Life with the Legend L800

2

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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,395
    edited March 2022
    My L800 are in a 19x15 room with the speakers on the long wall. They are 42” off the side walls, and 7 feet or so apart. 10 inches from the wall and not toed in. I sit eleven feet back, with 4 foot behind me. I get strong imaging, SDA and precision placement of instruments within the soundstage....
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • tjcinnamon
    tjcinnamon Posts: 100
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    My L800 are in a 19x15 room with the speakers on the long wall. They are 42” off the side walls, and 7 feet or so apart. 10 inches from the wall and not toed in. I sit eleven feet back, with 4 foot behind me. I get strong imaging, SDA and precision placement of instruments within the soundstage....
    My situation isn’t nearly as nice.

    8 feet off side walls
    7 to 8 feet apart
    9 seated distance
    With about 1.5 feet behind me
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,395
    How big is the room?
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • tjcinnamon
    tjcinnamon Posts: 100
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    How big is the room?
    12’ deep
    7’ high
    24’ wide
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,395
    Move them to one of the short walls
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • tjcinnamon
    tjcinnamon Posts: 100
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    Move them to one of the short walls

    Forgive my ignorance, does shortwall mean it’s close to a side wall?
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,395
    It means to get the proper spacing, try rearranging the room to get the speakers placed on o e of the 12 foot walls...
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • tjcinnamon
    tjcinnamon Posts: 100
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    It means to get the proper spacing, try rearranging the room to get the speakers placed on o e of the 12 foot walls...
    Dang! I wish. I have an inwall atmos set up with TV. It’s a 7.6.4 system with a 77” TV in between. For my next house though…

    I’ll see if I can add some movable partitions to make some fake walls. I think I could do testing with cardboard or maybe a thumbtack board to experiment creating a wall
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  • mpitogo
    mpitogo Posts: 504
    edited March 2022
    I’ve had my L800 in 3 orientations 2 in one house and 1 in my new. I found that closer together in an equilateral triangle 7’ apart 7’ from each speaker face to your ear gave me the best SDA effect. This was with my second orientation. I find that farther away or speakers further apart weakens the IAC cancellation signal.

    1st try back in Nov 2019
    4ot9wbd2lzrk.jpeg

    Best one moved from long wall to short wall in 25x15 room
    6scgmlbeldn0.jpeg

    New house setup, still figuring it out moving 1in at a time but I think I got it. Current setup is 4” closer together now tthan when this picture was taken.
    bc3ypr656akz.jpeg
    • Living Room Music-2.1 Polk Legend L800 | SVS SB1000Pro | McIntosh C70 | McIntosh MA5200 (Treble) | McIntosh MC452 (Bass) | Sublimeacoustic K231 Active xover | Denon DP-2500A | Denafrips Ares II | Marantz HD-CD1 | Belkin Soundform Connect | iPad Pro USB to DAC
    • Home Theater-9.7.6/15.1 (Atmos/Auro-3D) Polk LSiM707, LSiM706c, LSiM702 F/X [x6], Height LSiM703 [x6], HSU ULS-15Mk2x4, VTF-15HMk2x2, VTF-TN1 | Trinnov Altitude 16+4 (2024) | Rotel RB-1590 (L/R) | Appollon NC500 11ch | Martin Logan MP500x2 | Topping DX7s, E50 | AppleTV 4K | Zidoo Z9X | JVC RS2100 | 150” Elite Screen Acoustic Pro UHD
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,395
    I am experiencing Elvis with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra right now. Simply spectacular... The scale and majesty of this recording brings Elvis to life and the speakers melt into the ether. I am finding that the L800, in my space, paint a soundscape that transforms my room into a virtual experience that has to be heard to be believed.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    Was that from vinyl or digital?
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,395
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Was that from vinyl or digital?

    Streaming from Qobuz.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    How do like Qobuz? This is the one I am considering getting a subscription to. Excellent sound quality, good selection, ease of use, reliable, etc, etc. ? Do you find yourself streaming quite a bit?

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • TennMan
    TennMan Posts: 1,266
    tjcinnamon wrote: »
    Now I’m pivoting to try and get the SDA effect stronger
    Even though it sounds counterintuitive, sometimes moving the speakers slightly closer together gives better (wider) SDA. Also, moving your listening position up into the triangle a little might help SDA.
    • SDA 2BTL · Sonicaps · Mills resistors · RDO-198s · New gaskets · H-nuts · Erse inductors · BH5 · Dynamat
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,395
    heiney9 wrote: »
    How do like Qobuz? This is the one I am considering getting a subscription to. Excellent sound quality, good selection, ease of use, reliable, etc, etc. ? Do you find yourself streaming quite a bit?

    H9

    I like it a lot so far. They have an impressive library. I have been using it almost exclusively since I discovered it a few months ago. It is easy, and I have never had an issue, though on a live recording, it is distracting to hear the track break. I have yet to figure out how to stop that, but otherwise, I have been impressed.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,477
    The good thing about the L800 is they work well when pulled out forward into a room like regular speakers operate. Makes it easier to pinpoint the sweet spot in the listening room.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,611
    Yeah when we were at Troy's they sounded much better 3 to 5 ft out into the room
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,477
    I've also found they can tolerate being closer together than regular stereo speakers. I didn't trust that setup recommendation at first but found it to be true.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    John what are you using for a streamer?
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,395
    Clipdat wrote: »
    John what are you using for a streamer?

    A desktop PC over HDMI.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    Well if it sounds this good now, wait until you get a Innuos, Lumin, Auralic, Aurender, etc. !
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,395
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Well if it sounds this good now, wait until you get a Innuos, Lumin, Auralic, Aurender, etc. !

    My Arcam is also a streamer, but I have yet to mess with those functions.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    Well you know, wouldn't want to rush into things.
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    heiney9 wrote: »
    How do like Qobuz? This is the one I am considering getting a subscription to. Excellent sound quality, good selection, ease of use, reliable, etc, etc. ? Do you find yourself streaming quite a bit?

    H9

    I have both Qobuz and Tidal. Even having 2 pay streaming services, I have been saving money not buying CD's. Without MQA, I pick Qobuz any day of the week. A lot is available in high res without having to have a decoder and, in my opinion, even 16 bit cd quality stuff sounds a bit cleaner, more natural highs over Tidal. Tidal has more bass though. The only hard part when comparing the 2 in non MQA is you really have no idea what master version they are using since sometimes there are several different versions of the same album.

    I am running an Innuos Zen MK III for my streamer.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,395
    I continue my love for the L800... I am listening to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" on Qobuz and the bass these speakers can dig to is amazing, tuneful and articulate. The layers of individual instruments, vocals and synthesizers combine into a sonic landscape that is absolutely a delight to hear. It is like I never heard this recording before.

    I find that happening frequently as I listen, that I am hearing things as if I have been missing details forever that are now suddenly and viscerally there. What a joy it is to rediscover my music and hear things I never knew were there.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,363
    I like the sound of qobuz better than tidal, but they are missing some music that tidal has.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,004
    Both Tidal and Qobuz are missing certain tracks/albums/versions/live recordings.

    Glad to hear you are enjoying both the speakers and the Auralic, John.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,395
    The Auralic (it’s prior owner anyway) has been a pain in my AZZ for two months now, going on three… I just picked up a Simaudio Moon 380d DSD. It sounds better and the display won’t ghost out like the Auralic did.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,004
    Oh, that's right. I forgot about your issues with the Auralic. Congrat's on the Simaudio!

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    I have tomorrow off work and I'm spending the day with the L600's. Also Monday off and I'll be spending the day with the L600's. Looking forward to getting some really good listening in.

    I'll be rocking a lot of Jeff Beck too......damn that was a gut punch.

    Glad you're enjoying the L800's.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter