Now settled on Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 having spent a lot of money and time on Naim/dCS/ATC/Totem/cables/etc. I now see room correction as the most cost-effective and successful way to get the best sound for me.
I’m quite amazed at how few actually go down this route yet might spend thousands on more peripheral (IMO) aspects such as internet cable and rejiggers etc.
I use HAF filters via Roon which along with buying a mic cost around £250 all in. It is so manifestly the biggest upgrade I’ve ever encountered (and I’ve previously added 555PS, m-scaler, chord tuned array cables etc.).
Not an answer if vinyl is your main source but if it’s digital and the DSP is done by an expert like Thierry in Home Audio Fidelity it really is one of those “jaw dropping” improvements.
.sjb
Yes, it’s a pity. Only us Canadians have Tardis’ now …
Do you have an asymmetrical room?
Do you think every system would benefit from room correction?
Tardii…surely?
No room is perfect, no system is perfect doesn’t need to be asymmetrical to benefit, all listening areas can benefit especially from correction in the bass region however minor it might be.
Borrow or buy a decent calibrated mic and measure your room via REW and you will see how much it takes it off target and affects your room. Mine it’s huge and nothing I can do about it all. No amp or speaker change vastly affects the outcome and positioning only gets me so far as it becomes totally impractical in the best suited location and even then it’s not perfect.
A small adjustment to reduce some nodal resonances that increase certain frequencies can make a big difference. In some instances it’s a big change if you have very big bass boosts it’s not uncommon for these to be +10db or more in most untreated rooms. But you become so accustomed to them, removing them will be very noticeable. Some will instantly back away and become resistant at this point as it’s such a big change but you have to stay will it to let your mind adjust to how it should be.
It becomes a more relaxed listen from my experience. It can’t and doesn’t solve everything nothing does but it can have an impact and my experience it’s always been for the better. But less is more with DSP it’s best to adjust below 200hz, 300hz may be max after that it’s the speaker voicing and other room affects. It can really help with phase time alignment and this is we’re services like HAF come in as they can adjust both the responses of the direct sound and the reflected to even it out and this can really tighten stuff up.
Yes.
Do you think every system would benefit from room correction?
Purely my opinion as I’m quite obviously not an expert but I would doubt many of us have perfect rooms so would think that most could be improved upon. Certainly I feel if one is thinking of an interconnect or speaker cable to improve one’s sound then professional DSP will be of greater benefit.
.sjb
I’m one of these pragmatists but as I think you understood the type of filtering using Roon that I’m talking about cannot (easily) be added to one’s vinyl source.
.sjb
It can if you use a good d2a like the RME ADI2 pro or similar and the entry points extension will allow it. Yes you get the delay association with this but it works. It really all depends of the quality of the d2a though using a cheap one like Hifiberry which I tried is less than optimal for this.
I have used Dirac on NAD and used a Trinnov Amythist in the past. Both solved room problems. The NAD always sounded/felt a bit off (hard to put into words) but the Trinnov was very good. In the end I sold it and went for room treatement instead as, even though it did no obvious damage to vinyl replay I could not get me head around digitising an analog source and putting it through a DAC.
My treated room is by no means a perfect/flat as using room correction but I think I prefer it.
I didn’t like Dirac myself when I had the NAD it’s no where near as good or as natural as using HAF’s own bespoke filters.
Most of us mere mortals unfortunately can’t add room treatments as listening space is not a space dedicated solely for music, nor would I want any in my living space they just don’t fit look wise or can be placed any where useful. Even basstraps have their limits and dont go down nearly enough to help my modal issues. I tried some they made a slight not massive difference and they certainly didn’t get WAF so had to go back pretty sharpish. I would not have been able to tolerate them either. My home is a home not a recording studio.
What do you think happens in recording studios all the time in every recording done today and do you notice it? If the ADC is transparent which doesn’t have to be exceptionally expensive to achieve but not skimped on it’s not really noticeable and I bet in a blind test very few if any would.
Nothing is decided yet but a move of home and getting down to one stack will probably be my aim. The 505s will stay but other than that the jury is still out. A Vitus integrated with DAC appeals but other options will be considered including the 300 series or possibly a Nova.
Whatever happens it’s all good as the Crystal Gypsy has demonstrated.
I’ve had the 505s, loved them but now have 606s, love them more. Point is they sound spectacular with Aavik electronics. I have an I-280, S-280 and D-280 but Audio Group Denmark has a new Axxess line that is getting excellent reviews might want to look at those.
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