what would you do?

[Gonepostal]

With these pretty much 'reference level' components I would suggest the only way you could improve the listening experience is to focus on the speaker/room interface. Particularly sound reflections from those hard walls and the low sloping roof line.... 🙂

Exactly, I've never heard components costing what the OP has but I'd be tempted to try a lyngdorf amp that has room perfect....it doesn't matter how good the amp is if there are sound reflections bouncing off the walls it's not going to sound at it's best, and at the kind of money the OP is spending why settle for compromise.

 

[daytona600]

CH precision CD/Dac to match your amp
RP10 upgrade with Vertere , Kuzma , Avid etc
Room treatment

 

[nopiano]

It’s pretty hard to give a considered answer, as several of your components are unfamiliar. However, having seen the picture a few thoughts come to mind:-

1. Some sort of room treatment, beyond the cushion behind the speaker (!), might well be beneficial. Sloping ceilings can be a boon or a nightmare, but I wouldn’t know from looking. Possibly some isolating tables/stands for the kit too, as the very attractive ones I see, look like they may be normal furniture.
2. Generally, I tend to favour the ‘source first’ approach, though not as religiously as, say, Linn tend to. Speakers change the sound the most, because they’re transducers, but no speaker can retrieve information that never left the CD or record.
3. As CD is your main source, have you ripped your CD collection or do you replay them ‘live’ as it were? If you still play live, then top-end streaming devices like the Innuos Statement or Linn Klimax new generation DSM might give better results.

I hope that helps a bit.

EDIT: Posting the above without being able to view your kit, I now see you have a streamer. Do you use that over the Meridian CD?

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

The one bit of advice I'd give is that the gear doesn't seem very well isolated from vibrations. Some don't consider this an issue, whereas I think it's the least addressed area in hifi. And your kit isn't that far from the speakers.

 

[Al ears]

The one bit of advice I'd give is that the gear doesn't seem very well isolated from vibrations. Some don't consider this an issue, whereas I think it's the least addressed area in hifi. And your kit isn't that far from the speakers.

True, and if that sloping ceiling indicates that floor is a suspended wood type I would get some Isoacoustic Gaia isolation feet under those speakers at the very least or perhaps a complete Townshend rack and speaker support system.

Townshend Seismic Isolation Podium Pair

Designed as a range to accommodate any size and weight of speaker – standmount plus stand, floorstander or subwoofer – the Seismic Podium breaks the acoustic connection between the floor and the speaker, preventing the passage of deleterious vibrations both to and from the speaker cabinets.

www.futureshop.co.uk

Seismic vibration isolation equipment stand Hi-Fi + Home Cinema rack

The Townshend Audio Seismic Isolation Stand is an equipment support system designed to isolate all hi-fi, audio and video components from ground borne vibration.

www.townshendaudio.com

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

And I'll stay true to type and suggest looking at Solidair's website!

 

[MrSinghsStereo]

All, thank you for the more relevant replies after the earlier torrent of abuse and ridicule.
i will try and respond the best I can.
Prior to moving to the CH Precision A1.5 and Stenheim speakers, I owned the meridian 7200SE DSPs. These worked well for several years but the system had to move to my man cave (due to an expanding family) and this meant I was not getting the best out of them - they sound good loud thanks to the phenomenal bass. They also have built in DSP for room correction, time aligned bass response etc so room treatments were less relevant at that time. The Lyngidorf is not as capable as the Meridian gear in this respect. My criteria for the speaker replacements was intimate , non fatgue listening with the necessary detail and dynamics at low volumes. This was achieved by the amp and speakers I now own and its taken room treatment mostly out because I can play music at one third the volume of the Meridians and l am getting more resolution , details, dynamics and depth using the same cd/vinyl/streamer sources. This revelation is what prompted my original question on this forum. So the room treatment whilst on my to do list (ie bass traps and some stuff on the sloping ceiling) doesnt feel like a priority. The Stenheims weigh 70kg each and have unbelievable rigidity such that vibration isnt an issue for them. Similarly, the CHP amp has its own built in isolation spikes which is why the block of oak it sits on was deemed ok - the amp weighs 47kg so needs its own space. I previously owned high end racks/stands/isolation platforms but didnt feel like they made a cost/benefit difference - I even tried the IKEA cutting boards but these dulled the sound. So what I have now is basically 2 £10 racks which are the right size and compliment the other furniture in the room and most of the units sit on oak cones. I do use the Nordost sortcones for the power block however. (Note The cushions behind the speakers are there because I had to justify to my wife why they shouldn't be thrown out.!).
So room treatments and isolation platforms I feel are less of an issue or priority.
What I cant get over is how, even using spotify, I am hearing instruments and detail now that were simply not presented by the previuos meridian £20k plus speakers. and thats the crux of my original post - can I get more from the sources and what is the approach others have taken.

To my ears the vinyl replay (if the discs are well maintained and recorded ) sounds best, followed by cd replay and then server music and then streaming.
I had the CH Precision DAC module at home (in their I1 integrated ) but the 808v6 sounds more musical (albeit less detailed). I have heard Linn and Innous streamers and they are too analytical - the Aurender I currently have is easier to live with, although the ripped cds sound better on the Meridian Sooloos. I will be trying models further up the Aurender chain (with better clocks. power supplies, ethernet filters) to see if the gap between other sources can be reduced.
The obvious improvement which I am trying to avoid is upgrading the RP10 cartridge but I really want the convenience of streaming to be justified through better sound quality and hence we are back to the DAC upgrade question.

 

[Friesiansam]

I don't get the reply's here at all, you're all either rude, question what he has (i say he as the OP has Mr in there sig) or you're star-struck, one mans 100quid is another penny get over it.

Unfortunately, spoof posts by people claiming to have a lot of money, when they don't, are not uncommon on many forums, especially on those forums that deal with potentially very expensive hobbies.

 

[Tinman1952]

So room treatments and isolation platforms I feel are less of an issue or priority.

With respect I would suggest, like many, you are underestimating the importance of basic room treatments. There really is no point in spending huge amounts of money on equipment if you neglect this. Simply dealing with first order reflections on side walls and especially that ceiling will have a dramatic impact on imaging.....even at low volumes! A little cash spent on the GIK Acoustics website will be better spent than huge amounts on master clocks and music servers!

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Unfortunately, spoof posts by people claiming to have a lot of money, when they don't, are not uncommon on many forums, especially on those forums that deal with potentially very expensive hobbies.

I remember a guy called Wardy who claimed to have ultra high end stuff, and an Aston Martin that his girlfriend was embarrassed by. Definitely not credible.

But back on topic.

 

[Deleted member 160668]

Well Mr Singh, I thought you were extracting the urine with your post at first, but it seems not.

My recommendation Sir would be that if you are that unsatisfied you should probably give it all to me and start again 😉.

Lovely kit. I bow out as that's way beyond what I am likely to ever own. However, I'm sure there's got to be a dealer somewhere that realises you are serious and can afford it too, I'm sure they would be happy to visit.

All the best.

 

[Tinman1952]

I remember a guy called Wardy who claimed to have ultra high end stuff, and an Aston Martin that his girlfriend was embarrassed by. Definitely not credible.

But back on topic.

Must have been a DB1....🤔

High wealth individuals who throw money at their interests and assume that the higher the price paid the better the outcome are sadly mistaken.
Reminds me of someone who spends £250,000 on a Patek Phillipe and then wonders why it is not as accurate as a £60 Casio Duro........

 

[Edbostan]

Well Mr Singh, I thought you were extracting the urine with your post at first, but it seems not.

My recommendation Sir would be that if you are that unsatisfied you should probably give it all to me and start again 😉.

Lovely kit. I bow out as that's way beyond what I am likely to ever own. However, I'm sure there's got to be a dealer somewhere that realises you are serious and can afford it too, I'm sure they would be happy to visit.

All the best.

Your kit is probably superior to the components which adorn the What Hi-Fi reference rooms.

 

[Basso]

Must have been a DB1....🤔

High wealth individuals who throw money at their interests and assume that the higher the price paid the better the outcome are sadly mistaken.
Reminds me of someone who spends £250,000 on a Patek Phillipe and then wonders why it is not as accurate as a £60 Casio Duro........

Someone who paid less for their kit than you did for your kit could say the same about you. I don’t get the negativity in this thread towards someone looking for advice. This is almost like reverse snobbery.

 

[Tinman1952]

Someone who paid less for their kit than you did for your kit could say the same about you. I don’t get the negativity in this thread towards someone looking for advice. This is almost like reverse snobbery.

I don't think so....
some positive advice already given.....🙂

 

[Dom]

Woh...

 

[MrSinghsStereo]

With respect I would suggest, like many, you are underestimating the importance of basic room treatments. There really is no point in spending huge amounts of money on equipment if you neglect this. Simply dealing with first order reflections on side walls and especially that ceiling will have a dramatic impact on imaging.....even at low volumes! A little cash spent on the GIK Acoustics website will be better spent than huge amounts on master clocks and music servers!

I fell in love with hifi from the moment my father fitted an Audio Technica AT95E cartridge on his humble Technics Direct Drive turntable in the 80s. My own journey really started in 2004 and since then I have gone through various iterations at various (increasing) budgets. I receive your advice with humility but I am not a novice (despite the crass nature of my original post).
The way the room is set up , the sweet spot zone lies within either an equilateral triangle or an isosceles triangle. I have a 3m by 1.5m sound absorber which I position either behind the listening position or along one wall . I also have a thick rug which deals with the oak floor . Granted the ceiling slope may be an issue and it is something on my list but not an immediate priority - I have undertaken rudimentary meaures to determine the reflections (supported by my friend's father who sits on the Nobel Committee for Phyiscs).

 

[MrSinghsStereo]

Must have been a DB1....🤔

High wealth individuals who throw money at their interests and assume that the higher the price paid the better the outcome are sadly mistaken.
Reminds me of someone who spends £250,000 on a Patek Phillipe and then wonders why it is not as accurate as a £60 Casio Duro........

A childhood friend has 4 Patek Nautilus Moon Phases which he acquired at list price. They have never been worn and are still sealed. He bought them as investments and they have quadrupled in value but I think its kind of sad that he has never even opened one! I was lucky enough to visit the Rolex factory some years back and the amount of dedication that goes into their production is really incredible and respect worthy. The same applies to high end audio. Visit Meridian, dCS, CH Precision factories and witness first hand the dedication behind their products. It adds to the pride of ownership.

 

[Mcc]

Hello Mr Singh. Lovely looking system and room. Can I suggest you look at an American forum called Audio Science Review. There you will find a wealth of high level objective discussion and people who own expensive kit like yours. But be prepared. Read before you post anything
Personally I am fascinated by the apparent impact of Dirac software and room treatments on the quality of perceived sound
Good luck

 

[MrSinghsStereo]

Hello Mr Singh. Lovely looking system and room. Can I suggest you look at an American forum called Audio Science Review. There you will find a wealth of high level objective discussion and people who own expensive kit like yours. But be prepared. Read before you post anything
Personally I am fascinated by the apparent impact of Dirac software and room treatments on the quality of perceived sound
Good luck

Hi Mcc, thanks for your comment. I have been on that forum and also the whatsbestforum but they are a minefield of subjective bias in my humble opinion which I guess becomes inevitable the more you invest in this hobby! I am familiar with Dirac - their software is similar to Meridians EBA / MRC but I guess less relevant to 2 channel consumer audio.

 

[Mcc]

Hi Mcc, thanks for your comment. I have been on that forum and also the whatsbestforum but they are a minefield of subjective bias in my humble opinion which I guess becomes inevitable the more you invest in this hobby! I am familiar with Dirac - their software is similar to Meridians EBA / MRC but I guess less relevant to 2 channel consumer audio.

All the forums are very subjective, which is the nature of the beast and our individual ears, but in amongst the noise are some very experienced engineers and threads. I think one of the problems you have is the scarcity of objective research and testing at your end of the market, and as you say difficult to get components that interest you in the same place together.
Just an idea, but if you want a project try putting together a whole new system costing 10-15k and compare with your current one, including the integration of a sub or 2. You can certainly get a best in class DAC for around 1k

 

[skinnypuppy71]

I think you could do a lot worse than reach out to Terry Ellis from pursuit perfect system, he used to be a regular on the forum and has his own YouTube channel these days and has come across some very exotic equipment l, he is also very well versed in the Dirac live software suit and has very good knowledge of room treatment products and installation. I know he does offer a service for this type of problem and could also steer you in the right direction re electronics.

View: https://youtu.be/TIGoZ4Aex_w

 

[MrSinghsStereo]

Just a little update . I have just purchased the aurender n20 as a replacement for my Aurender n150. An impressive piece of kit ! Also borrowed the ps audio reference tube preamp for a little experiment to remove the meridian pre amp (which also digitised the analogue phono signal ) . Very different presentation - a slushy feel albeit one with flavour closest to childhood vinyl memories !

 

[MrSinghsStereo]

here is the new kit, a bit big for the rack

 

[MrSinghsStereo]

All the forums are very subjective, which is the nature of the beast and our individual ears, but in amongst the noise are some very experienced engineers and threads. I think one of the problems you have is the scarcity of objective research and testing at your end of the market, and as you say difficult to get components that interest you in the same place together.
Just an idea, but if you want a project try putting together a whole new system costing 10-15k and compare with your current one, including the integration of a sub or 2. You can certainly get a best in class DAC for around 1k

i did have a 10k system around 2013 but if i compare it to today, its night and day. of course a 10k set up today is possibly better than one 10 years ago , not withstanding the crazy price hikes due to supply chain problems..