[bpape]

  

[James Romeyn]

Specs (at the end), lots of text and images here http://jamesromeyn.com/#/home-audio-gear/dream-maker-lcs-late-ceiling-splash-loudspeaker-system

I'll save bandwidth here and post only a few images:








For anyone interested in what a $50k CDP sounds like, we'll have NBS' Universal Player at RMAF!  This CDP's designer from NBS is scheduled to be in our room. 



In case attendees want to hear a mortal CDP, we'll also have my Paul Weitzel TRL-modified Sony DVP-NS900V, circa $1300. 

Preamp is Atma-Sphere MP-3, $4850 msrp
Power amp is Atma-Sphere S30 stereo 30W OTL, $4k msrp + $1k upgrade power supply/teflon capacitors
Cables by NBS

We intend to incorporate a toggle switch allowing show attendees to hear the LCS "Effects Speakers" on/off.  Turned "off" the Effects Speaker inputs automatically short to maintain fidelity auditioning the Main Speaker (AKA Jazz Module 2.0) alone.     

Yesterday when Duke dropped off the speakers I mentioned the Effects Speaker dimensions echoed my Dynaco A50 from a half century ago.  How close?  Identical depth and height, but ours is 1.5" narrower.   

[kgcdc]

Very cool. Any pix of LCS module without grill covers or any details about its drivers or how it's wired etc?

[James Romeyn]

Very cool. Any pix of LCS module without grill cover or any details about its drivers or how it's wired etc?s

Hmmmm, that's funny, I seem to have forgotten to take images of the Effects Speaker...Actually, those details, as some may have already presumed, are under wraps for now.  Patent is pending on the entire LCS design. 

The difference in acoustic level between the Effects Speaker in vs. out is about 1.5 dB.  IIRC we'll have remote level control for the preamp.  Also, the preamp level control has fine detents to help match levels.     

[Quiet Earth]

Will AudioKinesis be at The Home Entertainment Show Las Vegas in January?

http://www.theshowlasvegas.com/index.html

[Big Red Machine]

In case attendees want to hear a mortal CDP, we'll also have my Paul Weitzel TRL-modified Sony DVP-NS900V, circa $1300.     

Paul's the man!  Have a great show.

[James Romeyn]

Will AudioKinesis be at The Home Entertainment Show Las Vegas in January?

http://www.theshowlasvegas.com/index.html

AFAIK RMAF is the only currently scheduled show. 

AC member/long time (original) Jazz Module owner in South San Francisco agreed to demo Dream Maker LCS for interested visitors.  Look for date here.

I personally seek a component vendor who might be interested in Dream Maker LCS for Summer Newport Beach THE Show.  Las Vegas is more for retailers, Newport Beach more for end users. 

[James Romeyn]

Paul's the man!  Have a great show.

I'd like Paul and/or his brother Brian to hear Dream Maker LCS. 

Several musicians/non-audiophiles sampled LCS.  Every one, to a person, immediately reacted with words like, "Wow, great spatial effects" and similar.  My brother in law, a fine percussionist and harmonica player, laughed out loud and said, "What took you so long to get it right?" That was with a mortal SS amp.  Those who are familiar with Ralph Karsten's OTL know their forte is spatial effects.  So we expect good performance at the show.   

Image density is just a bit shy of MBL 101 omni polar performance, but we exceed MBL in accurate image size portrayal and natural image outline.  Re. "atmosphere" around each image, an MBL benchmark, IMO it's about a wash. 

I very much admire the philosophy of two highly accomplished and successful high end designers.  One is Allen Perkins of Immediate TT, the other is an amplifier designer.  I read that Allen never ever reviews or examines what any other TT designer is up to.  He never reads reviews or technical journals on TT design.  He does what he does.  He makes some of the best TT extant. 

The amplifier designer told me he follows the same philosophy.

Somehow I don't think this works with speakers.  It only seems to help to hear and understand all the different loudspeaker design philosophies.  Designers often differ in their list of descending priorities. 

IMO the last frontier is absolutely not a more inert cabinet, a more exotic driver technology, a better crossover philosophy, etc, etc.  The last frontier is the one Duke and Dr. Floyd Toole have been interested in for many years: psycho-acoustics, or the cues that most dramatically separate live music from reproduced music in the average domestic sound room. 

[poseidonsvoice]

AC member/long time (original) Jazz Module owner in South San Francisco agreed to demo Dream Maker LCS for interested visitors.  Look for date here.
...

That must be berndt. He's a good guy 

Hope to hear yours and Duke's efforts at the show. I'm curious to say the least  .

Best,
Anand.

[Duke]

Very cool. Any pix of LCS module without grill covers or any details about its drivers or how it's wired etc?

The woofer section of the  effects speaker uses custom woofers, as I couldn't find anything off-the-shelf that had the characteristics I wanted in both the frequency response and impedance domains, especially not while being able to meet my radiation pattern goals.   I will say that there's no skimping on dynamic capability - the drivers used are prosound-level in that regard.   

[Tyson]

Which room are you going to be in?  I'm looking at the RMAF spreadsheet listing all the vendors, but I don't see you guys on there.

[James Romeyn]

Which room are you going to be in?  I'm looking at the RMAF spreadsheet listing all the vendors, but I don't see you guys on there.

AudioKinesis Dream Maker LCS is in Room 1100...MBL is same floor, end of the hall.  I'll call RM and see if they can add the room number. 

What is likelihood of attendees expecting vendors to play digital file located on a flash drive, smart phone, etc?  If high likelihood I might inquire to borrow appropriate DAC for such source.  Suggestions appreciated but only if you have direct experience on a fine system.     

I am more than curious to hear the NBS Universal Player. 

[Tyson]

Ah, I found it on the list.  Thx.

[Duke]

Yes, I'm seeing both James Romeyn and AudioKinesis included among the Exhibitors, listed alphabetically, on the RMAF website.

I'm kind of excited about our location on the 11th floor (top of the Tower).  We'll be in between master speakercrafter Jim Salk and Volti Audio, the latter fresh off a strong endorsement in Stereophile from Art Dudley and a Stereophile Class A (restricted extreme LF) rating.  And at the far end of the hall, MBL will have the big room, and so people will be able to compare Jim Romeyn's concept with the standard-bearer among omnidirectional/polydirectional speakers. 

[James Romeyn]

This graph at the bottom of my DM LCS web page...click on it to enlarge. 

[James Romeyn]

Yes, I'm seeing both James Romeyn and AudioKinesis included among the Exhibitors, listed alphabetically, on the RMAF website.

I'm kind of excited about our location on the 11th floor (top of the Tower).  We'll be in between master speakercrafter Jim Salk and Volti Audio, the latter fresh off a strong endorsement in Stereophile from Art Dudley and a Stereophile Class A (restricted extreme LF) rating.  And at the far end of the hall, MBL will have the big room, and so people will be able to compare Jim Romeyn's concept with the standard-bearer among omnidirectional/polydirectional speakers.

Duke, if it works I'll take all the credit, if not, I might have a home emergency and have to leave early!  Debra has a script ready to read while I put her on speaker phone for public consumption...let's see....hmm....one of the cat's died....flying saucer landed in the Rockies just E of our house and Jimmy Hoffa is an occupant....we won Publisher's Clearinghouse but I have to come home to sign the check as big as a car...she ran out of milk....give me time, I'll come up with something believable...

[James Romeyn]

Hedback and Mellor authored Acoustic Measurement Standards For Stereo Listening Rooms, October 2011.  Quote pg 28:

This room at a high end dealer in San Francisco was previously ‘treated’ by hanging thin drapes across
50% of the walls creating an uneven T20 and T30 as frequencies above 1kHz were selectively absorbed.
Acoustic Frontiers recommended replacing the drapes with strategically positioned combination
absorber / diffusor panels allowing T20 and T30 targets to be met and the spectral balance of direct and
reflected sounds maintained.

Check the ceiling treatments in every image of rooms the above authors designed.  The ceiling is a critical element in room design.

The authors posit that the greater does reflected (ambient) sound spectral balance mimic direct output, the better is performance.  It appears a primary goal to place speakers and various acoustic treatments to insure matched spectral balance between direct output and ambient radiation.  They also apparently desire to minimize reflections earlier than 10ms, consistent with long held room and placement design.   

Dream Maker LCS is consistent with the above principals, but with maximum leverage of every advantage and minimum quantities of long-established performance robbing qualities. 

The Effects Speaker spectral curve matches the Main Speaker, and it's easy to place the ES for 10ms delay relative to Main Speaker direct output.  Ambient intensity exceeds any other radiation pattern except omni-pole, which has well known weakness of too much ambient output prior to the 10ms mark.

The ceiling source raises vertical height of energy in the room and provides high quantity of image layering and every other spatial quality audiophiles crave.  Strangely, I noticed improved ease and articulation in the treble, and a closer mimicking of live music top end with the ES in vs. out.  (Strike a triangle next time you visit a music store and notice the difference vs. reproduced triangle.)  Listen for this treble difference in our room at RMAF when we turn the Effects Speaker on/off.  An analytical mind is unnecessary to experience the LCS advantage.  But if you determine you like the effect, you can separately analyze the treble and note the difference in treble quality. 

It's my position that no driver design nor cabinet panel material can replicate the above described advantage.  The difference you hear is the (soft) science of psyco-acoustics.  Our goal is to provide a venue to demonstrate the claim, allowing listeners to decide for themselves the benefit or lack thereof.     

[James Romeyn]

How much attention do room designers place on the ceiling for live or reproduced music?  To what degree does the ceiling impact overall performance quality for live or reproduced music? 

First two images below, ceiling reflection/dispersion tiles at Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco.  These tiles were added after Davies Hall opened, to add liveliness and remedy an overly dry presentation:



RPG Skyline Ceiling Diffusor System, a costly and coveted acoustic treatment:


Ceiling treatment in member Housteau's luscious dedicated sound room:

[James Romeyn]

Prices in USD, shipping extra. 

Dream Maker LCS, two Main Speakers + two Effects Speakers: $8800/four pieces

Jazz Module 2.0 (Main Speakers from Dream Maker LCS, add Effects Speakers for full Dream Maker LCS): $5000/pr standard veneer oak, maple, walnut, standard 90-degree baffle corners…add $1000/pr for solid wood baffle with round over corners…extra cost: custom veneers, paint finish by Master Luther Ryan Thorell (Logan, Utah)...grills extra cost, grills requires 90-degree baffle corners

Dream Maker LCS Effects Speakers only: $3800/pr USD includes grill, standard finish oak, maple, walnut…extra cost: custom veneers, paint finishes by Master Luthier Ryan Thorell (Logan, Utah)...compatible with some pre-existing speakers to make a custom LCS system...may require separate integrated amp to match sensitivity

[JoshK]

I am wildly curious about the woofer!  I think I recognize its pedigree but I am curious if it was specially designed or just a treated standard design.  (it obviously has the treatment)