Mini owner to be..

stlrman · « **on:** 26 Sep 2008, 07:00 pm »

Hi,
I wanted to say hello to everyone in the SP Tech community, and a thank you to everyone who has guided me towards my puchase of the minins ,which I will be receiving in about a week. It was all of your great reviews ,and personal emails, and speaking with Bob at SP Tech that has me really excited to receive these amazing speakers!!
I will be using a Jolida 1501 rc (100 watt hybrid amp ) for a while with the minis in my living room. I want to upgrade to a Musical Fidelity A5 (250 watts ) down the road. I also will be using the oppo player as the cd transport.
I would appreciate any advice on set up, cables, etc. as I am very new to audio. I feel very lucky to have found SP Tech as my second speaker purchase, and I am really indebted to all those here on audiocircle who have helped me form my purchasing decision. Special thanks to Bob who has been very generous with he time and knowledge. I can't wait to finally experience the SOUND!
Thanks!
Todd

mcullinan · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 Sep 2008, 07:10 pm »

Congrats!
Do you have stands? Plus are you using a sub?
I will be a future owner of Continuum 2.5s... though I borrowed the minis for a while.. which sound awesome.
Id say your ear is woofer level, maybe top of woofer level. 200 watts, which you will have. For cables check out Strahley Reality cables.
Mike

stlrman · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 Sep 2008, 07:30 pm »

Yes , I have 37 inch stands which need to cut down as my wife is not happy with the height of the stands. This was the calculated height that I figured as my ears are about 42-44 inches when sitting on the couch. I will be about 11-12 feet back, the back up the speaker will only be about 13 inches from the back wall ,in order to align with the plasma and tv stand. I can pull them out a bit when listening critically.(mabey another foot )
No sub , as my wife does not even want them in the room at all. I tried to explain that they are works of art. I have heard that they have outstanding base as is. My wife has had enough of my obsession after only about 8 months of being an audioholic. I have another new system in my small office as well. I am not sure if I can mention other speaker brand etc. in this here forum. Appreciate any advice you have in set up, and what youthink about the Jolida to power the Minis for a while and any thoughts on the A5. I know some people have used low power tube amps, but also know that Bob says to throw as many watts as possible.
Thanks
Todd

Goosepond · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Sep 2008, 07:55 pm »

Congrats Todd. You've made a wise purchase.

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. Fairly new to this audiophile stuff, but I had the smarts to hang around this place and listen real carefully. I started this in January and had a few bumps in the road. But finally I got all my new gear in the same room at the same time and realized it was all worth it.

I had heard about the base in Bob's speakers but didn't know what to expect in such a small (but sturdy) package as the mini's. But to my untrained ear, the base is what continually does it for me.

I'll second the recommendation of Reality cables as Gregg is great to deal with.

As far as Bob's tip about feeding the mini's power, I decided to go overboard and ended up with the Spectron amp. I'll never be able to crank it up to it's limit in my small listening room, but also knowing I'll never run out is very satisfying.

Enjoy,

Gene

stlrman · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 Sep 2008, 08:28 pm »

Hi Gene,
Thanks for the advice and encouragement. That is some amp you have. I suspect the 250 watt A5 should be able to crank the snot out of the minis.(excuse my french.) When and if I get this amp in the future. How big is listening room? How high are your stands and what brand are they? How far out are your minis from the back wall? Do you think I can get by with only a foot to the back wall? Does the base get boomy if too close? Will the Straleys work with any amp? Thanks for all of your help , much appreciated !!
Todd

stlrman · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Sep 2008, 11:18 pm »

Hi, this is Todd again.
I just want to send a shout out to a few folks whose post I have been reading for the last 8 months.
Would appreciate any advice or just a hello.
Thanks to Konut, lonewolfny, Spence, ted_b and all others who have lead me down the SP Tech road.
Best wishes,
Todd

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 12:45 am »

Hello Todd....

Welcome to the club....

Chris

konut · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 01:01 am »

Hi Todd, and welcome to AudioCircle.

I would never have found SP Tech speakers if I had not been hanging out here too. Its appropriate then to thank John R, the owner of this place, for providing this forum. Do not be afraid to experiment with the Minis. Put them on the stands with the woofer on top. If its too boomy pulled out as far as its wifely possible, stuff a bit of foam, or some other material into the port. Angle them in a variety of ways and note the differences. Don't be afraid to come here and ask for advice if problems arise. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy your music.

stlrman · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 01:14 am »

Hi there Chris and Konut. Thanks I will post some pics when they arrive, and I will experiment with room placement. The color is Cherry, so I think they may look similar to your speakers Konut. I am really excited to hear them! hoping the Jolida amp will drive them with good sound until I can upgrade to the 250 watt Musical Fidelity amp, A5
Also forgot to send out a thanks to Double Ugly who sent me a very informative email a few weeks back.
Best wishes,
Todd

Goosepond · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 01:16 am »

Quote from: stlrman on 26 Sep 2008, 08:28 pm

Hi Gene,
Thanks for the advice and encouragement. That is some amp you have. I suspect the 250 watt A5 should be able to crank the snot out of the minis.(excuse my french.) When and if I get this amp in the future. How big is listening room? How high are your stands and what brand are they? How far out are your minis from the back wall? Do you think I can get by with only a foot to the back wall? Does the base get boomy if too close? Will the Straleys work with any amp? Thanks for all of your help , much appreciated !!
Todd

Hi Todd,

My listening room/living room is only 13x11 so I don't have a lot of room to experiment.

My stands are 24" tall. I got them from standman, who posts on the Industry Ads circle. I've got a pic of the mini's on them in my gallery.

Right now they are about 14" from the back wall. It took such a long time to get all my gear together and working, that I pretty much just set everything up and started listening. I was about to bust a gut to see where my money went.

So I haven't even begun to try moving things around. This is all pretty new to me, so I figure now that I'm set up, I want a baseline to go from.

Gregg Straley sent me the cables I'm now using because he knew I had the Spectron digital amp and thought I would like them. Whom am I to disagree with someone who makes well-respected cables, so of course I'm using them.

It's been fun so far and as far as I'm concerned, it can only get better.

Gene

ted_b · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 01:25 am »

Todd,
Welcome aboard.

Glad any of my SP Tech super-bias could be of some help.

I can't help it; they are giant killers.

Straley and SP Tech is a GREAT combo.

Double Ugly · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 02:45 am »

Quote from: ted_b on 27 Sep 2008, 01:25 am

Todd,
Welcome aboard. Glad any of my SP Tech super-bias could be of some help. I can't help it; they are giant killers.

Straley and SP Tech is a GREAT combo.

I agree with everything Ted said.

Don't hesitate to ask if you believe I can be of any further assistance, Todd. If I don't know the answer, I'll do what I can to help find it.

stlrman · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 02:56 am »

Thanks for all of the info and well wishes Gene , Ted , and Double Ugly. I will keep you posted.
Have a good evening!
Todd

spence · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 01:30 pm »

Hi Todd,
Thanks for the mention......you're going to love those speakers. Bob's creations are the real deal. It don't get no better than this. I stopped looking at other speakers altogether 4 months ago when I got mine. I don't see the need to keep searching for the holy grail. I have found it.

stlrman · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 04:29 pm »

Hi Spence,
Thanks man, I am very psyched to get the minis !!

As I am really new to audio, I was wondering if I could ask you about your set up.
How far from the back wall are your speakers? Also when people say 14 inches from the back wall ,do they mean to the back of the speaker or the front speaker? Do you find that the minis image well and have great soundstage?
Lastly, what kind of amp are you running them with and cables?
Thanks for help! I appreciate it!
Todd

Goosepond · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 04:33 pm »

Quote from: stlrman on 27 Sep 2008, 04:29 pm

Also when people say 14 inches from the back wall ,do they mean to the back of the speaker or the front speaker?
Todd

Hi Todd,

I measured MY 14" from the back of the speakers.

Otherwise, those suckers would have been practically kissing that wall.

Gene

stlrman · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 04:57 pm »

Thanks Gene,
Mine should be out about the same legnth. So no trace of Boomy Bass? Do you have any treatments on the wall? I may be able to hang something when I am listening ,and take it down.
I can pull them out mabey another half foot when the Wife is not around.

Thanks,
Todd

Goosepond · « **Reply #17 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 05:04 pm »

Quote from: stlrman on 27 Sep 2008, 04:57 pm

Thanks Gene,
Mine should be out about the same legnth. So no trace of Boomy Bass? Do you have any treatments on the wall? I may be able to hang something when I am listening ,and take it down.
I can pull them out mabey another half foot when the Wife is not around.
Thanks,
Todd

Hi Todd,

No treatments and no wife.

So I can do with them what I damn well please. And if my room was bigger, I would!

I don't know what imaging and soundstage are, but one thing that I've read about and often notice is that those little bitty speakers do disappear.

Gene

stlrman · « **Reply #18 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 06:42 pm »

Hi Gene,
I am a newbie and may be incorrect in my explanation of this

, but I have been reading three audio mags, and audiogon for about a year,and I have heard this a bit in my first set up.
This is my interpretation, so others can feel free to correct me. (as I may be talking out my A##)

Soundstage, would be like your sitting in the audience, and starring at the stage, it may be 20 0r 30 feet across depending on the stage.
This is why you separate speakers 6 to 8 feet apart, so you have a nice width of soundstage. I have heard that many speakers that have good soundstage will project the stage beyond, right and left ,and even behind the speakers.In a good soundstage you should also have depth, so you can hear that the bass player, is say ,standing 5 feet behind the singer and the drummer may even be heard a few feet behind the bass player.
Imaging as I understand, is being able to close your eyes and pinpoint the exact location of each instrument on stage.(left ,right,center)
I understand that bookshelf speakers usually are better at doing both of these things then floorstanders, I am sure that good floorstanders are very capable of this as well. I also understand that set up has alot to do with this.
I would appreciate any sp techers or any one else with experience to correct or elaborate on this ,as this could be very informative for me and other newbies.
So ,SP Tech owners : How do the Minis image and soundstage? Is this one of there great attributes? I have heard alot about their timbrel accuracy, and great base, and musicality.
Thanks,
Todd

Goosepond · « **Reply #19 on:** 27 Sep 2008, 07:33 pm »

Hi Todd,

Thanks for that. I'm never too old to learn something.

I just checked, as I thought maybe my speakers were unavoidably too far apart. But they are just about 7 ft.

My problem is if I close my eyes, I go to sleep.

Gene