Black Sand question

[mca]

I have 5 Violet PCs in my system now, one providing power to my Running Springs Haley and all my other equipment listed below plugged into that. (Also soon to be added Tact RCS 2.2 XP AAA).

If I want to try upgrading to one of your better cables, where is the best place to start? Would it be the one feeding the Haley or elsewhere?

[Black Sand Cable]

The Haley (as it's feeding everything) or the mono blocks (as they power everything).

As much as I would like to sell you more cords, I have to ask, what are you hoping to achieve that the Violet isn't currently doing? Is there something lacking in the system that you can directly say is a result of something the power cords aren't doing?

If you give me some idea as to what you are after, I'm sure I can come up with something.

[rollo]

I have 5 Violet PCs in my system now, one providing power to my Running Springs Haley and all my other equipment listed below plugged into that. (Also soon to be added Tact RCS 2.2 XP AAA).

If I want to try upgrading to one of your better cables, where is the best place to start? Would it be the one feeding the Haley or elsewhere?

  Before you invest in a Tact RCS, measure your room with a spectrum analyser and then try treating your room. If you want correction, try correcting the Bass only. A Berhinger  would suffice there IMO.
  Be carefull with the digital room correction as its sounds digital IMO. You also may try an " Infinity " breaker conditioner first. At $25 bucks it IS quite affective at reducing noise and bringing forth what your components are capable of. Try one on the Haley as well. 
  An added benefit is that it will be easier to discern differences in powercords. Then by all means upgrade your cords accordingly with Black Sands advice.



charles

[Carlman]

The TacT with mods is one of the best preamps I've ever heard... fyi.. great preamp, lots of features.  I think you'll find that doing a combo of room correction and digital eq will be quite pleasing.

[mca]

It's no secret that I have struggled with my room for many years now. At first I went through speakers, amps and the like like crazy trying to find a combination that sounded good. I slowly came to the conclusion that it was the room to blame. I've now gone through a ton of panels in just about every configuration possible. With the panel placement and equipment I have now, the system sounds better than it ever has, but I know it still has a long way to go.

I was searching for a regular preamp when I came across the Tact on AC. I talked with the owner and ended up with a price that I could not pass up. This type of stuff usually confuses and frustrates me, but I figured what the heck, it might be my last hope to getting really good sound. If I can figure it out and like what does for the sound, then I can always pursue some MauiMods to further improve the sound.

[mdconnelly]

... I can always pursue some MauiMods to further improve the sound.

Anthony's MauiMods are really amazing - he does have the midas touch.  I've got the Tact 2.0s with everything Anthony could throw at it (and Carl could pay for .   Thanks to both, it sounds amazing!

[rollo]

  Ok guys I'll admit its been a while since I heard a system with digital room correction. Its never been right for me.  I'm sure they have improved over the years as evidenced by Carlmans system and others lately.
   That being said previous auditions at the shows have sounded contrived, thin and at times bright to my ears. Bass was always excellent no matter what demo. IMO if one can design or modify their rooms why add processing to the signal, especially digital processing. If you can achieve getting a flat room response why bother ? Is there an added benefit I'm not seeing ? Please help me understand.
   Now correct me if I'm off base here. When more people or anything is added to the room does one have to readjust the settings for room correction ? What about individual recordings do they require adjustment as well ? 
   Not busting your chops guys just trying to learn something.



charles

[rollo]

It's no secret that I have struggled with my room for many years now. At first I went through speakers, amps and the like like crazy trying to find a combination that sounded good. I slowly came to the conclusion that it was the room to blame. I've now gone through a ton of panels in just about every configuration possible. With the panel placement and equipment I have now, the system sounds better than it ever has, but I know it still has a long way to go.

I was searching for a regular preamp when I came across the Tact on AC. I talked with the owner and ended up with a price that I could not pass up. This type of stuff usually confuses and frustrates me, but I figured what the heck, it might be my last hope to getting really good sound. If I can figure it out and like what does for the sound, then I can always pursue some MauiMods to further improve the sound.

  Did you measure your room before treating ? Doing it by ear is a tough act. If you have not used a spectrum analyzer to find the nulls and peaks its like pissing in the wind. My room is dead flat now, thanks to doing so. Treatments were added as required to tame the results of the measurements. Luckily we did not require much treatment, basically redirecting the reflection points to diffusers. A bass trap, a dead rear wall and lively front wall. Ceiling reflective , floor absorbing.
   Lucky for me my buddy who did this with me designs and builds recording studios. He would never leave home without his spectrum analyzer.


charles

[lonewolfny42]

It's no secret that I have struggled with my room for many years now. At first I went through speakers, amps and the like like crazy trying to find a combination that sounded good. I slowly came to the conclusion that it was the room to blame. I've now gone through a ton of panels in just about every configuration possible. With the panel placement and equipment I have now, the system sounds better than it ever has, but I know it still has a long way to go.

Mike....

All that buying and selling of equipment...first place to start is always with room treatments.
It's amazing the results you get with a proper set up.... 

I think Carl knows that all to well now...his room is excellent...very well treated....took some work,but a very fine result.

More people need to treat their rooms....and really hear their system.

                     


                               Chris

[Carlman]

In previous rooms and systems, only so much treatment was possible.  Until  I bought a house with a dedicated room in mind, that was purpose-built, there were always major compromises.  In my last room, I had about 22 panels in my tiny 11x13 room... with huge bass traps..  and I still had a 26db peak at 100Hz... and the rest of the room curve looked pretty awful.. it was essentially a cube, with only so much I could do.  That's where TacT gave me the ability to further reduce that room's contributions to the music.  It also let me eq for different types of music, which was really cool...

The rooms previous to that had less treatment, but I basically learned how important the room really was.. so when I came across the opportunity to build a dedicated room from the ground up, I jumped on it!  But I realize this is a rare opportunity and I'm a pretty 'blessed' or 'lucky'.. or something along those lines to be able to have it.  If you can't do that, physical room correction can fix a lot.. but digital room correction can fix even more, and in a different way.. just another arrow in your quiver.

-C

[mdconnelly]

All things being equal, Carl's way is, without doubt, the ideal.  And Carl, that's not luck nor being blessed - you made that happen with a whole lot of sweat equity (and yeah, lots of money .   Short of that, well, it's all a compromise.  Even the Maui-modded Tact 2.0S that I now have has better clarity and definition in bypass.  But the only way I can improve room response is using the RCS.   Room treatments other then optimal placement just aren't going to happen (and me remain married  .   

[lonewolfny42]

Mike...

Room treatments other then optimal placement just aren't going to happen (and me remain married) 

Did you happen to see this room....looks good.....very nice panels...even good WAF...

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=7diifk4ah063o8gkdbek5k39l7tcavru&topic=68360.msg660562#msg660562

Maybe you should talk to Bryan....

[rollo]

Mike...

Room treatments other then optimal placement just aren't going to happen (and me remain married) 

Did you happen to see this room....looks good.....very nice panels...even good WAF...

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=7diifk4ah063o8gkdbek5k39l7tcavru&topic=68360.msg660562#msg660562

Maybe you should talk to Bryan....

  They are very nice. Big plus for the Wife factor. Hey Chris that guy in your avatar looks familiar. See in in the Winter at the Raves.


charles