I'm Audio Screwed!!!

BottomFeeder
BottomFeeder Posts: 1,684
edited February 2010 in The Clubhouse
Ach! My wife & I know little about home decorating & we've pretty much had the same furniture for many, many years. Well, we asked a couple of home decorating titans (friends) to work with our house, beginning w/our living room, where my system lives...(yeah)

Long story short, the living room looks terrific, but my speakers are pretty much blocked by a couch just a few feet away. The place looks great, but audio wise, I'm totally screwed. There's no place to sit and listen without the speakers being blocked.

I've tried to make it work somehow - had an audio ace friend take a look at the living room - and he pronounced me "done!" and told me that I might as well box up my system and buy Blose!

Arg! I'm bummed! I just had my system all tuned in and sounding sooo sweet! I'm probably going to keep my electronics, sell my speakers and, when a daughter moves out (in a few months) put my system & some smaller speakers in her room.

Ah well, I think it'll work out for the best. I'll get a real man cave where I can set up a nice system and listen at nice volume w/o bothering anyone. So while I'm bummed to be parting w/my Acoustics, I think I might live...eventually.

Whining over. At least for now...:(
"Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
Post edited by BottomFeeder on

Comments

  • joeparaski
    joeparaski Posts: 1,865
    edited May 2009
    A man cave is where its at....for now....you're screwed.

    JOe
    Amplifiers: 1-SAE Mark IV, 4-SAE 2400, 1-SAE 2500, 2-SAE 2600, 1-Buttkicker BKA 1000N w/2-tactile transducers. Sources: Sony BDP CX7000es, Sony CX300/CX400/CX450/CX455, SAE 8000 tuner, Akai 4000D R2R, Technics 1100A TT, Epson 8500UB with Carada 100". Speakers:Polk SDA SRS, 3.1TL, FXi5, FXi3, 2-SVS 20-29, Yamaha, SVS center sub. Power:2-Monster HTS3500, Furman M-8D & RR16 Plus. 2-SAE 4000 X-overs, SAE 5000a noise reduction, MSB Link DAC III, MSB Powerbase, Behringer 2496, Monarchy DIP 24/96.
  • SKsolutions
    SKsolutions Posts: 1,820
    edited May 2009
    HGTV is killing men one system at a time.
    -Ignorance is strength -
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,383
    edited May 2009
    I say fight back... hire a couple bar buddies to come over and "steal" all the furniture, leaving behind just one chair and your audio system in place:D
    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
  • Sherardp
    Sherardp Posts: 8,038
    edited May 2009
    What would it cost to add-on a dedicated room? I would seek other options, perhaps DIY if that's possible.
    Shoot the jumper.....................BALLIN.............!!!!!

    Home Theater Pics in the Showcase :cool:

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=73580
  • renowilliams
    renowilliams Posts: 920
    edited May 2009
    I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. When my daughter heads off to college next year, I will be making my man cave. She informed us last week that she wants to spend another year in high school to take some extra credits. I told her mother that this is totally unacceptable. You wanna bet who'll lose on this one. Thats right, good ole dad....lol
    "They're always talking about my drinking, but never mention my thirst" Oscar Wilde


    Pre-Amp: Anthem AVM 20
    Amp: Carver TFM-35
    Amp: Rotel RB-870BX
    Fronts : SDA 1B w/ RDO-194s
    T.V.:Plasma TC-P54G25
    Bluray: Oppo BDP-93
    Speaker Cables: MIT Terminater
    Interconnect Cables:DH Labs Silver Sonic BL-1isonic
  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited May 2009
    Brent, that's a tough position to be in. as i know how much you love your system. I'm sure your room looks great though. It's a compromise... and I hope that some other room works in your favor.

    Maybe in the mean time you can use a decent pair of headphones. Headphones today sound so much better than they did way back when I was a youngin'. ;)
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
  • wingnut4772
    wingnut4772 Posts: 7,519
    edited May 2009
    I love interior design (or decorating :rolleyes:) and I ALWAYS work around my system. Reclaim your space or make one just for you.
    Sharp Elite 70
    Anthem D2V 3D
    Parasound 5250
    Parasound HCA 1000 A
    Parasound HCA 1000
    Oppo BDP 95
    Von Schweikert VR4 Jr R/L Fronts
    Von Schweikert LCR 4 Center
    Totem Mask Surrounds X4
    Hsu ULS-15 Quad Drive Subwoofers
    Sony PS3
    Squeezebox Touch

    Polk Atrium 7s on the patio just to keep my foot in the door.
  • scottnbnj
    scottnbnj Posts: 709
    edited May 2009
    stop what you're doing right now and go buy dedicated sets of furniture sliders for the sofa and listening chair. peace will be restored within seconds.

    )
  • BottomFeeder
    BottomFeeder Posts: 1,684
    edited May 2009
    Hey, thanks everyone for commiserating with me. Unlike most, you folks understand how much enjoyment being able to really listen to music can bring. I love some of your suggestions...:)

    It's pretty obvious now that moving in when a daughter moves out is my best option. I'm in no hurry - in fact I love keeping my daughters around as long as possible - but it's inevitable that they'll move out and one is giving it serious consideration right now.

    Putting a system in what will become something of a multi-purpose room (spare bedroom, office &, most importantly, listening room) is really the best situation for us. Whenever I listened to music in our living room, I was always afraid that I was playing it too loud, preventing my family from enjoying whatever they were doing because I was enjoying what I was doing. That just aint right. Putting a system in a room means our living room looks its best, no one gets blasted out and I can hole up on occasion and really enjoy listening.

    I'd appreciate anyone's recommendation of "small room" speakers. In my first post, I erroneously called my speakers "Acoustics" & they're actually "Aerial Acoustics Model Six." They're simply terrific but I can't see putting them into a small bedroom sized room. Right now I'm thinking about some Totem Arros as I've heard nothing but stellar things about them, but I'm open to whatever...
    "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
  • ranjosh
    ranjosh Posts: 1
    edited July 2009
    scottnbnj wrote: »
    stop what you're doing right now and go buy dedicated sets of furniture sliders for the sofa and listening chair. peace will be restored within seconds.

    )


    yeah better to have a new furniture sliders, more unique..


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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited July 2009
    I feel sorry for all you guys that have to take the WAF into consideration before you do anything. Seems like the the guys that bring it up always talk about compromising...but the wives are never the ones giving up anything. :rolleyes: My wife can do whatever she want in most of the rooms of our house...I don't care. The den where my rigs are is the way I want it. I don't have to ask for her approval or opinion. (and don't) She is welcome to use and enjoy it...but not change it or complain about it.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

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  • nguyendot
    nguyendot Posts: 3,594
    edited July 2009
    That's one of the rules I laid down in my house. Decorate around my speakers, but do not interfere.
    Main Surround -
    Epson 8350 Projector/ Elite Screens 120" / Pioneer Elite SC-35 / Sunfire Signature / Focal Chorus 716s / Focal Chorus CC / Polk MC80 / Polk PSW150 sub

    Bedroom - Sharp Aquos 70" 650 / Pioneer SC-1222k / Polk RT-55 / Polk CS-250

    Den - Rotel RSP-1068 / Threshold CAS-2 / Boston VR-M60 / BDP-05FD
  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited July 2009
    Leave your wife. My girl would never do that to me. Yours doesn't love you for you. ;) Unless she's committed to you building a dedicated listening room in your backyard accessible only by a tunnel with an entrance disguised as a refrigerator in your existing home kitchen, I wouldn't stay.
  • renowilliams
    renowilliams Posts: 920
    edited July 2009
    There is definatley has to be some comprimise in a marriage. My wife never complains about what I spend on audio gear. I would like to get more gear and expand my set up but in the current room its in, that isn't possible. So we both agree to wait till our daughter moves out.She understands that I'm interested in audio, but doesn't understand why we need more gear than what we currently have. She is starting to see what the search for better sound gives us in terms of home entertainment. One of her girlfriends loves to come here and watch movies with her....lol
    "They're always talking about my drinking, but never mention my thirst" Oscar Wilde


    Pre-Amp: Anthem AVM 20
    Amp: Carver TFM-35
    Amp: Rotel RB-870BX
    Fronts : SDA 1B w/ RDO-194s
    T.V.:Plasma TC-P54G25
    Bluray: Oppo BDP-93
    Speaker Cables: MIT Terminater
    Interconnect Cables:DH Labs Silver Sonic BL-1isonic
  • W WALDECKER
    W WALDECKER Posts: 900
    edited July 2009
    Hey Bottom Feeder,I moved into my new house 13 months ago and my little sister and my adult daughter whom i both love dearly had all kinds of plans as to how to arrange the furniture in my 15' x 30' livingroom. I on the other hand had other ideas and set the parameters of this space based on my two channel rig with the furnishings arranged around it. I suggest that you set up your rig in this space for optimum performance first and then arrange the furnishings to work around it.good luck....WCW III
    Rogue Audio stereo 100 tube amplifier - Lector Zoe preamplifier with 6H30 pi's
    .Audience AU24SE speaker and ic cables- Chord Qutest DAC - Black Cat Silverstar II 75ohm digital cable-Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature system with large bass cabinets to accommodate 10" Seas magnesium woofers.2xhmpsuownoj.jpg
  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited July 2009
    Man Cave. Subterranean. Floating-Floor. Kegerator.
  • dcmeigs
    dcmeigs Posts: 708
    edited July 2009
    I rarely cry, but I shed a tear on this one. That's pure tragedy.

    Headphones are your route to salvation. Get a pair of these headphones. They are 300 ohm impedance so you will also need to buid yourself one of these in the headphone amp configuration. You will be back in business and your lovely wife and sofa will be happy too.
    The world is full of answers, some are right and some are wrong. - Neil Young
  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,189
    edited July 2009
    Bro ,
    all is not lost. There are plenty of things we can do to get you a audiophile experience without having speakers sit on the floor. Onwall speakers by Paradigm and Definitive Technology will get you where you wanna be. With a nice Inwall or small sub in room , together we will make magic.

    Post or send me some pic's of your room and I will help you get the right gear. We can even relocate all the gear in another room or closet , get a RF remote and call it a day bro. In ceiling also work extremely well.

    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited July 2009
    That's a generous offer from Dan (Mantis). I'd take him up on it.

    As for me...since I do all the electronics stuff in the house, I pretty much call the shots in the both the HT area and in my office. Well, and the bedroom, if truth be told. My wife thinks I'm batty and that audio and HT are a waste of my time? And I don't agree with her. My demeanor is pretty much in line with a kind Ghostbusters theme song rewrite...If you can't get set it up, and you can't get it right....who you gonna call....your HUSBAND!

    So that pretty much brings the debate to a close. Not that I don't hear it when it comes to 'some' purchases I may have to forgo to keep the family harmony. But I can't complain.

    You'll be OK BFeeder! Dan ought to know how to solve this one, it's what he does!

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
  • mmadden28
    mmadden28 Posts: 4,283
    edited July 2009
    My wife had finally heard the light, so she now trusts my judgement when it comes to setting up audio wherever it may be. I keep her decorating interests in mind though, its the least I can do. But that doesn't stop her from asking me how much it cost.
    I'll sacrifice the sound for a month or two when the Christmas tree comes out, but after that...
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,952
    edited July 2009
    I hear ya,I too kind of got screwed along the same lines.
    Never got an ear on that particular model,but the ears do remember the 10t and even better,20t's.Outstanding.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • BottomFeeder
    BottomFeeder Posts: 1,684
    edited February 2010
    Wow, haven't been here in a long time & so haven't read a lot of these (mostly ;)) helpful opinions and observations. Really, I truly appreciate your concern and your (Dan) offer to help! True audio bro's!

    However, I'm back in bidness! I've been putting together a system in our bedroom and, while it's still pretty compromised by furniture, still sounds pretty dang good.

    I am not one of those - yet - who is fortunate enough to have an extra room where I can set my stuff up like I wish. However, a daughter will be moving out soon and then! Oh baby! Mine! Mine! MINE!!!

    Thanks again, everyone.
    "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Bob Seger
  • NotaSuv
    NotaSuv Posts: 3,849
    edited February 2010
    shack wrote: »
    I feel sorry for all you guys that have to take the WAF into consideration before you do anything. Seems like the the guys that bring it up always talk about compromising...but the wives are never the ones giving up anything. :rolleyes: My wife can do whatever she want in most of the rooms of our house...I don't care. The den where my rigs are is the way I want it. I don't have to ask for her approval or opinion. (and don't) She is welcome to use and enjoy it...but not change it or complain about it.

    2X in this house too. Lani has her rooms and can do whatever she wants but the living room is mine, hell the speakers in rotation now are taller than she is.
  • NotaSuv
    NotaSuv Posts: 3,849
    edited February 2010
    mantis wrote: »
    Bro ,
    all is not lost. There are plenty of things we can do to get you a audiophile experience without having speakers sit on the floor. Onwall speakers by Paradigm and Definitive Technology will get you where you wanna be. With a nice Inwall or small sub in room , together we will make magic.

    Post or send me some pic's of your room and I will help you get the right gear. We can even relocate all the gear in another room or closet , get a RF remote and call it a day bro. In ceiling also work extremely well.

    Dan

    Audio marriage advisor "WAF audio expert".............a whole new niche for you Dan ;)
  • rayslifecycle
    rayslifecycle Posts: 511
    edited February 2010
    My wife is very satisfied with my big speakers as they rock her world
  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited February 2010
    My wonderful wife gave me a wall for the TV and my crap.....everything else is hers.;)
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan