Looks great Mike. How are you dealing with HVAC? Did the barn already have a system in place? I see large duct work in one of the photos (speaker end).

BTW, the photo of the outside of the barn looks like the property is spectacular! Congratulations, please keep us posted on your progress.

slipknot1 July 30, 2004 11:25

thanks Tim. and all is well except the glacial progress on the room. but i am happy with the attention to detail i am getting.

yes, the HT room will be staying in the main house, in a room that was intended to be the Home Theatre in the original plans for the home. in some ways i am as anxious to get my 2-channel gear out of the HT room as into the new room as the HT room is very crowded. all my media (3500 Lps, 3500 cds, 500 sacds) are 'everywhere' in the house and i am looking forward to getting it all into the barn and 'freeing up' the space in the house.

mikelavigne July 30, 2004 09:07

Its looking good Mike! Is the HT getting its own building or is that still going to be in your house, if it gets a barn it will be known as a Barn theater and not a home theater :^) Hope all is well!

tireguy July 30, 2004 07:22

i am building a new room in my barn (which came with a new (to me) home i moved to 6 months ago). the home is on 4 and a half acres in the mountains east of Seattle. much of my motivation to move came from a desire to have a bigger more purpose built dedicated 2-channel room. this new room will be 29'L x 21'W x 11.5'H. it will have a concrete floor and is designed by Rives Audio http://www.rivesaudio.com

below is a link to pictures of the new construction. at the top of this picture gallery are pictures of my old room.

the contruction should be complete in about 30 days.

http://gallery.audioasylum.com/cgi/view.mpl?UserImages=4961

mikelavigne July 30, 2004 02:16

Thanks Mike. Enjoy the music.

speeddeacon July 02, 2004 06:01

yep, the DAC6 isn't going anywhere. i might recommend that you look for someone that wants to switch to the DCC2/CDSD combo from the DAC6/Philips combo. i was going that direction until my new room allowed for the possibility of properly doing multi-channel hirez.

a month from now there will be enough Philips SACD 1000's for sale that you won't have any trouble finding one. the new transport is shipping 5 or 10 a week and almost everyone of those guys will be selling their Philips. just make sure the Philips you purchase is working properly.

mikelavigne July 02, 2004 02:11

So Mike, now that you sold the transport are you for sure holding on to the DAC6? I've just now learned about the Meitner gear and would be interested in the old transport/DAC6 combo as I won't spend 7k on a transport likely and someone has a transport for sale.

speeddeacon July 02, 2004 00:34

Jayctoy, thanks for the kind words. since God gave me a wife that allows my indulgence.......i figure i shouldn't abuse that privlidge by getting too 'full' of myself. but sometimes i confuse owning with knowing and i get carried away.

you just have to count your blessings.

mikelavigne July 01, 2004 23:11

I wish all audiophile are like you,I read all your
response on this thread, they are all full of
HUMILITY,with what you have, a man can easily
become prideful,but you stay balance and happy.
I salute you.Enjoy.

jayctoy July 01, 2004 21:45

no....nothing (digital) better.

and no, i'm not replacing it. i was just selling the Philips to replace it with the new Meitner CDSD transport.

i decieded to offer the DAC6 for sale since i thought it might be easier to sell the combo. then i could just get a new DAC6 to replace it. it was a bad idea. i have answered 10 e-mails this morning from the Meitner faithful wondering what i'm doing. the transport sold this morning and i deleted both ads so i wouldn't get anyone else's shorts in a bunch.

mikelavigne June 27, 2004 19:43

mike,
I noticed you have your Meitner digital gear up for sale. What do you plan on replacing it with? Found something better? Just curious.

jayarr June 27, 2004 15:27

Haha. Ya I know. I'm just poking fun at how "different" your HT room is compared to your 2ch room. Hey it was you that described it as a cave :D But ya I've heard revel home theater setups before they sound great. And dark walls are definitely the way to go with HT too bad I only have one room and I can't paint it a darker colour.

I'm describing as life changing cause I haven't really heard a great setup before I don't think. The store demos I've been to have not been carefully setup (nature of the local dealers here). And oh ya it'll definitely help me figure out a lot as to where my system is at and what a properly setup system should be. It'll be very educational experience for me and I can work towards achieving a good sound.

howie August 02, 2003 04:12

understand that i am only in my HT room when the lights are off......so the visuals are simply not a priority. it actually sounds pretty good and the 7 foot wide screen is glorius on HDTV or video.

after breaking the bank on the 2-channel room the HT room is a big 'bang for the buck' room. for Home Theatre having the ability to isolate the sound and eliminate light was more important than style.

i appreciate your expectations for my 2-channel room.....but life-changing might be a bit much.....maybe 'pocket-book' changing might be more correct. it will probably move your reference point aways out there. and also may tell you that the performance in your room is closer than you think.

mikelavigne August 02, 2003 00:04

Hi Mike. After bothering you with so many phone calls and emails I can't wait to finally hear your system. It'll be my first experience with many things. I know my life will never be the same again.

Even without thinking of how the system sounds like I just love the pictures of your room. It's so beautiful and has such class (a complete opposite to your HT room :P)

howie August 01, 2003 03:02

It goes without saying that this is probably a fabulous-sounding system. All I wanted to add is:
I heard the DAC6 / multi-channel pre-amp combo in Montreal with giant Kharmas (names escape me) and the new Tenor 300 monos. Digital on this system was mind-blowing. I've never heard anything close--including my GamuT CD-1 (which I love dearly and prefer to nearly everything else), the top-line dCS separates, the Audio Aero Capitole mkII ...

cyounkman May 26, 2003 17:10

Oanhu, thankyou for the comments.

i did have an experienced local electrician install (4) dedicated lines. they are each 'home runs' of equal length 10 guage Romex, each 20 amp and on the same leg of my panel, and using Jena Labs deep-immersion cryo'd duplex outlets. i have 2 for my amps and 2 for my sources. this was a performance upgrade......lower noise floor, better dynamics, slightly bigger soundstage......the best dollar for dollar performance increase i have done.

i have 1" fibreglass panels on my sidewalls and ASC tube traps for absorbtion (i turn the tube traps to their reflective sides) and the bookshelves behind my chair and the Duette window coverings behind my speakers act as diffusers. i experimented for 3 years before i got the room balance where i wanted it. with a small room i needed more 'control' of reflections than a bigger room would need.

i believe that 'less is more' when it comes to room treatments; but my 12 foot wide room required treatment to be able to handle the dynamics of my system without overdriving the room.

there are companies that can help with acoustic design that i might recommend that can save you time and frustration. one company that a few of my friends have used and have been very happy with is Rives Audio ( www.rivesaudio.com ).

btw, your ARC VT-150SE monoblocks are great amps, they must rock on the Mezzo Utopia's.

mikelavigne April 02, 2003 20:59

Mike,
I do enjoy your system as much as your knowledge about audio.
Your system is simply one of the best in the world.
Did you build the dedicated circuit lines? Is there any improvement? And how about room treatments did you install absorbers/diffuser? Thanks.

oanhu April 02, 2003 19:59

Gary, i am sincerely flatered that you have me confused with Albert (i assume Porter). he is a class act and really knows his stuff.

as good as Norah Jones is......she will never be in Monk's class......good call on 'Monk's Dream'.

mikelavigne March 28, 2003 00:53

dear Albert

Its interesting to hear that you observed similar findings on your system. I was really all set to buy it but honestly it did not sound as good as a 14 (canadian) dollar reissue of monks dream, recorded in 1963. I suspect it was the way it was recorded as it sounded quite closed in to me on the vinyl. I do plan on writing to mr. meitner and hopefully he will consider the invitation though I know he is busy. Enjoy the system and let us know how it progresses with break in.

gary

gajgmusic March 27, 2003 19:44

hi Gary and SC53, if you speak to Ed Meitner he'll tell you how dsd is better than analog.....but he doesn't listen to the Rockport....and he makes his living selling dsd (sacd).....so possibly i'm more un-biased (in some ways).

my opinion is that the Meitner does come closer to good analog (vinyl) performance than any previous digital....but there is still a big gap and in certain ways (immediacey, speed, dynamics, detail and energy) vinyl is quite a bit better. sacd thru the Meitner has dramatically improved on the best previous digital in areas of soundstage and naturalness.

the Meitner emmlabs DAC6 and modified Philips SACD 1000 use a propriatary optical interface to take the raw data from the SACD 1000 to the DAC6. there are 3 optical cables (2 clock---in and out....and one data). these cables are said to eliminate jitter and are used in the pro audio world. the SACD 1000 outputs pcm (redbook) to the DAC6 and the DAC6 then upconverts it to dsd. dsd (from sacd) is output directly to the DAC6 and converted to analog. the DAC6 controls the data clock in the transport to eliminate jitter. other sacd systems use a firewire interface that has inherent jitter problems.

as far as redbook performance.....the Meitner pair is on par with the 24-bit Linn CD-12 that it replaced (which is the best redbook performance i have heard) and the sacd performance is on a higher level than any other sacd player i have heard by a good margin.

SC53, the Marantz SA-1 is still an excellent performer and for cd still as good as most $3k to $4k cdps.....and on sacd in the ballpark of all but the Meitner.....so don't think you are being passed by.....you have a great digital performer.

Gary, i agree that the Norah Jones cd is actually fairly close to the Lp......i'm not sure how this recording was mastered.....but if it was digitally mastered that would explain why the Lp is not more better than the cd. i have found that digitally mastered Lps are only a little better than cds......the Lp can't tell you about info that was never there to begin with.

mikelavigne March 27, 2003 00:02

Mike, I noticed when you put your Marantz and CD12 up for sale and wondered what on earth you had found that bettered them. I have the Marantz and think it is fabulous for regular CDs; I don't listen to many SACDs. Forgive my ignorance, but how does the Meitner work? Is the Phillips transport sending SACD to be decoded by the Meitner? What does the Meitner do to redbook CD data? I note that you saved a bundle by selling the Marantz and Linn to go with your current setup. I have always loved that Linn player! I wish I could afford it, even used.

sc53 March 26, 2003 16:35

Dear Mike

Thanks for the comments on ed meitner. I think I will try to see if we can interest him in comming out. Unfortunately none of us has a serius, though there a few with some pretty reasonable vinyl setups. Does the meitner approach the vinyl on a regular base? Is this for sacd or for red books too? I have had a few cds which come close (on my much more modest system). I was surprised that the norah jones cd (lathed and with walker vivid) sounded surpisingly close to the 200 gm classic lp I borrowed from a friend. The difference was not enough to my ears (or two of my well hearing friends) to justify the extra bucks or the potential harrassment from my wife for owning two copies.

Gary

gajgmusic March 26, 2003 14:41

Glx9, small world, isn't it. i e-mailed you my phone number.....call anytime.

my system isn't live music.....although i sometimes prefer it to what i hear live. recordings can be more satisfying than the inconsistencies of live music.

in any case, we'll have some fun.

mikelavigne March 25, 2003 22:55

Mike,i'm in Seattle too ^^. If you be so kind, i'd like to stop by and earwitness live music sometime. thanks

glx9 March 25, 2003 19:32

Glx9, thanks. i moved on from the Levinson/Wilson path mostly because i had gone down that road all the way and i was looking for a simpler approach. this is not about good/bad......just a different path. i found that by eliminating complications from the signal path i got closer to the music and more satisfaction. understand please that i enjoyed every minute of my Levinson/Wilson experience, it was always satisfying.....but i have gone on.

yes, i believe that my current system is much better than my previous system, much closer to 'real' music. the $$$'s invested are not much different (other than the Rockport). but some people might prefer my Levinson #32, #33 and the Wilson WP6's to my present system.

my source philosophy has not changed from the beginning; i want neutrality and resolution in my sources so my preamp/amp/speakers can be neutral and natural. if your sources are 'colored' then the rest of your system must become some sort of equalizer......system balance is then a mostly impossible challenge.

Gary, thanks. i sold the Linn and the Marantz about 2 weeks after getting the Meitner.....their new owners are enjoying them.

i have spoken to Ed Meitner on the phone.....he is a great guy.....if you could get him to one of your meetings you would really enjoy him. i must admit to not completely agreeing with Ed regarding sacd verses vinyl......i think vinyl is still way better.....he disagrees. what Ed says regarding PCM (cd or dvd-a) and other sacd approaches is very interesting.

mikelavigne March 23, 2003 10:35