X3 Owners' thread

Tyson · « **Reply #100 on:** 2 Jul 2021, 11:42 pm »

Quote from: geerock on 2 Jul 2021, 11:39 pm

Speaker Lab or Serenity Acoustics?

Serenity Acoustics.

morganc · « **Reply #101 on:** 4 Jul 2021, 02:10 am »

Can’t wait to hear your comparison Tyson. I’ve wanted a pair of the Super 7’s since they came out!

Tyson · « **Reply #102 on:** 4 Jul 2021, 05:04 am »

Quote from: morganc on 4 Jul 2021, 02:10 am

Can’t wait to hear your comparison Tyson. I’ve wanted a pair of the Super 7’s since they came out!

A friend of mine has a pair of diy box speakers that use the AMT tweeter that the X3 uses, and I also have been listening to the X2's with that same tweeter at Steven Stone's place and I can say that that tweeter is fully on par with what the OB/Waveguide Neo3 is capable of in the Super 7. That AMT tweeter is spectacularly good. I'm sure the rest of the X3 measures up, and I'm anticipating that the X3 will be an incredibly good speaker.

MichaelHiFi · « **Reply #103 on:** 10 Jul 2021, 12:44 pm »

I just sprung for the ISOacoustics feet as Spatial offered a discount.

Not even shipped and I'm already having mods performed

ric · « **Reply #104 on:** 10 Jul 2021, 01:23 pm »

After doing DIY then going to Herbie's products, IsoAcoustics products are great! I use them under everything--amplifier, dac, turntable and each time the sound improves. Highly recommended!

Desertpilot · « **Reply #105 on:** 10 Jul 2021, 02:04 pm »

Quote from: MichaelHiFi on 10 Jul 2021, 12:44 pm

I just sprung for the ISOacoustics feet as Spatial offered a discount.

Not even shipped and I'm already having mods performed

I installed the GAIA II (with spikes) on my X3s immediately on delivery. The speakers need feet. Decoupling from the floor is important. Given the positive reviews, why not? Between open baffle cancellations and the decoupling feet, I have removed lots of items to "worry" about.

Marcus

geerock · « **Reply #106 on:** 10 Jul 2021, 02:42 pm »

A lot has been written about decoupling with spikes here. When you use spikes directly into the floor, you are actually coupling, not decoupling. You are using the floors greater mass to distribute the vibrations.

newzooreview · « **Reply #107 on:** 10 Jul 2021, 03:14 pm »

Quote from: MichaelHiFi on 10 Jul 2021, 12:44 pm

I just sprung for the ISOacoustics feet as Spatial offered a discount.

Was this something that appeared on their website? I just ordered my M3s about two two weeks ago and didn't notice an option to upgrade to the IsoAcoustics feet.

Thanks.

sshook · « **Reply #108 on:** 10 Jul 2021, 03:15 pm »

Quote from: MichaelHiFi on 10 Jul 2021, 12:44 pm

I just sprung for the ISOacoustics feet as Spatial offered a discount.

Not even shipped and I'm already having mods performed

Ha! I did the same thing! Hoping to get my X3's soon. So much hype and pent up excitement, I'm worried about confirmation bias taking over once I hear them.

Desertpilot · « **Reply #109 on:** 10 Jul 2021, 03:36 pm »

Quote from: sshook on 10 Jul 2021, 03:15 pm

Ha! I did the same thing! Hoping to get my X3's soon. So much hype and pent up excitement, I'm worried about confirmation bias taking over once I hear them.

Lots of folks, including Clayton, try to lower expectations for the speakers "out of the box." But, in my situation, the speakers are so much more robust than my previous bookshelf speakers that I can never go back. I'm hopeful there is great sound improvement over time as some have noted. That would be a bonus. My speakers are 7 weeks old. I've pumped a lot of music through them. I am enjoying every moment listening to music with the X3s.

Marcus

sockpit · « **Reply #110 on:** 10 Jul 2021, 03:54 pm »

I was underwhelmed by my M5s for months. Brightness and lack of bass in a small room was the issue. I've since treated the room fully with help of GIK, swapped out some tubes, and continued to refine speaker placement. During this year and a half the speakers themselves have ripened. These last few days, I've been very impressed with the result, esp. on well recorded stuff.

I wonder if long break in for me wasn't longer because of small room and low listening volume. 35/100 on my LTA Z10i (with 12 quality watts) is plenty loud. In any case, I'm just reporting this to confirm what others have said: Don't expect magic out of the box, don't panic, be patient. In my case, 1.5 years patient.

morganc · « **Reply #111 on:** 13 Jul 2021, 03:12 am »

Quote from: sockpit on 10 Jul 2021, 03:54 pm

I was underwhelmed by my M5s for months. Brightness and lack of bass in a small room was the issue. I've since treated the room fully with help of GIK, swapped out some tubes, and continued to refine speaker placement. During this year and a half the speakers themselves have ripened. These last few days, I've been very impressed with the result, esp. on well recorded stuff.

I wonder if long break in for me wasn't longer because of small room and low listening volume. 35/100 on my LTA Z10i (with 12 quality watts) is plenty loud. In any case, I'm just reporting this to confirm what others have said: Don't expect magic out of the box, don't panic, be patient. In my case, 1.5 years patient.

IMHO you're spot on. I got so lucky and snagged my X-5s second hand just before Covid from a very nice gentlemen who has a great ear but was only using a 2 watt amp. The speakers would sound good and then horrible and then I bought a DAC amp and cranked the speakers up for a month straight, would leave home with the mms blaring for hours and then finally they broke in.

glfrancis · « **Reply #112 on:** 13 Aug 2021, 09:29 pm »

Has anyone checked with Clayton about having them do some additional burn in before shipping the speakers?

Spatial Audio · « **Reply #113 on:** 14 Aug 2021, 02:23 am »

Quote from: glfrancis on 13 Aug 2021, 09:29 pm

Has anyone checked with Clayton about having them do some additional burn in before shipping the speakers?

Hey guys - yes, we can run them in for around 1 week prior to shipment if you request that. So much for the idea that break-in is not real. You would think the naysayers would simply ask speaker manufacturers about whether break-in is a thing or not. I wish it weren't

You have to wonder about anyone that says they can't hear any change in their speakers over time.

Happy listening
Clayton
spatialaudiolab.com

glfrancis · « **Reply #114 on:** 14 Aug 2021, 02:31 am »

Quote from: Spatial Audio on 14 Aug 2021, 02:23 am

Hey guys - yes, we can run them in for around 1 week prior to shipment if you request that. So much for the idea that break-in is not real. You would think the naysayers would simply ask speaker manufacturers about whether break-in is a thing or not. I wish it weren't You have to wonder about anyone that says they can't hear any change in their speakers over time.

Happy listening
Clayton
spatialaudiolab.com

Thank you

onaclearday · « **Reply #115 on:** 24 Aug 2021, 03:55 pm »

Thought I would share my recent experience with the X3. I've owned the X3s for about a year and a half. While I've powered them with several different preamps and power amps (A, A/B, D, tubes), I have always been impressed and totally satisfied regardless of the electronics. However, I just moved the whole set-up to a larger room with vaulted ceilings. I have to admit that I was excited about the potential benefits a larger might provide, yet I was a bit reticent at the same time. I mean you never know........

Let me start out by saying that as a scientist I always try to be objective and avoid bias, although hardly realistic in our hobby. At any rate, even at lower volumes (65-75 SPL), I feel like I'm in the front row of an acoustically superb music hall. I'm hearing the reverb from standup bass strings; I mean, that's crazy! The grand and subtle sounds of acoustic and electric instruments and percussion, it just blows me away. At the present, I getting all this from an an XA25 and microzotl preamp, come-on man!

I was so impressed with the X3s I called Clayton the other day and expressed my appreciation for his work. He, as always, was humble yet interested in my impressions. We talked about amps as well and how SA speakers are really making their mark. Anyway, I hope you all are having as much fun as I am. Best,
Mike (aka onaclearday)

Desertpilot · « **Reply #116 on:** 6 Sep 2021, 03:10 pm »

Thank you to everyone who is contributing here. I know I have found your comments and advice invaluable as I work through my own X3 journey. In fact, I have gone through these threads several times and each time I get more "tricks & tips" to apply to my own situation. Several of you have recently purchased the X5/X3 speakers. Please let us know when they arrive and your thoughts.

I am in the process of making a few more changes. My speakers are pretty much set for location and toe-in. GIK acoustic panels are in place. But, I have recently come to the conclusion that running analog out from my DAC to analog in on my pre/pro is not acceptable. It is clear to me now that while the pre/pro says "pure" it is not pure. The analog signal is indeed "played with" and then sent to my amplifier. Users of my DAC at Audiophile Style (formerly computer audiophile) advocate running analog out from my DAC direct to my amplifier via XLR cables. So, today, to eliminate any possible noise and distortion from my pre/pro, I will run my DAC direct to my amplifier. I can input speaker distances in to JRiver and ROON. I can control channel volume on the DAC and master volume on either my JRiver or ROON remotes. The difference, I am sure will be subtle. But, while listening, it will be one less thing to distract my listening experience.

I recently made a couple of additional changes. I converted my home theater PC (which I had doing both video and audio) to video (movies) only using HDMI to my pre/pro. I had a spare laptop which I stripped and converted to audio only using USB to my DAC. This actually simplified my life since I was always making settings changes depending on video or audio.

As you know, I enjoy multichannel surround music (5.0 and 5.1). I learned that, for music, I should be using surround back left and surround back right speakers. Not side surround speakers. Yeah, I moved my surround speakers to the rear of my room. I guess you never stop learning.

Thanks for listening.
Marcus

Edit: Listening to music all afternoon. Yes, DAC direct to amplifier seems much "cleaner" to me. But, it could be the "placebo" effect. Doesn't matter. Now, I don't have to think about it.

Edit #2: Piano music seems the most improved.

abomwell · « **Reply #117 on:** 7 Sep 2021, 06:20 pm »

Quote from: deadhead 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!

Deadhead, congrats! When did you order them?

abomwell · « **Reply #118 on:** 16 Sep 2021, 12:36 pm »

Does anyone know at what room size Clayton advises the X3 vs. the X5? My current room is 15' x 15'. I'm awaiting delivery on X5's. But (in the playground of my mind) I would someday perhaps like to expand the room by 9 feet making it 9' x 15' x 24' (H-W-L). Would the X3's be better in that size room?

Desertpilot · « **Reply #119 on:** 16 Sep 2021, 01:27 pm »

Quote from: abomwell on 16 Sep 2021, 12:36 pm

Does anyone know at what room size Clayton advises the X3 vs. the X5? My current room is 15' x 15'. I'm awaiting delivery on X5's. But (in the playground of my mind) I would someday perhaps like to expand the room by 9 feet making it 9' x 15' x 24' (H-W-L). Would the X3's be better in that size room?

The only differences is the size of the subwoofer (from 12 to 15 inches). This requires the X3 speaker to be larger. Sonically, I would expect the larger sub to be a better fit in larger rooms. But, depending on setup, the X5s should be fine. Call Clayton for his opinion. My space is 30 feet long which Clayton said was a good size for the X3s.

Marcus