System Pics 2015

My 802s also have embedded magnets. It makes for a much tidier appearance with the grills off. 

The Hutter stands do look nice and if I changed my Ash Designs stand I would probably opt for the Hutter but I may struggle to part with the Ash Designs as I have owned this for 15 years!!

I live in a small apartment so can't do much with positioning. Would I be better off with the rack to the left of the speaker?

how big is the room in meters?

NDS/555, 552, 300, LP12, Squeezebox Touch (for Qobuz),  Fraims, Isoblue shelf, Shahinian Obelisks. Lots of compromises but works

R.K. -

Lovely room and a very cool audio system. I can almost feel the warmth of that fire!

Have you considered placing the Obelisks on castors, and pulling them out in the room for listening sessions?

ATB.

Hook

Hook, they will already be on castors unless they have been removed, but looks to me as they are still on.

now this i like 

Obelisk little brothers.

You kept those quiet!! I wondered what speakers you ended up with. How are they?

Same digital and amp set up as mine - different speakers, but a very fine sound I am sure. Looks great! Enjoy...

They look good to me, hope you enjoy them.

Thanks for clarifying Gary. Had read that castors were a good fit for Shahinians, but always assumed they were an owner-installed option.

They are really cool looking speakers, what do they sound like? Are they standard cones

Hi Dayjay. Standard cones but 7 in total.  Have not heard better speakers for orchestral, choral, opera, and especially female vocal. From the start my wife was taken with them. Initially they had a bass boom on rock music but that disappeared after a few weeks. Can enjoy sitting most places in the room. Enjoy Jazz, Blues, and rock on them too.  Not their optimal position either side of a chimney breast but still sounds fine to us.  Had them five months now and I'm still blown away several times a day. They just disappear. 

I am curious RK - how does that basket (?) out front affect the sound?  Or does the unconventional construction of these speakers obviate the effect of what would look to be an issue with more conventional speakers?

DrMark I had the same curiosity and have experimented with and without the basket, with baskets on both sides, with various numbers of logs in each basket, and with the baskets at various distances from the speakers. I have been unable to hear any difference.  It may be because the midrange and tweeter units are in the angled surfaces at the top of the speaker and hence not affected. 

It would be offset nicely by the brassy midrange on the right-hand side, I would presume, assuming we hear both horizontally and vertically.

Seriuosly, it is a stunning room and set-up, you must enjoy it greatly.

Frederik, this is actually an ideal setup for me. I was just wondering what kind of speakers I can get away with just leaving on the shelf like that (I know stands make them sound better, but I don't like the look, nor do I have the room). 

Thanks in advance for your response  Tom

Continuing the Shahinian theme, here are my pics

The system is currently CDS3 & 555PS, 252 & SC, 500 and the Obelisks, which are about 8 inches from the rear wall but as RK says, they sound great with all types of music even in that position.

And before you all ask , I don't currently have room for two stacks, hence the single tower.

I'm also thinking about an upgrade of either NDS or pre-owned 552.  I'm leaning towards the later at the moment.

Danny 

Beautiful Danny, congratulations!!

Hi Tom!

I'm not really sure what you mean with your question but I will try to answer it.

I use a pair of Dynaudio Excite X14 and I think it works really well. They are a rear ported speaker so they would benefit from a little more room to the wall than the 4"-5".

With this positioning of the speakers a front ported speaker would probably be better but I really like the Dynaudio sound so I'm happy with my X14.

A few speaker that I my self would check out if I didn't have my Dynaudios are these:

Scansonic MB-1 (Designed by the man behind Raidho but at a much lower price)

System Audio Mantra 5

PMC Twenty 21

KEF LS50

I would agree with your leaning to the 552 Danny - that is one piece of gear I don't think I have ever read one less than positive comment on, and I know when I heard it at my dealer it was excellent.  Also, the streamer technology will continue to improve so in a few years I think it will become even more cost effective.