Objective:
... to provide an improved listening & viewing environment, with adequate seating for conversation, movie viewing and listening (both occasional and serious), without destroying the 'home' feeling of the room, or modifying the building structure.
... Something old, something new, something borrowed (information), something blew/blown (& resurrected)...
Room;
Front
Right
Left
Back
16' 7" x 13' 4" x 8' fully carpeted with around 30% (estimated) wall coverage by soft (acoustically absorbing) art, One wall with
a large dual thermal glass picture window covered by regular draperies.
Television;
65" Samsung BU69-22147A-00, QLED, 4k. television with way too many smart things and options.
Entertainment computer;
self assembled windows 7 ultimate, 64 bit, desk top computer with 26+ TB of movie, music and picture hard drive storage.
I have noticed that music stored for extended periods (decades) on hard drives starts to sound clipped (to the point where I have almost stopped using hard drives for long term entertainment storage and have reverted, largely, to optical disc).
Player;
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-L6BkM4iRiu1/p_133UB820K/Panasonic-DP-UB820.html? XVINQ=BP0&XVVER=17NE&awcr=77378322114437&awdv=c&awkw=Panasonic%20DP-UB820&awmt=e&awnw=s&awat=&awug=86421
Panasonic DP-UB820
AVR; Denon x3800h; really, it need no explanation...
Auxiliary front amplifier;
To drive the "power hungry" polk r700 speakers; class A-B, Crown Xli-800 driven by signal from the Denon's pre-outs.
https://www.parts-express.com/Crown-XLi-800-Power-Amplifier-2-x-300W-at-4-Ohms-245-5126?quantity=1
Front main speakers; polk R700; Note; I have never liked the sound of the tweeters in these speakers, however, at the time of
purchase, they sounded adequate in comparison to the blown NHT's and were the one of the few contenders locally available for audition...
Front sound absorbing panels (one on each side);
Shortly after receiving the R700's, after initial setup I noticed a distracting reflections from the walls (Standard 1/2 inch
drywall with low texture and semigloss paint), I made up some foam trial panels and they seemed to solve the issue; so I ordered a pair of 2' x 4' triangular cut foam acoustic panels from Amazon. Note; the r700's seem to be more prone to annoying acoustic reflections than the old NHT speakers.
Center channel speaker; SVS, ultra evolution center channel.
After implementing the SVS I was pleased with its high end and mid-range but it seemed to lack any low mid-range or bottom end. Since I was re building the old EPI bookshelf speakers; I decided to try them alongside the SVS ... problem solved, they both enhanced the over all center channels (and system sound) and gave the center channel a solid bottom end.
2 Resurrected EPI 100 bookshelf, 2 way, speakers (circa 1970's; Saved from demise by Human Speakers' drivers)
8" Human woofers (1 ea.).
and Human 1" aluminum inverted dome tweeters (1 ea.).
Surround L & R
2, stacked, polk ES-35 sound bars (on each side); to minimize living space intrusion... mostly; & because I had accumulated several. ... they can be used as adequate mid-range speakers (don't expect high highs, lows, or even fair bass). (I may replace the tweeters with something better; if I get bored this winter; I have some 3/4 inch Peerless dome tweeters in stock that look like they could integrate well into the ES-35's; but I am getting antsy to try some air motion transformers...).
Sub-woofer; (see right pic , center)
RSL 12" speed woofer.... because I could...
During implementation of the speed woofer (Silly name, IMO) I was pleased with its affects on the sound of the room; I have noted, in the past, that the addition of speakers with a low resonant frequency lowered the room resonance. In this case it makes turning on the speedwoofer's amplifier, almost, a negligible exercise. There are few recordings that actually activate the speedwoofer (set to 80 Hz crossover). And for recordings with substantial lows, I end up turning the speed woofer down or off to avoid oppressive bass.
... on reflection two 10 inch subs would probably have been a better choice... However, they would not make as nice an end table...
Rear surround speakers;
partially resurrected NHT 2.5I towers (circa early 2000's)
The original Seas aluminum dome tweeters, in the NHT's were replaced with Parts Express titanium dome tweeters; because one of the Original Seas tweeters had an intermittent open. So I needed some fair tweeters quickly and the Parts express titaniums were a known, inexpensive, quantity that I felt would integrate well.
https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-DC25T-8-1-Titanium-Dome-Tweeter-275-045?quantity=1
The face plates of the titanium domes were turned down to fit the existing tweeter reliefs, milled into the NHT speaker cabinets. I fully expect to replace these inexpensive, though adequate to good, tweeters with some better quality Seas Titans...
The original Seas tweeters in the NHT's were, I felt, a bit too bright. The PE, Parts Express, titanium tweeters seem flatter and
more neutral (almost boringly flat).
The blown 6.5" Peerless mid-ranges were replaced with (Unknown, but highly rated) generic drivers from Parts Express, Due to the 2.5I's 'strange' cabinet shape, the choice of mid-range drivers was/is very limited (only mid-range drivers with relatively small magnets fit).
I had the option of rebuilding the original peerless mid-ranges but felt that it could have an unknown affect on their resonant
frequency so I elected to store them and go with the inexpensive 30 watt mid-ranges from Parts Express; they have worked out very well!
https://www.parts-express.com/6-1-2-Poly-Cone-Woofer-4-Ohm-299-609?quantity=1
The original Peerless 8", side firing, woofers were retained; they looked and sound good.
The original crossovers were retained, the original components look good and tested within the original tolerances.
I should note that I tried some Klipsch R26FA towers as both fonts then rears, but the old, resurrected, NHTs sound so much better to my ears that the Klipsches have been moved into long term storage..
Speaker cables;
12 and 10 gauge.
Banana plugs; gold plated with twin clamping screws.
Seating; 3 swivel occasional chairs; for "normal"/non-audio folks; these allow people to turn to face each other for conversation or turn to face the TV, to watch a movie. They are adequately comfortable and low enough that they don't affect line of sight to the tweeters.
Overall the sound in the room is good and remarkably consistent from position to position.
One swivel rocker, recliner; can easily move into the sweet spot for critical listening.
One 2 position recliner couch; for "normal"/non audio folks, against the rear wall; I know the placement is less than optimum but, of all my friends, there may be 2, besides myself, that might notice.
Special thanks to;
Huw Powell at Human Speakers; for continuing parts support and development of the much appreciated EPI speakers.
HUMAN Speakers specializes in support and service for vintage EPI and Epicure loudspeakers.
www.humanspeakers.com
Parts Express for mid range drivers and tweeters (of several brands and types)
6-1/2" Poly Cone Midbass Woofer 4 OhmThis durable 6-1/2" poly cone woofer with rubber surround is designed to work best in small, sealed bookshelf-style cabinets. The damped poly cone creates smooth sound from 45 Hz all the way up to 3,000 Hz and is easy to integrate with many different...
www.parts-express.com
Dayton Audio DC25T-8 1" Titanium Dome TweeterFeatures a ferro fluid cooled aluminum voice coil and a rubber surround. The 1" Titanium dome and precision phase lens, provides very natural sounding high frequency reproduction.
www.parts-express.com
The folks at Madisound, for Seas tweeters. I have received a pair of these "Titans" but need some motivation to fire up the lathe
and turn them to a size consistent with the tweeter openings in the 2.5's...
SEAS Prestige 27TAC/GB (H1825) Aluminum/Magnesium Dome Tweeter
www.madisoundspeakerstore.com
Gene for his wonderful and informative articles over the years.
The folks at Audioholics.com for their excellent comments, articles and reviews...
AudioExcite.com for the superb tear down and documentation of NHT 2.5I speakers
Please note; I have no financial relation ship with the above people/organizations; other than being a customer/consumer..
Thanks to all!
Enjoy!
