My Media Room...

[Barry (NJ)]

A bunch of the NYAR guys have visited my place a while ago, so may remember the way it was... Well, we've been in this house some 17 years now, and when we first moved in I just set up my stereo equipment in the finished part of the basement. I was never a fan of the decor, but I felt the room worked okay. Well this summer it was time to redo my room. My room/system is a 2-Channel and Surround Sound set-up, but the 2-Channel is pure, the Front L+R of the surround system runs through the 2-Channel pre-amp, and the 2-Channel sources don't interact with the surround pre-pro.

Audio Sources are Sony CDP-xa20es, and a Linn LP12 that feeds an Audio Alchemy VITB.
Those feed an Audio Alchemy DLC with the PS Three power supply upgrade.
The DLC feeds an Audio Alchemy Overture OM-150 with the PS 150-M Upgrade.
And that feeds Anthony Gallo Reference 3.5 speakers.

Video sources are Oppo BDP-83 and a Roku Streaming Stick +.
Those feed an Emotiva UMC-200.
The front out of the UMC-200 feed the DLC, the side and rear surround outs each feed an Audio Alchemy Overture OM-150.
For the side and rear surrounds, I have some Sapphire SAT-1000 speakers.
The Sub-woofer out of the UMC-200 feeds a Dayton Audio SA-1000, which I have feeding the second VC in the Gallo Reference woofers.

Video is projected onto a 110" gray canvas screen by a BenQ HT2050A.

Power for everything but the PJ and main Audio Alchemy amplifier goes through a Belkin PureAV PF60, everything is connected to a dedicated 20amp circuit.

I'd like to add Atmos capabilities as well. Most likely, for Atmos decoding, I'd end up with a receiver, as I feel stand-alone Atmos processors are more expensive than I'm comfortable spending on something like that. So I wouldn't need the additional Audio Alchemy amps I'm currently using for the surrounds, just have to make sure that the receiver has line-level main L+R outputs to feed the DLC. This keeps the pure 2-channel system as is, and takes main L+R amplifier duties away from the receiver, leaving more power available for all the ambiance channels.

That would also allow me to set up a second system with an AA OM150 a DLC and some Anthony Gallo Reference Strada speakers I have stashed away.

And since I know how important pix are to some of you...

As some of you may remember it...


Rave1 by Barry, on Flickr


Rave2 by Barry, on Flickr


Here are some pix of the work as it was in progress...


2019-03-05_01-02-13 by Barry, on Flickr


IMG_20190313_085641 by Barry, on Flickr


IMG_20190401_205627 by Barry, on Flickr


I'd already skimmed and painted this wall, but decided some fresh sheetrock was needed...


Backwall by Barry, on Flickr


Ceiling_open by Barry, on Flickr


IMG_20190505_131056 by Barry, on Flickr


IMG_20190513_152604 by Barry, on Flickr


Got some help on Father's Day...


MVIMG_20190616_212121 by Barry, on Flickr


IMG_20190616_224511 by Barry, on Flickr


IMG_20190604_205851 by Barry, on Flickr


And pretty much done...


2019-07-29_12-07-18 by Barry, on Flickr


2019-07-29_12-07-32 by Barry, on Flickr


2019-07-23_09-28-26 by Barry, on Flickr


2019-07-14_07-57-53 by Barry, on Flickr


48565890277_731f0fef5e_o by Barry, on Flickr


Media_Room_201908 by Barry, on Flickr

[Guy 13]

Hi Barry,
nice media room, even if it looks small, to me anyway.
That's probably because there is lots of audio stuff in it.

Guy 13

[djdube525]

Hey Barry - Really nice job! Must feel quite satisfying now everything is in place!

I do have a Q for you.... on the ceiling outlet for the projector... Any chance you have a pointer to the module you're using to feed the video cable through the outlet box? I may be a complete moron, but I've not stumbled on that. I have a similar setup, and I used a 2 RJ45 outlet with the modules popped out, and I cut the piece of plastic between the two.

It "works" but what you're using looks much cleaner.

Thanks in advance!

Dave

[Barry (NJ)]

Hey Barry - Really nice job! Must feel quite satisfying now everything is in place!

I do have a Q for you.... on the ceiling outlet for the projector... Any chance you have a pointer to the module you're using to feed the video cable through the outlet box? I may be a complete moron, but I've not stumbled on that. I have a similar setup, and I used a 2 RJ45 outlet with the modules popped out, and I cut the piece of plastic between the two.

It "works" but what you're using looks much cleaner.

Thanks in advance!

Dave

Thanks Dave, I'm much happier spending time down here these days, it's reignited my interest in listening to music.

As far as the outlet filler goes, I got it at Home Depot, and I just looked, but didn't see it on their website.

Google led me to this one.

And I found these on ebay

Best, Barry

P.S. here's the search string...

Reverse Nose Decora Plate for Cable Management

[djdube525]

Perfect! Thanks Barry! Especially the search string... knowing what the heck  it's called is the 1st battle.

[Barry (NJ)]

I had originally jury-rigged something too, but I noticed this at HD while walking the isles, picked them up, and never searched the web. HD only had white so that's what I got, now that I've bothered searching the web, maybe one of these days I'll order a black one...

[Barry (NJ)]

Well, I got a pair of Merrill Audio Thor Monoblocks to try in my system, and I'm very impressed. Darker background than my Audio Alchemy amps, lots of detail, but very smooth and not fatiguing, great expansive sound stage. So far I've listened to Radiohead: Kid A, and Johnny Cash: American IV

Me like!

[Guy 13]

Well, I got a pair of Merrill Audio Thor Monoblocks to try in my system, and I'm very impressed. Darker background than my Audio Alchemy amps, lots of detail, but very smooth and not fatiguing, great expansive sound stage. So far I've listened to Radiohead: Kid A, and Johnny Cash: American IV

Me like!

Hi,
is it too early to say they are keepers ?

Guy 13

[Barry (NJ)]

Hi,
is it too early to say they are keepers ?

Guy 13

We'll see Guy, I'll listen for a few more days and then switch back. Sometimes the change sounds better initially just because it's a change. Need to see how the change the other way goes before any final decisions are made

[rollo]

  Big difference in price I would imagine. Merrill is class "D" ? Module or in house build ?

charles

[Barry (NJ)]

  Big difference in price I would imagine. Merrill is class "D" ? Module or in house build ?

charles

The new stuff is designed and built in house, this older unit is Hypex UcD based.

P.S. And yes, my Audio Alchemy amp was about $1,500 in 1994, so that's about $2,500 today, or just over 1/2 the cost of a pair of the Thor amps.

[Guy 13]

  Big difference in price I would imagine. Merrill is class "D" ? Module or in house build ?

charles

The new stuff is designed and built in house, this older unit is Hypex UcD based.

P.S. And yes, my Audio Alchemy amp was about $1,500 in 1994, so that's about $2,500 today, or just over 1/2 the cost of a pair of the Thor amps.

Any pictures Barry ?

Guy 13

[jbtrio]

The room looks very nice! Long time no see. Hope all is well.

Joe

[Barry (NJ)]

The room looks very nice! Long time no see. Hope all is well.

Joe

Thanks Joe! All's well here, and I hope the same is true for you and yours!
Would love to see and hear what you've got going on these days.

[Barry (NJ)]

New addition, haven't finished painting yet...


2020-04-13_01-39-56 by Barry, on Flickr



Basic system schematic...


Audio-System-Map-2 by Barry, on Flickr