Weakest Link in my system... Power Supply, DAC, or...

If you have not already, I would suggest buying a usb mic, taking measurements of the room, and then building room correction convolution filters to feed into roon.  Very cheap and highly effective.

Not a replacement for room treatment, but big impact for little money.  And fun to add room treatments and compare measurements.  

I am humbled, grateful, and delighted by all of these insightful responses. Thank you!!!!

i do see room treatments as the main next step for me. I do have the ability to move the speakers easily (The PAP’s are on good feet and easily movable) and my listening chair also moves easily. When doing a proper listen I move my speakers out from the wall about 3-4’, with about 6.5’ between them, and my ears are about 6.5’ from them, forming a equilateral triangle. 

I am an architectural designer with a fair amount of design, cad, CNC, and fabrication chops, so am eager and have a lot to learn in terms of accoustical treatments to the room. It’s not that I can’t add acoustical treatements, it’s that i want them to look good and I want them to be integrated into the custom book shelves that I will soon design. 

I will be soon designing bookshelves for the two corners of my room where my speakers are closest to. Their dims can be 2’ deep, 4’ wide, and 8’ tall. (I would incorporate the equipment and a bit of vinyl into their design)

If I simply have shelves with those exterior dimensions, lined with books and vinyl, is that a close approximation of the ideal room treatment in this location behind the speakers in the corners of the room? Or is there more to do? (I will look at the resources you all mentioned soon).

If I have fabric panels in the ceiling (what percentage and location of the ceiling) is that a good approximation of “room treatment”? (I would consider incorporating the lighting into the panels)

Currently I have a thick blanket on the floor before the speakers, two largish cloth sofas, and a cloth chair, with little on the walls and ceiling. I think this warrants improvement as you all seem to suggest! 

Currently the system sounds absolutely amazing. Soon I’ll be adding a nagra streamer (as my Mac mini is currently the weak link) with a Accoustical Zen Silver MC2 coax cable. I do enjoy the music, every single minute of every single hour it plays, which is several hours a day. It’s stunning. 

I just always want to eke out a few drops more, potential is potential…. ! 

THANK YOU ALL! 

R. 

Not sure if Dropbox links can be attached as images here, but here are links to photos of the front and back of my listening room. 

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qr0z96ll6crnz7806pywa/IMG_6048.HEIC?rlkey=f8qfq1z6oadds8ex1x6iqe02u&st=raz6shsb&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ex5cd8awt26sgijmgqb7u/IMG_6050.HEIC?rlkey=4gqyl009b4i00gxj62jtio25r&st=7bj5f43o&dl=0

I am also curious how open baffle speakers such as these may have different requirements, or simply more of the same requirements, as a regular box speaker. 

It does play the room, and the stage seems as large as a big rig….

r.

If I simply have shelves with those exterior dimensions, lined with books and vinyl, is that a close approximation of the ideal room treatment in this location behind the speakers in the corners of the room? Or is there more to do?

For corners behind the speakers it’s common to use bass traps, and bookshelves won’t do anything to help with that if you’re trying to improve in-room bass.  Not sure it’s as big of an issue with dipole speakers (but it’s probably still an issue), but if you’re hearing overdone or wooly, soft, or slow bass then traps might be worth looking into.  Also treating first reflection points on the side walls and ceiling can be very effective, and using some absorption or diffusion devices (or a combo thereof) on the front wall and/or between the speakers can also yield tangible improvements.  A lot of people here have used GIK Acoustics so might be worth contacting them to get their thoughts, and their products seem to be good and not unreasonable price wise.  Let us know how the AZ MC2 works out if you could. 

https://www.gikacoustics.com/