Advice on system set ups

[Griffin.R]

I am new to this forum and I don’t find myself to be a true audiophile but I do care about the quality of the audio I am listening to. I have a small setup and I have tried my best to do the best possible work with hook ups and whatnot on my budget. Still I try to get the best quality I can out of my system so I am seeking advice. I have the Bose Active equalizer. This is hooked up to my 1980 YAMAHA M-80 NATURAL SOUND POWER AMPLIFIER TUNER CLASS A AMP M80 HIFI which outputs to my two 901® Direct/Reflecting® speaker system and, Pioneer - Subwoofer
Model: SW-8MK2 SKU: 5086873
Connecting all these together are thick high quality advanced monster cables and thick gage speaker wire going to my Bose speakers, I couldn’t grab the name of the wires as I don’t have the spool. My input is a cd player, radio, auxiliary cable that connects to an IPod. Note: Any connections I make are by monster cables or thick gauge speaker wire. If you can find anywhere I have gone wrong or any way I can improve I’d greatly appreciate your reply.
Thank you
Griffin.R

 

[ski2xblack]

Old school! Kinda like it.

As for having gone wrong, Bose and Monster stand out, but the 901's fall into the "fun" speakers category in my experience, and Moster's problems are more ethical/predatory business practices than the wires themselves, which are typically just fine and dandy.

You left out perhaps the most influential part of your system. Hint: for good sound, start with the room and work backwards from there. As your first audio upgrade, I recommend Toole's book on acoustics.

 

[Griffin.R]

Thanks for the reply, and for a follow up, the room i have it in is a spare bedroom 12' 9"X10' 6" and is 7' 11" high

 

[ski2xblack]

That's a tiny room, probably too small even for the Bose to do their thing. Ideally, any speaker with rear facing drivers like the Bose, and this goes for other types like planars and dipoles/open baffle, need to be far enough away from the back wall so that there is enough delay in the rearward radiated sound that your brain doesn't incorporate it into the direct, forward sound. Not enough delay and you just hear it all smeared together, but enough delay and you get the ambiance without smearing the direct sound. I think your room is small enough to rule out such devices. In my setup like this, the speakers are almost 4' out.

Since what you hear is the sum of direct sound from the speakers and indirect sound bouncing around the room, compounded by your small room size, it means that you will be hearing a lot of "room" in the sound. You'll should plan on treatments (either through strategic decor or dedicated treatments like bass traps or absorption panels). I've heard some pretty small rooms that easily conveyed a large acoustic space, but it doesn't just happen by luck.

You should listen to speakers that perform well in a near-field setup, because that's what you're essentially going to have in your small room. Something with very uniform off axis response will help matters. Another approach would be something with more constricted directivity to help you manage early reflections, allow placement closer to walls, and thus help maximize your very limited available floor space.

I would still urge you to get Toole's book to get a handle on all this. I'm just the messenger and prone to errors 'cause I only post while drunk. The book will help you decide what sort of speakers make sense for your use, help you cut through the crap in the audio marketplace, and probably ultimately save you time and money.

That being said, I can't help but imagine a nice 2.1 system using KEF mains in your future. Maybe something off the beaten path like Pi Threes, which work pretty well in smaller rooms with low cielings, and scale like crazy (big music sounds BIG).

 

[TLS Guy]

I am new to this forum and I don’t find myself to be a true audiophile but I do care about the quality of the audio I am listening to. I have a small setup and I have tried my best to do the best possible work with hook ups and whatnot on my budget. Still I try to get the best quality I can out of my system so I am seeking advice. I have the Bose Active equalizer. This is hooked up to my 1980 YAMAHA M-80 NATURAL SOUND POWER AMPLIFIER TUNER CLASS A AMP M80 HIFI which outputs to my two 901® Direct/Reflecting® speaker system and, Pioneer - Subwoofer
Model: SW-8MK2 SKU: 5086873
Connecting all these together are thick high quality advanced monster cables and thick gage speaker wire going to my Bose speakers, I couldn’t grab the name of the wires as I don’t have the spool. My input is a cd player, radio, auxiliary cable that connects to an IPod. Note: Any connections I make are by monster cables or thick gauge speaker wire. If you can find anywhere I have gone wrong or any way I can improve I’d greatly appreciate your reply.
Thank you
Griffin.R

You have gone wrong with those Bose 901 speakers, which are perfectly dreadful.

If you want vintage speakers there are a lot better than those.

If you want new speakers go auditioning.

 

[Griffin.R]

Personally, i always liked the Bose but i think thats because i've never listened to anything better, the set up i have is my fathers who passed 2 years ago, i am only 13 but i find i know my ways around projects to the best of my ability, i love this feedback and i do want to look into that Toole's book, i wish i was less constricted by my situation but all of this breaks down into what i can do. as for my subwoofer i didn't hear much mentioned bout that any ideas for the room its in?

 

[ski2xblack]

You could probably check Toole's book out from the library. It's fairly accessible but also technical. The full title is Sound Reproduction: The Acoustics and Psychoacoustics of Loudspeakers and Rooms. It may be way over your head, but I think it would be a great book for a teenage music lover to chew on, particularly if you're the curious type.

 

[Griffin.R]

Thanks a lot, i will definitely check my library and see if they have that book if not maybe i will purchase it, as for over my head i find i have a great comprehension and if i have any questions ill be back.

 

[ski2xblack]

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound condescending or anything, but realizing you are 13 threw me off.

Point being, even if it is over your head, you'll grow into it. Some of the math is college level, but the concepts are also presented in a way you'll understand and can put to use. What you learn will save you money down the line. And who knows, it may even inspire you towards science/engineering as a vocation.

 

[Griffin.R]

No problem there, i fully understand.

 

[Griffin.R]

I just looked at my original bose owners manual and it inclueded mounting options, i do have the floor stands for both but only one uses it, the other is on ground by my sub, also they don't meat any of the suggested placements of distance from ground, each other, walls.but they had another suggestion which was hanging them, they have pre drilled wholes for 4 eye screws to tie cable into and you put eye hole screws in ceiling and hang, now this would probably help me with my limited floor space but do you think this is worth it? if i play to loud will they move even though they are 35lbs a piece? anyone have these before and got ideas?