screen between my speakers and that is a huge compromise. I usually put a large absorption panel in front of my screen when listening and that does help some, but ideally I would prefer to have nothing in between my speakers. I'm of course, assuming he's still using this room in his system pics and basing his comments on that.

As far as the DA1.1's not being up to the best soundstaging speakers out there; well, I would not expect a 3-way floorstander with five drivers to compete with a great 2-channel monitor or a single-driver speaker in this specific area that Dodgealum has isolated (sounstaging). That would not be a reasonable expectation IMO. A more specific comparison may be more useful in this context.

As far as my own limited experience with Lou's speakers, which has been limited to RMAF '07 (I think Ulysses) and Dan Wright's listening room (RMA's), in neither case did the speakers call attention to themselves in any way imaginable. Both threw vast soundstages and both were in very nice rooms (Lou scored one of the better [larger] rooms at RMAF that year, while most of the [smaller] rooms are quite challenging at that venue). No doubt coming into any hotel room is quite challenging, but the larger rooms there in general did sound better. Dan's room is excellent and well sorted out.

Hope that helps, Grant.

Tvad:

Some changes have taken place in the past 3 years (what a surprise.)

SPEAKERS: I still have the DA-1's...though planning to replace with DA-1.1
CDP: Still with the Electro
PRE: VAC Renaissance Mk II
AMP: VAC 300.1
CABLES: Kubala-Sosna...been upgrading within the line...now a mix of Expression and Emotion.

Still a wonderfly musical system...now all tubes and a few notches better.

...kept the H2O amps for a 2nd system that has not taken place...any buyers?

Tvad--say it isn't so! Your beloved Sonata IIIs up on the chopping, er auction, er selling block. Who's going to debate with Newbie now the relative merits of the Sonata and the Bolero??

Come to that, what's up with this Bolero Supreme? Tacos, anyone?

Marco:

I agree fully with both your observations. My house is modest and there is no extra room that could become a dedicated listening area. Perhaps this is making lemonade out of lemons but I don't think I'd go the dedicated room route even if I had the space. My wife and I like having the music where we get to use it daily--in the living area which is adjacent to the dining room and kitchen. I love to listen while I cook or while we are having dinner etc. This is why I chose the DA-1.1's instead of the Ulysses--they are more suited to an open floor plan whereas the Ulysses is more about listening from the sweet spot. Having said that there is no doubt that I do not have my DA-1.1's optimized for two channel listening. I'd love to have a larger room and move them further into the listening space. I also wish I did not have a large entertainment center to contend with between the speakers. All these things I'm sure diminish the ability of the speakers to "disappear" in the way Tvad would like. I will say, however, that the DA-1.1's are very forgiving in terms of placement and I'm getting really good sound--I've heard many, many other systems in many other rooms--just as things are. Though I haven't had the pleasure of hearing them, I'd also agree, Marco, that Lou's reference series speakers are probably among the best available in terms of the kind of disappearing act that Tvad would like to attain.

One last thing--not sure I got the tube trap reference--none are used in my room.