Tweaker's Asylum

Posted by Randy Bey (i) on July 25, 2000 at 16:55:03:

I've built two such panels and placed them as I have described before -- presumably in a reasonable, if not optimal, location.

I was considering building a third to hang between my speakers, but decided to wait a bit and see how the sound felt.

Well, after the initial break-in period ;-), I think I have an answer.

Mind you that sound stage was EXCELLENT beforehand, with my Khorns that is, and my mid-fi :-( NAD receiver. It was better with tubes, but that was a short-lived experience.

OK, enough sweet talk.

The first and immediate impression was that NOTHING in terms of sound was coming from my rear any longer (not MY rear, the rear wall). This took some getting used to. There had been a fairly subliminal acoustic information input from behind me, but now it is simply gone.

Listening hard, eyes closed, volume cranked up (I am NOT a headbanger!), the soundstage was HUGE. Alright, with corner placed speakers angled in at 45 degrees the soundstage was always big. But now it's HUGE. I feel like the proverbial fly on the wall. Sara K sounds like the attack of the 40 foot woman. Live Dead is just so... so spacey now. There is yards and yards between the sounds.

So, the soundstage is wide, OK, but still not what I would call DEEP. Once I've gotten used to this sound I will make another panel and put it between the speakers. Maybe that will do the trick. Maybe not. These Khorns are peculiar beasts. Very beamy sound.

Like Les says, you'll take off all your clothes, sit in a lotus position in the sweet spot, and never leave. Lucky I have a low table that suits the purpose of getting my ears on a level with the squawker.

Later...