SBL Setup Query

During my lunchbreak I passed by l'Audiophile, Luxembourg's Linn and Mark Levinson dealer (a.o.), and they had the XLO Test & Burn-In CD. It cost me only 20 EUR, which is much less than I expected for a gold audiophool disc. After playing around a bit with the CD, I finally understand what Vik means. The spoken instructions, which I played countless times in order to compare the effect of a minor speaker move, drove my wife mad, but they had a very positive result! When I started listening to the left/right, in-phase, out-of-phase tracks, there was a clear emphasis towards the left channel. The explanation is probably that the left wall is completely covered with bookshelves + books, the right wall is bare apart from a litho (behind glass) and a sofa. After trying several speaker positions, I finally found a balanced position. All in all I had to move the speakers a few centimeters from their original position, but the effect is fascinating. The music tracks on the XLO test CD sound unreal, but very impressive. I haven't had the time to listen to any other CDs than the beginning of Charlie Haden's Nocturne, but I was stunned: it sounds absolutely magical! I can't wait to get home tomorrow to do some more listening!

Thanks Vik!

Willem

Dev

The shelves were only put up after I sold the SBL's.

The dealer reckoned, the same as you, that the fireplace distorted the sound and pulling the speakers out to a level where they just potruded the front of the fire place made them sound a lot better.

I agree that they would probably sound better firing down the room, but Mrs Mick says no, so end of discussion. The dealer also reckoned that SBL's were one of the few speakers which actually could sound as good, firing across the room as well as down. I cannot comment and would be interested in what you and Vik think on that one.

I am currently in the middle of doing a deal for a pair of cherry SBL's less than a year old which will go in the dining room. It will be good to get them because they sound so much better than the boomy Saras.

Regards

Mick

Mick, could you describe this room to me L, B, H dimensions plus what's flanking all 4 walls, eg. fireplace or open windows or low beams - in short, anything you think is worth mentioning?

Having seen your room, I would say that SBL's would blow away everything else if you were able to position them firing down the room.

Your current position means that the bass from the SBL doesn't integrate with the rest of the sound, that's why you foudn them bass light - generally (and this is a big generalisation) the further you are from SBL's the more bass you will hear.

And because you like a warmish balance, you prefer the Isobariks because they do have a weight

If you put the bariks down the length of the room, will discover that bass is a bit woofy and uncontrolled, if you put SBL's there you will achieve seamless integration.

Your dealer should have told you this, and I'll be happy to help you set up your SBL's in your lounge so I can demonstrate how my point.

regards

Dev

Willem, am happy for you. I hate the repetition of the words too. In fact I am sometimes assailed by small pangs of panic when I wonder if people walking outside the shop think I've lost my mind playing this endlessly. "Left channel, Left channel, etc" (Of course it's the bloody left channel, are you DEAF?????...... you know?) But the thing is I havent found a faster test to linearise a speaker system to a room.

And when you have to set up far more complicated systems such as dipoles with separate tower modules for bass and upper levels, time and concentration and physical strength and customer patience are limited and fast diminishing commodities.

Mick, I think Dev will be great in getting your SBLs to sing.

Vik.

Vik / Dev

I am near to concluding a deal for the SBL's and hopefully they will be at my place in about 10 days.

I have been toying with the idea of placing the SBL's longways in the lounge but I am also buying a 36" widescreen TV which is complicating matters somewhat. Getting it to fit whilst looking sensible etc.

I shall have a good think about it and the Briks could be sold complete with Mana stands to pay for another set of SBL's in the dining room. All this purchasing of goodies is reducing me to paupery.

To answer Viks question, the lounge is 21ft long, 14 ft wide and about 8ft high.

The speakers are either side of a 6.5 ft wide fireplace on one of the long walls, so they fire across the room. I sit opposite.

The dining room is currently about 14 ft x9ft but I am obtaining quotes to having a small conservatory added on which would increase the size to 20 ft x 9ft.

I may well take Dev up on his kind offer.

Regards

Mick

quote:

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Originally posted by Mick Parry:
I have been toying with the idea of placing the SBL's longways in the lounge but I am also buying a 36" widescreen TV which is complicating matters somewhat. Getting it to fit whilst looking sensible etc.

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I also have a 33" TV, and in between the SBLs, the sound deteriorates without doubt.

So, since I only use the TV for AV use, and don't watch too often, I bought this:

http://212.87.82.118/html/penta.htm

to be able to move them out of the way easily ....



[This message was edited by JosephR on THURSDAY 23 May 2002 at 03:44.]

quote:

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Originally posted by SteveC:
Wow! That's cheap - it is £26.99 and out of stock at amazon.co.uk

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I had found the CD on Amazon.de for 30 EUR and found it a bit much. I passed by l'Audiophile just out of curiosity. It didn't have a price, so they checked with their boss, and according to him it had the same price as the other XLO reference recordings. Then I got a discount of 10%, so instead of 22,68 EUR I paid 20,40 EUR. It could be that they made a mistake though.

Ciao!

Willem

P.S. I don't know if it's worth buying the CD if you already have other test CDs. I didn't have any, so for me it was worth it.