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Comparing One System to Another - A + B

System A -

I just recently upgraded my home stereo system.  It includes a NAD C 399 Amp with MDC2 BluOS-D, 2 Bowers and Wilkins 607 speakers, and a T/5X REL subwoofer.  The speakers are mounted on upper corners of a wall in our living room 22' X 16'.  Seating is about 20' away from the speakers.  Sound sources out of a MacBook Pro going into the MDC2 BluOS-D are Tidal and QoBuz.  The dealer just came and completed a Direct Live process for the room.

System B -

I also have a home studio with a pair of Tannoy 802 Studio Monitors which have 1/8" stereo inputs with monitor links for connection to another MacBook Pro connected to the headphone audio out of the Mac.  The sound sources are from the same playlists of Tidal and QoBuz.  The studio is 16' x 12'.   In the studio I'm sitting about 8 feet from the monitors and they are at ear level.

Both systems sound good.  However, I've noticed more clarity out of the studio system than the living room system.  I realize I'm comparing apples and oranges here.  But considering how much more I've spent for the living room system, I'm a little confused as to what appears to be a lack of relative clarity in the living room compared to the studio sound.  Certain sounds in the studio sound more clear and crisp while the same sounds in the living room are more subdued or muffled.  Could this be something adjusted more with Dirac?

Please let me know any suggestions you might have.  Thanks!

pacificm
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 

Easy answer. If you are sitting 20 feet away, you better have mega power and a serious loudspeakers system. In your case the near field monitors are doing their job, your living room system isn't up to the task. 

pacificm OP
14 posts
 

I'm confused.  The NAD has 180 watts per channel.  Shouldn't that be adequate or not.  If wattage is not the problem, are you suggesting the speakers are not adequate?  I've listened to them at full volume right in front of them and the clarity issue is still there.

On another related note, I have a new Volvo with the Bowers+Wilkins system.  Similar to the living room sound, the sound is good, but not as crisp as my Tannoys.  Perhaps this might be a Bowers+Wilkins sound issue.  Any thought on that?

Do you think this is something Dirac could correct?  Thanks!

steve59's avatar
steve59
1,654 posts
 

Wpc don’t tell the whole story. Consider most of the time were using a single watt or less, but the storage capacity will decide how dynamic the speakers sound. On some speakers most amps will sound the same, but some speakers can suck an amp dry. Class d is supposed to be so fast at switching ( don’t know what that means) they can stay in front of a speakers demands. When doubt do nothing.

jond's avatar
jond
5,681 posts
 

If I'm reading this right your living room speakers are mounted about 20 feet in the air, try bringing them down and putting them on good stands.

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