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Home Theater Done Right: Millercarbon's System

Dual use, should probably be the title. Oh well. Finally posted my system. Someone’s always asking about how to do a dual use system. Well, here’s how its done.
Cinephile or audiophile, movies and music are the two things I have loved for as long as I can remember. I want my music to sound as good as possible, and I want my movies to look and sound as good as possible. Everything is a compromise and yet when it comes to these two the compromises are remarkably few. If any. At least that is what my system shows. Because it is a first-rate audiophile sound system, AND a top level home theater.
Whether music or movies an immersive experience is the goal. To lose yourself in the experience. To be carried away.
Studies show viewers consistently rate video quality higher when sound quality is high. Unfortunately the Home Theater industry has chosen to pursue quantity over quality. Which cannot ever work. No amount of surround speakers will ever make up for poor quality. Everyone knows this perfectly well. Being able to convince anyone otherwise is a testament to marketing.
But that’s not my main point here. Rather it is that everything matters. Seemingly minor little things like cryogenic treatment, HFT, ECT, Total Contact, fuses, cable elevators, etc when added together actually make so much difference it is almost impossible to build a truly good system without them.

Removing those tweaks from my system would lower it down to merely average.

Anyway, the system is posted. Enjoy the pics. I am not that good a photographer but Steve Clarke was busy. Tried to get the tubes go glow- how’d I do?

The system evolves. Here for reference are some pics from 16 years ago. https://www.theanalogdept.com/c_miller.htm
Comments welcome. Enjoy!


128x128millercarbon
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Belief in ones own handiwork is a very powerful antidote to getting the best sound possible. Two obvious examples I can think of are Helmholtz resonators are easily overdone. And wires running together even though they don’t touch are still affecting each other electrically.

“Because it’s what I choose to believe.” - Harpo Marx

“You may think you know what’s going on Mr. Geddes, but believe me you don’t.” - Noah Cross to the detective Jake Geddes in Chinatown.
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
12,736 posts
 
geoffkait

I know you are often right...This is the differences between me and some others about your sayings... :)

Remember that I dont pretend my audio system is absolutely optimal, but that it converge asymptotically to this peak yes I know it... Is there other fields than the mechanical one, the acoustical one, and the electrical one ? Yes there is...

Belief in ones own handiwork is a very powerful antidote to getting the best sound possible.

I quote one of your best observation to date for me...This quote I makes mine deserve to be a classical one...My goal is the best musical experience possible and comes a times when I forget about the best sound...I am in this time or near it indeed... I listen more than I study now I confess... :)
And to makes thing worst I am very proud of my homemade low cost solutions effectivity... :)


For the Helmholtz resonators, I know what you speak about, i had to do several tests...For the wires you are right, but actually it is impossible in my space to do better...


The end is near , the base camp is under my eyes, the summit over my head for sure...But compared to most at least I had taken the journey... :)

" Why are you mute? Because I have choosen to believe my ears" - Grumman Marx


My friendly salutations...
banyanbull
35 posts
 
The idea that  "Home Theater industry has chosen to pursue quantity over quality" is misguided.  With few exceptions less expensive equipment, designed to bring affordability to the market, should generally not be compared to components costing far more.  There are exceptions. Companies like Boston Acoustic offer a nice product that performs quite nicely against many over rated and far more expensive alternatives. The term "Home Theater" should never be a synonym for poor quality at any price point.  Sound is sound. In reality good execution of a multi-channel system can more difficult to achieve than a simple 2 channel system at any price point.  Multiple amplifiers, speaker placement, effect channel processing, advanced room correction, the list is long.  The Lucas Film THX project headed by Tomlinson Holman did much to advance realism as it pertains to all types of sound.  George Lucas has always maintained that sound represents 50% of the motion picture experience and music has always been a major contributing factor.       
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon OP
12,531 posts
 
By the way millercarbon has one of the most good looking audio system I have seen here and with good sound I bet...I am a bit envious :) ...Hopefully my sound is amazing also, if not, I would kill myself after looking at it... I like the way cables are cleanly guided to the gear particularly

Thanks. It is indeed quite good. Has been for quite some time now. But the last year or so- Herron, Koetsu, Swarm, Atmosphere, and the acronyms CTS, ECT, HFT, PHT, and finally PPS - its on another level now.

The cables weren't always like that. Speaker cables yes, for like 20 years. The rest was a more gradual process. The one constant is they all started went from spacing/routing, to using wood or tape or whatever to hold them in what looked like it might be better routing, to finally replacing the jury-rigged stuff with ceramic insulators.

Then because I am such a pain, even to myself, I took it all out and put it back, just to see if it was worth it.

This really is a pain. First because I love it when the sound improves but feel physical pain when it goes the other way. Which it always does whenever cables are moved around. Even being careful there's still at least several minutes of settling and it could easily be hours. That part is a pain.

Especially when the differences are slight. Even if you're one who thinks this is all BS, think of it this way. Imagine there is a difference. But not "a" difference, but a whole range of differences. Because there is. So there is a range of changes when cables are moved around. And there is a range of differences when they are routed or elevated. So let's say elevating a power cord is an improvement. But its improved by an amount that is less than being moved around makes it worse. In that case you did something better, but it sounds worse at first, and only after an hour or so are you able to be sure it really is better.

All these things I have done. Over and over again. It really is better. 
 
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon OP
12,531 posts
 
The idea that "Home Theater industry has chosen to pursue quantity over quality" is misguided.

No, its a fact. Unless you think 7.1=2.
With few exceptions less expensive equipment, designed to bring affordability to the market, should generally not be compared to components costing far more.

Right. Which is why I always talk value. I bet if you read through all my posts- which you should, its highly educational (and that’s not just me, I get PMs, okay?)- you will find I am borderline OCD on budgeting and value. It wasn’t more expensive gear that got me dissing HT. It was better sound for less. HT is a wasteland of bad sound- at every price point.

George Lucas has always maintained that sound represents 50% of the motion picture experience and music has always been a major contributing factor.

Yeah whatever. All the big video guys know people rate video quality higher when the sound is better. Just one more reason why if you want the best HT possible you need to ditch the HT dogma and go stereo.
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