Rate my audio chain!, (Where to improve first?) Options

[eamon123]

Foobar2000
SoX resampler
WASAPI bit-perfect output
FiiO E7
NAD Stereo Integrated Amplifier 310
Mission 731 2-way reflex 25-75 W 8 Ohm speaker pair

http://foobar2000.org
http://sox.sourceforge.net/SoX/Resampling
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/wi...5(v=vs.85).aspx
http://nwavguy.blogspot.ie/2011/05/fiio-e7-usb-dac-amp.html
http://www.audioreview.com/cat/amplificati...11_2717crx.aspx
http://www.audioreview.com/cat/speakers/fl...59_1594crx.aspx

My desk is solid oak so bass and mids resonate through it beautifully. Especially since the speakers sit directly on it and they are heavy (3.5 kg). The problem with this is that my monitor sits directly between the speakers and it's in the middle of the oak so there are sound waves coming from left and right and up through the stand resulting in boomy resonance.



Here is how I have overcome this.





The pillow does two jobs - it deadens vibrations in the monitor and, because the monitors and speakers are arranged like a box against the wall, it helps to dampen resonances / amplification there too:

[DVDdoug]

So the problem isn't so much "boomy one-note bass", it's monitor vibration? Maybe buzzing or rattling?

I'll just throw-out some random suggestions...

- They make foam speaker/monitor isolators. Now in general, I think these things are over-hyped and over-priced, and I'll bet in most situations there's no audible difference (in a blind test). But if you have a vibration problem, they might be helpful. You can try making your own (hopefully you can find some black foam), and you can try putting some foam rubber under the video monitor too.

- Maybe some stick-on rubber feet on the video monitor & speakers would help (if there are no rubber feet already).

- Maybe a just different video monitor that's not so prone to vibration.

- You can attach a shelf to the wall, and put the speakers on the shelf. Or, you can get some speaker stands, but this will take-up space in the room.

- You can get a TV/Monitor wall-mount bracket and get the monitor off the desk.

Foobar2000
SoX resampler
WASAPI bit-perfect output
FiiO E7
NAD Stereo Integrated Amplifier 310
Mission 731 2-way reflex 25-75 W 8 Ohm speaker pair

The speakers (and speaker placement) are almost always the weak point, as well as the biggest effect on the character/quality of the sound. Adding a good subwoofer might help. (You probably don't want a cheap "one-note boomy" sub... You want an accurate subwoofer. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with your speakers... It's all relative and I don't know anything about those speakers, but I'm just saying that some Wilson Audio speakers (which I've never heard) would probably be a BIG improvement!

Otherwise, there are probably no audible defects in your chain. You may hear some noise from your amplifier, since you are so close to the speakers. But, being so close to the speakers also makes it very unlikely that you are "running out of power" and driving your amp into distortion.

The SoX resampler & "bit-perfect" setting is probably having no audible effect either (in a proper blind listening test). Are trying to bypass the Windows resampler? Why are you resampling? I assume you realize that when you resample, the data-stream is no longer bit-perfect?

This post has been edited by DVDdoug: Oct 18 2012, 19:04

[DVDdoug]

The speakers (and speaker placement) are almost always the weak point, as well as the biggest effect on the character/quality of the sound...

P.S.
I forgot to mention room acoustics!!!!!