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Home Theater Done Right: Millercarbon's System

Dual use, should probably be the title. Oh well. Finally posted my system. Someone’s always asking about how to do a dual use system. Well, here’s how its done.
Cinephile or audiophile, movies and music are the two things I have loved for as long as I can remember. I want my music to sound as good as possible, and I want my movies to look and sound as good as possible. Everything is a compromise and yet when it comes to these two the compromises are remarkably few. If any. At least that is what my system shows. Because it is a first-rate audiophile sound system, AND a top level home theater.
Whether music or movies an immersive experience is the goal. To lose yourself in the experience. To be carried away.
Studies show viewers consistently rate video quality higher when sound quality is high. Unfortunately the Home Theater industry has chosen to pursue quantity over quality. Which cannot ever work. No amount of surround speakers will ever make up for poor quality. Everyone knows this perfectly well. Being able to convince anyone otherwise is a testament to marketing.
But that’s not my main point here. Rather it is that everything matters. Seemingly minor little things like cryogenic treatment, HFT, ECT, Total Contact, fuses, cable elevators, etc when added together actually make so much difference it is almost impossible to build a truly good system without them.

Removing those tweaks from my system would lower it down to merely average.

Anyway, the system is posted. Enjoy the pics. I am not that good a photographer but Steve Clarke was busy. Tried to get the tubes go glow- how’d I do?

The system evolves. Here for reference are some pics from 16 years ago. https://www.theanalogdept.com/c_miller.htm
Comments welcome. Enjoy!


128x128millercarbon
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon OP
12,531 posts
 
Right. There are in fact some very good technical reasons why this is so. 
The reasoning behind the center channel is its for dialog which is supposed to be coming from the screen which is assumed to be centered between the speakers. But, as anyone who has ever watched a movie would know, the characters aren't always dead center in the middle of the frame. Dialog can be coming from anywhere and in fact may not even be on the screen at all. 

With stereo this is no problem at all. Everyone with a properly set up stereo knows perfectly well there is no problem whatsoever with sounds coming from anywhere in 3D space, which sometimes if the system is really good seems to extend even well off to the sides beyond the speakers. This happens naturally without any need for special processing effects.

With multichannel HT on the other hand and especially with a center channel this cannot happen without putting a processor in the signal path. The processor has to pan and scan and shift the sound around trying to emulate what is happening on screen. Even if it works, its still an extra component in the signal path. Putting unnecessary circuits in the signal path is never a good idea.
fleschler
2,017 posts
 
@millercarbon  I want to comment on the use of HFTs.  I installed 32 on walls and speakers.  I found the basic set up to Level 5 on walls excellent.  However, on my speakers, no matter which HFT was placed near my dome tweeter and ribbon supertweeter, the sound became too bright and/or hard.  So, I eliminated that one.  The other extremely important HFT were the HFT 2.0s on the sides of the speakers.  They had to be adjusted to within 1/8" up or down to balance bass/fullness and the upper frequencies.  That was a trial and error which took a while in my new room as it did in my prior room.  Overall, the use of the HFTs eliminated my need for a full out quadradic diffusion system set up on the front and rear walls, quoted at $25,000+ by my audio room designer's company.  I already have built-in wall/floor/ceiling bass control and ample side wall and suspended ceiling absorption panels.  My friends also prefer the use of SR HFTs for their more difficult to adjust rooms.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon OP
12,531 posts
 
Yeah. As if its not amazing enough how well this stuff works, its maybe even more amazing how such tiny movements tweak the sound so noticeably. I never was able to get anything even close to too bright or hard with any of them, but was able to tweak the amount of sizzle on cymbals just by moving the ones on the front wall an inch or so at a time. My system isn't anywhere near hard or bright but a lot are and I can see how that could happen.
One that blew me away the most is on the back of the speaker by the port. Why these things work at all is a puzzler. Why moving them even a small amount is even more puzzling. How one on the back of the speaker pointed away and into a corner not only matters but makes a huge difference moving it just an inch or so is a mystery indeed.  

Sounds like you have a few more than me. Have you tried ECT? Very similar looking only optimized to go on electronics. They are even harder to understand as they have a very similar effect on sound quality even though they go on (or even inside!) components.

Quadratic diffusion, eh? To wield language and numbers like that, I'm gonna guess... architect? Lol!
fleschler
2,017 posts
 
Well, Acoustic Fields and Vicoustic sell superior quality and higher cost quadradic diffusion as well as other acoustic treatments. The HFT on the back of my Legacy Focus has to be placed between the two upper ports and the lower subwoofer driver. It is less critical, about an inch up or down to adjust to the room. The HFTs on the side walls, rear wall and corner front walls are also less critical in my room.

I was thinking about trying SR GCTs and UEF Cable Risers next. I found the SR Blackbox sucked the life out of recordings by cutting off frequencies above 8Khz. The UEF Cable Riser demo may indicate a similar effect using a type of ECT on each riser, or they may just focus the sound better. The Atmosphere XL4 is more of a toy and the default is mostly not better than no Atmosphere XL4 at all. 

I use the former Perfect Path Omega E- and E+ Mats, E+Cards and Stop-Its to great effect (waiting to add a mini-gate). They do electrically what the Black Box is supposed to do mechanically/acoustically, diminish distortion.

Upgrading my A/C cables to GroverHuffman Pharoahs made the biggest difference to my DAC, Transport, Turntable motor and controller. I already had the Pharoahs on my Bryston BIT-20 isolation transformer, amps and pre-amp/phono since I moved into my custom listening room.
sbayne's avatar
sbayne
493 posts
 
@millercarbon - great system and great thread! Totally agree that solid value components and tweaks are the way to go. I’ve owned MANY components over the years including a six figure Shindo based system. After much listening and experimenting, I now use SR HFTs, ECTs, Atmosphere, Acoustic Panels, Fuses, Tranquility Bases, Black Box, etc. I started using PPT products as well. I’m finally to the point where I realize the actual components do make a difference but not as much as the room acoustics or how the signal and power are tweaked. Keep up the good work (battle) and congrats!
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