This is topic Take A Look At The Audio Barn in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-08-2006, 03:52 PM:
 
This guy seems to have a little pocket change and has invested in a nice Hi-Fi system and a few CD's and LP's to go with it...... This guy makes MOST stereo Shops look bad!
Link To Inside Photos


 

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Posted by Bruce Hansen (Member # 281) on 03-08-2006, 06:43 PM:
 
Somebody saw this guy comeing. Note the "special" and I'm sure very expensive power cables. Just what kind of wireing does this guy think is in his walls, and all the way back to the power company? Does he realy think that short piece of cable is going to make any difference? And what about the standoffs keeping wires from laying on the WOOD floor? I would love to hear the reasoning behind those.

Does anyone know this guy's address, I'm sure that I could come up with some silly worthless empty box that I can tell him will improve his system, and sell it to him for mega-bucks.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-08-2006, 07:24 PM:
 
Hardwood floors enhance ANY audio room! The echo and reverberation are good things.
 

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Posted by Bruce Hansen (Member # 281) on 03-08-2006, 07:33 PM:
 
But why does he need those standoffs keeping the wire off the floor? Wood should not have any effect on signal flow through a wire. (that was my point, I guess I was not very clear)
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-08-2006, 07:44 PM:
 
What an idiot! Too funny for words. If only the guy would've used KIMBER CABLE, then he could've set up the system in an unaltered barn and not had to do any of this.

(For the brain dead, yes I'm joking about the Kimber cable...no I am not joking about the idiot part which has already been explained above.)
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-08-2006, 07:49 PM:
 

quote: Bruce Hansen

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But why does he need those standoffs keeping the wire off the floor?

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To keep that 700.00 a foot wire from getting sucked up in the vacuum .

Joe,
Actually if you click on the link at the bottom of the photos you will see why he has the wood diffusers and wood floor. Its actually a very well designed room from an acoustial standpoint. He probably has as much $$ in the acoustical treatment as he does in his gear. I guess you've never been in a real recording studio or dubbing stage..... nor are you familiar with LEDE. .

Brad,
Who knows... this guy could be president of BMG or something like that in which case the off the deep end system can certainly be justified.... If he saw photos of your screening room he might think the same way you do about him..... Everyone has different interests and needs.

Mark
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 03-08-2006, 08:05 PM:
 
Imagine: all that money & still FORCED to use silly RCA plugs. Also, the source material (discs. CD & all) was almost certainly NOT made with high=end cable. Slumming is tough! Louis
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 03-08-2006, 10:47 PM:
 
What a mastubatory maroon. Doesn't look like much of a LEDE implementation to me either. Speakers on a hard floor surface are unacceptable in a proper LEDE room. Married 30 years? Yeah, right. A needle-dicked poser and a loser, the kind of audiophobe that gives audiophiles their deserved reputation. Somebody send him over to The Man With The Scary Eyes pushing The System That Cannot Be Named.
 

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Posted by Jason M Miller (Member # 2597) on 03-08-2006, 11:00 PM:
 
Oh please that doesn't stand a chance to Joe's THX System
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-08-2006, 11:21 PM:
 
I think it's significant that he only has ONE chair in his listening room. Probably doesn't allow the wife in there. (If in fact he really has a wife.)
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-08-2006, 11:26 PM:
 

quote: Paul Mayer

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Speakers on a hard floor surface are unacceptable in a proper LEDE

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Not that I am sticking up for this dweeb but I didn't mention that it WAS a LEDE implemantation... It is hardly that and far from it. I could just tell that Joe had never heard of it nor would he understand the use of hardwoord floors in studios by his reply. Based on the fact that all of the better studios I've ever been in generally have Teak hardwood floors I think the overall acoustics in that "Barn" would make a great recording studio but not a very good listening room.....

But in all fairness, I know people that are worth Multi- Millions that have sucky theatres but COULD have the best and still don't because they rely on those with no brains to design them.

Mark
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-09-2006, 01:03 AM:
 
Or they are loaded beyond belief, but spend all of their efforts worrying about how pretty the theater actually looks rather than what's behind the port window (and worse who is actually operating it!)
 

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Posted by Allison Parsons (Member # 2728) on 03-09-2006, 01:40 AM:
 
I like the caption under the first picture about the lights 'muted' for 'serious' listening. I guess everytime I listen to music with the lights on, I'm not too serious about it, huh.

Ok, so almost everyone is nicely bashing this guy, but I'd trade him my shitty TEAC turntable for his any day!
 

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Posted by Dan Lyons (Member # 1454) on 03-09-2006, 01:44 AM:
 

quote:

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If only the guy would've used KIMBER CABLE, then he could've set up the system in an unaltered barn and not had to do any of this. [Razz]

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No way. Kimber is too cheap to work miracles like that. This is what you use to impress the ladies...
Cardas speaker wire
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-09-2006, 02:25 AM:
 
If only Penn and Teller would do a Bullshit show on suckers and their overpriced wire.
 

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Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 03-09-2006, 02:26 AM:
 
What an outdated and archaic turntable he has. It still uses a needle that actually touches the surface of the record. He needs to upgrade to a Laser Turntable, like this one.

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2006/02/12/wheels-of-light/
 

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Posted by Allison Parsons (Member # 2728) on 03-09-2006, 02:48 AM:
 
Mike,

NICE! Too bad I would rather buy a car for $10,000 than plop 10 G's on a record player.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-09-2006, 03:41 AM:
 
..bummer, and no open reel tape machine hooked up to this system. That would definitely sound excellent!

(BAH, on CD's - analog tape recordings can definitely send CD's home to their momma crying..lol)

Wonder, if he would try the BOSE system by placing the speakers to where they would fire to the back wall on an angle, then the reflection would bounce from that back wall then reflect to the side walls for the second bounce to go back to the center of the room. (if he didn't have that "hump" and windows in the middle of the room..) Speakers firing straight out can sound pretty course if not tuned right. Reflected sound has such a better ambience effect to where the sound isn't directional and can fill the room up so much better.

His seating triangle is WAY off course .. he's too close to where he dead center (in the second set of speakers for the upper pictures are a completely different set of speakers and his seating triangle is better, but still too close).

Well, at least he has a VPI record cleaning machine.

Wonder, if he has some dedicated mono cartridges there in his collection to play mono records.

I've seen turntables hit the price of a new home - base made of marble or granite, platters of solid brass or solid plexiglass of 6 inches thick, air bearing tonearms...it can go on forever for good analog sound from the vinyl surface of a direct to disc, or a session tape mastered record.

Yea, those laser turntables aren't completely cured of their problems since they have 5 lasers to track the groove - and two lasers track the area of the groove right above where the ball of the needle rests in the groove-where there is no needle wear. The other two are lateral land guidance lasers and the single laser track the center of the groove.

Still an experimental device for the audiophile fanatics... - Monte
 

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-09-2006, 04:37 AM:
 
A friend who does professional audio restoration has one of those laser turntables. They're actually quite problematic, because the lasers are so sensitive as to pick up dust and contaminants on the record surface which a conventional stylus ignores. His verdict is that unless (i) your original record is so worn and/or fragile (e.g. an acetate disc which has been damaged by previous playing with a steel needle) that a conventional turntable won't play it at all, or (ii) you're also prepared to invest in some seriously high end audio software (e.g. Cedar or NoNoise, both at around $20k) plus record cleaning hardware, the audio output really won't be much use.
 

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Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 03-09-2006, 06:37 AM:
 
I wonder what he listens to. About half of the crap out there is optimized on a $59. boom box. No system weaknesses?
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 03-09-2006, 07:13 AM:
 
Regarding the Cardas speaker cable, it looks like it isn't even good enough for the "very highest price" speakers. I can't imagine how much cable for speakers the cost over $140,000!

My favorite audio item is the $485 Silver Rock Signature Knob.

For all of that money, you could travel all over the world and hear the best musicians live!

Oh, here's a reference to Cable that is $23,500 for 8'!
 

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Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 03-09-2006, 10:36 AM:
 
I was expecting to see an iPod shuffle somewhere in there, dang
 

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Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 03-10-2006, 10:22 AM:
 
http://www.jenalabs.com/

Judging by the picture on this website I would have to guess that this guy is either the owner on 'jenalabs' or he is some sucker that let himself get talked into buying the system.

http://www.jenalabs.com/pages/cableprice.html

That is by far the most expensive cable I have ever seen. It must be the best.
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 03-10-2006, 11:18 AM:
 
I loved the JenaLabs site, especially how using "LN2" makes cd's play better, dvd's look better and cable do cable stuff better. Here is a description of the wonders of cryogenic-alyzing stuff:

quote:

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When conducting an electric signal, treated wire and formed metallic parts will produce less micro-diode-effect noise, less impurity inclusion field disturbance and less 'slow field' transverse energy generation. The result is a cable or electrical device that is quieter in noise floor and more revealing of subtle musical nuances.

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quote:

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He needs to upgrade to a Laser Turntable,

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The ELP Laser turntable actually sucks major ass. It requires absolutelt MINT, PRISTINE CLEAN vinyl to play properly. Even they tiniest bit of dust or minute scratchs will cause it to mistrack horribly. Also you can only play black vinyl on it, no custom colors or the like.

-Aaron
 

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Posted by Steven J Hart (Member # 2340) on 03-10-2006, 03:21 PM:
 
I noted the website hosting this photo tour is "AudioAsylum ". Anyone willing to pay $8500 for a three foot pair of RCA cables needs to be institutionalized.

Steve
 

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Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 03-10-2006, 08:56 PM:
 

quote: Mike Blakesley

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I think it's significant that he only has ONE chair in his listening room. Probably doesn't allow the wife in there. (If in fact he really has a wife.)

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See, the one chair gives it all away. Obviously, it's the Maxell tape guy. He needs all this equipment to optimize his high bias XLII recordings, which of course sound better than the original source.

Seriously, my take on high-end audio or video rooms is this...If it makes you happy, it's worth it. Even if pieces of it are technically sub-par or placebo.
 

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Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 03-10-2006, 09:20 PM:
 
I love vinyl. Between excellent valve (tube) amps and vinyl on an excellent turntable, there is just a sound warmth, depth and ambivance that is just not there with cd's! I really can't expalin it...its something one must listen to in order to understand.

Interesting about the laser turntables, I heard about those many years ago and was just going to ask y'all about them.

There are still some very expensive high-end turntables on the markert. But I think that a classic, reliable and ole standard turntable is the ole Techniques SL-1200MKII. And no, I DESPISE RAP & "SCRATCHING"
 

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 03-10-2006, 09:52 PM:
 
Since there's only 1 sweet spot in any listening room, having more than 1 chair would be blasphemy.

In the late 80s I had a sort of entry-level high-end setup: VPI HW-19-II turntable, Eminent Technology air-bearing tonearm, AudioQuest cartridge, conrad-johnson tube preamp, Audio Research tube power amp, and Vandersteen Model 2Ci speakers (bi-wired but not bi-amped). Oh, and I used KimberCable speaker wire! I arrived at that setup after trying several different solid state and tube preamps and power amps. I learned that there are indeed very noticeable differences in the "sound" of different electronics. I can't attribute the differences to anything specific. Maybe there were incompatibilities between the cartridge and some preamps, or between the speaker load and some power amps. In any case, the equipment I finally settled on sounded pretty damned good as a system.

I never could hear any difference between various speaker cables though.

Vinyl records often contain "magic". I've never heard a CD do the same thing.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-10-2006, 10:41 PM:
 
If only the guy ran double speaker wires!

Our hero speaks out
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 03-11-2006, 06:30 AM:
 
I wonder how many of his speakers are just relabelled Eminence anyway? (They supply several hundred "name" brands: must be USA, black and round) Louis
 

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Posted by Bruce Hansen (Member # 281) on 03-11-2006, 12:13 PM:
 
Hay, I've got a great idea for connecting your speakers to your amps: WET STRINGS (with a little salt)! This way there is no wire, so you don't have all those wire induced problems. Only $7900.00 per pair, which includes a bucket of very special water (Atlanta tap water) to make sure the "cables" are good and wet any time you wish to play a way over recorded, and distorted CD.

Now if someone would just invent a device that would fix the clipping, and restore dynamic range of the crap CDs on the market today.
 

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Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 03-13-2006, 05:01 AM:
 
He's a poseur.
Nowhere in any of the pics is a Rane PI-14, or any Funk Logic gear.
 

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Posted by Fred Georges (Member # 505) on 03-13-2006, 09:38 PM:
 
At the local (Chicago) area Hi-End stereoshop(ok..I used to hang out there too)I pulled My best Gag. I found a 500 ft roll of interconnect at the local science store & bought it for $10.00. It had a Stranded center conductor & a steel braided shield wraped in very itchy fiberglass cover. I took it home & made up a pair of 6'interconnects with fancy-schmancy gold plated RCA connectors & concocted a Bullshit story about the audible superiority of this new, exciting revolution in audio. Down to the stereo shop to present these cables to the local guru who, after a week of listening (between His amp & pre-amp) pronounced them "Superb!..Best he'd ever Heard!..Blah, Blah." He offered Me $500.00 for a 25ft pair so that He could locate His amps next to His speakers. I took His Money! But..He used those cables for 2 years before finding something "Better". I sold off that entire roll & made GREAT dough. If Noel Lee (Monster cable) can do it so could I.
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-13-2006, 10:12 PM:
 
Great story Fred... Which Shop was it you used to hang out at? Knowing that might make the story even funnier to me since I was also a hanger outer around the Chicago stores and knew alot of the guys, also did repairs for Basil at I-O way way back. I think he sold more Dayton Wroghts than anyone else!

Hopefully you selected a better name than Monster....... More like Georges Cables.... they won't know if thats a first or a last name.... sort of a disguise.

quote: Louis Bornwasser

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I wonder how many of his speakers are just relabelled Eminence anyway? (They supply several hundred "name" brands: must be USA, black and round) Louis

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