Better Center Sound Stage...

[Audioseduction]

I find that by covering the 42" DLP with a heavy wool blanket helps tremendously in giving depth and better focus to the center sound stage. It seems to bring the instruments and vocals out where they need to be. Anyone else experience the same thing?

 

[aliveatfive]

I find that by covering the 42" DLP with a heavy wool blanket helps tremendously in giving depth and better focus to the center sound stage. It seems to bring the instruments and vocals out where they need to be. Anyone else experience the same thing?

Makes ht a bit of an improbability, no?

 

[Reverb2009]

I find that by covering the 42" DLP with a heavy wool blanket helps tremendously in giving depth and better focus to the center sound stage. It seems to bring the instruments and vocals out where they need to be. Anyone else experience the same thing?

Sure have.

I tried a lot of experimenting with my TV and the placement of the Ascents. What I found was no matter what you try you will never get as good of a sound out of your Logan’s as you would if the TV was not there at all. Having the TV about a foot from the rear wall and the Logan’s about three feet the rear wall seamed to work the best for my setup. The more I pulled out my Ascent’s from the TV the more the soundstage opened up.

Earlier in the year I swapped out my 60” Grand Vega TV in favor of front projection. This is by far the best option for us MartinLogan owners. A good screen and projector will give you a fantastic image and will do very little to compromise the sound of your audio system. A flat panel LCD or Plasma would be the 2nd best option, but the glass/ Plexiglas front can be reflective and manipulate your soundstage.

 

[Audioseduction]

Makes ht a bit of an improbability, no?

This is not my HT. I have that in another room. The DLP is just for my Xbox 360. "Game console". So, when I play the Xbox I just remove the blanket and put it back when done playing.

In fact I just completed listing to Diana Krall's latest CD "From This Moment On " and I swear she was standing between my ML's performing live it sounded so good!

 

[twich54]

Sure have.

Earlier in the year I swapped out my 60” Grand Vega TV in favor of front projection. This is by far the best option for us MartinLogan owners. A good screen and projector will give you a fantastic image and will do very little to compromise the sound of your audio system..

I am in 100% agreement with Joe on this, it trully is what "HT" means IMO, afterall, when was the last time you went to the movies and watched a television ??? Once you have watched a movie projected it is very difficult to watch it on a TV.

George, BTW It looks like you have a "roots" style blower for your avatar, what vehicle is mated too ???

 

[Audioseduction]

I am in 100% agreement with Joe on this, it trully is what "HT" means IMO, afterall, when was the last time you went to the movies and watched a television ??? Once you have watched a movie projected it is very difficult to watch it on a TV.

George, BTW It looks like you have a "roots" style blower for your avatar, what vehicle is mated too ???

Dave, it's bolted to my 2002 F150 SVT Lightning
Actually it's a Whipple twin-screw supercharger. Truck puts down 600HP and 700TQ at the wheels. It's my other hobby.

 

[Cherian]

I owned a 96 SVT Cobra and a 99 SVT Contour. Both are wonderful cars. I did some SOLO II Autocross with both. 600 HP SVT must be amazing.

 

[amey01]

Absolutely!......I cover my 42" Plasma with a heavy wool blanket every time I critically listen.

For me, it seems to add a much greater sense of stability to the stage. Without it the centre position seems to change depending on frequency.

 

[edwinr]

What a beautiful truck!

 

[kach22i]

The old heavy wool blanket over the TV trick, I do it all the time.

If you like that so much, try putting a sound panel or acoustic foam above the TV. Perhaps lean or tilt a similar panel in front of your equipment in the center stage area.

Why would you want a truck faster than a sports car? Look out for that first turn.

 

[Statman]

Why would you want a truck faster than a sports car? Look out for that first turn.

Those Lightning trucks actually handle pretty well! They were invited along with a bunch of us in the SVT Cobra owners association to Willow Springs raceway here in So Cal and actually held their own considering it was a designed as truck. Of course that was 1998 and I've sold the Cobra Mustang and replaced it with something faster with better handling.

 

[Jeff Zaret]

Interesting and I am sure it works.
I tried to put some acoustic material on either side of my TV and it closed in the "presentation field" and it sounded more like box speakers. It was localized to more right and left and the center did drop out a good percentage. The center depth was gone. The "air" around instruments and vocals as well as some of the three-dimensionality that ML's are noted for was muted. Once I removed them it all came back, the dimensionality, the openness and the depth of the soundstage. I used some bath towels before I spent the money to test and I am glad I did.

Now in all fairness, I have a flat panel hung on the wall, about 2 feet or so behind the panels, a good 6 feet from each panel and it is angled downward a bit so the wall reflection is somewhat broken. I do understand that every room and situation is different and I am sure I would have done the same.

The main thing here is we all have compromises and that we do enjoy the sound of ML.

Jeff

 

[Statman]

Interesting and I am sure it works.
I tried to put some acoustic material on either side of my TV and it closed in the "presentation field" and it sounded more like box speakers. It was localized to more right and left and the center did drop out a good percentage. The center depth was gone. The "air" around instruments and vocals as well as some of the three-dimensionality that ML's are noted for was muted. Once I removed them it all came back, the dimensionality, the openness and the depth of the soundstage. I used some bath towels before I spent the money to test and I am glad I did.

Now in all fairness, I have a flat panel hung on the wall, about 2 feet or so behind the panels, a good 6 feet from each panel and it is angled downward a bit so the wall reflection is somewhat broken. I do understand that every room and situation is different and I am sure I would have done the same.

The main thing here is we all have compromises and that we do enjoy the sound of ML.

Jeff

Jeff,

Do you have any absorption directly behind your speakers? Like you say every room is different. Usually when one covers the reflective surface behind or in the middle it changes the focus of the soundstage to where you can pinpoint sounds better. Yours did the opposite. Wow the things you learn from Martin Logan owners and each of our rooms is amazing. I know you're glad you didn't commit and spend big bucks on room treatment to find out you never needed it?

 

[Jeff Zaret]

Statman,
I have not rear wall to speak of, it is open to the kitchen and to a hallway. There is a small wall behind me which is about three feet wide. I think this helps not having a full wall since there is really no reflection point. Before my recent big change, I had a piece of 2x4 Aurelx foam hanging on the three foot wall and it took some of the "ring" I was getting. I do not hear that now that I have re-designed the room with less furniture. I may put it back and see if there is a difference. It was a small investment of $20.00 so I am not out a lot of money if it appears I do not need it at all.

Also, I used to have trees behind my fronts but again after the removal of furniture it made the "image" too forward. With the trees removed I get a greater depth of sound. There is a ocasssional bit of reflection at certain frequecies but it is not too bad and I will find it and attempt to tame that without losing the depth.

Jeff

 

[Audioseduction]

Thanks for the comments.