Audio Asylum - Inmate Systems

VladimirFreddie's Priority: 2 Channel & integrated with the HT System
IP Address: 203.27.52.240	Last Update: October 21, 2011 at 21:23:44
Amplifier:	Krell KAV-300i 150 W/Rms per channel into 8 ohms - purchased in 1995
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Speakers:	VAF 1-91 MkII Standmounted two way coaxial driver, 1st Order crossovers, phase coherent speakers - Purchased 2010
Sources:
CD Player/DAC:	Marantz SA8003 SACD Player Benchmark Dac1 USB.
Other Source(s):	Laptop using Flacs -> connected via USB to the Benchmark DAC-> Krell
Other Accessories/Room/Misc.:
Speaker Cables/Interconnects:	Synergistic Research biwire - purchased 1997 Van Den Hul the second XLR from DAC to AMP - purchased in 1995. USB cable from Laptop to DAC1.
Other (Power Conditioner, Racks etc.):	Ear Science Power conditioner
Tweaks:	Rug on the floor, bookshelves, cd sheles, dvd shelves, nothing much else apart from careful and prolonged changes to speaker placement!
Room Size (LxWxH):	5.6 x 3.8 x 2.4
Room Comments/Treatments:	The room is an odd shape & it has been a real problem until selling my large Duntechs and replacing them with largish stand mounts.
Music Preferences and Comments:
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	I have around 1400 Cds: 150 Jazz, 750+ classical, 500 Alternative/Rock/osbcure & a steadily building collection of downloaded flacs. Jazz: mainly smaller ensembles & a lot piano based Vocal Jazz: Kurt Elling, Dianne Reeves, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald,Mel Torme Classical: Beethoven & Bach are favourites, Opera, Baroque, Classical, Chamber Music (Cello Sonatas, Piano trios) Alternative (eg Jane's Addiction, David Sylvian)
System Goals/Comments:	I ended up selling my 14 year old Duntech Viceroys in 2010. They sounded great with some music but there was often the nagging bass problem in my difficult room. Several years of changing the positioning had no real improvement. Replacing them was really an accident. I bought the VAF 1-91s to use as rear channel speakers. But these turned out to be a little too big for the back of the room. So as an experiment I tried them at the front and was flabbergasted! They out shone the Duntechs in almost every department. Bass was suddenly tight and muscular. Imaging (what the Duntechs did best) was also improved. The music now sounds live and very dynamic! Microdynamics are fantastic. Soundstaging is also something to behold. Even more strange is that I always used the Large Floorstanding Duntechs in concert with the REL Strata III sub. Now with the smaller VAF standmounts the sub is not required!
System Strengths:	Imaging, soundstaging, dynamics, female vocals, microdynamics,
System Weaknesses:	Some Metal requires a bit more oomph in the bass according to one friend.
Video/HT System: Integrated
TV/Projector:	LG 42" LCD Full HD TV
Processor/Receiver/Amplifiers:	Emotiva UMC-1 AV PreProcessor & Emotiva XPA-3 three channel power amplifier amplifier.
Speakers (Center, Surrounds, Sub):	Duntech Onyx Centre Channel (ahh! ebay) REL Strata III VAF i90 rear channel speakers (same coaxial driver as i91s but smaller sealed cabinet.
Sources (DVD/VCR):	Panasonic 250Gb Set top box, Hard drive & DVD recorder. PS3 for games and Blu-Ray PS2 Wii
Comments on HT System:	HT is for family relaxation. The PS2, PS3 & Wii are purely for the kids and they love it. In this mode the Krell is used purely as a power amp running the Vafs as the front channels in the Home Theater. This allows the HT & the 2 channel rig to be integrated but separate with the 2 channel set up being of a higher quality. In HT mode the REL Sub runs as a standard subwoofer using the .1 output from the UMC1.
Other Interests/Hobbies/Occupation:	I run a chess club and play regularly on www.chessclub.com