Hello World-intro

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 376 times.

eyrepm

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 5
Hello World-intro
« on: 7 Feb 2020, 09:43 am »
Hi,

I'm 31, from Norway. I'm coming here to learn more about (minor) tweaks and mods. I've been lurking a bit and I can really tell that there is a lot of great people here; I've been learning a lot so far. Got here via New Record Day and GR Research videos on youtube.

For the moment I'm interested in learning about speaker mods; upgrading crossovers, drivers, bracing and dampening/absorption. Also, fiddling with recapping amplifiers, too.

Gear that I use:
Schiit Ragnarok 2
Schiit Gungnir MB
Zu Omen DW

Grado RS2i
Schiit Asgard 3
Schiit Bifrost

NAD C316BEE
KEF LS50

Those are three setups. I do have a lot of Schiit gear, due to that's what I first bought going into hifi. I got the Bifrost DAC back in 2013 or so, and really understood that there was a big world to discover, even if you didn't have thousands of dollars. Since they were cheap, I stuck to the brand. I've now hit a wall; upgraded from Bifrost to Gungnir, and it wasn't bad, but not my sound signature, so I'm tweaking around to stabilize the sound style.

I hope I don't have to switch everything out, so that's why I'm trying to learn! Working with your room, placement, tweaks, upgrades, cabling, everything that isn't "buying new gear" :)

FullRangeMan

  • Facilitator
  • Posts: 19926
  • To whom more was given more will be required.
    • Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a straycat or dog. On the street they live only two years average.
Re: Hello World-intro
« Reply #1 on: 7 Feb 2020, 09:49 am »
Welcome  :thumb:

JLM

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 10661
  • The elephant normally IS the room
Re: Hello World-intro
« Reply #2 on: 7 Feb 2020, 11:50 am »
Welcome!  Cruised around the Baltic last spring and traveled into the northern tip of Norway in 1974 while on a cultural exchange in Finland.

Am familiar with some of your gear.  Am a fan of Schiit practices, so tried a Freya (with/without NOS tubes) and Gungnir MB a couple of years ago but they sounded no better than a $1200 USD DSPeaker Anti-Mode 2.0 Dual Core (from Finland), so sent them back.  Have heard Zu, but didn't sound musical at all, instead were harsh.  Have also heard LS50, but again not impressed with any modern KEF speakers. 

Unless you really know what you're doing, wouldn't recommend modifying gear.  Best to buy gear you like from companies you respect up front.  Altering designs usually just messes them up or at best changes the sound to what someone "thinks" is better.  And of course you could break something.  In your part of the world Dynaudio is an obvious choice for speakers.  That's a company with a 20 year history, does lots of research and development, sells for home and studio use, and produces everything in house. 

Other good Scandinavian speaker manufacturers I can suggest include:  Amphion (home and studio use, very room friendly); Buchardt (a current mail order darling); Genelec (for active studio monitors and another company that uses controlled directivity design for reduced room interaction).  B&O hasn't had much of a presence here in the U.S. for decades but back in the day their speakers were very inefficient and dry sounding. 

By the way, am a big believer in the design and sonic advantages of active speakers (low voltage crossover connected to one channel of amplification per driver).  Recording, mixing, and mastering studios use active speakers almost exclusively for enhanced dynamics, improved frequency response, sharpened imaging, and unbelievably fuller/deeper bass. 

Am also a big believer in the importance of the listening space.  Room size, shape, isolation, setup, and being dedicated to listening (to allow for proper setup and listening when you want) are paramount.  Too many way overspend on gear for the given room, that in my opinion is what headphones are for.  Suggest reading Floyd Toole's "Sound Reproduction" 3rd edition to learn how speakers behave in-room. 

In 40+ years in audio have never found a tweak that works unless you count room treatments from GIK (a sponsor here at Audio Circle).  I'm not even a believer in differences between interconnects, speaker cables, or any other cable.  (Yes they can make a difference, but don't like the idea of coloring the sound via wire, and best to simply follow the laws of physics and again buy from a company you respect and doesn't charge $$$ when $$ will do).

Take care. 

Wind Chaser

Re: Hello World-intro
« Reply #3 on: 7 Feb 2020, 03:38 pm »
Welcome to Audio Circle!  :thumb:

ArthurDent

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 15385
  • Don't Panic / Mostly Harmless
Re: Hello World-intro
« Reply #4 on: 8 Feb 2020, 01:51 am »
Greetings & Welcome to AC eyrepm    :thumb:   

eyrepm

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 5
Re: Hello World-intro
« Reply #5 on: 12 Feb 2020, 09:08 am »
Thank you for your welcomes :)

Welcome!  Cruised around the Baltic last spring and traveled into the northern tip of Norway in 1974 ....

I've fiddled with a mod on my speakers, but I'm honestly thinking about reversing it and stopping. So we'll see! Thank you for great tips, though! Other than mods I'm at least definitely going to fix my room. That I've gathered is the real big thing.