I just don't think it should sound this good

Tom in RI

AK Member
Subscriber
My wife is away for a few days and so I brought a system upstairs into my living room. There is two floors of glass in back of the speakers and they are sitting basically behind a couch. I love how this sounds. The speakers are two way Synthesis LM 200’s being driven by a Sansui 517.


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No, I am not getting any pinpoint imaging, but, everything I’ve played so far is striking me as much more life like then what I have been experiencing in my main listening area in the basement. I did this once before and I do not remember getting such a good result. Now if only I could hypnotize my wife into not seeing this stuff when she gets home….


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You've probably got a lot of reflection going on from the glass and the large open room. It can make things sound big, but it tends to not have distinct imaging like you're noticing. Hey, if you like it, thats whats important, yeah?
 
Yeah, maybe I would dig some dipoles. In fact I see a pair of Snell CII's on my local CL that have the rear facing tweeter, hmm. Last time I had stuff up in this room I wasn't paying as much attention I guess. Maybe the reflections off the glass would sound worse with a lower ceiling. Just conjecture.

SBerger, my wife spent a lot of time setting that room up. Which is why I know the stereo equipment will not be there when she comes home. Oh well, enjoying it while it lasts.
 
That is an absolutely beautiful room to listen to music in. The view would tend to give one the impression of size and openness, beyond what you truly have. Add the sunshine and you have a match that can not be reproduced in an enclosed room.

For future though, what about something on the order of sub/satellite, with the satellites up in the corners of the outside wall? You could still have a very nice, low level listening experience from speakers that would practically be unseen.
 
Yeah Joe, I get that, just wondering if the reflection off the glass might be similar to what a dipole would be like in a room without the features this room has.

Jhtstone, have you been talking to my wife? She's been pushing satellites since the very 1st system I bought in 1985 or so. The speakers in the picture are the 1st speakers I ever bought. Its kind of moot for this space, we will likely be selling next year, the kids are gone and we don't need the space.

Brian, come on by and we can move those Altecs together!
 
There is no audio or technical reason why it sounds good, even though you think it shouldn't.

It simply sounds good because the wife is away for a few days.

When my wife is away for a few days, and I turn the volume up a bit, and pour a couple cold ones, it always sounds better!
 
Looks like a very nice space for music Tom!
 
Very nice space. That's really interesting - sounding good in front of glass with a high ceiling. We've got the same sort of scenario to which I'd completely dismissed the possibility of speakers in front of glass without even trying it. And as it happens, my baby's traveling this wk end, too. Guess what I'm gonna do...

Is the floor tile or carpet? Can't quite tell.
 
The floor is carpeted. This weekend I'll be swapping out a couple different speakers. I listen mostly to jazz, blues, newgrass. The first thing I played when I got this system upstairs was a Porcupine Tree disc, a group I am only now starting to check out. I think the superb mastering of that disc really contributed to the wow factor.

Meggy, let me know how you make out.
 
Will do if you tell me the secret of convincing the sig other to keeping your speakers there.

Here's a shot of the glass I'm dealing with.


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How am I going to convince my SO to keep the speakers upstairs? I am going with, "Speakers?"

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"What Speakers?"

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But seriously, unless she starts visiting this forum, she'll probably never know they were up here.
 

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Perhaps bring something home from Don's today Tom. Surely he must have something unobtrusive that sounds nice.
 
Beautiful room. That wide open ceiling has to be adding to the spacious sound. I understand what you're going through as I pulled a similar stunt a while back. After I got a taste of that sound I convinced my wife to let me set up a system in "her" room. Although it sounded excellent, I just never listened to music in the room; felt too intrusive I guess. Ended up removing the gear as it wasn't worth it.
 
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