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Working in a bedroom system, Bel Canto / Harbeth, 2nd system setup.

108.29.164.195
Posted on July 8, 2017 at 12:56:15
bullethead



Finally got a chance to start to work on a second system in my bedroom, pardon the laundry.

Very minimal, Bel Canto DAC3, Sonos Connect as the source (optical) Bel Canto REF500S amplifier.

Balanced out from DAC to amp. DAC is also a preamp.

The question came up about speaker wire for Harbeth. I am using normal 16 gauge stranded wire.

For now it sounds ok, not the optimal situation as it is the bedroom, so the speakers have to be close to the wall due to space limitations, I will try hanging a carpet behind the speakers on the wall in the future. I also want to get some better speaker wire, about to go shopping for that maybe this week.

Cheers!

 

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RE: Working in a bedroom system, Bel Canto / Harbeth, 2nd system setup., posted on July 8, 2017 at 13:56:56
airtime
Audiophile

Posts: 11287
Location: Arizona
Joined: February 4, 2003
 You're a nice guy and I like ya. But if you troll that question again I'll have to kill ya.

It's obvious that topic should never be discussed here again. Take it over to the cable forum.

 

RE: Working in a bedroom system, Bel Canto / Harbeth, 2nd system setup., posted on July 8, 2017 at 14:11:11
bullethead
 I wasn't paying attention to infighting, sorry about that. That's crazy everyone going bezerk on that thread.

Question was merely about the piss poor setup I have, found a carpet for the wall but lost my hammer but I have nails.

carpet is all I can do now with speakers so close to wall, and use the tone controls on the Sonos Connect.

 

also sorry Ivan303 :(, posted on July 8, 2017 at 14:51:19
bullethead



Found a use for the Harbeths, ;)

I know you wanted them,

Stock Sonos Connect in this system.

This setup is just for background Barry White music in the bedroom, haha!

 

RE: Working in a bedroom system, Bel Canto / Harbeth, 2nd system setup., posted on July 8, 2017 at 17:01:01
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 Hi bullethead,

At risk of further contention, I recommend AudioQuest FLX 14/4 as an affordable upgrade vs. 16 AWG zip cord speaker wire. I think you will enjoy the difference.

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AQFLXSLIP4

The proper wiring scheme for a cross-connected star quad configuration for your Harbeth loudspeaker is shown here:

 

RE: Working in a bedroom system, Bel Canto / Harbeth, 2nd system setup., posted on July 8, 2017 at 17:40:50
bullethead
 thank you, I already ordered a pair of Blue Jeans cable, at amazon link below: (big fan)

I have to say the tone controls on the Sonos are working good, I just set the bass to 1/2 until I get the rug hung behind the speakers on the wall.

I was getting very boomy bass, that is not there anymore, with a little more treatment it should be ok.

 

RE: Working in a bedroom system, Bel Canto / Harbeth, 2nd system setup., posted on July 8, 2017 at 18:21:32
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002
 That should do the job better than 16 AWG zip cord. Looking forward to seeing your evaluation if you decide to post your impression in the forum.

Cheers, Duster

 

That's quite alright..., posted on July 8, 2017 at 18:45:51
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
 The photo of Barry White is a fair consolation prize. :-)


First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE: Working in a bedroom system, Bel Canto / Harbeth, 2nd system setup., posted on July 8, 2017 at 20:18:08
AudioSoul
Audiophile

Posts: 4594
Location: north central AZ
Joined: July 9, 2005
I am so sorry that you have to use such crappy equipment for your bedroom system. No better speaker cable will help I am afraid. I am joking of course. I have heard that some like Audioquest 4 TC wire for Harbeths...

 

RE: Working in a bedroom system, Bel Canto / Harbeth, 2nd system setup., posted on July 8, 2017 at 20:26:41
bullethead
 This was past equipment I have been storing , all from audiophile experimentation, and a lot of fun. Been an audiophile for about 20 years :)

I ordered blue jeans speaker cable, this is for background bedroom music, think "A Clockwork Orange" film and the bedroom hifi scene.

Harbeth doesn't beat my Gallos for exactly the same price. I don't understand the hype really with Harbeth, they are definitely not a do it all speaker. Better than my clock radio though which was all I had before.

 

RE: Working in a bedroom system, Bel Canto / Harbeth, 2nd system setup., posted on July 8, 2017 at 20:46:55
Jim Treanor
Audiophile

Posts: 2167
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: June 1, 2003









Depending on (a) how much "serious" listening you do in the bedroom and (b) the esthetic viability given your living situation, you might consider DIY'ing a bass trap that IME will give you far better bass-suckout and reflection control than wall-mounted carpet.

These photos show one of a pair of 12"x15" traps I built to supplement commercial traps installed in my bedroom system. They're made of scrap 1-3/4"-deep pine, 5-3/4"-deep hardboard, 2"-thick Knauf acoustic insulation batts (Owens-Corning 703 or 705 would also work) placed one behind the other to form a 4"-deep panel, muslin for the open trap back, and acoustically transparent fabric to cover the front, sides, and top and bottom...and a lot of staples.

I built them to front a pair of shall-not-be-moved jewel cases whose proximity to the speakers presents a speaker-boundary-interference problem. They replace, first, 3/4"-thick packing foam panels and then carpet I tried for bass and reflection control. There's no comparison. The DIY traps make a substantial sonic difference (and, yes, improvement).

Just in case you're open to giving the Harbeths a little more breathing room.


Jim

 

RE: Working in a bedroom system, Bel Canto / Harbeth, 2nd system setup., posted on July 8, 2017 at 21:05:52
bullethead
 Will look into It, thank you very much.

I use bass traps in my main system, with great results. everything is so much clearer.

 

RE: Working in a bedroom system, Bel Canto / Harbeth, 2nd system setup., posted on July 9, 2017 at 14:04:02
Joe Backer
Audiophile

Posts: 1033
Joined: July 10, 2011
 So as the person that started that thread below, I must weigh in and say I managed to listen to a bunch of wire with my Harbeths because places were willing to loan me stuff and The Cable Co. has a lending library. I ended up buying the Audience Ohno III. To me, the low cost wire all sounded the same, and it also sounded the same as the wire that I made based on a receipe I found online with outdoor power cord. The least expensive wire I tried that actually sounded better was the Ohno. Highs were better and the mids smoother. I even had my wife do a blind test with the wire I made and I could easily tell which one was the Ohno and preferred it. I think it's fairly reasonably priced for the short run you'd need.

 

just started, posted on July 9, 2017 at 16:14:49
bullethead
 Going to have to add a preamp into the mix. I have a few options. I will try with a bel canto preamp first.

I love cables, my main speaker cables in my main room are Nordost silver wire based, my power cord is a Shunyata, with a dedicated line and upgraded power outlet.

I settled on Blue Jeans speaker wire right now, a 10 gauge basic release.

I'll still be working on tweaking for months, this is great fun.

 

update, added in preamp, much better, posted on July 11, 2017 at 06:19:28
bullethead



the DAC wasn't that ok with volume they said, I said.

Added in a Bel Canto Pre3 into the mix, much better. Still have to find the hammer to put the carpet up on the wall, maybe will add in bass traps down the line as well.

So far so good,

 

Carpet on walls, posted on July 18, 2017 at 13:28:28
Paul Tobin
Audiophile

Posts: 1380
Joined: September 8, 2000
 Don't know if you've tried carpet on walls as room treatment before? - but I think it sounds awful. Usually only works as high frequency absorption and results in a dull sound balance.
System Info

 

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