1:
Main Theater Setup:
Rotel RSP-1098 Pre-amp
Rotel RB-1090 (L/R) and RB-1095 (C/RR/RL)
Rotel RT-1080 Tuner
Cambridge Audio 840c CDP/DAC
Oppo OPDV971H DVD player
Sony Playstation 3 (3[SUP]rd[/SUP] Generation – slim design)
APC S15 Power Conditioner (amps not attached)
Bowers & Wilkins 802 Diamonds Main Speakers (2” thick Maple Plinths and spiked speakers – waiting on arrival of plinths)
Bowers & Wilkins HTM2 Diamond Center
Bowers & Wilkins 602s3 Surrounds
SVS PC12 Subwoofer
Interconnects: CatCables Silver Cats.
Speaker Wire: CatCables Cat Tails (two sets to each main off the posts on the RB-1090)
Power Cables: Black Sand Cable Violet Z1 MKII (On pre, cdp, and both amps)
Windows 7 Laptop running Foobar2000 using WASAPI (event mode)
Wireworld Starlight USB Flat Cable (computer to MF)
Musical Fidelity V-Link 192
BlueJeans Digital Coaxial Cable (from MF to CA 840c CDP)
Samsung 56” DLP (ISF Calibrated)
Second system (thrown together):
Yamaha RX-v1400
Rotel RB-1080 Amp (powering mains)
Dayton Audio B652 (just temporary until I figure out what speakers I want here)
Interconnects: CatCables SilverCats
Power Cables: Stock
Laptop is moved up here when listening while HTPC/Music Server is being built.
2:
Evaluation Room:
-Main Listening Theater area (16’ wide x 30’ long) finished basement with 7 ½’ ceilings. Paneling and furring strips hold up the walls and concrete block walls behind.
-Sliding glass doors at the rear of the room.
-Two couches (Main couch at listening position – 10 ½’ from speakers) and another couch along left wall.
-Right side wall has a 3 shelf bookshelf that extends about 1 to 2 feet beyond plane of the speakers and goes to the right front corner. There is a door opening that goes to the laundry room that normally is closed for listening, though sometimes open. I have not noticed any huge difference in listening either open or closed.
-Coffee table in front of main couch which normally the laptop resides on.
-Suspended shelf hung from the ceiling via solid steel silver cables coated in plastic which holds two lamps and the HTM2Di Center channel above the TV.
-Wall to wall carpeting.
-SVS subwoofer is in front left corner on a custom built stand to raise it up about one and a half foot (main water line comes in to the house here and goes into the wall behind the entertainment center). Found the subwoofer to have amazing effects (for the better) on imaging and room correction in this location.
3:
I’ve been into music and Audio since I was…well about 2. No kidding, my parents were very much into music when growing up (extensive record collection) and I really learned from them how to appreciate music/sound. I even have pictures of me asleep, head on the table, in front of one of those yellow all-in-one record players in a box while playing my own records (yep at 2 years old). So I know it all started back then.
Appreciating music and sound came from the fact that I used to get a lot of ear infections when I was very young. The doctors weren’t even sure I’d be able to hear properly. Luckily, I got tubes put in my ears and that helped a lot. My parents estimated I had over 340 ear infections (both ears) between the ages of one and three. I think those events in some sort of weird way wired my brain to enjoy and appreciate the ability to hear and to listen.
At probably about the age of eight I would say, I got my Dad’s old setup and used to spend hours listening to music while doing school work and day dreaming in my room. Once I hit my teenage years I spent more money on buying equipment and music/movies than doing anything else (well maybe video games too). Right around this age is when I bought my first Pioneer HT receiver. I loved it and upgraded my speakers to the Yamaha NS-A636 or 637 (can’t remember off the top of my head), still using the Center and Rears that came with the Pioneer. My next step up I moved to the Yamaha RX-V1400 (still in use today) and got the NSH-A1638 floorstanders. I loved that system. From there I switched over to B&W 604s and started adding and moving to Rotel equipment. This is when I really picked up the knowledge or became aware of timbre and synergy in a system. My system stayed that way until about 6 months ago when I was able to pass my system (well speakers) to a friend of mine and I was able to move to Bowers & Wilkins 802Dis. This is where I’ll stay for a good long while I believe though I do want to upgrade to Classe gear, if/when funds would allow. I love how well the two (or one) company works together.
I’m proud to say that I know where all my old equipment is and it’s just about all still in use today along with each person having not moved to anything different. They basically got brand new equipment when I gave them the gear as I keep things in as best of shape as I can!
4:
From what I think, I’m pretty much an expert. I’m not saying I know enough to build my own equipment, but I have a knack of knowing what’s out of place and where there is or needs to be synergy in a system just from hearing it for a few minutes. I’m the one to to ask if I can move a speaker slightly or change something and often times people are amazed at the differences. Everyone I know comes to me for advice and to actually do the work of installing and setting things up. I love setting up systems and making them sound their best and every system I set up for people have all gotten tons of compliments from people they show them to. I’ve even had a bunch of referrals to do their friend’s systems as well. I am all about making everything work together, finding the right components to match the right speakers and make the system work in the room... I’m one that believes you don’t have to spend a lot to get a good sounding system (ie my $40 dayton speakers).
5:
I have performed various reviews on all the equipment that I have, though not on audioholics. None have been formal, more have come as impromptu discussions in middle of someone else’s thread that they started about a certain piece of equipment. My greatest ability with reviews is that I’m very good at making comparison. This allows me to reference that the equipment I’m reviewing sounds similar to another brand A or is the opposite of what brand A. I try to bring in other equipment into the review by saying if you have heard speaker x, this speaker has the same timbre and warmth as it… those sort of things. I think if people can relate to equipment they’ve heard…then it’s easier for them to form their own opinions on how what I’m reviewing or talking about sounds.
6:
Other Positives is that I’m in Pittsburgh, not far from SVS, so shipping is cheap! As well as I will have potentially anywhere from 2 to 8 others that will be able to either confirm my opinions or make valid points in the opposite as I am part of the PitAG (Pittsburgh Audiophile Group) and when we have new equipment…we all love to see it and hear it!
Only other thing I can add is that I’m all for giving fair reviews and trying not to impart bias. I give the facts and make opinions and observations as straight down the middle as I. I tend to let the equipment speak for itself. If it’s great, I’ll view it that way (even if it’s not to my liking).. if it’s not…then I have to put the rough facts out there, nothing personal in it…just the way things work out. I’ve already told a few people on things I’d not tell people to get from Bowers & Wilkins or Rotel and those are my main to “fall back” companies. Give credit where it’s due I say.
