The General's Audio Set-Up

[IanG-UK]

General!  It is good to see you back on the forum Sir!  I see that  your previous Antipodes server has been replaced with the latest CX+EX combo.  I know that you are not one for detailed A/B sound quality comparisons, but I am intrigued as to how you are finding them with the O'dA.  For what I have read, the CX/EX combo is rather good, but this is the first time I have seen them feeding a Devialet.  Any general (pun intended) comments you could make about the CX+EX?

I am also interested in your use of Advanced Acoustics foam in the corners behind the speakers.  Is there a particular reason you have chosen this approach over the more typical triangular profile absorber / diffusers?  I am thinking this could be simply because they would be too big for the room?

@Pim - I think the "big speakers don't work in small room" issue is largely a myth.  Room dimensions matter, in terms of room modes and resonances, but his applies to a room of any size.  It is a complicated issue but if you get the other stuff right, simply having a big speaker in a small room is not in itself an issue.  Just for fun, I once tried a PA system in a relatively modest domestic living room.  The PA comprised of full range cabinets each with 12" and 15" bass drivers together with twin 18" horn loaded bass cabinets .  This was crazy huge speakers in a small room, but with a bit of a tweak on the graphics equaliser it actually sounded ok.  As another example, Oxford Audio have three demo rooms, one large, one medium, and one very small.  (the small room is VERY small)  I can think of a few "big" speakers that I have heard there that actually sound better in the medium size room versus the large one.  To argue the point to the ridiculous, if you added enough room treatment to a small room you would ultimately end up with an anechoic chamber, which would not care what size a particular speaker might be.  (as long as it fits though the door)  As an aside here, the Phantoms produce as much bass as many "big" speakers, but nobody would question their use in a modest room, but in the same way, the Phantoms do need to be treated like big speakers in terms of positioning etc.

Also, I heard the Magico M3's in a demo once, and subjectively I would say that they had remarkably accurate bass, this has to be helpful in terms of getting them to "behave" in any room.  Something with "flabby" bass is likely to keep hitting very particular room resonates, accurate speakers less so.

Hello Oh Confused One!

Yes my postings have been as regular as Expert news from Devialet - whilst you head towards 4,000!

I didn't do comparisons of DX versus CX/EX for a few reasons. 1. It is a bit of a fiddly job to do it properly with everything nice and neat, particularly given that the DX storage is throughly internal whereas the CX/EX storage works on SSD units slotted in the back. 2. I tend to eliminate many competitor products because of looks and/or because of mismatch of facilities wanted v facilities provided and/or because of bulls*** talked by too many manufacturers or distributors. Mark Jenkins who runs Antipodes is a no-nonsense guy and although I was wary about a four box design these effectively slot together with a frontal size of 19" x 4".

My comments on the sound quality are fairly unhelpful as it just meets my requirements of neutrality and dimensionality with no character. Whatever that means. Operationally it is great - and i mainly use Roon but there are lots of other things on it given its Logitech Media Server framework.

The foam was, as you suggest, partly a space consideration. I used it, with a lesser amount, on its own first; them increased the amount to what it is now; then I added the GIK side panels; and lastly the GIK centre panels which are as much decorative than acoustic I suspect.

As you say, the positioning of the speakers is key - which is a real trial with the M3s as they weigh so much. I think the nature of the M3 design makes it easier/possible than might be the case with some units in small rooms and, as I suggested, the visuals are ok if the speaker is narrow enough. For me it is just ok with the M3 - maybe the M2 might have been ok but having heard the M3, which was released earlier, I was sold on it.

Like you I have heard very good sound in that super-small room at Oxford Audio.

I do have the Phantoms and really should sell them now - but the technology interests me and I could even have been tempted to live with them and just a high storage iPad. In fact, had Devialet done them in black rather than white, I might have ended up there!

I shall keep an eye on your posts as you head to 4,000. With 44 to go you need to start working on a magnum opus which sets a reference level in some way or other.