"Margaret von B." wrote:

"Howard Ferstler" wrote in message
...

Conventional speakers (mains, centers, and surrounds):

Allison IC-20, Model Four, and AV-1 loudspeakers (main
system), custom-made, 8-driver center-channel speaker (main
system), Dunlavy Cantata, Allison Model Four, custom-built
surround, and NHT VS-1.2 loudspeakers (second system), NHT
ST4 and SC1 and Atlantic Technology T70 loudspeakers (third
system).

Hmmm. Would this be 5.1, 7.1 and 5.1 systems? Wow!

Actually, the main system has three standard speakers across
the front, plus four surrounds, each located on the side
walls. All four surrounds are Allison Model Fours, with the
front pair acting as front "effects" speakers (Yamaha style)
and the other pair acting as standard side/rear surrounds.
There are also two AV-1 minispeakers on the back wall,
acting as "back" surrounds. This system uses a Velodyne
F1800 for the main and LFE bass, with a modified (by me) SVS
16-46 sub to handle just the center-channel bass. This
system uses the RX-Z1 receiver, but main amplifier power
(for the Allison IC-20 mains) comes from a vintage Carver
M500.

The middle system has much the same thing in terms of
channel layout. There are three speakers up front for L, C,
and R duty (Dunlavy Cantatas, with an NHT VS1.2 handling the
center), with two front "effects" flankers above and
outboard of them. Those are little Radio Shack minimonitors
that I modified by installing Allison tweeters and Allison
two-way crossovers. There are also two more Allison Model
Four systems working as side/rear surrounds. There are no
back surround speakers in this system, which still has seven
channels. This system uses a Hsu TN1220 for the low bass,
and has a Yamaha DSP-A1 processor amp to deal with power and
control issues.

The living room system is the only 5.1 package, mainly
because there is no way to set up front "effects" speakers
in that L-shaped room. The mains are NHT ST4 units, with the
center being a matching SC1. The surrounds are Atlantic
Technology T-70 minispeakers. A vintage Yamaha DSP-A3090
processor amp is in control.

Subwoofers, installed in various systems or as reference
units for reviewing work:

Velodyne F1800RII and FSR-12; Hsu TN1220HO, VTF-2, and
STF-1; SVS 16-46PC (modified by author).

Electronics and accessories (some used for reference work
only:

Yamaha RX-Z1 A/V receiver, Yamaha DSP-A1 and DSP-A3090
processor/amps; Carver M-500, AudioSource Amp One power
amps; Onkyo DV-S939 DVD/DVD-A player, Panasonic DVD-A120
player, cheap JVC player, Pioneer, DVD-700 DVD/LD player and
CLD-D503 combi player; AudioControl Phase Coupled Activator
bass synthesizer (includes Linkwitz-Riley crossover);
Paradigm X-30 electronic crossover; Rane THX-44, THX-22 and
AudioControl C-131 equalizers; dbx 120 subharmonic bass
synthesizer, dbx 3BX expander; Memorex 45-inch rear
projection, Sharp XV-H37 LCD front-projection, and Sony
KV-32T TV monitors; Carol Wire Company 12 AWG and standard
12 AWG outdoor low-voltage wire for speakers; Radio-Shack
"Gold" interconnects (most custom sized to minimum required
lengths).

Room Length/Width/Height:

Main: 18.5 x 22 x 8.5.
Second: 17 x 22 x 8.
Third: 16 x 18 x 12 x 10 x 6 x 6 (L shaped).

You seem to have lots of stuff geared toward synthesizing and managing bass.

Yep. Actually, my crossover situation makes use of the
on-board circuits in the Yamaha processors.

Something like the custom system in my Navigator, AudioControl this and
AudioControl that. :-) Do you constantly tweak it or do you just leave it
where it is?

The dbx and AudioControl synthesizers are rarely used these
days. They are in the analog tape-monitor loops, so they
cannot be used with DVD movies or with DVD-A, SACD, DTS, or
DD audio recordings. They are also no good for classical CD
recordings, or acoustic music recordings of any kind. The
processing makes a mess of things. They do work OK with CD
pop material (at least some of it), and they can be used
with my analog-sound laserdiscs.

I recommend a Tact as a much more sophisticated alternative.
You should test one some time. Your rooms are large but with low ceilings so
they don't have that much volume.

The main room is 3,400 cubic feet. The middle room has
2,900. The living room is about 2000.

Hmm. What kind of floor/foundation do you
have?

All rooms are on a concrete slab. The main room has very
thick carpeting, as does the middle-system room. The living
room has oak flooring over the slab (most of the rest of the
house has that, too), but there is a large, wool area rug in
there.

Second room is also a gym, computer room, and guest bedroom.

Does your gym turn into a "wind chime" when you *really* play loud?

Not really. The gym set is a Parabody 350 and pretty dense,
and there is also an elliptical trainer. They are at the far
end of the room, away from the AV system, and there is a
double bed between them. The room is surprisingly well
damped. Actually, the area between the listening chairs and
the speakers is carpeted (the whole room is carpeted,
actually), but there is also a thick wool rug on top of the
carpeting. You can watch TV nicely when using the
elliptical.

Third room also contains a grand piano.

Nice. What kind?

Baldwin, 5'2".

Music Preferences:

Baroque and classical. The wife likes big-band jazz and
broadway show material. Occasionally, I will listen to
something as radical as Dire Straits or Enya.

Radical as...Heh! I guess there's still hope even for you. :-)

The Weakest Link:

The TV monitors. Old.

I thought Memorex made tape!?! The new Qualia projector is unbeatable, check
it out!

The Memorex was actually built by Mitsubishi. It is one of
their old 458 models that was rebadged. Memorex contracted
with the company to build scads of sets a decade or more
back. It is actually a pretty good set for something 15
years old, but I really would like to get a wide-screen HDTV
set. Unfortunately, the wife is 100% satisfied with the old
Memorex, and she calls the shots when it comes to spending
big bucks. The damned thing refuses to break.

Howard Ferstler