A VMPS Reference System and The New Room

by housteau on All Out Assault

Description

This is my newly finished room as of 5/28/14. It is an expansion of my previous dedicated room built around 18 years ago. Had I known more about acoustics back then I would have built the room a bit differently. However, my new remodeling and expansion project has allowed me to improve greatly upon that first design, with what I have learned over the years. I do not have infinite funds and need to weigh my decisions with everything carefully. You will not see the best of the best here in either design or gear, but I feel wise decisions and a bit of restraint have allowed me to reach some pretty lofty goals so far.

I believe that the room is one of if not the most important components to a system. Considering that and the cost of so much in this hobby, the price to create this room was a real bargain. The room is approximately 21 x 25 x 11 (at the cathedral peak) and is treated with mostly broadband absorption. The cathedral ceiling was part of the original design and I have been able to make that work for me quite well. I often read that they are a bad idea and possibly they are if left reflective. However, mine allows a nice illusion of space to be created, both visually and aurally that I would miss if taken away.

My goal has always been to create a virtual soundstage of realistic scale, both large and small. Many larger systems can do big quite well, but have trouble with small creating images of solo voices and instruments much larger than reality. This system does not do that. For me the best sound means to get the best from prerecorded material. I want the illusion of either being transported to the event, or having it brought to me.

Lately I have been able to make my own high resolution recordings and enjoy them on my system. The ability to be in the same space that recordings are made is a great help in determining how ones system is performing.

The artwork around the room is all of a similar theme. It is one of Science Fiction mixed with Fantasy and Magic. I feel this suits me, because I see the creation of that virtual soundstage as indeed something truly magical when done right.


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Components Toggle details

    • Proceed CDD
    An oldie, but a goodie.
    • Bryston BDP
    This digital player is outstanding and I find it better than my server with Amarra.
    • MAC Mini / Amarra
    My main server.
    • Benchmark Pre
    No complaints, but I do plan to move up to the new model 2
    • Southerland 20/20
    My phono preamp.
    • VPI Industries Scout Master II
    A long time in coming, but well worth my wait.
    • VPI Industries JMW Memorial
    It is just right for me at this time.
    • Lyra Delos
    It brings the whole package together.
    • Xilica 4080
    A wonderful crossover and room correction tool.
    • Spread Spectrum Technologies Ampzilla 2000 mono's
    Wonderful tube sounding SS mono amps
    • Odyssey Audio Stratos Mono extreme SE
    An outstanding bass amp. I have it working from 100Hz up to 280Hz.
    • Primaluna Prologue 7 mono's
    A very fine and versatile amp that can run just about any tube in the 6550/KT-88 class. I have a new set of TL-120 on the way.
    • Dayton SA1000 mono's
    Very good at what it is designed for, low bass duty. I have mine currently set for 100Hz and below.
    • VMPS RM V60
    A very fine dipole ribbon design by Brian Chaney. The base of the wings carries the bass from 280Hz down to a natural roll off around 68Hz.
    • VMPS VLA
    This stand for Very Large Array, which it certainly is. It is a match for the RM V60.
    • Sola Automation Isolation Transformer
    This is a 240/120 isolation transformer that I have feeding my isolated audio circuit within the room. That circuit is composed of four sets of quad receptacles, two for the amps between the speakers and two for the equipment on the side wall.
    • Monarchy AC Regenerator
    I use this to isolate my digital front end from the analog.
    • Generic Desk Chair
    A lowly and simple swivel chair with the rollers removed. I pulled the rollers to get the chair to the proper elevation. The important thing about chairs is for them to be comfortable and have a low back so your ears are above the back of the chair. If not, you could have the best acoustical space behind your seat going and your ears would never hear it.

Comments 7

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Very nice system. I appreciate,very much, that you have given much thought and research to the big picture of this hobby while also keeping to a budget. Hope you enjoy it

hankk

Owner
I have just updated my system posting to reflect a few changes.  I did switch from a Behringer DCX over to an Xilica 4080 for crossover and room control duties.  It was quite a breath of fresh air.  I don't know if my Behringer was defective, or not, but since the Xilica has gone live absolutely all aspects of the presentation have improved greatly.
I have also added a pair of Ampzilla 2000's to the stable.  Currently I have them replacing the Primaluna's on the mids and highs.  I love them and should have had them years ago.   

housteau

Owner
The blower unit is not located above that intake. The intake box is well insulated internally for sound absorption and has long flexible duck work connecting it to the blower. It is basically silent. Most room AC noise comes from the velocity of the air moving into the room at the vents. My vents are over-sized and the unit has a variable speed fan.

housteau

Housteau, thanks for the details on the tri-amping arrangement. Sounds like you have it well under control.

I noticed the AC intake vent in one of the pics (in the ceiling) and was wondering if it was noisy. But it looks like you have paid attention to detail and it's not an issue.

Very nice!
Frank

plato

Owner
Thank you. The new room has been a long time coming and I had to do a lot of prep work before I could start. The original room was part of a detached building I had built that included a two car garage. The new expansion took one of those car slots and all that storage space and I had needed to deal with all of that first. The most costly part was the new central AC system I had put in for low noise application. It is a lot nicer than the one that runs my house.

The system is actually tri-amped using an active crossover with lots of manual controls for room correction. The new room dictated that the bass towers roll in around 104 Hz. They have their own set of mono amps. The upper range RM-V60s are bi-amped themselves with the split happening around 280Hz. The frequencies above 280 use the internal passive crossover to split off the very high frequencies to those drivers.

The Lyngdorf DPA-l is a fine unit and I may consider one for the future. At present I am just using a Behringer DCX that has been extensively modded to work in the analog domain. It works really well, and if there are any ill effects they are highly outweighed by all the positives.

housteau

Housteau, that's a very nice system and I love the room. I like the analog too. It's very, very nice.

I had my systems up here for a long time but just deleted them.

But I am familiar with the VMPS. I currently have a pair of the RM40 BC Signature speakers. I was using a Rogue Audio Medusa tube hybrid amp until recently. Now I am trying a pair of Dodd Audio 120 monoblock tube amps and so far I am impressed with their performance.

I run both analog and digital sources and use the Lyngdorf DPA-l analog/digital preamp with RoomPerfect room correction. It has been working quite well for me over the past couple of years.

It looks like you are bi-amping your speakers. Do you use and active electronic crossover or the speakers' internal passive crossovers

Cheers!
Frank A

plato

WOW, great room! There is nothing like a dedicated listening room. I had to give mine up 15 years ago, due to downsizing. No matter what your gear is, it always sounds better in a great room. Enjoy!

dill

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