[bmckenney]

Its better to have equipment on the side wall instead of between the speakers.  But since you already have a rack/TV in the middle, you're already breaking that rule so maybe its a moot point.

IBut 'd consider keeping your audio rack (save money) and moving it over to one of the side walls, maybe the right wall by that window but away from a reflection point.  You'd need longer speaker cables, but not that long.  I did this very same thing and I didn't want to spend thousands on speaker cables so I went with affordable AntiCable speaker cable.  And I had one run shorter than the other as well, but it was twisted so it had very similar electrical characteristics as the longer run.  I replaced $1000 speaker cables with $150 cables.

Jim Smith's book Get Better Sound recommends racks on the side wall.  I did this change because of his book and the results were noticable.  I didn't do this to make room for bass traps like you might do, and you will still have the TV in the middle.  But I still I think you should consider it as a fourth option.

Bryan

[MaxCast]

Jason,
I would look or build a 4 wide unit with no side walls.  LIke a flexi rack.
I made this one and it should not interfere with rear ports.
This rack is under 24" tall, lets the equipment stay cool and lessens the impact of an enclosed rack affecting the sound stage and depth.

[max190]

MaxCast,
Sweet looking setup sir. Someday I want to go listen to the Salk's somewhere.

Jason,
Your room is a multi-purpose setup. After your done listening to your system in 2-ch mode moving things all around, what do you have to do to get your 5.1 system back ?
What I mean is do you have a processor that does some kind of auto-setup to get your spkr distance and levels back where they should be ?

[jriggy]

Im might not be quite sure what you are asking... Right now i have a Cary Cinema 11 pre amp. It has a bypass mode and am running the Transporter straight through the pre to the amp. No processing... I am planing on getting a 2 ch pre w/ HT bypass soon but have these setup issues mentioned in this thread to take care of first...
So all I do is remove the foam from in front of the tv, scoot the tv forward again and switch inputs... pretty simple really. The Cary was (when I purchased it) considered one of the best sounding processors for 2 ch listening. It is the Cinema 11, not the 11A with all the firmware problems.

I hope that is what you were asking.

I am beginning to realize that not many members on this site have a multi purpose HT and 2 ch listening living room. Lots of nice dedicated spaces and 2 ch only set ups...

Ill learn and fit in some how 

[max190]

Jason,
What I mean is after you placed your LF, C, RF, SL, SR, and sub in your room, did you adjust all your spkr levels say using a SPL meter so that they are all the same from your main LP ?

Did you set a distance / delay for each spkr to your main LP ?
Did you set a cross-over level when the bass is handed off to your sub ?
Basically what I am asking is did you calibrate your 5.1 surround system ?
 

[jriggy]

Yes sir, I did! And then the input for my source avoids all that processing for 2 ch...

[max190]

Yes sir, I did! And then the input for my source avoids all that processing for 2 ch...

Well, I'm proud of you then
When you listen in pure 2-ch direct mode are you adding the sub also or not ?

[oneinthepipe]

Its better to have equipment on the side wall instead of between the speakers. 

Bryan:

Why is this better?  I have my equipment on the back wall, but I don't know if that is a good thing or not.

[jriggy]

Well, I'm proud of you then
When you listen in pure 2-ch direct mode are you adding the sub also or not ?

 
thanks... and no on the sub.

May I ask why this line of questioning? Im just curious if it may pertain to acoustics or the gear placement predicament.

[max190]

Well, I'm proud of you then
When you listen in pure 2-ch direct mode are you adding the sub also or not ?

 
thanks... and no on the sub.

May I ask why this line of questioning? Im just curious if it may pertain to acoustics or the gear placement predicament.

Jason, I was just curious if you modify your HT setup after doing whatever you do when your finished listening in 2-ch mode.
 

[jriggy]

^ Ah, I see... The HT side is the easy part. Learning how to get the best out of your gear for 2 ch is a little more complex and particular if you ask me.

I passed HT 101 quite a while ago. Finding this site has been a great help so far for my hifi experience.

Thank you all so much for the help and suggestions!!! Im leaning towards a low and open rack off the the left and will be adding the first round of treatments as soon as I get breath from all the holiday madness...

I will up and let everyone know how this phase ends up...

Thanks again

  Jason

[max190]

^ Ah, I see... The HT side is the easy part. Learning how to get the best out of your gear for 2 ch is a little more complex and particular if you ask me.

Ok...
Do what you do for 2-ch listening and let your system warm up abit.
Temp move your coffee table out of the room for now.
Grab your wife and a couple cold ones -keeping your pants on- and listen to music that you are intimately familiar with.
How does it sound ?
I am going to make your system sound better for free if you have a set of allen wrenches.
If you have never tightened the allen screws that hold your metal plinth to your Dyn's cabinet, and or tightened your mid-bass/bass drivers do so now while your wife grabs another couple cold ones.  Snug all the screws up using a pattern evenly.

Now play the same music as before and just listen.
Is the midrange more focused ?
Is the bass/mid-bass more coherent ?

[jriggy]

  

I will definitely be doing this... Thank you so much Steve!

Ill report back too...

And hey, I meant to mention in my other post to ya how much I like your yellow and black set up with the 3.4's... Hoping when we finish the attic here I will get another room for a dedicated 2 ch system.

Thanks again and ill let ya know

 Jason

[jriggy]

Hey all,

 I wanted to report back with all the changes I have made and all with positive improvements in soundstage and imaging...

I have been able to do almost everything recommended in this thread with the exception of loosing the coffee table. Give me (WAF) some time with that one

First off was the free up grade of tightening all the screws on the drives and plinth base of my speakers. That took an other wise blurry out of focus image or placement and narrowed it down much more to a nice solid location in the stage re bass and mid bass mainly! I could not believe how loose some of the screws were.

Next up, the GIK tri traps arrived and are doubled up in both front corners. Yay! Cleaned up everything nicely! More detail, clarity, air and space. seemingly more attack too... I look forward to adding another round of panels in the near future.

And one of the most surprising upgrades was Herbie's DB Neutralizers (I think they're called) for spiked speakers on carpet. They did a number for the midrange!  Even more clarity and frequency integration.

Of course in the middle of all this was redoing Cardas to a self figured room width. I say this because, you may remember, I have windows behind thick velvet curtain on one side of the room. So the windows themselves are further away than the actual wall width, but there is woodwork also... So As I and Jim suspected, I halved that distance for my room width and it seems to be the best equation. I have, at this point, settled on 1/4" farther apart on each side than the Cardas measurement. Im still at 54" out into the room, opposed to the Cardas 70-some but I am very happy at the moment. Maybe Ill try pulling 'em some time soon but am getting to know this arrangement.

Next up some time soon will be moving to a new low rack off to the side.

Thank you all for helping me begin to get the best out of my system. I started this thread with the feeling that I had put alot into this and was not yet happy with what I was hearing... That felling is gone!  I now have a soundstage that is clear, detailed, even and spacious. My walls are not gone BUT they definitely bubble outward and away. Kinda like that horror movie cinematography effect when it appears that the background room or hallway is receding away from the character as they zoom in for a close-up. You know what I mean?

I look forward to moving the rack and adding more treatments in the coming months. And when I do, I know where to come for advice on round two of treatment.

Edit: Oh! forgot to mention. The round table is gone from the front right corner now too! Much more space for the 'air' to breath.

Thanks so much

 Jason