I don’t mean to brag, guys — don’t get me wrong — but the system really rocks these days, and this is something I would like to report. I suspect that the main reason for this outstanding performance lies nowhere else but in the improved room acoustics. As you can see from the images, there are several diffusers scattered around, and one sail is also attached to the ceiling. Let me briefly introduce what I have done recently in terms of room acoustic treatment.
You know, when listening extensively to an audio system, trying to assess and analyse its traits and virtues, one eventually reaches certain conclusions based on intuition, experience, and rational analysis. After a long period of listening, the conclusion I reached was that the first reflection points behind the speakers and on the ceiling needed to be treated so that the reflected sound energy would not hit the ears too strongly but instead be distributed more evenly. Therefore, I ordered two large SC quadratic residue diffusers to place behind the speakers.
These are high-quality products made from furniture-grade plywood by the German company t.akustik — heavy and thick, but they work extremely well. I experimented with their positioning until I found the location where their impact on the reproduced sound was most remarkable. What I can say is that these two diffusers are doing a really great job of breaking up sound waves and distributing acoustic energy, making the music feel more natural. The soundstage grows deeper, and the perception of space somehow changes, creating the feeling that one is no longer sitting in their own room but rather being there — at the performance venue.
I also ordered two square OG sound diffusers intended for mounting on the ceiling at the first reflection points. OG diffusers aim to add a natural sense of atmosphere to rooms by uniformly scattering sound waves arriving from different directions. I mounted them there, and they worked pretty well too, but I felt that only two of them were not enough. The ceiling in my room is really low, around 2.5 metres from the floor, and the early reflections from above were hitting like a hammer. These diffusers are also extremely heavy, so mounting many of them on a gypsum-board ceiling would not be a good idea. Therefore, I decided to try absorption instead of diffusion in that area.
So I did it: I fixed a linen curtain from IKEA to the ceiling using thumbtacks. It was an easy endeavour that brought unexpected results. The IKEA linen curtain on the ceiling at the first reflection points worked like magic. It is unbelievable how a cheap trick like this can improve things that would otherwise require a significant investment. The ceiling treatment contributed further to a more relaxed and natural listening experience, affecting both the tonal balance and the sonic character of the reproduction.
Before the ceiling sail was implemented, the height of the soundstage was dramatically low. I mean, the musicians were playing below the TV, which was pretty embarrassing and destroyed a big part of the illusion. Absorbing these early ceiling reflections turned out to be the key to achieving a natural soundstage height, where the performers are positioned in front rather than below the TV. I am very happy that this happened because, for me, the illusion of sound space and imaging are just as important as tonal colour and timbral realism.
The next thing I did was experiment with applying diffusion to the closest sidewall, hoping to improve the soundstage balance, which is usually affected by an asymmetrical room setup. Placing one square OG diffuser on the closest sidewall, where the sound from the right speaker is directly reflected, brought a significant improvement by making the wall feel as if it had moved several metres further away. Adding the second diffuser above the first one confirmed the effect.
The last CG diffuser was placed above the TV, which brought additional solidity to the soundstage presentation. When listening to music, the curtains are pulled together, covering both the TV and the diffuser, which creates an even better listening experience. However, probably because the curtains are not particularly heavy, the effect of the CG diffuser, despite being behind them, is still noticeable. Madness.
So enough with diffusion and absorption, guys. I am fed up with this topic, but I just wanted to share my opinion that room treatment cannot be avoided if one is looking for a satisfying long-term listening experience. Yes, the room has lost its virgin appearance and is far from innocent now, which is not necessarily a good thing. I mean, a quick glance is enough to reveal its purpose: it serves as both an audio reproduction venue and a living space. Definitely not ideal, but what can one do? Form follows function.
I agree that the primary function of a living room and its interior is to make us feel comfortable and relaxed after work, but at the same time, it should provide an acoustically friendly environment that allows sound to propagate naturally, without exaggerating certain frequencies or creating unpleasant echoes. Now, that is really enough on this topic.
Besides the room treatment, the next big thing that happened recently was the upgrade of the speaker drivers. As I mentioned in a previous post, the FE 108 Sigma drivers were replaced with FE 108 Sol drivers, which brought a significant improvement. Now, three weeks after the replacement, I can assure you that installing the FE-108 Sol in the BK-108 enclosure and removing the former notch filters has opened a new chapter in my audiophile journey.
I mean, I am now quite convinced that this is one of the ways to approach audio nirvana — a single-driver speaker directly coupled to the amplifier. I am quite sure that a large part of the improvement I hear comes from the absence of passive components (notch filters or crossover networks) between the amplifier and the speakers.
The other positive thing that happened to the system recently was the introduction of the Belden 8402 microphone cable interconnects, which I reported on in my recent post. They blended very naturally into the ecosystem of my audio rig, taking the realism one level higher.
Another change that took place was the replacement of the JCAT USB cable, which was used to connect the streamer and processor, with a Lindy USB 2.0 Black cable. It might sound strange, but in my system the Lindy cable, which costs €3.20, completely outperformed the JCAT cable, which costs €320. Think about it — a 100-times difference in price! How can that be?
But it is what it is. I do not want to say that the JCAT is a bad choice, and that is not the reason why I am selling it. I simply want to point out that, in my current system configuration, it does not make much sense. It sounds clinical and thin; in comparison, the Lindy sounds fuller and more revealing. It provides greater dynamic contrast, better separation, and overall a much more musical presentation.
I think this particular case is a matter of system synergy and proves that good reviews and high price tags do not necessarily guarantee satisfying results in every system context.
Currently, the system sounds really good, and I am living in bliss, guys — this is not a joke. But this does not mean that I have reached the final destination, don’t get me wrong. This journey is never-ending, and that is actually the cool thing about it. There are already further plans for investing in this project.
I would like to try the new hybrid power supply for the SOtM sMS-200 streamer, the SOtM sPS-500, once it becomes available. I am also thinking about trying a low-powered SET amplifier, which might be a better match for the speakers and could bring me even closer to the real sound.
That’s it for now, fellows. Thank you for stopping by!