Make sure you try them on the desktop first before you invest in a second pair of speakers for the A/V set-up. I found i MUCH prefer my pair in a larger room playing my A/V & sound duties as opposed to desktop use. YMMV but that has been my personal experience thus far with the RP600’s
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In my brief tests the rp600m have noticeably rumblier bass in the living room than in my room, and the tonal balance is also more forgiving of listening position.
In my room I tilt them towards me for desktop use and 30° for full range, I like how their presentation changes but its very good for every use case I tried, watching the new JOJO season rn they sound lovely
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Missing my BX2+ but here is the rest of my portable gear (assume HPA-21 doesnt count at least)
Going top to bottom left to right we have Cayin C9, Phatlab Phantasy (upgraded to Phantasy II internals), LuxuryPrecision P6 Pro (OG), Mass-Kobo 428, Bakoon HPA-01M, and Woo Audio WA8
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The WA8 is quite a bit bigger than I thought!
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yah. WA8 is a beast. For sure a “transportable” and not a portable. But it is 100% small enough to easily travel with IMO. I cant say the same for the HPA-21 or Broadway unfortunately
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It’s been a busy week, I’m in the beginning stages of a moderate level home renovation, dealing w/ contractors and various dealers of house related products. In the middle of all this i have made efforts to modify my living room into a 2 channel only music room. It’s a slow process w/ learning curves involved. Removing my massive 3 piece L shaped, curved couch from the room and the very large coffee table has taught me that the sound characteristics of the room are now “different”. There was allot of square footage in material in those 2 pieces. Sound diffused and absorbed differently in the room. Now I’m working on figuring out how to best deal w/ the different sound characteristics. Using the long wall for speaker placement reproduces sound differently from using the short wall. Some differences are good, others i have mixed feelings on.
The new listening chair is easy to reposition for listening along the short or long wall and allows for a dual purpose set-up which is nice. I’m working on figuring out what my problem areas are, and how diffusion and absorption material can be used to cater the sound to my tastes. There is a whole other level of learning, knowledge and cost associated w/ all this work but it’s fun and keeps me occupied. The fact that so many small details add up to the whole of the end product is amazing but so much more complicated than just plopping down a good pair of speakers and powering things up.
AFTER:
BEFORE:
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Love the look and feel of this (after) room. That even looks like it sounds better. Congrats on everything so far. Enjoying the updates.
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Thank you @don, I’ve scheduled an appointment to have architectural window film applied to all the windows in this room and the windows across from it too, the vinyl coating should help with reflections and also provide protection from the sun to the equipment and lessen the glare in the room. I’m researching different professional grade acoustic panels that look like pictures too and I continue to play with seating and speaker positions. Having the freedom to move the speakers and seat has really added the most benefit out of everything thus far and is the easiest “tweak” to experience. Much appreciate the encouraging words!
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Is that the inflatable RC R2-D2? Looks cool. 
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Yes, yes it is. It was one of many custom balloons the GF put up for my 50th, he has survived and will remain in a position of prominent display as long as he holds up 
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That’s awesome.
The room is looking really good. 
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I like the rug…it really ties everything together. 
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End-of-2021 Snapshot (so next year I can see how miserably I fail at my resolution to “buy less and just enjoy what I have”). And it’s kind of fun to do a full rundown of my current setup to think about gaps and next moves. I try to keep everything at a fairly even level - not getting one part of the signal chain too far ahead of the others.
Desktop:
I work from home full time, have done so for almost 2 years now. So this is where I spend most of my day. I don’t critically listen here, but it plays music all day except when I’m on a conference call. PC audio is fed through the Jot2 DAC card for when I want to hear PC audio in the main monitors. Music is streamed via Roon (server in different room) to PI2AES endpoint as well as through HQPlayer (on same server as Roon) to NAA Raspberry Pi 4 end point.
- Amplifier - Schiit Jotunheim 2 w/ ESS DAC card - all-in-wonder desktop device, center piece of the desktop setup, handling pre-amp duty, headphone amp duty, and PC audio duty.
- DAC - Geshelli J2 - place holder DAC until I decide on my next DAC purchase; does it’s job nicely, fed by coax input from PI2AES and USB from RP4.
- Streamer(s) - PI2AES (Ropieee); RP4 (HQPlayer NAA)
- Speakers - iLoud MTM - the room correction really helps with my non-ideal speaker positioning.
- Headphones - Audeze LCD-X (2021) are my current daily drivers, swapped out periodically with various cans from the headphone shelf.
- Adapters are sitting on hardwood soap dishes (HowellsProducts | Etsy)
Listening Chair:
Does double duty for music listening and movie watching. Music is streamed via RPi4 (Ropieee) and Intona isolator to BF2. Movie audio is transported via long-ass optical cable to iPurifier 3 to re-clock it (full disclosure, it is HDMI ARC → optical splitter → long-ass cable), and then input via coax to BF2. DAC Balanced output goes to G111; SE output goes to BHC. Allo Shanti linear power supply used for RPi4 and iPurifier 3. Many nights I fall asleep listening to music in this chair or watching a movie. It’s just amazing what a good chair does for good music!
- Shelves - Monoprice; this was a more significant upgrade than I expected, much better component placement and cable management.
- Solid-State Amp - Lake People G111 - the ultimate utility player, handling a mind boggling range of headphone sensitivities and impedances.
-
Tube Amp - Bottle Head Crack w/ Speed Ball - fun w/ a side of more fun! This is actually a Christmas present (from me, to me, for having been such a good boy this year). So I’ve done very little listening on it since it’s a Christmas present, it has to wait a few more days (it’s actually wrapped up under the tree now
) - DAC - Schiit Bifrost 2 - if any one purchase broke me, and made me realize the difference between entry level and moving “up the ladder” it is this DAC.
- Headphones - Focal Clear spend most of their time at the chair for detailed music listening. These are my most resolving headphones, and sound fantastic on the G111+BF2. Extra headphone hook (hiding behind the Focal) for any “guest headphones” hanging out with me at the chair.
- Streamer - Raspberry Pi 4 + Intona Galvanic Isolation. Really nice audio source to the BF2.
- SPDIF Optical Re-Clocker - iFi iPurifier 3 (hiding behind the BF2) - does a good job of re-clocking with low latency, keeps video / audio reasonably synchronized. Makes a noticeable difference in movies having good depth and imaging.
Headphone Shelf: Abraham Lincoln presiding over the collection
An evolving collection, but starting to stabilize. DT880, HD6XX, and ATH-R70x mostly do tube amp duty. Hemps and LCD2.1 are for fun - less analytical, more for the good times. Koss because it’s really fun to compare them to the rest. And the Cascades are for movie watching duty thanks to the bass extension / boost while maintaining vocal clarity and detail resolution.
- Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm - modified for balanced connection, Periapt 1/4" cable connected for use with BHC amp.
- Sennheiser HD6xx - the legend. Using Periapt 1/4" cable (they were on sale
) - Grado Hemp - wired 4.4 pentacon - really handy with the Hiby R6 DAP.
- Audeze LCD-2 (2.1 PF) - Lohb strap (ebay) for listening comfort and keeping the vintage headband
- Audio Technica ATH-R70x - braided cable because, my god, 10 foot is a long cable!
- Koss KSC75 mounted on Utility headband w/ orange Yaxi pads
- Campfire Audio Cascades - w/ Dekoni nuggets for listening comfort (mostly used for movie watching), planning to get the XL pads for a little more ear space.
- Miter Box - for IEMs / DAP - see next section
Portable / Transportable:
Portable is my Sony WF-1000XM4 (sitting on the desk, not in this picture). They sound “fine”, and they are mostly about features and convenience. They ride with me in my coin-pocket most of the day for listening to podcasts, videos, and making calls.
Hiby R6 is my all-in-wonder transportable setup, covers both local files and streaming via Qobuz / Tidal. Listening outside of my office is almost universally on the R6. The FiR Audio VxV and Campfire Andromeda are my first steps into nicer IEMs. They are distinct enough that I enjoy going back and forth. But my next IEM purchase will be something a little more analytical / resolving. The BTR5 hangs around mostly for the kids to use, but pairs nicely with the Koss KSC75 when I want to go “Star Lord” mode.
I keep a little Anker charger in the box, because this whole box goes in my backpack when I travel. Extra adapters go from the desk into the little spare space on the left.
- DAP - Hiby R6 2020 - started with R5, realized that I do like having a good DAP, and upgraded to the R6. If I ever return to office work this will be my boi that comes with me.
- FiR Audio VxV - my first “big boy” IEM. This IEM taught me the difference between detail and treble boost. These are detailed without being bright and sparkly. Very easy to listen to all day.
- Campfire Audio Andromeda (Pacific Blue edition w/ Super Litz cable) - partly because Campfire is from my hometown of Portland Oregon, and partly because these were my aspirational IEM for me since I started into this hobby 2 years ago, I bought a pair. They aren’t my favorite listening device, but they are fun and different. And definitely come out on a regular basis to contrast with the VxV.
Predictions for 2022:
- DAC upgrade to replace Geshelli J2, not sure if I’ll upgrade the DAC at the listening chair and move BF2 over to desk, or what I’ll do. Still up in the air… I want to lean the desktop setup towards warm / fun listening more than analytical. A Soekris dac2541 is high on my list of things to try for more analytical listening.
- Desktop amp upgrade to replace Jot2. Singxer sa-1 is an easy one for not much cost, but I’m leaning towards saving my $$$ and going to a GS-X mini to make a meaningful leap.
- Listening Chair amp upgrade into the Violectric line, to get ready for better headphoens.
- Consider 1 or 2 good headphone/IEM moves, not sure what, I really like what I have right now. No complaints.
Looking forward to another year of music! If there’s any silver lining to the COVID bullshit of the last two years, it is the quality and quantity of music I listen to has grown exponentially!
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My system in November 2021
SOtM SMS Ultra Neo
Lampizator Amber 3
Pass Labs X2.5
Cary Audio SA 200.2
Philharmonic Audio BMR
Rhytmik L12
Where are they now just 2 short months later?
SOtM SMS Ultra Neo (On loan to @NickMimi )
Lampizator Amber 3 (Sold to @EstrangedBaron )
Pass Labs X2.5 (Sold in 1 day US Audio Mart)
Cary Audio SA 200.2 (Sold in 1 day US Audio Mart)
Philharmonic Audio BMR (Sold to @NickMimi )
Rhytmik L12 (Serving as HT 2.1 setup)
Pretty wild that a system that I spent so much time to put together (trial and error involved) is all gone within the last two months.
Pictures of the new stuff will be coming up when it’s completed. Currently everything new is here except the speakers.
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New to me 2 channel setup.
- LampizatOr G5L4 Balance
- LTA MZ2 w/ LPS+
- Zu Omen DW II w/ Clarity Cap Upgrade
Some better pictures
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Suuuuuper siiiiiick!! Glad it’s working well for you! Definitely looks great and of course great placement too!
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Thanks! I need to take better pictures as the blue teal color looks amazing in person. My listening room doesn’t do it justice because I have no windows. lol.
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LOL yeah bro windows are key to beautiful radiating sun giving ur setup and room a beautiful look. Shame indeed. Altho the good thing of not having windows is being able to get complete darkness 
thats the reason I enjoy listening during night or very early morning. To have a completely pitch black room REEEALLY makes for an experience with speakers
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Definitely want to hear your impressions on the Lampi too! Glad is made it there in one piece.
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