X3 Owners' thread

sarora9 · « **on:** 10 Feb 2020, 03:10 am »

I got my X3's about 10 days ago and have been enjoying a lot. I believe there were quite a few tips in other threads and I thought I would start this thread to collect all tips in one place about setup, bass settings, electronics, cables, acoustic treatments, etc.

My system: Roon -> Bricasti M5 streamer -> Bricasti M1SE Dac -> AVA Set 120 Amp --> X3. Cabling is Blue Jeans for now.

Set up in living room that is part of a large open-plan space. About 6 feet from front wall. No room treatment. Sound is a bit lively right now but still pretty good. Acoustic treatments may be acceptable if WAF is good.Any suggestions?

I understand there are three bass presets in X3 but the speakers seem to arrive with no manual?

musicdre · « **Reply #1 on:** 10 Feb 2020, 12:27 pm »

good idea for the thread.

btw, how do you like the bricasti pieces?

regards

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #2 on:** 10 Feb 2020, 01:02 pm »

An open floor plan is the absolute worst environment for a high performance audio system. I'm sure you already know that.

If you don't have carpet, get some rugs on the floor between you and the speakers. Heavy drapes for all windows. Overstuffed furniture. That will help tame some of the lively sound you are experiencing. A lot of people use diffusion on the wall behind open baffle speakers.

The speaker comes with the default crossover setting for the sub amp. The other two are not to be used. It should be the #1 setting.

Shakey

sarora9 · « **Reply #3 on:** 10 Feb 2020, 06:40 pm »

Shakey, yes I have heard about limitations of open floor spaces. However, when I moved my audio system from a small room to this open space (18 years ago) I found the open space distinctly better. It allowed the music more breathing space, kind of like a church or cathedral. (I had a Dennis Murphy speaker + sub back then.)

The room does have a carpet, thick enough that I think I need longer spikes than the ones the X3s came with. I'd welcome suggestion, and also for unobtrusive acoustic treatment.

Heavy drapes and overstuffed furniture is not going to pass muster

See a photo of the space (ignore the clutter from unpacking the X3s and the subs from the old speakers). There is a glass french door to the garden on the left and large glass solarium to the left at the back. Right above this space is an open study, also with glass doors.

Musicdre, the Bricasti DAC+streamer is fantastic and I like that it doesn't need a separate preamp. Bought it at an impulse when a good deal came along and haven't compared it to the recent raft of new dacs.

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #4 on:** 10 Feb 2020, 07:00 pm »

I'm sorry but I can't be of much help to you. Whenever sound quality takes a back seat to aesthetics, you will never achieve what the system is capable of. The best you can hope for is a percentage of what could be achieved without those constraints.

You've got some good equipment there, hopefully you can at least obtain a level of sound quality that you can live with. But I don't envy your situation.

Good luck.

Shakey

sarora9 · « **Reply #5 on:** 10 Feb 2020, 08:01 pm »

Shakey, as I mentioned this space actually sounds way better than any of the smaller rooms in my house. The soundstage is better than setups I have encountered in some NYC showrooms. I also routinely attend live concerts (classical and jazz) that I compare to. It is a lively sound but somehow works.

I suppose I could put the diffusers on the wall behind the X3s. Do you have suggestions for good diffuser panels?

sarora9 · « **Reply #6 on:** 11 Feb 2020, 04:05 am »

I am looking at GIK acoustic's absorbent/diffusor panels and am not sure what would be best. I was wondering if anybody has suggestions. https://www.gikacoustics.com/product/4a-alpha-panel-diffusor-acoustic-panel-bass-trap/

Tyson · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 Feb 2020, 04:28 am »

I'm not an X3 owner but I do have some experience with OB speakers. I actually think your space is decent. Certainly not fundamentally flawed.

I'd recommend trying both absorption and diffusion, especially on the upper part of the left wall. There's an imbalance because there's a full wall on that side only. Sometimes absorbing the sound will get you the best balance, sometimes diffusion will.

One nice thing about OB speakers is they perform better in a lively space than standard box speakers can. The other thing I'd recommend - sit closer to the speakers - you'll get more direct sound and less reflected sound as you do. With OB speakers, this is a neat trick that really lets you dial in their sound.

IME you can generally get to within about 5 or 6 feet before things start to not integrate properly. Angle the speakers so they point slightly behind your head, instead of pointing them more straightforward.

jazzman463 · « **Reply #8 on:** 11 Feb 2020, 12:48 pm »

Yes I agree with Tyson, I have been playing around with moving the speakers ( M5's ) and toe in . At 4 to 5 feet, with toe in at my ears, the room is eliminated from the equation. The sound is perfect. It does play some tricks with the mind . So now I not only mark the speaker sweat spot , also the chair position. It is a bit self indulgent but the least expensive tweak you will find.

sarora9 · « **Reply #9 on:** 12 Feb 2020, 02:20 am »

Tyson and Jazzman, that was a great suggestion. Moved the speakers a foot closer to the front wall and placed myself at the third end of an equilateral triangle (after some trial and error). Soundstage is much improved. Wife tried it too and is impressed. A weird thing we noticed was that with well-recorded material ---we listen to classical most of the time--- we could crank up the volume and reach real-life spl levels (yes, I have used a dbl meter in the concert hall

) and almost not notice the increase in volume.

jazzman463 · « **Reply #10 on:** 12 Feb 2020, 01:27 pm »

Yes Sarora, with great speakers and amp, I think we just hear more detail, presence, and dynamics not volume. Now , for a real treat push the speakers up a few feet from the end of the triangle! That is near field listening. It will take the room out of the equation. Fun, Fun, Fun. That is what makes these speakers so great, they are fun to live with.

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #11 on:** 12 Feb 2020, 01:46 pm »

I would not go too crazy with any positioning or room treatments until they are broken in. And you likely have a long way to go until that's done. Mine showed improvement well into the mid 300 hour mark.

Shakey

drhoon · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 Feb 2020, 06:03 pm »

My hypex volume setting is 1 clock before max. I don't think it's room nodes but wondering what other people's settings are at? I don't really believe in burn in, probably more your ear is getting acclimated to the sound. Would ideally like at 50% for greater range of volume control. Not sure if it's possible to modify or change the eq settings

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 Feb 2020, 06:27 pm »

Two things.

My sub amp volume control is around the same setting. Seems fine.

Break in is VERY real. Speakers and electronics. I just went through a break in process with a Lumin streamer. Big difference after a couple hundred hours. My ears didn't acclimate to the sound, putting my Node 2i back in the system told the story.

Shakey

sockpit · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Feb 2020, 12:36 am »

I have M5s at maybe 250 hrs. I’m a skeptic about break in too. But in speakers it makes sense, and I cannot deny the M5s sound a lot better now than out of box. A lot. Not just my ears acclimating, even if there is some of that. Near field, say 4-5 feet, they are really good.

jazzman463 · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 Feb 2020, 05:16 pm »

Yes Stockpit, I am about 200 hrs on my M5's and just this week I am notching vast improvement in everything about the speakers. I am just starting to listen to symphonic and rock music, with particular delight in how they handle symphonic. I am hearing all parts of all instruments. I am now also realizing just how good the Manley is, the speakers are releasing all it has. The detail and subtleness of this, made in the USA, pairing is truly a keeper. I did speak with Clayton at the Florida and he mentioned not to be afraid to play them loud to before a listening session to loosen up the bass.

sockpit · « **Reply #16 on:** 20 Feb 2020, 05:59 pm »

Getting the M5s as far as possible into a small room and then being close to them best eliminates the room.

This is wrong thread to continue on, but I’m auditing the LTA Z10 integrated now as well. Oh my.

SnowPuppy77 · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 Feb 2020, 06:06 pm »

Quote from: sockpit on 20 Feb 2020, 05:59 pm

Getting the M5s as far as possible into a small room and then being close to them best eliminates the room.

This is wrong thread to continue on, but I’m auditing the LTA Z10 integrated now as well. Oh my.

Full report please on the Z10 and your M5 when you are ready please? Very interested in that one.

deadhead · « **Reply #18 on:** 2 Mar 2020, 05:51 pm »

Just got my notice from Clayton. My X3's are done and are being packed up today. Yipee!

Shakeydeal · « **Reply #19 on:** 2 Mar 2020, 05:59 pm »

Congrats! I know you are anxious.......

Shakey