So I frequent a few other forums during my day, and it strikes me as sort of weird that our "off-topic" area isn't used much, as it seems to be one of the more popular areas elsewhere.

So here's my "off-topic" stuff.

I just moved into a new loft downtown that was pre-wired for 7.1 channel digital surround. Up until this point in time I had been running a pretty nice 5.1 setup (Onkyo Integra Power, Rotel SACD/DVD, Polk SRT speakers and a Bob Carver True Sub), but wanted to more fully utilize the new space. So as of last night I wired in a new Denon 3805 7.1 channel that absolutely rocks with a nice set of new Jamo speakers and a Jamo sub (the old stuff's going in the bedrooom now). So I'm all psyched about the new sounds (I was an in-home theater consultant before I started on with MB).

So, to complete the benzforum off-topic experiment, any opinions? What are you guys running out there?

My opinion is that you have a great system. I don't have a home theater set up. My dying Sony TV, VCR, and DVD player feed my 1985 vintage Harman-Kardon integrated amp, which sends the sounds to B&W DM3000 speakers. I don't watch movies very often and the ones I do watch are pre-surround sound, so what I have is good enough for me.

I have thought about getting a home theater system, but I wouldn't use it much. I spent the money on other things. I will probably have to buy a TV in the next year.

My most sincere compliments on the B&W's. Very fine equiptment indeed. The old HK's were powerhouses as well. Well built, great sound and none of the reliability problems that plague the current technologically infused models (kind of like this car company I know).

I still will not purchase an amp without a high quality phono preamp, as all of my best stuff is on vinyl (mostly vintage, some 180 gram Radiohead/).

I got the same Denon AV receiver about 3 weeks ago. I like it. My next add on is a thing called a transport, to let my laptop send a digital signal to the digital in on the Denon. Plus it can be used to receive a digital signal from the Denon. I bought it a few days ago but it hasn't arrived yet. The receiving end is going to be so I can record LPs. And after that is a bigger amp to drive the power sucking front speakers.....

Onkyo 989 Klipsch in the front, POLK sub Polk Rears.

I'm shopping for a 7.1 but won't bother until I build my new house, wiring mids in my current home would be next to impossible.

Yeah, I'm loving my 3805 more and more (bought because of the great reviews on avsforum.com). A few gripes here and there, but for the price paid it was a solid investment. My Jamos are pretty efficient, so I get by with the power ratings. What kind of mains are you running?

Klipsch Forte I used to use Polk Rti1000's but the Klipsh sounded much better in my house, now I'm dealer with a Polk Center that doesn't like to get along with the Klipsch.

All things are on hold until I build the new house so I have some time to plan it and if you don't mind.

So party at your place when it's finished? Medstock?

Yeah, I'm loving my 3805 more and more (bought because of the great reviews on avsforum.com). A few gripes here and there, but for the price paid it was a solid investment. My Jamos are pretty efficient, so I get by with the power ratings. What kind of mains are you running?

If that was aimed at me, they are maggies. The Denon just starts to get them sounding good and it is at the 0db level. The dynamic range dissapears at that point, even though there is still a ~15 db gain left on the dial. I half way expected that, and part of the reason I bought the denon is that it has pre outputs for all channels.

For listening to surround sound it is fabulous as is

Klipsch Forte I used to use Polk Rti1000's but the Klipsh sounded much better in my house, now I'm dealer with a Polk Center that doesn't like to get along with the Klipsch.

All things are on hold until I build the new house so I have some time to plan it and if you don't mind.

Are you going to integrate teh speakers into the walls/ceiling? Building now has gotta sting due to the cost of lumber! To mention nothing about the screws :wink:

So party at your place when it's finished? Medstock?

Yes it will be a serious bash, we usually have a weekender party every year but since the wife has a baby in the oven were taking it easy.

I don't plan on integrating speakers, it never seems to work out and I change my mind very often so if I don't like the speaker it's in the storage room with my Geostatic Bertagnis.

Regarding lumber we are going to do a steel-lumber combo. Steel for interior walls and trusses and laminate I beams for floor joist, timber tech polymer composite for decking. Now if you will excuse me I have to check out the hotties on survivor.

Why steel? Do you have a lot of long spans?

Why steel? Do you have a lot of long spans?

Steel studs for walls.

http://www.dietrichindustries.com/Residential/

Nice.

The man does not screw around.

That is so cool! Thanks for the post. Does this type of construction material suffer from rattles, expansion and contraction, condensation? Do they place the 2xes any closer or further apart? Do they just screw the sheet rock and sub floor into the 2xes?

Is the cost comparable to stick construction?

Cool thread! I'm an ameteur audiophile myself. I've got (among other stuff) a Carver m-400 ["The Cube"] driving through a Nakamichi 1700 receiver into Polks in my sunroom.

In the "media room", I've got a Denon AVR 1400 driving a set of vintage ADS L-810's with a Carver True Subwoofer MK-2 (1700 watts!). The center channel is a higher end Polk, but I forget the model name.

The television is a Mitsubishi rear projection.

I'm thinking of selling the large TV and installing an overhead projector instead to save floor space.

Any ideas? Suggestions? I've been warned that wiring for the projector may be a mess to get all those sources wired up to the unitt and that they run really hot.

Thanks!

Cool thread! I'm an ameteur audiophile myself. I've got (among other stuff) a Carver m-400 ["The Cube"] driving through a Nakamichi 1700 receiver into Polks in my sunroom.

In the "media room", I've got a Denon AVR 1400 driving a set of vintage ADS L-810's with a Carver True Subwoofer MK-2 (1700 watts!). The center channel is a higher end Polk, but I forget the model name.

The television is a Mitsubishi rear projection.

I'm thinking of selling the large TV and installing an overhead projector instead to save floor space.

Any ideas? Suggestions? I've been warned that wiring for the projector may be a mess to get all those sources wired up to the unitt and that they run really hot.

Thanks!

Nice setup. If you are serious about stepping up to a front projection system, check out Runco. Best in the business but you will pay. Vidikron is nice as well. I'd hit up the boys over avsforum.com for the most up to date info and what they're using. I would hire a professional to install it, as you are guaranteed a clean appearence, no wiring hassles ad when it doesn't work right, you have some one to call to come fix it that is already familiar with your setup.

Sflori

How do you like the Carver amp? I was thinking of gettng that model used or the TFM series. Know if there is any significant difference other than size?

I recently saw a nice overhead projection TV at a local audio/video store. It was showing a remarkable HDTV display. It was most impressive. I think the projector was listed at $9K, the screen at about $3K and about $1.2K for cables. I don’t remember the name but will look it up and post back.

Also, anyone know of progress made on HDTV recording? It seems very new and to my surprise, none of the video rental companies, or I guess hardware companies have anything to store/play HDTV on something akin to a DVD

Oops, I have email notification of when people reply to posts I've made, but it doesn't seem to work.

I'll likely hold off on the projector until maybe Chirstmas or so. Working in the media, I have the benefit of purchasing things like that and being able to use them as tax write-offs! So later this year I'll see where I am and ask my accountant if I need to make a few "business expenses". :lol:

alias:

You'll hate me when you learn where I got the Carver amp. I saw it at a yardsale. I picked the amp up for $40 and the ADS speakers for $75. The amp sells regularly on Ebay for a few hundred dolllars and my dad bought the same set of speakers in the 70's, paying about $1,000!

Gotta love yardsales!!

I've been very impressed with the amp. The only problem I've had is a little bit of a hum when using it. I'm not sure if it's grounded properly. It does have awesome power, especially on the low end. There is a very noticable differende between merely having loud volume and quality sound. Carver is a genius!

BTW, my Sunfire subwoofer is really a Carver. He sold his name to Circuit City for a while years ago and formed Sunfire Corp. to sell his high end equipment. That sub is truley incredible. About 9" wide, it can shake a house with clean sound! 1,700 watts helps out!

For you serious audiophiles I have a set of Bertagni Geostatics that I'm tired of moving from storage to strorage.

What kind of money would we be talking?

I called the store and the projector is called Infocus

http://www.infocushome.com/amer/eng/products/screenplay/sp777.asp

and the screen was a 100’ Stewart

http://www.stewartfilm.com/home_cinema_screens/home_theater.html

Don’t know if this is good stuff in the realm but it was pretty darned impressive.

Thanks for the note about the Carver stuff. Is the humm coming from the amp or the speakers?

Hey howitzer,

Couldn’t find a reference to the speaker type, but did find something of the creator

http://www.soundadvance.com/planarstory.html

Sounds pretty cool! How come you abandoned them?

Hey howitzer,

Couldn’t find a reference to the speaker type, but did find something of the creator

http://www.soundadvance.com/planarstory.html

Sounds pretty cool! How come you abandoned them?

Technology mainly I might get them out and play with em, tuning them to your room can be a nightmare. I had a cheat sheet for Ska, Classical ect. Balancing them for home theater with a mix of music and action would be difficult I think.

alias wrote:

"Thanks for the note about the Carver stuff. Is the humm coming from the amp or the speakers? "

I believe it's the amp, but I really have to try switching the speakers to find out for sure.

Either way, it's pretty amazing sound. The only problem is that I bought a condo and can't turn it up as loud as it deserves. If you've ever done any research into Carver and some of the things he's invented, it's pretty interesting reading.

Regarding projectors, I've worked a few media events that have these HUGE projecors that display images on screens like you mentioned: the 100' wide stuff. These things look much like jet engines and require machines to raise and lower them. I asked one guy how much they were woth and he said they're in the $10,000 range. Very impressive!

I hope you don't consider this too far off-topic.

In my office we've been listening to some crappy portable radios over the years. The antennas have sucked, and the speakers faithfully reproduced electronic noise from the ether through f-d up band-pass filters.

So I asked a dj friend who loves am radio what he'd recommend for an office setting.

He suggested this one: http://www.radiolabs.com/Articles/woodradio.html

I bought it.

It is a great little radio. It picks up am and fm clear as can be even deep inside the building. The sound actually has base notes!

So if you want a radio that's just a radio, this is a nice one.

Rib

Hey howitzer,

Couldn’t find a reference to the speaker type, but did find something of the creator

http://www.soundadvance.com/planarstory.html

Sounds pretty cool! How come you abandoned them?

Technology mainly I might get them out and play with em, tuning them to your room can be a nightmare. I had a cheat sheet for Ska, Classical ect. Balancing them for home theater with a mix of music and action would be difficult I think.


I haven’t been able to find a pix of these. I'm interested for the sake of edification. If it wouldn’t be a PITA could you take a pix and say a bit about how they are tuned?

Also due to the rarity you might be able to donate or sell them to a museum....

alias wrote:

[snip]
If you've ever done any research into Carver and some of the things he's invented, it's pretty interesting reading.

Regarding projectors, I've worked a few media events that have these HUGE projecors that display images on screens like you mentioned: the 100' wide stuff. These things look much like jet engines and require machines to raise and lower them. I asked one guy how much they were woth and he said they're in the $10,000 range. Very impressive!

Where's a source for Carver related stuff. i'd love to learn more about the amp selection.

The Infocus stuff wasn’t all that big, about like an oversized Kodak slide projector. Verrry pricey. Surprisingly, even gratuitously so. I guess there just isn’t that much interest in the consumer market. But what a pix! I don’t think anyone would pooh pooh the end result!

I hope you don't consider this too far off-topic.

In my office we've been listening to some crappy portable radios over the years. The antennas have sucked, and the speakers faithfully reproduced electronic noise from the ether through f-d up band-pass filters.

So I asked a dj friend who loves am radio what he'd recommend for an office setting.

He suggested this one: http://www.radiolabs.com/Articles/woodradio.html

I bought it.

It is a great little radio. It picks up am and fm clear as can be even deep inside the building. The sound actually has base notes!

So if you want a radio that's just a radio, this is a nice one.

Rib


Actually that radio sounds like a excellent form of high fidelity – especially being able to receive a signal and do it well in a challenging environment. They have come a very long way in high quality speakers in small acoustical suspension packages. But what is even more interesting is the sensitivity of the receiver. Do the specs point out the AM and FM details?

High fidelity is really kind of a miss-nomer. What most folks mean by high fidelity is, it sounds really good. There is a world of difference between, as example, listening to Oscar Peterson play vs. listening to a recording of him. Often there is great reduction in the presence and ambience of the sound. On the other hand some stuff is so highly engineered and polished it couldn’t be duplicated live. Think about Pink Floyd or Yes. They were great live but not anywhere near like their studio stuff. So they didn't even have fidelity to themselves. But anyway “fidelity” verses ‘pleasant audio experience’ are different things, and most have given up on the element of fidelity in favor of enjoyment.

On the broader level of human preferences, such is nature of the world.....

http://www.dietrichindustries.com/Residential/


What kind of roof? I mean what are the materials used as in perhaps slate, 3 tab or ??

Nottingham Analog w/ Grado Platinum -> Classe -> VTL -> Magnepan. Hooked together with Kimber Silver Interconnect.
Power delivered thru Nordost Blue Heaven Cable.

Macallan's :)

http://www.dietrichindustries.com/Residential/


What kind of roof? I mean what are the materials used as in perhaps slate, 3 tab or ??

Regular old 50 year asphalt shingles.

Steel workers are hurting here due to decrease in commerical contruction so I can off set labor cost by getting good deals on labor. Even with the Geothermal heating/cooling and the other goodies I shouldn't exceed a cost of $90 sq/ft market price for the house I'm building is in the $150-190 range depending on options i.e. granite counter tops and flooring ect.

I.m looking for a good synthetic product for flooring.

You obviously put and continue to put a lot of planning into this. Did you look at some of the metal roofing options?

Nottingham Analog is some cool looking stuff! What decided you on the Grado Platinum stylus?

Pretty much the fact that I couldn't tell the difference between the Platinum and the $500 Grado... Not that it means there's no difference, just that I couldn't see spending $200 more for the more expensive cartridge.

Hey howitzer,

Couldn’t find a reference to the speaker type, but did find something of the creator

http://www.soundadvance.com/planarstory.html

Sounds pretty cool! How come you abandoned them?

Technology mainly I might get them out and play with em, tuning them to your room can be a nightmare. I had a cheat sheet for Ska, Classical ect. Balancing them for home theater with a mix of music and action would be difficult I think.


I haven’t been able to find a pix of these. I'm interested for the sake of edification. If it wouldn’t be a PITA could you take a pix and say a bit about how they are tuned?

Also due to the rarity you might be able to donate or sell them to a museum....

I will do that (pictures), can you help me find a museum?

A wierd coincidence is a furniture delivery person noticed them and acted like he saw the virgin Mary, I was going to give them to him because i'd rather see a guy that can't afford a piece like that to have them but his buddy made a snide comment to my wife and I soured quickly.

So there they stand.

I hope you don't consider this too far off-topic.

In my office we've been listening to some crappy portable radios over the years. The antennas have sucked, and the speakers faithfully reproduced electronic noise from the ether through f-d up band-pass filters.

So I asked a dj friend who loves am radio what he'd recommend for an office setting.

He suggested this one: http://www.radiolabs.com/Articles/woodradio.html

I bought it.

It is a great little radio. It picks up am and fm clear as can be even deep inside the building. The sound actually has base notes!

So if you want a radio that's just a radio, this is a nice one.

Rib


Actually that radio sounds like a excellent form of high fidelity – especially being able to receive a signal and do it well in a challenging environment. They have come a very long way in high quality speakers in small acoustical suspension packages. But what is even more interesting is the sensitivity of the receiver. Do the specs point out the AM and FM details?

High fidelity is really kind of a miss-nomer. What most folks mean by high fidelity is, it sounds really good. There is a world of difference between, as example, listening to Oscar Peterson play vs. listening to a recording of him. Often there is great reduction in the presence and ambience of the sound. On the other hand some stuff is so highly engineered and polished it couldn’t be duplicated live. Think about Pink Floyd or Yes. They were great live but not anywhere near like their studio stuff. So they didn't even have fidelity to themselves. But anyway “fidelity” verses ‘pleasant audio experience’ are different things, and most have given up on the element of fidelity in favor of enjoyment.

On the broader level of human preferences, such is nature of the world.....

Art Bell used to rave the Sangean product. I',m about ready to buy one, but would like a clock/radio for the bedroom. Since I live out in the stix and like to listen to AM radio at night when they power down, it's important to have good reception. I found this link helpful;
http://ehow.com/ehow/ehowDetails.jsp?id=5551

Alias, I don't have any specs more detailed than those that I gave previously. My friend whom I referenced previously has several am/fm/sw radios--he's quite fanatical. As evidence, he bought an expensive system and then sent it to an engineer to modify its tuning/filtering. I could tell a big diference in the clarity of reception, but not worth the money--to me. I can get the engieer's website if you're interested in that stuff.

Ted, Sangean (I think) makes an atomic clock/radio. That should settle any accuracy questions anywhere except for with the Naval Observatory. They win.

I'm looking for really good AM reception. An ;ocal AM radio geek and talk show host told me it's all about positioning of the radio, not the antenna.

alias:

I did some "google-ing" on Carver and found a few sites.

Here's a white paper he wrote about amplifiers:

www.vxm.com/21R.69.html

Here are user reviews of the amp I have:

www.audioreview.com/Amplifiers/Carver/PRD_115669_1583crx.aspx#reviews

Here is a description of the Sunfire subwoofer that is most like the one I have. I bought mine at a pawn shop for $600 and see it sold on ebay regularly for $700 or so plus $100 shipping (it weighs 50 lbs.)

www.sunfire.com/SuperJrPR.htm

alias:

I did some "google-ing" on Carver and found a few sites.

Here's a white paper he wrote about amplifiers:

www.vxm.com/21R.69.html

Here are user reviews of the amp I have:

[/url]www.audioreview.com/Amplifiers/Carver/PRD_115669_1583crx.aspx#reviews.html[/url]

Here is a description of the Sunfire subwoofer that is most like the one I have. I bought mine at a pawn shop for $600 and see it sold on ebay regularly for $700 or so plus $100 shipping (it weighs 50 lbs.)

www.sunfire.com/SuperJrPR.htm

[quote=Howitzer][quote=alias]

Also due to the rarity you might be able to donate or sell them to a museum....

I will do that (pictures), can you help me find a museum?

A wierd coincidence is a furniture delivery person noticed them and acted like he saw the virgin Mary, I was going to give them to him because i'd rather see a guy that can't afford a piece like that to have them but his buddy made a snide comment to my wife and I soured quickly.

So there they stand.

Sure! I did a search on Google using the keywords "science and technology museum audio" and came up with several museems. I'd contact them but it would be way outta line to speak on your behalf....

Your delivery story reminds me of life imitating Seinfeld episode :D

alias:

I did some "google-ing" on Carver and found a few sites.

Here's a white paper he wrote about amplifiers:

www.vxm.com/21R.69.html

Here are user reviews of the amp I have:

[/url]www.audioreview.com/Amplifiers/Carver/PRD_115669_1583crx.aspx#reviews.html[/url]

Here is a description of the Sunfire subwoofer that is most like the one I have. I bought mine at a pawn shop for $600 and see it sold on ebay regularly for $700 or so plus $100 shipping (it weighs 50 lbs.)

www.sunfire.com/SuperJrPR.htm

Thanks for finding this! What a story!!! I didn't know that Carver did Phase Linier before Carver. The man is a 30 year legond. Hooweee I think perhaps a Sunfire amp is on my horizon.....

Heres my real audio pride and joy. I wouldn't seel this for any price it was my great grandmothers, then my grandfathers and now mine.

http://www.8pointinvestments.com/images/radioweb.jpg