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Listening room vs. MancaveHi

76.179.20.144
Posted on November 16, 2014 at 12:13:11
mark.korda@myfairpoint.net
Audiophile

Posts: 1253
Location: Maine
Joined: August 16, 2011
 Hi,I love audio just like all you Asylmites on here. One thing that gets me lately are the pictures sent in of audiophiles listening rooms. Some look so futuristic or eerie that they remind of the Cat-scan room on the Exorsist, or look like the old mans room at the end of the movie 2001. Do these rooms have only 1 seat centered in the favorite listening position thats never shown? Is there anyone out there that combines their listening room with some (Mancave) stuff? You never see any neon beer signs, LazyBoy recliners,small fridges, Steve McQueen posters jumping over barbed wire, or what else have I left out? Are most audiophiles like Adrian Monk or are there any audiophiles that love music, respect their investment, but live a normal life ?........Mark Korda

 

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RE: Listening room vs. MancaveHi, posted on November 16, 2014 at 13:10:17
Devils Advocate
 does it matter?...

 

YES!!!, posted on November 16, 2014 at 13:53:45
dee eye why
Audiophile

Posts: 1148
Location: so. ohio
Joined: March 20, 2003
 I don't have a dedicated listening room. I have my "main" system in the family room, one in the living room with the TV (no surround crap) and one in my bedroom. All are integrated into the "well lived in" rooms and aren't the focus. I also have a man cave/workroom generally in shambles with pirates flag, hot rod models, my messy project desk,etc. The system there is always rotating with whatever gear I'm testing/working on.
Blue collar and on a budget!

.
Freak out...Far out...In out....

 

RE: Listening room limitations, posted on November 16, 2014 at 14:44:06
genungo
 I'm convinced that it is possible to alter listening room (mancave) acoustics for the worse with the wrong choice of furnishings. Overstuffed armchairs and sectional sofas physically disrupt beneficial reflection patterns, wall-to-wall carpeting deadens the sound. Generally speaking, almost anything your wife wants to put in your listening room is detrimental to good sound.

I prefer purposeful, spare lines and lean proportions in my audio room.

 

Normal-life system here..., posted on November 16, 2014 at 15:47:47
Jim Treanor
Audiophile

Posts: 2167
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: June 1, 2003
 It's embedded in a living-dining room with difficult asymmetrical-design, reflection, and immovable-furniture issues. But it "works" because I'm fortunate enough to have a spouse who--after hearing what it brings to the listening-experience table--accepts the visual impact of a not-insignificant amount of room treatment (especially at the front wall and first reflection points) as the price of obtaining better-than-decent sound in a "normal" (i.e., not-designed-for-audiophiles) environment.




Jim

 

Family Room here as well, posted on November 16, 2014 at 16:19:45
G Squared
Audiophile

Posts: 8488
Location: Washington, DC Metro Area
Joined: November 16, 2004
Contributor
  Since: May 23, 2023
 I had the system in the basement before, but I found to my surprise I like being around people and listen a lot more in the family room.
Gsquared

 

RE: Listening room vs. MancaveHi, posted on November 16, 2014 at 16:20:10
House13
Audiophile

Posts: 337
Location: SE TN
Joined: February 17, 2008



I prefer my woofer to the center and forward of the main system!

 

Right there in front of god and everbody, posted on November 16, 2014 at 17:21:04
LWR
Audiophile

Posts: 66808
Location: The woods
Joined: August 12, 2003
 I would never and could never wish to sit in a room that was designed to be a solitary confinement. Music is for dancing and listening and sharing and so it is in the living room and usually I have from 1-3 folks in there enjoying with me.
Sometimes one of them will choose the music, mostly though we agree to put it on shuffle play and we pick either one genre to shuffle or as many genres as we feel like mixing.
Now and then a song will fold in and someone will suggest that we listed to either that song's album or a shuffle of all of that artists albums.
Then sometimes we play an LP/CD but not all that often as we seem to like the random nature of shuffles.
There are 150,000 tunes on the hard drive, variety is king in our home.

 

"...live a normal life?", posted on November 16, 2014 at 18:10:38
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
 ...what's that?

I guess it's one where you watch TV all evening instead of listening to music.

Perhaps it's sitting home watching a video rather going to a concert or seeing live music.

Maybe it's spending your time on Facebook instead of AA.

 

To each his own..., posted on November 16, 2014 at 18:12:42
musetap
Audiophile

Posts: 31879
Location: San Francisco
Joined: July 8, 2003
Contributor
  Since: January 28, 2004


but, there appears to be little joy in the single seat set-up and what's the point of listening to music if not to bring some joy into life?

Around here, isolated elegance justt doesn't compensate and can't replace the joy of life and music as an intregal part of being.





"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

This sounds like a beer vs champagne knuckle-dragger rant. , posted on November 16, 2014 at 19:48:06
tinear
Audiophile

Posts: 65782
Location: Kansas City, KS
Joined: April 9, 2006
 Steve McQueen posters, Lazy Boys, neon beer signs?
Few teenagers can afford very nice equipment.

 

RE: To each his own..., posted on November 16, 2014 at 20:19:31
House13
Audiophile

Posts: 337
Location: SE TN
Joined: February 17, 2008



My musical interests are classical with perhaps 10% jazz. I have no opportunity for communal listening where I live. So when I designed my dedicated space it necessitated a solitary sweet spot.

 

RE: Listening room vs. MancaveHi, posted on November 16, 2014 at 22:35:18
Rodney Gold
Audiophile

Posts: 1615
Location: Cape Town South Africa
Joined: September 24, 1999

Here's my mancave etc...

Rodney Gold Cape Town

Roon/tidal>SBT>DIRAC{minidSP DDRC22) Twin Devialet D'Premiers- Vivid Audio Giya G1 Spirits , dedicated and fully treated room

 

RE: Listening room vs. MancaveHi, posted on November 16, 2014 at 22:36:11
Rodney Gold
Audiophile

Posts: 1615
Location: Cape Town South Africa
Joined: September 24, 1999

more
Rodney Gold Cape Town

Roon/tidal>SBT>DIRAC{minidSP DDRC22) Twin Devialet D'Premiers- Vivid Audio Giya G1 Spirits , dedicated and fully treated room

 

RE: Listening room vs. MancaveHi, posted on November 16, 2014 at 22:38:08
Rodney Gold
Audiophile

Posts: 1615
Location: Cape Town South Africa
Joined: September 24, 1999

More
Rodney Gold Cape Town

Roon/tidal>SBT>DIRAC{minidSP DDRC22) Twin Devialet D'Premiers- Vivid Audio Giya G1 Spirits , dedicated and fully treated room

 

RE: Listening room vs. MancaveHi, posted on November 16, 2014 at 22:40:08
Rodney Gold
Audiophile

Posts: 1615
Location: Cape Town South Africa
Joined: September 24, 1999

some more of a different config


Rodney Gold Cape Town

Roon/tidal>SBT>DIRAC{minidSP DDRC22) Twin Devialet D'Premiers- Vivid Audio Giya G1 Spirits , dedicated and fully treated room

 

RE: Right there in front of god and everbody, posted on November 17, 2014 at 03:24:22
middleground
 Many people have a hard time being alone with themselves and having to reflect.

Most don't want a accolades for their gregarious behaviour.



 

I have a Spaten neon in 1 of my rooms see pic, posted on November 17, 2014 at 06:14:49
Kloss



I do use it but it does have a wee bit of ballast noise so mostly its off for critical listening.

 

back view, posted on November 17, 2014 at 06:19:58
Kloss



2 chairs I do have more stowed away out of view I know a bit of a mess but still working on the 13a replicas

 

RE: I have a Spaten neon in 1 of my rooms see pic, posted on November 17, 2014 at 06:21:40
Kloss



Lots of stuff in this room.

 

Mr. Monk, posted on November 17, 2014 at 07:06:05
slapshot
Audiophile

Posts: 2248
Joined: January 9, 2006
 Mr. Monk rules! Miss that guy.

 

I have to many friends, posted on November 17, 2014 at 07:29:39
JeffH
Audiophile

Posts: 4574
Location: Orange County, So Cal
Joined: April 5, 2000



that dig listening for these rooms where you see a single chair or love seat.

 

RE: I have to many friends, posted on November 17, 2014 at 13:20:44
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46293
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since: February 2, 2002
Awesome speakers! I have the baby brothers.

And you have a couple of the most sought after Classe amps. Nice.



 

RE: Listening room vs. MancaveHi, posted on November 17, 2014 at 13:55:31
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46293
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since: February 2, 2002
 I used to have a spacious basement mancave with sofa facing the audio setup and big screen TV. It was strictly 2-channel stereo but still kind of nice listening to music or watching movies down there with wife and friends. I had enough room for large mono blocks, preamp, phono preamp, DAC, Blu-Ray player, TiVO, AppleTV, CD Player, Mac music server, record cleaning machine, Turntable on another wall with albums propped up on display on picture ledges.

We recently downsized to our pre-retirement low maintenance home (no yard work, no snow shoveling!) but my listening room is now my tiny home office. I still enjoy it and it will have to do until we finish the basement.... maybe someday.

In the mean time:













 

Man cave stuff, posted on November 17, 2014 at 14:57:13
Dave_K
Is there anyone out there that combines their listening room with some (Mancave) stuff? You never see any neon beer signs, LazyBoy recliners,small fridges, Steve McQueen posters jumping over barbed wire, or what else have I left out?

When my wife and I first started out in our present house 13 years ago, we had beer signs, posters, a bar, small fridge, lava lamps, etc. in the "party room" downstairs, with a small mid-fi audio system. A few years later, the party room was repurposed as a dedicated listening room. Part of the reason for the change is that we don't party like we're in our 20s anymore. When friends come over, the ladies, gents, and children all mingle together. It's not like the guys disappear to the man cave to hang out by themselves.

Besides, the stereotypical man cave doesn't appeal to me aesthetically. I don't like clutter, knick-knacks, hobby paraphernalia, or a lot of decoration. I like modern architecture and would have preferred a more modern look, but built-in acoustic treatments were a priority and I wanted to save money on the room to spend more on equipment. So what I have is relatively clean looking but kind of cold & bland. I sometimes regret my color choices or wish I had better lighting and some artwork.

I definitely appreciate having a room where audio setup is the #1 priority, even though its shape is not best suited for audio. We also have the living room for casual listening.


 

RE: preference and lifestyle would dictate I think, posted on November 17, 2014 at 19:50:12
ornery
Audiophile

Posts: 915
Location: your mom's basement
Joined: February 7, 2013
 The sterile looking rooms don't appeal to me but I bet a lot of the guys who have those systems work intense, chaotic jobs and crave some peace and order. There was a picture of a super high-end system set up in an excessively ordered room recently and I looked up the guy and he's an emergency room doctor. I bet that room is just what he needs to wind down after a rough day at work.

 

I have to ask ..., posted on November 17, 2014 at 20:11:43
Rob Doorack
Audiophile

Posts: 5378
Joined: May 26, 2000
 What is that LP with the red cover and what appear to be two scantily clad ladies, prominently displayed on the second shelf?

I'm fond of Spaten Optimator. There is a German restaurant in Connecticut that has serves it in one liter mugs.

 

RE: I have to ask ..., posted on November 18, 2014 at 06:14:49
Kloss



Gets a lot of play time in our home.

 

Thanks!, posted on November 18, 2014 at 10:05:28
Rob Doorack
Audiophile

Posts: 5378
Joined: May 26, 2000
 I think that LP was on the Absolute Sound "Super Disks" list of reference recordings.

 

Dig the D700's, but I , posted on November 18, 2014 at 13:33:12
JeffH
Audiophile

Posts: 4574
Location: Orange County, So Cal
Joined: April 5, 2000
 didn't know the Classe Mono's had much of a following, I just know the sound that I personally like and they fit the bill. Thanks for the props!!

 

RE: Listening room vs. MancaveHi, posted on November 20, 2014 at 18:50:03
Jaundiced Ear
 Say Rodney!

Could you please identify the various speakers in your posts?

Thanks in Advance!

JE

 

Seriously? A small refrigerator?, posted on November 20, 2014 at 18:55:24
Jaundiced Ear
 I'm with you on most of your post: a listening room should also be livable and reflect the owner's personality, but no way would I allow a fridge of any size, or any other extraneous noise maker, into mine.

When I'm thirsty for a beer I'm more than happy to trot out to the kitchen for another cold one, just so long as I don't have to listen to the refrigerator compete with the soft parts in my music.

JE

 

RE: Listening room vs. MancaveHi, posted on November 21, 2014 at 01:40:28
Rodney Gold
Audiophile

Posts: 1615
Location: Cape Town South Africa
Joined: September 24, 1999
 1st/2nd pic = vivid Audio Giya G1's (South African speaker)

3nd Pic , Meridian DSP6000's (english Speaker)

4th Pic - large towers are Canton Ergo 120 DC (german speaker)
http://www.hifi-wiki.de/index.php/Canton_Ergo_120_DC

Twin bubinga (red wood) Towers are Osborn epitome's + bass units (aussie speaker)
http://www.osbornloudspeakers.com.au/files/epitspec.html

Rodney Gold Cape Town

Roon/tidal>SBT>DIRAC{minidSP DDRC22) Twin Devialet D'Premiers- Vivid Audio Giya G1 Spirits , dedicated and fully treated room

 

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