View Full Version : 2 Channel Rig is finally taking shape
BaggedLancer
12-08-2007, 09:02 PM
Well, it started off as a small bedroom rig on my bureau and is very quickly transforming into something larger. I scored some nice finds off craigslist today and slowly it's getting to where I want it.
Todays additions:
Salamander Archtype 5 Shelf Rack
Paradigm 25" Speaker Stands
added to:
Jolida 502b (with EZ bias)
Harman Kardon FL8450 CD
DLO Homedock Deluxe Ipod Dock
NHT Model 1C Bookshelf Speakers
Zingo Banana/Banana Speaker Cables
KnuKonceptz Interconnects(Ipod)
Blue Jeans Interconnects(CD)
Couple things to clarify. Yes, the rig is on a furniture dolly. Occasionally my basement will get 1-2 inches of water from flooding(very rarely, better safe than sorry) so this just makes it easy to move it out of the way. Yes, the salamander rack is upside down, but the shelves are the same on both sides and the nuts showing on top don't bother me.
To be added by Christmas:
17" LCD Monitor for Ipod display
Belkin PureAV Power Conditioner
a very special listening chair(TBD)
As of right now, I couldn't be happier. It sounds absolutely amazing to my ears and I can rolling my office chair right into the sweet spot and just sit there and lean back and relax. Now the semester is over till the 2nd week in January when the second one starts, I'll be doing this daily for hours at a time.
dipiazza
12-08-2007, 09:04 PM
Looks Sweet. The NHT's are sexay...
Cool stuff, that's a very clean looking setup. I'm lusting after your receiver :) Just sitting and listening to music is a great way to relax - I try to listen to a piece or two every night just before bed. It's good for the soul.
Dunno if you heard but I scored a pair of SDA-2As off of CL today as well. It's been good to me - bought a bike, sold a moped (trashed), sold a bike, bought a receiver, bought SDAs. Damn, my life would suck without Craigslist! :)
Unfortunately I have to leave my system in the dorm over break - no SDAs, how will I survive? :o
BaggedLancer
12-08-2007, 09:14 PM
SDA 2's in a dormroom....now that's badass. Unfortunately I didn't quite make it in dorm room living....I think if I had SDA's I would have managed though.
Seriously though, lately I've been so stressed that I find myself sitting back and listening to an entire CD at a time, not just a song or 2.
Sherardp
12-08-2007, 09:14 PM
Looks very nice, bet it sounds good too. Nice score on the stands.
BaggedLancer
12-08-2007, 10:15 PM
Thanks, hopefully my application to the Polk inner circle of 2 channel users will be accepted....we'll see.
beardog03
12-08-2007, 10:21 PM
Congrats !
Good on ya, bro..
Enjoy !
SDA 2's in a dormroom....now that's badass.
See attached. :cool::D
BaggedLancer
12-08-2007, 10:30 PM
Nuts, can't believe they allow that.
dipiazza
12-08-2007, 10:31 PM
Dorm Room Setups RULE!!! Where you at school? NCState?
Nuts, can't believe they allow that.
"They" don't know about it ;). I try to be a good neighbor, so I don't run it high too often. Using this strategy, hopefully "they" will never have a reason to regulate the size of my stereo.
Honestly, with my room as small as it is, anything past half power on the receiver is physically painful. I have more than enough power to ruin my hearing should I ever feel inclined.
Dorm Room Setups RULE!!! Where you at school? NCState?
Yeah they do, and yes I am. :) Good school.
Ricardo
12-08-2007, 10:43 PM
Congrats Mark. I bet that rig sounds sweet. If you really want to get into the "inner circle", I think you need to remove that picture and put one without the ipod ;)
\
How far do you sit? Have you tried the speakers a few more feet apart?
BaggedLancer
12-08-2007, 10:44 PM
I can only imagine some of the home theaters on this forum in a dorm room. Especially trey's...all those subwoofers.....tiny sealed room with a steel door....windows that don't open, extra thick.....
BaggedLancer
12-08-2007, 10:47 PM
Congrats Mark. I bet that rig sounds sweet. If you really want to get into the "inner circle", I think you need to remove that picture and put one without the ipod ;)
\
How far do you sit? Have you tried the speakers a few more feet apart?
Haha, soon enough I'll have a CDP, maybe even a TT in the distant future...
Maximum distance I can sit is 5 feet 6 inches to the center of my ass(no i didn't hold the tape measure between my legs to figure that out, i estimated).
I have not yet tried the speakers a few more feet apart as literally i JUST set this up a couple hours ago. Like i said previously, I have plenty of time now that I have the next month off, so I definatelyw ill be playing with placement.
RuSsMaN
12-08-2007, 10:56 PM
Looking good, certainly a rig I wouldn't mind listening to for a few hours.
dipiazza
12-08-2007, 11:01 PM
"They" don't know about it ;). I try to be a good neighbor, so I don't run it high too often. Using this strategy, hopefully "they" will never have a reason to regulate the size of my stereo.
Honestly, with my room as small as it is, anything past half power on the receiver is physically painful. I have more than enough power to ruin my hearing should I ever feel inclined.
Yeah they do, and yes I am. :) Good school.
I mean its no UMD, GO TERPS! But i'll let it slide. I had some good dorm setups myself sophomore and junior year... house now. cant top that!
appadv
12-08-2007, 11:34 PM
I can only imagine some of the home theaters on this forum in a dorm room. Especially trey's...all those subwoofers.....tiny sealed room with a steel door....windows that don't open, extra thick.....
I was thinking about it...projector, 100" screen, tons of subs and HUGE speakers in my dorm room.
Then I'd have no space left to eat, sleep, or study.
BaggedLancer
12-08-2007, 11:38 PM
Then I'd have no space left to eat, sleep, or study.
That stuff is secondary in college, especally the study part. College is all about sex, drugs, and rock n' roll.
Yashu
12-08-2007, 11:43 PM
Nice little system.
The furniture dolly is a good idea. My best stereo rack had wheels... it was so easy to mess around with wires when all I had to do was roll it away from the wall. I use two little racks now, but since the room is arranged around the stereo, not hard to tweak it.
How do those NHTs sound? That's pretty good for a college system man.
Seriously though, lately I've been so stressed that I find myself sitting back and listening to an entire CD at a time, not just a song or 2.
This is one of the first signs of music addiction... hehe. You will find that when you get an album that is good except for one song, it will piss you off to no end. I began using my computer as a source so I could have all my music easy to access, to avoid this. HD space is cheap enough to store everything in a lossless format. You are a young guy, you might consider a Squeezebox. You just need that and a DAC, or there are about a million SB mod pages to make the stock analog out sound really good. Then, you don't even need the computer in the same room, you just use the SB as the front end to digital bliss. It's got a remote and everything... just hooks to your network to stream the tracks. Who needs a CDP ;) It doesn't replace vinyl, but it sure is nice to be able to relax for more than 74min at a time.
BaggedLancer
12-08-2007, 11:47 PM
Nice little system.
The furniture dolly is a good idea. My best stereo rack had wheels... it was so easy to mess around with wires when all I had to do was roll it away from the wall. I use two little racks now, but since the room is arranged around the stereo, not hard to tweak it.
How do those NHTs sound?
Yea, the ability to play with the wires is just an added bonus....I had to get it off the floor.
The NHT's are awesome. They have Vifa replacement woofers with the original NHT tweeters, and the tubes just make them sweeter. Nice warm sound, no crazy highs. It was between these and the Monitor 7's with Peerless that I sold Capecodder. Both sounded absolutely amazing but i decided that I just had too many Polks and kept the NHT's. Although the stands for the 7's were complete awesomeness.
...but i decided that I just had too many Polks...
Infidel!! Kill him!!!
(Just kidding :D )
BaggedLancer
12-08-2007, 11:55 PM
Infidel!! Kill him!!!
(Just kidding :D )
In the last couple months I had 11 pairs at one time I think. I just needed a change, found these NHT's and they fit my needs perfect.
I had 11 pairs at one time
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
Vr3MxStyler2k3
12-09-2007, 02:03 AM
Looks good man --
Very clean looking setup, fo sho --- those NHT with the slanted baffles look sick!
The best dorm room rig would be the larger subs and VMPS towers --
Who dosnt need six 12" woofs, two 15" woofs, two 12" PRs, two 15" PRs in a 10x15 space????
I bet your neighbors couldnt fathom 118db of 20hz in a movie... :)
RuSsMaN
12-09-2007, 03:50 AM
Who dosnt need six 12" woofs, two 15" woofs, two 12" PRs, two 15" PRs in a 10x15 space????
Normal people, intersted in quality over quantity? Just a guess.
Cheers,
Russ
F1nut
12-09-2007, 04:17 AM
College is all about sex, drugs, and rock n' roll.
Your application has been formally accepted and approved. Of course, you will have to work on replacing that iPod thingy. :D
beardog03
12-09-2007, 04:24 AM
Like with a nice CDP from (beardog) Marantz (AH!)..!!
lightman1
12-09-2007, 04:25 AM
Normal people, intersted in quality over quantity? Just a guess.
Cheers,
Russ
Yep!;);)
Yashu
12-09-2007, 04:49 AM
I heard NHTs can be a bit forward. Tubes sound like their perfect mate. I have wanted a Jolida for the longest time. What happens when you crank them up?
TroyD
12-09-2007, 05:10 AM
Looks good!
2ch rules.
BTW, I see more good hifi gear on the Raliegh CL than anyplace else in the southeast with the possible exception of Atlanta....(most of that is due to Abernathy)
BDT
BaggedLancer
12-09-2007, 09:04 AM
I heard NHTs can be a bit forward. Tubes sound like their perfect mate. I have wanted a Jolida for the longest time. What happens when you crank them up?
When I crank them up the music gets louder. :D Kidding, I'm not really sure, it's sounds fine when I crank it up, but I didn't really build this rig for high volume listening so very rarely will I crank it up.
BaggedLancer
12-09-2007, 09:06 AM
Your application has been formally accepted and approved. Of course, you will have to work on replacing that iPod thingy. :D
Eventually a tube CDP will find it's way in, it's only a matter of time.
BaggedLancer
12-09-2007, 10:01 AM
Looks good!
2ch rules.
BTW, I see more good hifi gear on the Raliegh CL than anyplace else in the southeast with the possible exception of Atlanta....(most of that is due to Abernathy)
BDT
Thanks. Boston CL is pretty good to me other than the fact people are like vultures on there. If you don't send an email within the first hour of the posting that you are even remotely interested then you don't stand a chance on any of the good deals. You need to be willing to travel, and travel immediatley to have success on the Boston craigslist.
Yashu
12-09-2007, 07:47 PM
but I didn't really build this rig for high volume listening so very rarely will I crank it up.
Well, I asked because like I said, been eying a Jolida, and my speakers are not very efficient and they are also 4ohms, so I was curious if you got a good full sound from those NHTs, since I know NHTs are also a harder than average load for their size.
BaggedLancer
12-09-2007, 07:51 PM
Well, I asked because like I said, been eying a Jolida, and my speakers are not very efficient and they are also 4ohms, so I was curious if you got a good full sound from those NHTs, since I know NHTs are also a harder than average load for their size.
Absolutely. The 502b delivers nice full sound to these NHTs without any issues. The NHT's are 8 ohms btw.
Yashu
12-09-2007, 08:26 PM
Maybe I am thinking of the new NHT models, the Classic series. I think I am. I mean, the ohm load is just a kindof guide... my little studio monitors are 4 ohm, but I doubt they would give older "8ohm only" amps any headache... I still wonder though about tubes.
I know that my 60w NAD amp is more than enough, I can barely get the volume control a quarter turn before my ears are hurting, in fact, I even use the gain adjustment on my pre so i can use more than 1/5 of the volume knob, so I am not too worried about it, but I never have had a tube poweramp, you know?
BaggedLancer
12-09-2007, 08:30 PM
I haven't gone past 3/8 with my volume knob on the Jolida. At that point it's way too loud for me to go any higher.
I haven't gone past 3/8 with my volume knob on the Jolida. At that point it's way too loud for me to go any higher.
Same here - on the loud stuff, I don't go past 1/3 volume. After exams are over I'll make 'em sing :D
F1nut
12-09-2007, 09:39 PM
I'm running a 75wpc tube amp with some NHT SB3's in my office rig, plenty loud with room to spare. I don't think you have anything to worry about Yashu.
BaggedLancer
12-09-2007, 10:38 PM
I'm running a 75wpc tube amp with some NHT SB3's in my office rig, plenty loud with room to spare. I don't think you have anything to worry about Yashu.
Yea i putting 60 to these, plenty of room to spare. These aren't very big speakers at all.
TroyD
12-10-2007, 02:30 AM
20 wpc of tube power will run just about anything you can think of to uncomfortable levels.
BDT
BaggedLancer
12-10-2007, 09:59 AM
20 wpc of tube power will run just about anything you can think of to uncomfortable levels.
BDT
Agreed.
Yashu
12-10-2007, 05:40 PM
Yeah I don't think I can afford a 60 or 75w monster... it would be something like ~20w, more or less, basically what Troy is saying. I have alwaysw had a feeling that I could get by on my studio monitors with less than that, but my towers would *maybe* stress them when I use em for 2 channel HT. I am not worried about 60w of tube power... I mean that is a lot of power. I was more worried about the amount of tube power I can afford, which is much less. Not fleapower, but still...
SS watts are so freaking cheap, but I was looking into a Class A SS amp, not so cheap, and it would cost me less to buy a good simple tube amp, and I would probably like the tube amp more.
That is a sweet set up bro. Njoy!
Yashu
12-10-2007, 07:48 PM
I still can't get over how nice that Jolida looks...
BaggedLancer
12-10-2007, 08:22 PM
I still can't get over how nice that Jolida looks...
Yea, definately a nice, solid piece. Thing is heavy as can be, 46 pounds i believe.
I picked up an LCD monitor today from the list of craigs for the Ipod display. Dell 17".
Just waiting for monoprice to deliver my VGA to svideo cable.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/BaggedLancer/DSC00491.jpg
engtaz
12-10-2007, 09:43 PM
NICE SETUP
engtaz
capecodder
12-11-2007, 12:08 AM
Maybe it's me, but that thing is starting to look alive. Waiting for the monitor to start talking and the speaks to start waving randomly. :eek:
treitz3
12-11-2007, 12:24 AM
You mean as compared to this?http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=29704&d=1197142311
BaggedLancer
12-11-2007, 12:27 AM
I think he meant like this:
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/BaggedLancer/DSC00491smile.jpg
Yashu
12-11-2007, 01:13 PM
Hello Dave.
Hello Dave.
hahahaha!!!
Ack! It's ALIVE!!! :eek:
BaggedLancer
12-13-2007, 07:18 PM
Once again, still tweaking. After filling the stands with sand today I just wasn't happy with the placement of the Jolida. The top shelf was getting excessively hot even with 8 inches of clearance from the tubes......I wasn't happy.
I moved the bottom shelves down, put the LCD monitor on the 2nd shelf, left the HK cdp on the third shelf, set my laptop up in it's docking station on the 4 shelf, and moved all the plugs onto the 5th shelf. I also ordered a Belkin PF30 power conditioner that will sit on the bottom shelf to protect all the equipment. I also downloaded a nice relaxing fishy screensaver to watch while I listen. Lastly, I bundled all the wires up nice and neat, keeping the power cables down the left side and the interconnects down the right side.
I attached a few pictures of the changes, let me know what you think.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/BaggedLancer/DSC00510.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/BaggedLancer/DSC00511.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/BaggedLancer/DSC00512.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/BaggedLancer/DSC00514.jpg
I like that a lot better - it looks like your amp is floating over a aquarium. Very cool.
Yashu
12-14-2007, 03:37 AM
Tubes up top... probably the best idea... radiate that heat and easy access. Your Jolida doesn't have a remote right? Up top is probably the best.
BaggedLancer
12-14-2007, 04:58 AM
no remote
BaggedLancer
12-17-2007, 04:12 PM
More progress made today, finally got the Ipod display up and running. Set for some black & white to give it that new "vintage" feel :rolleyes:.
Now I have an entire Ipod worth of music(160 gig after christmas) in Apple Lossless format and my lazy remote fingertips.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/BaggedLancer/DSC00517.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/BaggedLancer/DSC00518.jpg
Awsome. I need to start converting to using lossless formats...
treitz3
12-17-2007, 04:51 PM
No you don't.:p :D
BaggedLancer
12-17-2007, 05:01 PM
No you don't.:p :D
Shhh sure he does....he's in the young crowd with me, this is "our" vinyl. :D
avguytx
12-17-2007, 05:02 PM
So that rack you're using is the Salamandar one? It reminds me of that "FlexRack" or whatever the correct name for it is. I like that.
BaggedLancer
12-17-2007, 05:06 PM
So that rack you're using is the Salamandar one? It reminds me of that "FlexRack" or whatever the correct name for it is. I like that.
Yea, Salamander Archtype 5.0
http://www.salamanderdesigns.com/archetype/archetype.jsp?modelbase=a5
Shhh sure he does....he's in the young crowd with me, this is "our" vinyl. :D
Actually... I'll be having some "real" vinyl after the Holidays - my dad is loaning me his turntable (that he never uses) in exchange for me converting his favorite records to CD. How's that for a deal? :D
treitz3
12-17-2007, 05:16 PM
Actually... I'll be having some "real" vinyl after the Holidays - my dad is loaning me his turntable (that he never uses) in exchange for me converting his favorite records to CD. How's that for a deal? :D
NOW your'e talkin'! :D
BaggedLancer
12-17-2007, 05:22 PM
nice, eventually ill move into real vinyl, not quite ready just yet
BaggedLancer
12-19-2007, 09:06 PM
Relief at last. The final component for a long while is in place after a near disaster with UPS. Belkin Power Conditioner....exactly what the rig needed.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/BaggedLancer/DSC00525.jpg
All the wires neatly bundled and off the floor:
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd234/BaggedLancer/DSC00522.jpg
Yes the power cable isn't in the big bunch because eventually it's getting replaced. Everything is kept separate, interconnects, power cable, and speaker cables.....and well I didn't care much about the s-video for the Ipod so that got bundled into the power...no funky lines though thanksfully.
sweet! dude! Glad your diggin' it! :)
tlarwa
01-22-2008, 04:58 PM
Yea, the ability to play with the wires is just an added bonus....I had to get it off the floor.
The NHT's are awesome. They have Vifa replacement woofers with the original NHT tweeters, and the tubes just make them sweeter. Nice warm sound, no crazy highs. It was between these and the Monitor 7's with Peerless that I sold Capecodder. Both sounded absolutely amazing but i decided that I just had too many Polks and kept the NHT's. Although the stands for the 7's were complete awesomeness.
BaggedLancer,
Can I ask which Vifa driver you used as a replacement in the NHTs? I'm running Superones as surrounds, and have a bad woofer in one of them. I would consider replacing the woofer in both rears (to match) if necessary (since I'm having trouble locating an original NHT replacement). The 1.1s have a 6.5" woofer, correct? If you could tell me the Vifa model# I'd appreciate it!
Thanks,
Tom
BaggedLancer
01-22-2008, 05:45 PM
I'll take one out this tonight or tomorrow and get the exact model number for you. I'm busy listening to them right now :)
tlarwa
01-22-2008, 06:48 PM
Thanks, I'd really appreciate it. I talked to NHT yesterday, and it seems they are out of the OEM driver. I'd like to replace it with a driver that is an exact fit, and the proper impedance, obviously. I think the 1.1 and Superone woofers are pretty similar, if not exactly the same...
BaggedLancer
01-22-2008, 07:17 PM
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=297-305
That isn't the model number I have, but I can't find mine ANYWHERE so it must be an older model. It looks nearly identical to that though.
tlarwa
01-23-2008, 11:20 AM
Thanks for the info ... what is the exact model # of the Vifa you are using?
BaggedLancer
01-23-2008, 11:25 AM
Thanks for the info ... what is the exact model # of the Vifa you are using?
Mine says paw68 on it, which I assume to mean 6.5" driver and 8 ohms. I purchased them with the replacement woofers already in them so unfortunately I don't have more information about them.
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