Help What's Wrong with my System


I have moved from a room 15.5X25 to a 17X42+ room, the only thing that has changed was a different pair of Hales T 8's( had a pair before).
Things are so bad I can't listen, have tried long wall, short wall, and different placement to no avail, any suggestions would certainly help
System
Levinson 332 Amp
Sonic Fronties Line 3 SE
Theta Pro Gen Va, and transport
Ensemble cable, FIM power cords
Thanks
128x128abruce
I've recently used the Sumiko Master Set for my speaker placement with great results. It is worth a try and you can do it yourself if a Sumiko trained professional is not near you, as was my case.

Try here:

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/index.php?topic=64320.0

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/index.php?topic=65908.0

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/index.php?topic=64321.new#new

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/index.php?action=printpage;topic=60819.0
Well, you've had lots of good suggestions, but those speakers must be closer to the back wall to get a balanced response. If you move them back to within about 10" of the wall you should notice tons of added bass. The problem will be that the bass will overwhelm the midrange. To get it right, no matter what speakers you get, you should seek out a Sumiko dealer (they sell Sonus Faber and Vienna Acoustic) and pay him or her to set up your speakers using the Sumiko Master Set system. I'll work.

Dave

Here is a review on agon.
Should sound good.
Read number 4. under weaknesses.

Price Paid: $4150.00 from Audiogon.com

Summary:
Having been a happy owner of a pair of Hales Revelation Three's, when I saw a pair of Transcendence Eight's for sale on audiogon I had to check them out. I was lucky in that the owner lived within a few hours driving distance from me, so I was able to audition them before purchasing. I liked what I heard, and made them mine.

So, having owned them for several months now, one may ask how are they? Well, in a word, glorious. All of the strengths possessed by my old Revelation Three towers are there in spades with the Transcendence Eight's. The bass is even more controlled, yet it extends even deeper than the Rev. Three's 30 Hz. The midrange magic is still there only with added clarity, but the biggest improvement is in the treble region. Where the Rev. Three's could become a bit edgy at high volume levels, the Transcendence Eight's tweeters ride the high decibel crest like a professional surfer on a killer wave. These speakers know how to rock.

Also, their macro and micro dynamics are stunning--as is their imaging capabilities. It's hard to believe that these big towers can handle sound-staging like they do. But the most important strength exhibited by the Trans. Eight is its synergy from driver to driver. These speakers speak with one voice, and a most neutral voice it is. There is no high end etching nor is there the bloated low end one sometimes finds with bass-reflex designs. Yes. Paul Hales has made me a believer in acoustic suspension. It's really a tragedy that Hales Design Group went belly up.

Strengths:
1) System synergy or balance

These towers speak with one voice. There is no etched treble (ala B & W, Thiel). There is no bloated/one note punchy bass (ala Wilson Audio and many others).

2) Midrange magic

The Trans. Eight retains the Hales Revelation Three's neutrality and adds improved clarity via lower distortion drivers.

3) Build quality

As in , built like a (very beguiling) tank. Yes, they are heavy, but the pain results in much gain.

4) Bang-for-the-buck

At the prices I see for these on the used market, their purchase is a no-brainer. As far as I'm concerned, many of the newer designs still don't match the Trans. Eight's--particularly in the system-synergy department.

Weaknesses:
1) They are HEAVY.

2) The steel grills can be a major pain to put back on. Leave them off.

3) They need a lot of power to sound their best.

4) They also require a large room to avoid over-powering bass. (For smaller rooms I recommend the Transcendence Three or Five systems.)

Similar Products Used:
I've heard the Wilson Audio Sophia's, B & W Nautilus 802's, 804's and 805's. a set of large Thiel's (I can't remember the model), and the Revel Salon's. My prior speakers were Hales Revelation Three's.
I've tried sitting near field, it does help, the wiring is all new this is in a walkout basement, nothing sharing the circuit the system is on
Thanks Again
Could this be a case of wiring nasties? Check to see what kind of wire the house is wired with, and what appliances share the circuit you're using. You may have a great "excuse" to buy yourself some high quality dedicateds ;)
Nice gear. Nice auditorium. Hales T8's are one of my favourites but I've never heard them in a room that size. Consider line arrays.
If possible you could turn the room into two rooms by building a wall. The good thing about this is you can make it any length you want. If you want to go crazy you could even change the width and make it so it has ideal dimensions. Check out this site for more info on this. http://www.decware.com/paper36.htm

Have you tried sitting near-field. I find sitting near field in a large room can have good results. You get very clean bass that way. You may need to treat the wall behind you though....
Abruce,

A big room can be disconcerting - for starters you lack the congestion you get in a small room so everything is much cleaner and you can crank it louder and it will not sound nearly as loud (room reverb decays much faster) - this will pose problems for most speakers that are not horns or pro designs (you'll get compression and distortion at loud levels even though it isn't that loud when you are twenty feet back from the speakers. The other issue is that bass problems become very evident - you tend to notice the fewer remaining room modes.

FWIW if you blow up your speakers because you overdrive them then it may not be easy to find replacement parts. So be careful. If bass is a problem I'd suggest a sub or two. If midrange is compressing (sounds harsh or stressed) then replace the speakers before you blow them
LOL I don't have a wife, this is a new house, I've got the speakers about 5 foot from the front wall, 3 from the side, I think things sound better on the short wall(not were I planned on putting them when I finished the room), I think things sound very thin, nothing I can listen to for more than a few minutes, I really liked the Hales in my old house.
Thanks for all the help so far

You are just looking for a good reason to get better speakers.... Don't get us in trouble with your wife. Be a man and make your own decision.
Yes, you need to describe how the sound changed and where the speakers are placed relative to the rear wall and where on the long wall.

Hint, they should be pretty close to the back wall. The short wall might be better placement, since it's relative wide, but will be easier to pressurize than a 42' wall.

Dave
Abruce, I used to own Hales speakers. They are very good but in your new room with the 42' Dimension, which IMHO is huge, they might be a little overwhelmed. How far do you have the speakers into the room?
You need to tell us what is "wrong" with the sound in order for anyone to make an informed comment.
It's most likely not your system but the additional size to the room. I would bring the speakers out more in the room. Also because of the extra space you might be having problems with slap echo or other room anomalies. I would try some acoustical damping along the upper corners and possibly on the front and back walls. I am sure you will get things right.
PS the new room is in the same house or another? I ask, because the material used and with the structure has it changed or is it the same?
My opinion:

Your speakers cannot pressurize the new room, which is bigger, than the previous one. The answer? You probably need a bigger speakers with better bass response.