# My Dedicated Audiophile Home Theater - Steve Bruzonsky



## Steve Bruzonsky

STEVE BRUZONSKY’S HOME THEATER SYSTEM – June 2019

Note: Theatre is being upgraded and renovated, completion estimated sometime June 2019. Cabinets/drawers/wetbar at rear of theatre is being renovated into a separate area for pull out and adjustable Mid-Atlantic component racks. Projector is being moved into this separate area, a few feet back from its current mounting position, and will be behind port glass, so no projector noise at all. The component racks and projector will have their own cooling/venting system as well. Following components are what will be the result of the upgrade and install by Gerry Behm, [email protected], Phoenix.


VIDEO DISPLAY AND PROCESSING:

Sony VPL-VW5000ES laser projector
Panamorph Paladin DCR anamorphic lens
Lumagen Radiance Pro 4444 video processor/scaler 

Stewart Filmscreen Vistascope 2:40 168” wide X 70” H screen, Snomatte (1.0 gain) (with variable side masking to 4:3) (16:9 is 124.4” wide)

(Video Setup and Calibration by Ken Whitcomb)


AUDIO VIDEO SOURCES & PROCESSING:

Trinnov Altitude 32 (24 channels) SSP (ROON Ready)

Oppo UDP-205 4k Blu Ray Universal Player (Blu Ray, SACD, DVD-A, CD)
Oppo UDP-103D Universal player (use to rip SACDs)

Kaleidescape Strato C 4k blu ray player
Kaleidescape 40TB Terra Movie Server

TIVO Bolt OTA
DirecTV HR54 Genie 
DirecTVC61k 4k Genie Mini Client
Apple TV 4k streamer

ROON software for stereo and multi-channel music (2 and multi channel music via Trinnov Altitude 32’s ROON Ready ethernet) 

Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter i7 used for ROON Core (2 ethernet ports, connecting both to router and direct ethernet with DJM Electronics Gigafoil v4 media/optical converter to Trinnov SSP which is ROON Ready)

[Note that use Elac Discovery Z3 ROON ready for stereo music in master bedroom.]

Linksys WRT1900AC router used as wireless access point for home theater

Netgear ProSafe GS116NA 16 port ethernet switch

[The following components are located in home office, with hardwired CAT6 ethernet to home theater, far away from home theater:

Cox Cable Gigablast Modem – Arris Surfboard Gigabit DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem 

Western Digital WDMyCloudPR4100 32TB (upgraded to 16GB RAM) network server (with 11TB music both 2Ch & MCh) (with over 11 TB music files = more than 6200 albums)

3 Linksys WRT1900AC routers. Programmed with the main router in upstairs home office, and two as bridges – one in home theater, one at West main floor of home. CAT6 cable runs from upstairs home office to the Linksys routers in home theater and at West main floor. 

REMOTE:

Apple IPad Pro, iPhone X, and Dell laptop (for remote Music Server playback), using ROON music software.

Savant remote control software


POWER AMPLIFIERS:

3 Theta Digital Prometheus monoblock amplifiers (for 3 Aerial 7t speakers up front)

Trinnov Amplitude 8 (same NCore 1200 modules as in Prometheus monoblocks) (for Aerial 7LCR on wall speakers used for surround front wide, side surround, and rear surround, all on wall speakers)

Trinnov Amplitude 8m (NCore 500 modules) (for inceiling speakers – 8 Triad Inceiling Rotating Silver/9 Sat)

(Trinnov amplifiers connect to Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP via DB25 cables – no more bulky XLR balanced interconnects!)


SPEAKERS AND STANDS:

3 Aerial Acoustics 7t speakers (including one for front center channel). 
6 Aerial Acoustics 7LCR speakers (front wide surround, side surround, rear surround). 
9 Triad Inceiling Rotating Silver/Sat 9 (In ceiling speakers for Dolby Atmos/DTS-X/Auro-3D)

2 JL Audio Fathom f212 subwoofers (each subwoofer has two 12” woofers).
2 Paradigm Persona subwoofers (each subwoofer has six 8” woofers). 
2 custom Acoustic Sciences Corporation Subtraps (22” X 22” X 15” high)
(Subwoofers placed at ¼ of each wall.)

AUDIO AND VIDEO CABLES:

Speaker Cabling: 
3 Pairs Cardas Clear Light 1.5M speaker cables (each speaker biwired with one pair)

HDMI Cabling:
Tributaries Titan HDMI to projector
Monoprice fiber (18 Gbs) to projector
2 Audioquest Diamond HDMI 1.5M cables for audio only (Oppo UDP-205 and Lumagen, audio only 
outputs to SSP)
Monoprice Certified Premium High Speed (18Gbps) HDMI Cables, Tributaries UHD Pro 2M (18Gbs) HDMI cables, and Belkin 8k HDMI cables for short (2M) component connections

Ethernet Cables: Audioquest Vodka & Cinnamon Ethernet Cabling

POWER ACCESSORIES:

2 PS Audio Perfectwave P5 Power Plants

PS Audio Soloist in wall power conditioner (for all non-amplifier components)

PS Audio Power Ports AC outlets

Furman Elite 20-PFI power conditioner (used for projector)

Granite Audio Model 560 and 555 power cords

API 20 amp power cord 

Audioprism Noise Sniffer and Audioprism Quietline AC Filters

2 iFi DC filters 

OTHER ACCESSORIES/TWEAKS:

DJM Electronics Gigafoil v4 (ethernet to optical/fiber and back to ethernet converter) (used for Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP’s ROON Ready ethernet connection)

Symposium Ultra Platforms & Stacked Symposium Rollerblocks Series 2 under Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP, Oppo UDP-205 and Kaleidescape Strato C 4k blu ray players

Isoacoustics Gaia 2 speaker footers and carpet spikes (for 3 Aerial 7t speakers)

Isoacoustics Orea Indigo and Bordeaux isolators used under amplifiers and PS Audio P5s

Cardas Caps (for components' unused RCA inputs/outputs)


COMPONENT RACKS:
Mid-Atlantic pull out and adjustable component racks
Steve Blinn amplifier stands (2)
Michael Green Deluxe Justarack Tuning Boards (1)


ROOM ACOUSTICAL TREATMENTS:

Michael Green Acoustical Crown Molding 5" (black) placed on bevel at wall/ceiling seams

Michael Green Pressure Zone Controllers (black): Four Mini Corner Controllers, placed at ceiling corners over ACM joints; Eight Wall Mount Controllers 36", one at each of four wall corners; and Six Mini Echo Controllers, one centered above the screen at the wall/ceiling seam, one centered above the back cabinets' wetbar at ball wall/ceiling seam, and one placed on the ceiling above each Aerial Acoustics 7T speaker

FURNITURE:

La-Z-Boy Legend Power Leather Recliners. 1st row three recliners, with console including two cupholders inbetween the front row center and right recliners. 2nd row two recliners with console including two cupholders between them. 


SPECIAL DEDICATED ROOM CONSTRUCTION AND FEATURES:

2 rows,3 leather recliners in front, 2 leather recliners in back, back row raised 8 inches on a platform. Back row left seat (2 recliners in back row) is right in the center sweet spot of the speakers from left to right. Front row center seat (3 recliners in front row) is right in the center sweet spot of the speakers from left to right.

Home Theater room dimensions are 18 feet 3 inches wide, 25 feet long and 11 feet 11 inches high. This is #3 on the Louden scale of best acoustical audio dimensions, to lessen the room node interaction at low bass frequencies as much as possible.

The room was added East of the Master Bedroom. A hallway and bathroom are between the Master Bedroom and the Home Theater room. The theater's cement foundation has seams between the theater and the hallway/bathroom, and also between the hallway/bathroom and the Master Bedroom, for vibration control.

Double masonite doors with wood and rubber seals around them lead from the Master Bedroom to the hallway, and from the hallway to the theater. Double 2 inch X 4 inch stud walls, with 1 inch air space inbetween, are between the Master Bedroom and the hallway/bathroom.

At the rear of the home theater is a separate and cooled/vented area where the projector is mounted behind port glass and the component racks are located, also with disc storage.

There is blown in cellulose insulation for all of the walls, which seeps into and perfectly seals all nooks and crannies, except the ceiling insulation is BAT (much of the ceiling is taken up by large oversized air conditioning ducts and there was insuficient room up there to squeeze in a blow in cellulose). USG Acoustical Sealant was used on all stud surfaces to minimize vibrations. Sound board, followed by gyp board, was installed on all of the walls and ceiling of the entire addition.

The air conditioning return is at the rear of the theater underneath the cabinets and is roughly about more than 10 feet long and 4 inches in height. The air conditioning is whisper quiet thanks to the oversized gentle turns insulated air ducts. The air return is located in the attic above the bathroom, with a separate air conditioning unit outside the room, and with the air conditioning unit on a concrete slab separated from the addition's concrete slab, so that the air conditioning is self-contained and totally separate from the rest of our home.

The local code requires at minimum the Home Theater room's windows, two windows four feet wide X 5 feet high. The windows consist of one double pane outside and a single pane inside. Each pane is on a separate wood insulated frame to minimize vibrations and maximize soundproofing. Manual Draper Lightblock shades ensure that the room remains totally dark for video.

Our home has a 400 amp electrical service. That service was originally split into two 200 amp panel boxes, one for the East and one for the West side of our home. With the new addition at the East of our home, its 200 amp service panel box has a new 100 amp circuit breaker, which is isolated from the 200 amp panel from which its fed, which feeds a third panel box which contains 19 dedicated 20 amp, 10 guage wire circuits for the Home Theater room only. However, I intentionally wired the Home Theater room and addition lighting, a ceiling dedicated 20 amp circuit (which can but is not presently used for the projector), and the addition air conditioning dedicated 30 amp circuit into the pre-existing East panel box, to help keep noise from those circuits out of the panel box and dedicated circuits for audio and video components. The 19 dedicated 20 amp circuits in the Home Theater room panel box are wall wired same electrical phase, skipping every even circuit in the panel box (otherwise, as in typical panel boxes which don't skip every even circuit, this results in doubling the AC power noise). 4 guage copper wire runs from the Home Theater panel box to a nearby 8 foot copper ground rod well buried in the ground. The house ground is a 4 guage copper wire from the East panel box. And a 4 guage copper wire connects the copper ground rod to the house ground. The Home Theater room electrical outlets are PS Audio Power Ports 20 amp (which replaced Hubbell one grade below hospital grade in August 2002). In 2007 added whole house surge suppression, Innovative Technology (Eaton) PTE160 for 400 amp panel and PTE0481S101 for home theater panel. Note that the June installation will include moving dedicated circuits to the back component rack/projector area, and moving dedicated circuits close to the locations of the monoblocks and subwoofers.
Home Theater room colors are optimized for front projection, black carpet over a cement foundation, black ceiling, and black side walls from the front screen wall out seven feet to the edge of the windows, the remainder of the room is dark gray (the dark gray looks like a medium to lighter gray when placed next to black).

Three black art deco style theater lights on each side wall.

Lutron Grafik Eye 3000 remote controlled lighting. Lighting control to be updated with June install.

A black, remote controlled whisper quiet ceiling fan.

Four Billy Bags amp stands are used as mobile end tables.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Construction Photos of my new home theater on the east side of my home.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

More construction photos circa late 1996 - March 1997.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Home Theater room dimensions are 18 feet 3 inches wide, 25 feet long and 11 feet 11 inches high. This is #3 on the Louden scale of best acoustical audio dimensions, to lessen the room node interaction at low bass frequencies as much as possible.


The room was added East of the Master Bedroom. A hallway and bathroom are between the Master Bedroom and the Home Theater room. The theater's cement foundation has seams between the theater and the hallway/bathroom, and also between the hallway/bathroom and the Master Bedroom, for vibration control.


Double masonite doors with wood and rubber seals around them lead from the Master Bedroom to the hallway, and from the hallway to the theater. Double 2 inch X 4 inch stud walls, with 1 inch air space inbetween, are between the Master Bedroom and the hallway/bathroom.


At the rear of the home theater, flat black cabinets with a wetbar in the middle are 20 inches deep with the 2 inch X 6 inch stud wall in back of the cabinets.


There is blown in cellulose insulation for all of the walls, which seeps into and perfectly seals all nooks and crannies, except the ceiling insulation is BAT (much of the ceiling is taken up by large oversized air conditioning ducts and there was insuficient room up there to squeeze in a blow in cellulose). USG Acoustical Sealant was used on all stud surfaces to minimize vibrations. Sound board, followed by gyp board, was installed on all of the walls and ceiling of the entire addition.


The local code requires at minimum the Home Theater room's windows, two windows four feet wide X 5 feet high. Each window is on the north and south side walls, with each window ending 7 feet from the front video screen wall, just behind the very front of the front left and right Aerial Acoustics 10T speakers. The windows consist of one double pane outside and a single pane inside. Each pane is on a separate wood insulated frame to minimize vibrations and maximize soundproofing. Manual Draper Lightblock shades ensure that the room remains totally dark for video.



More construction photos circa late 1996 - March 1997.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Exterior view of my completed home theater room addtion showing how wonderfully the addition integrates with our existing home so you can't even tell that its an add on later addition (home built 1987, we purchased 1991, home theater addition build late 1996 completed March 1997).


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

I added this large outdoor OTA, rotorized, in 2000, at the advent of HDTV. I was probably one of the first five in the Phoenix area to get HDTV, then via both OTA antenna for local channels and also DirecTV HBO and Showtime. I also had DISH for Discovery Channel HD for a short time back in the wee early days of HDTV. I want to thank my friends Gerry Behm and Kobie Ward, [email protected], who did that specalized antenna work. Such a great antenna aint' necessary today, with stronger digital signals and better indoor antennas, but it sure was in the early days of HDTV.


The air conditioning return is at the rear of the theater underneath the cabinets and is roughly about more than 10 feet long and 4 inches in height. The air conditioning is whisper quiet thanks to the oversized gentle turns insulated air ducts. The air return is located in the attic above the bathroom (where I store all of the original component and speaker boxes, except the Stewart screen packing which is way too large and was thrown away), with a separate air conditioning unit outside the room, and with the air conditioning unit on a concrete slab separated from the addition's concrete slab, so that the air conditioning is self-contained and totally separate from the rest of our home. I did a lotta research on quiet AC and then John Nielsen of Ririe Construction helped me implement this fantastically and "quietly".


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Our home has a 400 amp electrical service. That service was originally split into two 200 amp panel boxes, one for the East and one for the West side of our home. With the new addition at the East of our home, its 200 amp service panel box has a new 100 amp circuit breaker, which is isolated from the 200 amp panel from which its fed, which feeds a third panel box which contains 19 dedicated 20 amp, 10 guage wire circuits for the Home Theater room only. However, I intentionally wired the Home Theater room and addition lighting, a ceiling dedicated 20 amp circuit (which can but is not presently used for the projector), and the addition air conditioning dedicated 30 amp circuit into the pre-existing East panel box, to help keep noise from those circuits out of the panel box and dedicated circuits for audio and video components. The 19 dedicated 20 amp circuits in the Home Theater room panel box are wall wired same electrical phase, skipping every even circuit in the panel box (otherwise, as in typical panel boxes which don't skip every even circuit, this results in doubling the AC power noise). 4 guage copper wire runs from the Home Theater panel box to a nearby 8 foot copper ground rod well buried in the ground. The house ground is a 4 guage copper wire from the East panel box. And a 4 guage copper wire connects the copper ground rod to the house ground. The Home Theater room electrical outlets are PS Audio Power Ports 20 amp (which replaced Hubbell one grade below hospital grade in August 2002). In 2007 added whole house surge suppression, Innovative Technology (Eaton) PTE160 for 400 amp panel and PTE0481S101 for home theater panel.


Currently and for some time, I do not use all these 19 dedicated 20 amp circuits in my home theater room. I actually use one 20 amp circuit for my PS Audio Power Plant Premier AND my APC S15 battery UPS power conditioner. PS Audio is used for all non-amplifier components except the two DirecTV HD DVRs, which go into the APC (Abing found a better picture that way, to my surprise). Sim2 C3X 1080 projector and Lujmagen Radiance XE plugged into the APC unit. All amplifiers and subwoofers plugged direct into each separate 20 amp circuit.


The PS Audio Premier in 2007 replaced two PS Audio P600s, and the APC was added 2008 for the updated video side of my theater.


Our home was close to 5000 sq ft before the home theater addition adding 780 more sq ft. Our home was 3.5 years old when we bought it. The 400 amp service which split into east and west 200 amp panel boxes pre-existed our buying the home.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

My home theater was featured in the April 1999 Stereophile Guide to Home Theater in an article entitled "Tweaked to Perfection".


Next my theater was featured at Home Theater Sound, on the web, by Jeff Fritz in July 2001, "Theater Profile -- Steve Bruzonsky: A

Certified Home-Theater Fanatic!"

http://www.hometheatersound.com/feat...c_20010715.htm 


When the Home Theater Sound article was published, I was at the height of my "tweakaholics" sickness. Since then, I have taken some tweaks out of my system, and retained some, and continued my Granite Audio analog interconnect and speaker cabling satisfaction. The tweaks I retain are intended to maintain neutrality and noise/vibration control where I still find this useful.


What the Home Theater Sound article was written, I had recently added three Aerial Acoustics SW12 subwoofers to my five Vandersteen 2Wq subwoofers. Not long after the Vandy subs were sold, too many low bass sources from too many places actually muddled rather than improved the bass. The Aerial subs were all I needed.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

When I first equipped my home theater in March 1997, I brought in brand new Aerial Acoustics 10Ts (4) floorstanding speakers and an Aerial CC3 center speaker, and I quickly had five Vandersteen 2Wq subwoofers. I also got five Bryston 7B amplifiers, Michael Green clampracks for component racks. I brought up from my old basement system a Citation 7.0 surround processor, Theta Generation VA DAC, and Pioneer CLD-D704 Laserdisc player. And I brought up from my basement my Dwin HD-500 CRT, that I had recently bought. And I added a Stewart

Filmscreen 4:3 80" X 60" 1.3 gain fixed screen. Thanks to my local dealer friend Loren Roetman who was then my Aerial and Bryston dealer and got my great deals on those as well as my six leather recliners, and even the deco side lights for my theater.


Initially I went with Michael Green acoustical treatments including various Pressure Zone Controllers and acoustical crown molding.

This hasn't changed one bit over the years.


In 1998 in came the Theta Casablanca surround processor and Theta Voyager LD/DVD/CD player (I briefly had the first Sony DVD player).

Out went the prior LD player, the Sony DVD player, and the Citation 7.0 surround processor and Theta Generation VA DAC.


In 2000, I replaced my Dwin HD-500, to which I had added a Dwin Transcanner 1, with a newer Dwin HD-700 and Dwin Transcanner 2, which a few years later I replaced with different Lumagen video scaler/processor models. I had John Gannon install color filtered lens on the HD-700. And I replaced the screen with a Stewart Filmscreen 16:9 1.3 gain 4 way electrimask screen.


In 2000, I added the three Aerial SW12 subwoofers (with the five Vandersteen 2Wq subwoofers going bye bye in 2001), and the new Aerial CC5 center speaker (bye bye to Aerial CC3 center speaker).



Three more pages of the SGHT 4-09 article follow.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Over the following years, some components came and went. Lotsa excess tweaks went by the wayside, some remaining. I am no longer "Tweaked to Perfection." Or may I still am, but my current motto of "Keep It Simple Stupid" (KISS) works much better.

I still use some tweaks but its a lot simpler than it was.


But the big changes and theater renovation came in 2007-2008.


In 2007, I sold the four Aerial Acoustics 10Ts and replaced them with Aerial 9s. And I sold my five Bryston 7B amplifiers and replaced them with Theta Enterprise monoblocks, all with dual Reich binding posts per amplifier. Thanks to Craig Shumer, Theatermax, my Theta dealer, for terrific deal on the Enterprises.


In 2008, I updated my video setup with a Sim2 C3X 1080 3 chip 1080p DLP projector, ISCO IIIL, Cineslide, Lumagen Radiance XD (in 2009 upgraded to XE model), and Stewart Filmscreen Cine-V 128" wide X 54" high (screen portion) 1.3 gain Studiotech G with drop down side masking to 96" wide for 16:9. Thanks to my dealer Mark Haflich, and Scott Horton (GetGray on forum) as ISCO distributor and Cineslide manufacturer (who demod my projector with the ISCO IIIL and advised me regarding best throw distance, brightness, contrast, resulting in my mounting projector at 2.03 throw range, a bit ahead of center of throw range, instead of at the rear of the 2.40 throw range, and who also custom made the best possible 100% unmoveable and sturdy 4' long mounts for my video gear).


The last three pages of the SGHT article 4-99.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

The four Aerial Acoustics 9 speakers are setup at about 2, 4, 8 and 10 o'clock on circle, tilted at the center front row "sweet spot" (two rows of leather recliners each row) listening/viewing position at about 45 degrees, with front left 9 facing surround right 9, and front right 9 facing surround left 9. The Aerial Acoustics CC5 center speaker is positioned with its back about two feet from the wall and its front about two feet back from the front of the front left and right Aerial 9s relative to the "sweet spot". Each 9 is 11 feet (132 inches) from each other from side to side and front to back. The front 9s center at front woofer is 85 inches from the front screen wall, whereas the rear surround 9s center at front woofer is 82 inches from rear wall.


The outer edge of the front left and right, and surround left and right, Aerial Acoustics 9s are each about two feet from the closest side wall. Normally, this is too close for excellent imaging and sonics; however, thanks to the Michael Green Pressure Zone Controllers and acoustical treatments, this is preferred positioning for best home theater sonics. The Pressure Zone Controllers at the front of the room are adjusted for a solid phantom center image with only stereo playing for the front left and right 9s; and towards and at the back, the controllers are adjusted for more ambience.


The three Aerial SW12 subwoofers are placed around the center front of the room (measured as a null area for accurate bass). Subwoofers are set to equal the volume of the main speakers, for both music and movies. The Velodyne SMS-1 subwoofer equalizer is simply used to add a bit of boost at the very low frequencies.


(My audiophile friends al initially thought that my speakers should be placed closer in for best two channel or music. but after doing extended listening with me they all agreed I should keep the speaker placement just as is, that apparently the Michael Green acoustic treatments work wonders with this wider speaker placement.)


The ceiling is at 11'11". The Aerial CC5 Sound Anchors stand has a custom center or middle piece which is about ten inches higher than normal, allowing me to raise the center speaker as I have room under my screen so the center speaker, tilted just a bit, has its mid-drivers equal the center of my ear lobes as I sit in my trust front center chair. The top of the center speaker is 37" off the carpeted floor, with its mid-drivers about 33" off the floor. My mid-ear lobe level is about 39 - 40" off the floor as I recline a bit in my leather recliner.


Home Theater room colors are optimized for front projection, black carpet over a cement foundation, black ceiling, and black side walls from the front screen wall out seven feet to the edge of the windows, the remainder of the room is dark gray (the dark gray looks like a medium to lighter gray when placed next to black).


Three black art deco style theater lights on each side wall.


Lutron Grafik Eye 3000 remote controlled lighting.


A black, remote controlled whisper quiet ceiling fan centered about two-thirds into the room from the front screen wall.


Boltz Multimedia racks for audio and video media.


Two rows of three chairs each, black leather, Classic Lifestyles leather recliners (6) with upgraded seat cushions. Firm, flexible and most comfortable for many hours of viewing pleasure at a time. With lumbar support built-in. You can nearly fully recline, or you can sit up with your shoulders pretty much at the top of the chair, so that the chair back doesn't interfere with the sonics from the surround floorstanding speakers.


Four Billy Bags amp stands are used as mobile end tables.



Birds eye view of my current home theater and components.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

ROOM ACOUSTICAL TREATMENTS:


Michael Green Acoustical Crown Molding 5" (black) placed on bevel at wall/ceiling seams


Michael Green Pressure Zone Controllers (black): Four Mini Corner Controllers, placed at ceiling corners over ACM joints; Eight Wall Mount Controllers 36", one at each of four wall corners, two on each side wall; and Six Mini Echo Controllers, one centered above the screen at the wall/ceiling seam, one centered above the back cabinets' wetbar at ball wall/ceiling seam, and one placed on the ceiling above each Aerial Acoustics 10T speaker.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Close up of my home theater front end and, Michael Green component racks to the left, and Boltz DVD CD racks to right. Thats a BlueAir air cleaner between the Boltz racks on the right all added 2008.


Five Theta Enterprise monoblock amplifiers (Nominal power rating: 300 Watts into 8 ohms, 500 Watts into 4 ohms (what it really does: 350 into 8, 525 into 4). Two Reich binding posts connectors per amp for bi-wiring.


Four Aerial Acoustics 9 speakers with Aerial’s custom spikes (front and surround). Surround 9s are elevated an additional 6 inches high by having OsirisGiza Mk II stands .


One Aerial Acoustics CC5 center speaker. Sound Anchor custom stand including an extension piece to raise the mid-drivers to about listener ear level.


Three Aerial Acoustics SW12 powered subwoofers (400 watts each). Front left subwoofer chained to front right subwoofer, which in turn is chained to surround subwoofer. Each modified with internal speaker cables (from internal amplifier to internal binding posts for woofers) with custom Granite Audio 8 guage 1 foot speaker cables with proprietary banana plugs each end to ensure tight fit and solid connection. Each on custom Sound Anchors custom stand.


Theta Casablanca 3 surround processor (with 2 Xtreme DAC cards with 2 Xtreme DAC cards (accommodates 8

8 Xtreme balanced channels). Only six channels connected, five main channels plus one subwoofer, as the three subwoofers are chained for front left, front right and surround subwoofers. All speakers set to full range, with low pass Butterworth 40 Hz 6 dB crossover to subwoofers.


(Sharp 15" LCD Color TV (on screen display monitor for Theta Casablanca 3 surround processor)


Theta Six Shooter multi-channel analog multi-channel preamp.


Integra DTC-9.8 surround preamp/processor. Used exclusively for HDMI audio from Blu Ray and HD DVD, outputting multi-channel 5.1 analog audio to Theta Six Shooter (pending upcoming Theta CB3 HDMI 1.3 audio upgrade hopefully later in 2009).


Velodyne SMS-1 digital subwoofer equalizer.


Two DirecTV PLUS HD DVRs (HR20-700) satellite and OTA receivers.


Panasonic DMP-BD35 Blu Ray Player (BD Live 2.0) and Oppo DV-980H DVD Player are shown in below photos, but

in May 2009 they were replaced by Oppo BDP-83 Blu Ray player for both Blu Ray and DVD playback (Oppo BDP-83 not shown)


Integra DHS-8.8 HD DVD Player


JVC HMD-H5U D-VHS VCR


Theta Compli DVD/CD/SACD/DVD-A Player (with SDI and silver alloy cover).


Universal MSC-400, and Universal MX-3000 touchscreen



Michael Green Deep Clampracks, one 54" high and two 48" high


Michael Green Deluxe Justarack Tuning Boards (five, one for eachTheta Enterprise amplifier)


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

I thought I was perfectly happy with my Aerial 10Ts circa 1997 (Aerial CC5 circa 2000) and Bryston 7B monoblocks circa 1997.

Both had Bybee mods which at the time improved the sonics. But I got a really good deal when I bought that stuff, and good sales price when I sold that stuff, and great price on buying the new Aerial 9 and Enterprise monoblocks. I anticipated at least a bit of sonic improvement - but the significant additional transparency all around was frankly unexpected and wonderful.


Here's some front views of Aerial 9 and Theta Enterprise monoblock. Each Enterprise is on top of a set of three Symposium Rollerblock 2s.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Special thanks to Neil Sinclair, then owner of Theta Digital (sold to ATI in 2008), who with my Theta dealer, Craig Shumer, Theatermax, gave me a great deal on the five Theta Enterprises with dual Reich binding posts. The Reich posts are vice-like, high pressure, holding the Cardas Paddle Spade, instead of traditional spades. That extra surface area and solid connection at the amplifier side does improve sonics reasonably. When I first installed the Enterprises, with the Aerial 9s already installed a few months prior, the paddle spades were not available yet. So Don Hoglund of Granite Audio made 1M speaker cables, spades each end, 8 guage. I used two speaker cables per each Enterprise monoblock. About 4-5 months later, when the paddle spades became available (Theta obtained them for me from Cardas, as they are special order and not in stock), Don Hoglund of Granite Audio custom reterminated the amplifier end with the paddle spades. And yes we could hear the imrpovement over what already sounded really nice!!! Thanks to Neil and Craig for insisting I get the Reich binding posts instead of the more traditional Cardas spade posts. And to Don for promptly taking care of my needs.


And thanks to Michael Kelly of Aerial, who provided me with the information to advise of the sonic improvement I would obtain with the newer Aerial 9s vs my prior Aerial 10Ts, and who through my dealer gave me excellent pricing so I could afford the update to my system.


This was all done during 2007.



CURRENT AUDIO AND VIDEO CABLES:


DVI Gear Super High Resolution HDMI Cables


Granite Audio Model 573 Speaker Cables (ten 1M cables, 8 guage, provides true bi-wiring of two cables per each amplifier, with spades on speaker end and, Cardas paddle lugs on amplifier end of cables).


Granite Audio Model 470 Silver Analog Interconnects (single-ended, also balanced to each Theta Enterprise monoblock amplifier and Aerial subwoofer).


Granite Audio Model 420 Coaxial digital audio cables.


Cardas Audio AES/EBU 2M digital audio cable.


Wireworld Supernova 3+ Glass Toslink audio cables.




CURRENT POWER ACCESSORIES:


PS Audio Premier Power Plant


PS Audio Quintet


PS Audio Soloist in wall power conditioner


PS Audio Power Ports AC outlets


APC S15 Power Conditioner 1.5kVA S type with battery backup 120V


Granite Audio Model 560 and 555 power cords


Audioprism Noise Sniffer and Audioprism Quietline AC Filters



CURRENT OTHER ACCESSORIES/TWEAKS:


Symposium Platforms, Ultra and Svelte.


Symposium Rollerblocks Series 2.


Cardas Caps (for components' unused RCA inputs/outputs)


Michael Green Cable Grounds.


Channel Master Rotor for outdoor Radio Shack Analog/Digital OTA Antenna


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

My video gear, upgraded 2008, thanks to my dealer Mark Haflich, and also Scott Horton (GetGray on forum) as noted above:


Sim2 C3X 1080 3 chip DLP Projector.:


Sharp LC-32GP1U 32” 1080p LCD (placed under Aerial Acoustics CC5 center speaker, across the CC5 stand, as the CC5 is placed just under the screen)


Lumagen Radiance XE video processor/scaler.


ISCO IIIL Anamorphic Lens and Cineslide Multistand II, with PPL-XL custom extra long length Cineslide mount kit


Stewart Cine-V Curved Screen, 2:35 128” W X 54” H,

with drop down side masking to 96” W for 16:9, 1.3 gain.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Its a long 4' drop from my 11' 11" ceiling to the projector. Thanks to Scott Horton for specially fabricating a solid, perfectly tight, projector and Cineslide/ISCO IIIL mount. Scott is a total perfectionist.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Here are some photos from Scott Horton's Cineslide website showing the ISCO IIIL lens in all its glory. The IIIL is on the right, with the new less expensive IIIs on the left.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Here's a few nice shots of the Cineslide from Scott Horton's website.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Here's a closeup of the theater deco side light.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Here's a nice closeup of the Draper blackout blind up at one of the two windows of the theater.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

This is looking out from the home theater room, through a two masonite wood doorway, into the hallway.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

This is looking from hallway into theater.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

This is just outside of the home theater room, in the hallway, facing the master bedroom entrance (again, dual masonite doors).

On the left is the entrace to the theater's private bathroom including shower. On the right is a door to the outside (just outside the door are the home's and theater's power panels).


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

And my theater has its own dedicated really nice bathroom. The attic above is very, very large where I store all of my original boxes/containers for all of my AV gear. This comes in handy when I sell something as I have the original box/container (except for the screen container - way too large, threw that away).


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

This Year's Planned Upgrades:


Just got Oppo BDP-83 Blu Ray player, for Blu Ray and DVD, in May. Replaced Panasonic BD-35K Blu Ray and Oppo DV980H DVD players.


I am hoping to have the HDMI 1.3 audio upgrade to Theta Casablanca 3 surround processor by end of [email protected]@@


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Here's the weblink to an article on my theater at Electronic House online that just appeared April 2009:

http://www.electronichouse.com/artic...ate_theater/D2


----------



## paranormalg35

sounds really awesome man... if you could maybe throw some IMG tags around the photos so people dont have to open 40 extra links of pictures.


but congrats on the article


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *paranormalg35* /forum/post/16726037
> 
> 
> sounds really awesome man... if you could maybe throw some IMG tags around the photos so people dont have to open 40 extra links of pictures.
> 
> 
> but congrats on the article



I never could figure out how to post the photo instead of the click on for the photo. Please educate me by AVS PM, and i will be glad to do this. Thanks.


----------



## paranormalg35

PM sent. hope I explained it well enough


edit:


here ill help you out. this def deserves to be seen. amazing setup


----------



## croseiv

Very nice indeed! I dream of a day where I could have something like that.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *paranormalg35* /forum/post/16726037
> 
> 
> sounds really awesome man... if you could maybe throw some IMG tags around the photos so people dont have to open 40 extra links of pictures.
> 
> 
> but congrats on the article



All these years of initially moderating and posting, and since 2004 just posting, and I still hadn't figured out the photo gig.


thanks for the PM


As I have time, I'll edit each post to insert the photos direct so folks don't have to click on them.


----------



## paranormalg35

no problem Steve. I'm in the IT field so this stuff is cake for me. But after seeing your pics i think i need to go to law school.


lol


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *paranormalg35* /forum/post/16726829
> 
> 
> no problem Steve. I'm in the IT field so this stuff is cake for me. But after seeing your pics i think i need to go to law school.
> 
> 
> lol




I finally got all my theater photos posted as part of the thread so you don't have to click on each [email protected]@@


----------



## cb450r

For some reason I'm not seeing your photos.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *cb450r* /forum/post/16735687
> 
> 
> For some reason I'm not seeing your photos.




The photos show up fine on my PCs, so I don't know what it is.


----------



## croseiv




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *cb450r* /forum/post/16735687
> 
> 
> For some reason I'm not seeing your photos.



Same here...Just seeing a red X where the picture should be.


----------



## JA Fant

A very sweet system!


----------



## generalpride66




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *croseiv* /forum/post/16737077
> 
> 
> Same here...Just seeing a red X where the picture should be.



same here... maybe its because im on a mac?


----------



## ddgtr

I can't see them either, and I'm on a pc... I think Steve is teasing us...


Looking forward to seeing some pics!!


----------



## paranormalg35

steve you are putting your Img addresses from your computer in the IMG tags.. you need a remote IMG storage location somewhere on the internet. like photobucket, flickr or something similar. or since you had them uploaded in the attachments you coud of used that location.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *paranormalg35* /forum/post/16738167
> 
> 
> steve you are putting your Img addresses from your computer in the IMG tags.. you need a remote IMG storage location somewhere on the internet. like photobucket, flickr or something similar. or since you had them uploaded in the attachments you coud of used that location.



I did the latter. I first uploaded the photos as attachments. Then I clicked on the web address for each photo attachment, as listed at www.avs - - and then I inserted [IMG} before the web address and [/IMG] after the web address. Then I deleted the original photo attachment from the post. Pictures show up fine on my PC when I go to this thread.


----------



## paranormalg35

if you deleted the attachments everyone else cant see it


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *paranormalg35* /forum/post/16739104
> 
> 
> if you deleted the attachments everyone else cant see it



SUre enough. I am at my office and the photos don't show up on my PC here.


I will try to fix this, but may not get to it until the holiday weekend!!!

(DARN!)


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

OK, think I've fixed it. I attached each photo to the post, in order to put







after the URL address, inserted into each post, to show each photo in each post.


Can you folks see my photos? I can.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky* /forum/post/16744152
> 
> 
> OK, think I've fixed it. I attached each photo to the post, in order to put
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> after the URL address, inserted into each post, to show each photo in each post.
> 
> 
> Can you folks see my photos? I can.



I think I give [email protected]@


I went to my wife's PC where I am not signed in to AVS. I went to this thread. No photos in the post itself except I can click on each photo link to get the actual photo on screen.


I read AVS instructions, etc and still don't get it.


I tried going into the Theater Gallery but you can only post a small # of photos there.


Is there supposed to be someplace on AVS where you can post an album of photos, and then refer to those URLs to post within the text of the post so that the photo shows up in the thread???


----------



## paranormalg35

the new attachments will have new addresses so you need to put the new addresses in each IMG tag


----------



## paranormalg35

edit nevermind they are working fine. you just need to have a AVS account to view them


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *paranormalg35* /forum/post/16744550
> 
> 
> edit nevermind they are working fine. you just need to have a AVS account to view them



Yea - I "cleaned" my PC of passwords, caches, etc and didn't log into AVS and couldn't see the photos. Now that I logged in, all looks fine.


----------



## cb450r

LOL It's all good now we can see the photos, It can be very frustrating at times I know.

Now that we can see the photos I can say that I am blown away by your system. I can only imagine all the work that went into it and also how it must sound.

I remember seeing those magazine articles and reading about it some time ago.

Good stuff!

Steve


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *cb450r* /forum/post/16745942
> 
> 
> LOL It's all good now we can see the photos, It can be very frustrating at times I know.
> 
> Now that we can see the photos I can say that I am blown away by your system. I can only imagine all the work that went into it and also how it must sound.
> 
> I remember seeing those magazine articles and reading about it some time ago.
> 
> Good stuff!
> 
> Steve



Its been my passion and THE HOBBY for years. If I could get paid $10 per hour for all the time I've spent on this audiophile home theater gig (rather than paying out the same amount. HA!) I'd be - better off financially. HA!


If you're ever in the Phoenix area, you're invited [email protected]@


----------



## ddgtr

Hi Steve,


You are the man!! That is one sick setup!







I really appreciate your dedication, well done!!


Congratulations!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *stick70* /forum/post/0
> 
> 
> Hey Steve,
> 
> 
> Long time reader of your posts. Just read through your system and need your opinion on changes I'm about to make. FYI, I'm using a Casablanca III. Currently I'm running B&W 802D's (L&R) and have them crossed at 80hz Slope 24 using Butterworth. I've used this setting since day one and have the itch to tweak it. Since my 802's are a full range speaker (34hz) I was thinking of switching the settings in the Casablanca to Full Range Butterworth 63/18(high and low). Probably will do the same with my center channel which is a B&W HTM2d. Range goes down to 41hz. My subs are Paradigm Servo 15's. They go down to 17 ish with a slope of 18. I also have a SMS chained to both subs. If I set the crossovers in the Casablanca to 63/18 for the L/R/C and set my sides and surrounds to 80/18 what setting should I use in the SMS? Will having different cross over points create a problem between the Casablanca and SMS? The sides and surrounds are Triad's. The room is treated for first reflections. What setting are you using in your SMS?
> 
> 
> Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
> 
> Dave



Each room and components are different as is the listener. What I do may not work for you. My three Aerial subs are toward front center of room and are pretty flat there. I use SMS-1 only to boost bass 6 dB at 20 Hz and 2 dB at 32 Hz, otherwise flat. I run all 5.1 speakers Phase Perfect crossover 40 Hz 6 dB . With SMS-1 using 80 Hz and steeper slope measures a bit better but subjectively doesn't sound near as good.


So you need to experiment. Optimizing room build, acoustic treatments, speaker position, sub position first makes it easier to use lower crossover and more musical 6 dB slope with full range speakers, like I do.


Steve




*Re: SMS EQ*

Quote:

Originally Posted by *stick70*
_Thanks for your response that does help me. I'm confused on one part of your response though, you said your using the SMS to boost bass @ 20hz and 32hz are those at the contour frequency area or are you using using two seperate inputs or is that using the EQ section? Are your setting the same for HT and Music? I've integrated my two channel into the Casablanca using the digi out card into the Gen 8 so I'm using different setting for each input. I know you use you HT for music as well. Thanks again.


Dave_


My SMS-1 is connected via an AES/EBU cable from my Theta CB3's Six Shooter. Another AES/EBU cable connects the SMS-1 to my first Aerial SW12 subwoofer, which is chained to the second sub, which is chained to the third sub.

The AES/EBU input is the one which allows you to use the SMS-1's EQ features.


My SMS-1 is otherwise setup at factory settings.

#6 EQ Defeat is flat. #5 Custom has the 6 dB boost at 20 Hz and 2 dB boost at 32 Hz. #2 Movies has I believe a 5 dB boost at 50 Hz or something like that.


I have my subwoofer where they are reasonably flat toward the front center of my room, and I set my sub levels to match my main speaker levels.

I may use SMS-1 setting #2 Movies for movies for a bit of bass boost. I may use the SMS-1 setting for rock or jazz or just use #5 Custom depending how I like it.


----------



## Franin




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky* /forum/post/16725766
> 
> 
> My video gear, upgraded 2008, thanks to my dealer Mark Haflich, and also Scott Horton (GetGray on forum) as noted above:
> 
> 
> Sim2 C3X 1080 3 chip DLP Projector.:
> 
> 
> Sharp LC-32GP1U 32 1080p LCD (placed under Aerial Acoustics CC5 center speaker, across the CC5 stand, as the CC5 is placed just under the screen)
> 
> 
> Lumagen Radiance XE video processor/scaler.
> 
> 
> ISCO IIIL Anamorphic Lens and Cineslide Multistand II, with PPL-XL custom extra long length Cineslide mount kit
> 
> 
> Stewart Cine-V Curved Screen, 2:35 128 W X 54 H,
> 
> with drop down side masking to 96 W for 16:9, 1.3 gain.



Beautiful setup Steve. You have awesome gear.I'd love ISCO III one day.


----------



## R Harkness

That's an astounding set up Steve!


I'm almost finished my home theater reno and have been fearing I've over-done it in terms of cost and complexity. Seeing your theater makes me feel better.










I bet you get a lot of _"why ever go to a theater again?"_ comments from guests.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Thanks [email protected]@@


----------



## Daman S

Wow!!! Really fantastic setup Steve,I can only imagine what it must sound and look like.. The room itself is fantastic besides the equipment of course being top notch. Thanks for sharing it here


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

For the past month I've been listening to my new acquisition, a PS Audio PerfectWave Transport. I have taken some SACDs/CDs and find that at least in my system, the CD in stereo on the PS Audio sounds appreciably better (using balanced digital cable to my Theta Casablanca 3 Extreme DACs) than my Theta Compli playing SACD (using multi-channel analog cabling to my Theta Six Shooter preamp). I am listening to music with a fresh new interest.


----------



## Mike_WI

Nice thread.

Interesting to see the build progress over time.


Mike


----------



## VeeM3

Wow are you kidding? What an amazing project and accomplishment. Great work.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Thanks, [email protected]@@


----------



## ldgibson76

Hello Steve.


I just want to tell you that everytime I attempt to read your thread, I just get dizzy reading the system line up!!!!







5 Theta Digital Monoblocks?!!!!!







And that's just the start.


Not to mention your room and system being showcased in SGHT magazine, to say that I'm impressed can be considered understatement of the year.


And I definitely commend you on the construction of the room. That's just incredible. I must give your wife a hi-five/fist bump for the idea! She's a keeper!










You have a remarkable setup.


Regards.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *ldgibson76* /forum/post/17274924
> 
> 
> Hello Steve.
> 
> 
> I just want to tell you that everytime I attempt to read your thread, I just get dizzy reading the system line up!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 5 Theta Digital Monoblocks?!!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And that's just the start.
> 
> 
> Not to mention your room and system being showcased in SGHT magazine, to say that I'm impressed can be considered understatement of the year.
> 
> 
> And I definitely commend you on the construction of the room. That's just incredible. I must give your wife a hi-five/first bump for the idea! She's a keeper!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You have a remarkable setup.
> 
> 
> Regards.



My wife had no idea how her joke to get the wires out of the basement and build a room onto our home would result in my dedicated theater room keeping me out of our main house!

















Latest additions to my theater room: PS Audio PerfectWave

Transport and DAC.


----------



## rabybay

Steve

congrats on the theatre, looks and I am sure sounds amazing.

Putting together a HT here in Australia, and as no Aussie distributor for Aerial, it is not possible to demo prior to purchase. Looking at your system it seems like a pretty ""much cost no object"" setup and interested that you went with aerial speakers. I am looking at having a curved woven screen with LCR behind the screen. Floorstanding speakers obviously dont work, have you heard the Aerial LR 5s and if so what is your opinion on these. I will use subs for the low end, probably SW12s, but again would value your review of these.

Any info other posters can give re aerials would be much appreciated. Have heard that LR7s may be in the pipeline, any insider info appreciated,as HT note installed until second half of 2010.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

I also have the PS Audio top line 1M I2S (HDMI) silver cable, which replaced a DVI Gear Super High Resolution 1M cable. Got it about two weeks ago. One of these days I will AB it with the DVI Gear one. Right now I am just enjoyin' two channel in my otherwise multi-channel system!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *rabybay* /forum/post/17585751
> 
> 
> Steve
> 
> congrats on the theatre, looks and I am sure sounds amazing.
> 
> Putting together a HT here in Australia, and as no Aussie distributor for Aerial, it is not possible to demo prior to purchase. Looking at your system it seems like a pretty ""much cost no object"" setup and interested that you went with aerial speakers. I am looking at having a curved woven screen with LCR behind the screen. Floorstanding speakers obviously dont work, have you heard the Aerial LR 5s and if so what is your opinion on these. I will use subs for the low end, probably SW12s, but again would value your review of these.
> 
> Any info other posters can give re aerials would be much appreciated. Have heard that LR7s may be in the pipeline, any insider info appreciated,as HT note installed until second half of 2010.



My theater is hardly "cost no object". There are a number which are a lot more expensive.


Aerials are very dynamic and musical. The LR5s are quite nice, work nicely close to walls, but of course they ain't as good as my 9s placed appropriately into the room.


I got my Aerial subs back in 2000-2001. They are nice and look nice. Though I understand that JL Audio has some really good subs you might want to consider, too.


I haven't heard anything about LR7s but I haven't talked to Michael Kelly at Aerial in awhile. And new stuff is kept close to vest so folks buy current models.


Thanks for the kudos.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Here at AVS Forum, I have made an "arch enemy" over the years. I think he originally was Myrtycrafts, and I kept deleting him foolish "it all sounds the same" posts when I moderated the Tweaks and the AVS Special Guests Forum here at AVS Forums back 1999 - 2003. Later he changed to BluRay 1080p, then Doug Winsor for a long time. He kept getting banned.


Lately, he is masquerading as me, "Steve Bruzonsky", at a slow traffic AV forum website:

http://www.avrev.com/forum/preamps-a...fferences.html 

*High end processors VS low end processors/receivers, hardware differences?*

I was wondering if anyone had some objective data or even and explanation as to why a high end processor would sound better then a low end processor/receiver. I understand that subjective listening plays a role in what people prefer and that some audiophiles look at audio more as a hobby but is there a hardware reason that impacts sound quality? I am not talking about double blind tests and the side that states everything sounds the same but as of yet I have not found any objective data that would justify this night and day difference. I have searched the internet for sometime and found a profile on photobucket that has quite a selection of photo's, yes some people will know the name but it is irrelevant, I will post them below. Mods if you want to change all the IMG pictures back into a text link that is ok.


If you are going to post something along the lines of the high end having a better design or using better parts could you please post some information to clarify those statements.


Thank you.





Theta digital casablanca III










ExtremePremium.jpg 
Premium-BB-1796-DAC.jpg 
Premiumclose.jpg 
Six-Shooter-interior.jpg 
Theta-3.gif 
Thetaboards.jpg 
ThetaCB3.jpg 
Volume-control-card.jpg 




Arcam FMJ AVR600/FMJ AV888

http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/w...id_off_top.jpg 
arcam-avr600-internal-dsp.jpg 
arcam-avr600-internal-video.jpg 
arcam-avr600-modules.jpg 
arcam-avr600-power-amp.jpg 
arcam-avr600-powersupply.jpg 




B&K reference 70









P1010021.jpg 




Cary cinema 11a

http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/w...inema_11-2.jpg 




Classe SSP-800









SSP800-Board1.jpg 
SSP800-Board2.jpg 
SSP800-Board3.jpg 
SSP800-Transformer.jpg 




Krell evolution 707

http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/w...707inside2.jpg 
707inside1.jpg 




Lexicon MC-12









smr_41.jpg 




Mark Levinson Nº 40

http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/w...udio-proce.jpg 
mark-levinson-no-40-ssp-video-proce.jpg 




Mcintosh MX135 MX136

http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/w...r/HPIM0635.jpg 
42080587rx4.jpg 
HPIM0632.jpg 
HPIM0633.jpg 
HPIM0634.jpg 
HPIM0636.jpg 
HPIM0637.jpg 
HPIM0640.jpg 
HPIM0641.jpg 
HPIM0691.jpg 
HPIM0710.jpg 
mcd500insidetr9.jpg 
mcintosh-mda-1000-inside-chassis.jpg


----------



## ldgibson76

Hello Steve.


I won't get into the specifics of why because it's too time consuming! But, if you could somehow get your hands on a low-mid priced AVR and open it up, you will literally see the difference! One thing all of the other pre pro innards embedded in your post/inquiry have in common....., an ungodly amount of transistors and a very substantial motherboard!(one in the same). That alone speaks volumes.


Also, I must add, the attention to detail is remarkable on those products!


I know I haven't answered your question to your satisfaction, but it's a start!










Regards,


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *ldgibson76* /forum/post/17888575
> 
> 
> Hello Steve.
> 
> 
> I won't get into the specifics of why because it's too time consuming! But, if you could somehow get your hands on a low-mid priced AVR and open it up, you will literally see the difference! One thing all of the other pre pro innards embedded in your post/inquiry have in common....., an ungodly amount of transistors and a very substantial motherboard!(one in the same). That alone speaks volumes.
> 
> 
> Also, I must add, the attention to detail is remarkable on those products!
> 
> 
> I know I haven't answered your question to your satisfaction, but it's a start!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Regards,



You didn't read the entire post. That foolish post is copies from a different AV forum where Doug Winsor was masquerading as me. I didn't post that there at that forum. I've had a Theta Casablanca since 1997, upgraded several times, and of course its guts are much more complex than that of a much less expensive receiver. You don't have to convince me.


I just thought it was sort of funny that Doug Winsor, banned so many times with so many different names from so many audio or home theater forums, would post in my name on another forum where I wasn't active.

I have posted at that forum today as "stevenjbruzonsky" and I have requested that they pull his membership and delete his posts. HA!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Back to my theater. I just luv my most recent acquisitions, PS Audio Perfectwave Transport and DAC. Best music I've ever had in my theater. Even the new Beatles mono set sounds great! And the Neil Young remastered CD set 1964-1972 is superb!!! I am enjoying music like never before!


I am hoping to this year upgrade my Theta Casablanca 3 with Six Shooter to the upcoming HDMI 1.3 audio upgrade (and then ditch the Integra 9.8 surround preamp which I have been using for this as an interim). But Theta still doesn't have a firm date on availability or cost and some of us wonder if it will ever come to fruition.


----------



## Costanza

I am not worthy.


----------



## geodezic

Never believed it for a second!!


----------



## clemmtec

Thanks for sharing all these good things.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

About a week ago I replaced my Oppo BDP-83 blu ray, my Integra DTC-9.8 SSP, AND my Theta Compli DVD/SACD & DVD-A MC/CD with:


A brand spankin' new Marantz UD9004 Universal player, which does what I want for my purposes as follows:


DVD 480i "source direct"


Blu Ray HD "source direct" including 1080 24p


SACD both 2 channel and MC (multi-channel)


DVD-A (MC)


CD


Has 7.1 (I use 5.1) single-ended analog outputs MC AND

balanced AES/EBU analog outputs (latter use for two channel

CD and SACD).


So I do not need my Theta Compli anymore, as I was using for SACD and DVD-A two channela and multi-channel.


I have connected the Marantz's single-ended 5.1 (I don't use the entire 7.1) analog outputs; also the Marantz' AES/EBU 2.0 channel output, to

my Theta CB3's Six Shooter.


I anticipate that my PS Audio PerfectWave Transport and DAC will still be somewhat superior on two channel CD, or the other hi rez stuff the PS Audio can play.


It takes all of two seconds for me to disconnect the two channel Marantz and connect the two channel PS Audio, or vice versa, at the Six Shooter.


I am a very very happy camper!


Initial observations are that even hardly burned in yet that the Marantz

(using analog, not HDMI) sounds as good as it gets on blu ray, and excellent on all music sources.


Now I got some components and extra cables to sell. Consolidation is nice!


More info on the Marantz UD9004 at:
http://us.marantz.com/Products/2936.asp


----------



## Daman S




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky* /forum/post/18688105
> 
> 
> About a week ago I replaced my Oppo BDP-83 blu ray, my Integra DTC-9.8 SSP, AND my Theta Compli DVD/SACD & DVD-A MC/CD with:
> 
> More info on the Marantz UD9004 at:
> http://us.marantz.com/Products/2936.asp



Fantastic! Steve, i would be very interested to hear how the Marantz sounds via HDMI vs the Oppo.. i'm contemplating a new bluray player that can play my dvd-a's/sacds and has excellent video playback as well.. so very interested in the options. Also if you plan to sell the Oppo, i might be interested


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Daman S* /forum/post/18746844
> 
> 
> Fantastic! Steve, i would be very interested to hear how the Marantz sounds via HDMI vs the Oppo.. i'm contemplating a new bluray player that can play my dvd-a's/sacds and has excellent video playback as well.. so very interested in the options. Also if you plan to sell the Oppo, i might be interested



I got the UD9004 because of its outstanding analog out both stereo XLR and multi-channel single-ended. I only use its HDMI for video.


I have the UD9004 connected:

1. Via HDMI for video to my Lumagen Radiance XE.

2. Via multichannel analog single-ended interconnects to my Theta Six Shooter multichannel analog preamp.

3. Via stereo AES/EBU interconnects analog to my Theta Six Shooter multichannel analog preamp.

4. Via coaxial to my Theta CB3 (but I really don't use this except to compare the UD9004 analog multi-channel out on Dolby Digital DVD to the CB3 Extreme DACs - initially its pretty much a draw on Dolby Digital but oneverything else the UD9004 is supreme. As the UD9004 burns in I anticipate even Dolby Digital will sound better with the UD9004 analog out.


If you are interested in the Oppo, which I still have, do an AVS PM to me with your email.


Also, for discussion of the UD9004 in my system and my observations:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1250271 

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1130981


----------



## htfan123




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky* /forum/post/18747172
> 
> 
> I have the UD9004 connected:
> 
> 1. Via HDMI for video to my Lumagen Radiance XE.




Steve,


I am in the market for a video processor. I am between a DVDO or a Lumagen... Have you compared them?


Thx!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *htfan123* /forum/post/19078412
> 
> 
> Steve,
> 
> 
> I am in the market for a video processor. I am between a DVDO or a Lumagen... Have you compared them?
> 
> 
> Thx!



Sorry, I haven't compared them. I have been a Lumagen fan for years and the Radiance XE is my third Lumagen video processor.


I recently replaced one of my DirecTV HD DVRs, getting a HR24. The menu, guide, etc in this new unit is fast, makes all the prior HD DVRs slow in comparison! Currently I have one HR24 and also one HR23 in my home theater room.


----------



## RayPaganJr

Now that's awesome. But I know mine is better because mine is the one I have and the one a use.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Good for you!


----------



## LJG

Hi Steve:


If you don't mind could you explain what you mean by this


"Three Aerial Acoustics SW12 powered subwoofers (400 watts each). Front left subwoofer chained to front right subwoofer, which in turn is chained to surround subwoofer.

Theta Casablanca 3 surround processor (with 2 Xtreme DAC cards with 2 Xtreme DAC cards (accommodates 8

8 Xtreme balanced channels). Only six channels connected, five main channels plus one subwoofer, as the three subwoofers are chained for front left, front right and surround subwoofers."


I don't understand fully what you mean by chaining the SW12's, I see 3 SW12's in the front of the room, yet you refer to a surround subwoofer?


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Woops! Someone finally noticed my gaffe! You are correct. My three subwoofers are chained, so my system is set up with one subwoofer out from the Theta Casablanca 3 and Six Shooter, and then the 1st sub is out to the 2nd sub, and the 2nd sub is out to the third sub.


You got me, Lon!


----------



## LJG

I am glad I asked, just wondering why you didn't configure tour extreme Dac for 5.3 since you have 2 channels open?


Was this done with music in mind vs movies.


The reason I am asking is because I am adding a second sub and trying to figure out the best configuration. I probably won't have a channel open on my extreme card for the second sub anyway


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *LJG* /forum/post/19632009
> 
> 
> I am glad I asked, just wondering why you didn't configure tour extreme Dac for 5.3 since you have 2 channels open?
> 
> 
> Was this done with music in mind vs movies.
> 
> 
> The reason I am asking is because I am adding a second sub and trying to figure out the best configuration. I probably won't have a channel open on my extreme card for the second sub anyway



I originally used my CB2 with 2 Extreme DAC cards (8 channels) with thee sub outputs from the CB2. Then in 2005 I upgraded to CB3 with Six Shooter. I found that the speaker levels didn't work properly having one sub coming from the Six Shooter and the other two subs coming from the CB3 main outputs. And I started doing multi-channel SACD and DVD-A

which only had one sub channel. Then came HD DVD with only one sub channel. So I decided to only use one sub channel, and chain the three Aerial subs. Plus using a Velodyne SMS-1 I determined best placement for the three subs, given my room and AV gear, furniture and racks in room, was towards the front screen wall center, where the subs measure nicely towards flat!


----------



## al2fast

WOW! That is amazing. Congratulations on such a nice play area


----------



## LJG

Great, Thanks Steve


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

While my Theta CB3 is in the "shop" for the CB3 HD (HDMI 1.4) upgrade

(since the 2nd week of January), I picked up (some great prices for used)

a Theta Generation VIII Series 2 DAC, and just got few days ago a pair of Theta Citadel 1.5 monoblock amplifiers. SWEET!


----------



## Franin

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky*
While my Theta CB3 is in the "shop" for the CB3 HD (HDMI 1.4) upgrade

(since the 2nd week of January), I picked up (some great prices for used)

a Theta Generation VIII Series 2 DAC, and just got few days ago a pair of Theta Citadel 1.5 monoblock amplifiers. SWEET!
Very nice.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

My upgraded Theta CB3 HD arrives Monday (two days from today), and my PS Audio Perfect Wave P5 Power Plant arrives Tuesday!


----------



## Franin

Happy Easter Steve!!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

I've got the CB3 HD and PS Audio PerfectWave P5 Power Plant in my system and by now fully burned in! Sound great!


----------



## Uberbrown

Details and Photos please!!!


----------



## Franin

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Uberbrown*
Details and Photos please!!!
+1 I agree pics please Steve


----------



## hometheaterguy

Sorry for the delay Steve, but I demoed Steves dedicated music theater a few years back, but demoed it again recently and the wow effect was even greater then the first time I experienced it.


Steve, well done on your design and installation. I was impressed with the new Aerials, the demo of Avatar in 2:35:1 and the adjustable Stewart, with all the HD color and clarity. I was also blown away from your demo of the classical music, (bass) when the three subs were turned off, then my hair got messed up when you turned them back on!


You have the best home theater in AVS bro.










Scott

[email protected]


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky* /forum/post/20373910
> 
> 
> I've got the CB3 HD and PS Audio PerfectWave P5 Power Plant in my system and by now fully burned in! Sound great!



Since then, I have taken out and added to my system as follows:


OUT:

Theta Digital Six Shooter

Marantz UD9004 blu ray & universal player

Oppo BDP-93 blu ray & universal player

PS Audio Power Plant Premier


IN:

Theta Digital Compli Blue blu ray & universal player

2nd PS Audio PerfectWave P5 Power Plant
Atlona AT-HD4-V41 HDMI Switcher

D-Link Boxee Box


I luv [email protected]@@


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Just added Bryston BDP-1 Media Player (up to 192-24 stereo). Sounds fantastic and easily best redbook and higher rez audio ever in my theater/audio room. Apple IPad2 as remote controller showing tracks and album art!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Just got Apple iPod 3rd Generation yesterday - replacing the iPod2. My wife luvs using the iPod2 particularly for Scrabble. HA!


----------



## Miketr75




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky* /forum/post/21790880
> 
> 
> Just got Apple iPod 3rd Generation yesterday - replacing the iPod2. My wife luvs using the iPod2 particularly for Scrabble. HA!



Wow great HT with serious gears. Thanks for sharing


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *VGI* /forum/post/21919276
> 
> 
> Theta will being shipping the new 6 Channel Fully Balanced Digi Output Card starting this week.
> 
> 
> I have attached a picture of the card ! Its very nice and check out the 6 XLR's on one card, who would have ever thought this possible.
> 
> 
> The card will plug and play in a CB3HD machine with a software update (V2.16 and Tdd 2.03) which we have available for people who purchase the card. The new Software doesn't change anything else except add the ability for the new card to function so don't run out and install this software for no reason.
> 
> 
> The specs are awesome. The card will immediately have 24/96K output and everything coming to it will be up-sampled to 96K for feeds to the Gen VIII S3. The card fully supports 192K output and when the new PR3 Card becomes available and the internal bus speeds are running at 192K internally the Digiout will automatically then output 192K to the Gen VIII S3.
> 
> 
> I am very excited and I know you guys will be as well as this is more proof that Theta is doing it right and bringing us the finest American Designed and Built high end audio products.
> 
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Craig



Thank you Craig. Just installed the new Digiout card and CB3 HD firmware

(only to be used if one has new Digiout card). WOW!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

As of last nite:


I am very sore - right hip. Doesn't take too much. But I am the first AVSer with an installed brand new with 6 AES/EBU outputs Digiout [email protected]@@


And playing 96-24 music now through the CB3 HD, using Gen VIII Series 3 DAC for front left and right, sounds outstanding. I will at some point do some ABing of CB3 HD & Gen VIII vs only Gen VIII. But I know how my system sounds, and before, I could hear the downsampling of the old Digiout card vs when I only used the Gen VIII for stereo. Now, I don't hear the downsampling, I hear all those extra "vibrations" and better sonics, and now I get to use my surrounds if I feel like it and definitely use my subs.

Very impressive!



The new card snapped into place real easy. The software revision was quick and easy - note, the firmware upgrade does not work with USB (I tried), works fine with the RS232 port, and my laptop has a Keyspan USB to RS232 adapter.



Damn. Still can't believe it. Good thing April Fools passed weeks ago.


The new Digiout card apparently has tiny circuits on the board compared to the old one.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Right now, any music higher rez than 96-24 (176-24 and 192-24) will not play using the CB3 HD,same as before. My understanding is that with the Dirac upgrade later this year, the CB3 HD will then handle those higher res 176 and 192 fine via Digiout into Gen VIII Series 3.


Right now, I am listening to a 2L album, 96-34, Iver Kleive "Orgelmusikken fra deUSYNLIGE (T". Damn, the organs are cool and deep. Sounded great before listening just with Gen VIII and front left and right speakers. Now I am listening via CB3 HD - Gen VIII combo, in DPL2x using all five main speakers and three subs. WOW!!!!


Its on this classical with great low bass, organ, etc that I can really appreciate being able to for now have no downsampling on music from my Bryston BDP-1.


----------



## cb450r

Steve, Just curious if you've had a chance to listen to the new 7T's and what your thoughts are comparing them to the model 9's?


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *cb450r* /forum/post/21939593
> 
> 
> Steve, Just curious if you've had a chance to listen to the new 7T's and what your thoughts are comparing them to the model 9's?



I've heard great things about the 7Ts. Haven't heard them yet. We don't have a local Aerial dealer to stock the 7Ts here in the Phoenix area.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Back in March 1997, when I started to equip my brand new home theater addition to my home, I picked up 6 Classic Lifestyles leather recliners at a great price (then MSRP $3200 each, EGADS!) through a designer friend.


Over the years, the leather hasn't worn all. Recliners feel like new, except -

the manual reclining mechanisms. A few broke. A few work some. I've had them repaired over the years but the problem has long been that the company went out of business, and no parts available to repair the reclining part properly.


A few years back my wife got her way in family room and put in a few leather Lazy Boy recliners. They are nice. The manual recliners work fine. I don't use that room that much, and now at age 59 and a right problematic hip I really don't care to use my legs to push the reclining part back in when I get off.

Though its much easier with the Lazy Boys than the ones in my theater room.


A good thing about Lazy Boy is they've been around forever, they give a lifetime warranty on the frame and reclining part, which if I recall correctly they pay parts and you pay labor. The power mechanism is belt drive,cheap nd easy to repair if needed. Shouldn't have a problem getting their recliners repaired if need be. For me this is important after my last experience.


We have had those Copenhagen recliners which I once thought were so darn comfortable. I used on in my old theater downstairs. They do not compare to my current leather recliners in my theater, but read on, for Lasy Boy is a real surprise.


Recently I decided to explore new theater chairs. I thought I'd look up Lazy Boy to see if they have anything for home theater, with cup holders, etc.

A few years ago when we bought some stuff from them I don't recall any specific home theater stuff.


Online I saw their theater Legends collection,which uses a console between each set of two leather recliners. Each console has two cupholders side by side. The recliners may come with a power mechanism for about $300 per recliner extra at MSRP. Power part is only a 3 year warranty, again, belt driver easy to repair.


I noticed onlinen that this theater Legends recliners are pretty high in the back. I typically don't like that because often I want to have my head and ears above the back of the recliner/chair to best hear all the music and surround sound. But I thought I'd go demo them anyway.


How I was so surprised. First of all, I can easily adjust how I sit and recline so that I sit up a bit, while reclining, so that my head and ears are above the back leather top of the recliner - which I do in my current recliners. The power control, a large flat circular on the side, is easy to use, just press to very top to start reclining, the very bottom to go back towards to the unreclined position. you can pause it anywhere you like, infinitely, its not steps. Damn they are so comfortable. No more fumbling to get the reclining mechanism to come out like my current theater recliners.No more kicking with my feet to get the mechansim to retract, a real pain in the - hip!


I brought my wife in and - presto, she was convinced quick! she was all against me getting new recliners, until she sat in one.


I think the power recliners are quite new for Lazy Boy. the Sales Manager told me that the company was reluctant to go this route on the home theater chairs, as the very nature of using power reclining necessitated giving a lesser warranty (discussed above) of only 3 years on the power mechanism (vs life warranty otherwise). Now I have sat is some other power recliners, even at lazy Boy. Let me tell you. This power recliner kicks ass.


Ordered them a month ago. Should be here in the next month or two.


If you order three recliners, with two cupholder consoles in between each pair, then the center recliner will work only by pulling a string and is not power. That was almost a deal breaker for me. Its so much easier doing everythiing (sex included for you young studs) when you have POWER!


For my front two, three recliners and two consoles were too wide,

What we did is we got three recliners and one console. The "solo" recliner will simply sit next to one of the other recliners directly and there simply will be no cupholder there, but the two recliners will share the same armrest

"inbetween" them. The other two recliners wil share the two cupholder console between them. Also, I measured, and this permits my center recliner to be direct in front of the center speaker (I have full range Aerial 9s at 2, 4, 8 and 10 o'clock, with Aerial CC5 center directly in front of me). My back row is elevated 8" on a riser/platform. I often like listening to two channel music

(whether i synthesize multi-channel with my Thehta CB3 HD - Gen VIII Series 3 DAC combo or just listen in stereo) in the center back. To do this,

I am only going to have two recliners with one console in the back row,

as this permits the far left recliner to place me directly in center! So I ordered five recliners and two consoles, black leather. I got the lowest grade black leather, its the cheapest, but all leathers wear well, and frankly, unless you are a conosseur you will not know the difference. I know I won't.


Here's a photo from the Lazy Boy website!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

My new Lazy Boy leather motorized recliners will be here [email protected]@@


----------



## MIkeDuke

That's really cool. Hopefully you can take some pics so we can check them out. I have been very satisfied with my manual Harbor Town Lazy Boy recliners. They are very comfy and I had someone fall asleep in one of them more than one time. I am sure the ones you bought will be just as nice and having them automatic is really cool. Again, make sure to take some pics.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Here's a picture of my new La-Z-Boy Legend power leather recliners. Arrived yesterday. They are really comfortable and "infinitely" power adjustable, a really neat feature. Now I can recline a whole movie without my right hip bother me, for me a big plus! My previous recliners, traditional non-power, just didn't get me comfortable cause of my hip.  


Also added a DarbeeVision Darblet DVP5000 video processor.


----------



## MIkeDuke

They look great Steve. Glad you think they are as comfortable as I think mine are







.


----------



## scirica

Steve:


I just went through this whole thread and it was a walk down memory lane for me. Back when you initially built out this theater I was living in Peoria, AZ (by Arrowhead Mall) and you were nice enought to invite me over for a view of the theater. Hard to believe that was almost 15 years ago in the early days of HD. I had a giant combo c-band/ku-band dish in the back yard and was running a 4Dtv high def receiver into my 40" Panasonic RPTV!


I've never built a dedicated home theater but I am sitting here in my North Texas living room watching movies on a 60" Samsung LED LCD with my Linn and Proceed based system and life is good. We've come a long way baby!


I was impressed with your theater back in '98 and I'm sure I'd be blown away with everything you've done since. I'm sure you don't remember me but I surely remember you and your amazing theater!


Cheers,


Steve


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

If I was to see you in person I would probably remember you!


thanks for the kind [email protected]@


Yea, I am truly amazed how far my audio and video have improved over the years. Never could have expected this!


----------



## scirica

Company headquarters is still in Scottsdale. I may just have to look you up. If I remember right, you were the one that turned me on to the guy that was selling PS Audio Power Plants back then also. I still have 2 P300's and I'm thinking about researching what they are currently producing.


Cheers,


Steve


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *scirica*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/110_10#post_22193849
> 
> 
> Company headquarters is still in Scottsdale. I may just have to look you up. If I remember right, you were the one that turned me on to the guy that was selling PS Audio Power Plants back then also. I still have 2 P300's and I'm thinking about researching what they are currently producing.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Steve



Absolutely. PM me before you come to Scottsdale, and I'll PM you my cell #.


As for PS Audio, I have two of their P5 Power Plants for about the past 15 months!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky*  /t/1313052/the-official-theta-thread/4580_10#post_22679163
> 
> 
> Photos of my brand spankin' new Theta Compli Blu [email protected]@@



Pictures of my new Theta Digital Compli Blu 3d universal/blu ray transport, replacing my prior Theta Digital Compli Blu. Tne 3d version is based on the Oppo 95. Love it!


----------



## Franin




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/90#post_22800891
> 
> 
> Pictures of my new Theta Digital Compli Blu 3d universal/blu ray transport, replacing my prior Theta Digital Compli Blu. Tne 3d version is based on the Oppo 95. Love it!



Looks nice Steve


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

I just replaced the Bryston BDP-1 Media Player with:


Customized Music Server, by Small Green Computer, based on Computer Audiophile Series 3.0 (CAPS 3.0), with upgrades, fanless, quiet, will play ripped SACD 2 & multichannel ripped SACD ISO files at 176-24 over HDMI (to Theta Casablanca HD SSP) and also 2 channel music files up to 192-24 over USB (to Berkeley Audio Alpha USB, which converts USB to digital bnc coaxial and AES/EBU), using the latest version of JRiver Media Center, and using a 4TB Fantom Pro 7200 eSATA Drive for music storage (in near future plan to use NAS – network attached storage):


Case: Silverstone Crown Series SST-CW02B-MXR-USB3.0 (black) (all aluminum chassis)

Memory: Crucial 16GB DDR3 1600 kit (8GBx2), 240-pin DIMM (Model CT2KIT102464BD160B)

128GB SSD Samsung SSD MLC

OS: Win 8 Pro 64-bit configured for low latency

Motherboard: Intel DH77EB / BOXDH77EB (2 USB 3.0 and 1 eSATA port)

Processor: Intel Core i7 i3770S

Sapphire HD 7750 1GB GDDR5 Ultimate video card

Power Supply: Kingwin Stryker Series STR-500

SOtM Power Noise Filter

SOtM tX-USBexp

Blu-Ray/DVD/CD player/burner


----------



## BrolicBeast




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/90#post_23526929
> 
> 
> I just replaced the Bryston BDP-1 Media Player with:
> 
> 
> Customized Music Server, by Small Green Computer, based on Computer Audiophile Series 3.0 (CAPS 3.0), with upgrades, fanless, quiet, will play ripped SACD 2 & multichannel ripped SACD ISO files at 176-24 over HDMI (to Theta Casablanca HD SSP) and also 2 channel music files up to 192-24 over USB (to Berkeley Audio Alpha USB, which converts USB to digital bnc coaxial and AES/EBU), using the latest version of JRiver Media Center, and using a 4TB Fantom Pro 7200 eSATA Drive for music storage (in near future plan to use NAS – network attached storage):
> 
> 
> Case: Silverstone Crown Series SST-CW02B-MXR-USB3.0 (black) (all aluminum chassis)
> 
> Memory: Crucial 16GB DDR3 1600 kit (8GBx2), 240-pin DIMM (Model CT2KIT102464BD160B)
> 
> 128GB SSD Samsung SSD MLC
> 
> OS: Win 8 Pro 64-bit configured for low latency
> 
> Motherboard: Intel DH77EB / BOXDH77EB (2 USB 3.0 and 1 eSATA port)
> 
> Processor: Intel Core i7 i3770S
> 
> Sapphire HD 7750 1GB GDDR5 Ultimate video card
> 
> Power Supply: Kingwin Stryker Series STR-500
> 
> SOtM Power Noise Filter
> 
> SOtM tX-USBexp
> 
> Blu-Ray/DVD/CD player/burner


Welcome to the world of JRiver! I've been using Media Center 18 since January.....MC19 is coming very soon, BTW (might be here already).


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Yea, I am now using the new JRiver Media Center 19. My only upgrade in the past several months. But Theta Digital within the following several months will be upgrading/transforming my

Theta Casablanca III HD surround sound processor (originally purchased 1997 as Theta Casablanca (version 1) and faithfully upgraded as upgrades have been available ever since)

into the Theta Casablanca IV, which will have Dirac and a 192-24 DSP engine (but processing at 96-24 when Dirac is used).


----------



## BrolicBeast




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/90#post_23819059
> 
> 
> Yea, I am now using the new JRiver Media Center 19. My only upgrade in the past several months. But Theta Digital within the following several months will be upgrading/transforming my
> 
> Theta Casablanca III HD surround sound processor (originally purchased 1997 as Theta Casablanca (version 1) and faithfully upgraded as upgrades have been available ever since)
> 
> into the Theta Casablanca IV, which will have Dirac and a 192-24 DSP engine (but processing at 96-24 when Dirac is used).



Nice...when will the IV be released. I'm actually in the market for a processor. So they consistently upgraded it for each iteration. That's nothing short of outstanding. Dirac eh? So it's expanded beyond the purview of Datasat...I am quite intrigued.


----------



## audioguy




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/90#post_23819059
> 
> 
> Theta Casablanca IV, which will have Dirac and a 192-24 DSP engine (but processing at 96-24 when Dirac is used).



Price? Availability? Is this a brand new platform or continued major upgrades to the original Casablanca?


I know Theta has had serious issues getting a platform with room correction. They are WAY behind the power curve. Do you think they will be more successful (as in reasonable availability) with this latest version.


I am potentially intrigued!!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Check the ongoing Theta Digital thread at the 20k forum for all of this info!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

I just added the SOtM mBPS-d2s Intelligent Battery Power Supply to power the SOtM tX-USBexp card of my custom Media Server.


I know that some will say this is redundant, that I don't need the SOtM tX-USBexp or the SOtM mBPS-d2s Intelligent Battery Power Supply because I am using the Berkeley Audio Alpha USB converter.


The Berkeley has its own independent power supply for its reclocking and depends on the incoming USB cable for its power, from the USB card of the Media Server.


The SOtM USBexp card in the Media Server is powered by the same power that goes into the Media Server, except if you connect the SOtM battery power supply,

then the SOtM USBexp card automatically switches to the battery power.


Over at the Computer Audiophile forum, some audiophiles have "observed" better sonics using the Red Wine battery power supply, and the SOtM battery power supply at only $420 is about 1/3 the cost of the Red Wine so I figured, heck, why not?


The SOtM battery power supply has a front switch to turn it on and off - must be in on position for it work. If its in off position, then the USBexp card works off the same power that

goes into the Media Server.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

By next weekend, my five new Aerial Acoustics 7t speakers, and two new JL Audio Fantom f212-gloss subwoofers should arrive!

(I am selling my four Aerial Acoustixs 9 speakers, one Aerial Acoustics CC5 center speaker, and three Aerial Acoustics SW12 subwoofers.


Speakers are in nero black metallic like Ferrari [email protected]@


Exciting!


----------



## g_bartman

Those 7t's are pretty damn special. I can't wipe the smile off my face since I installed mine. Please pm me if you plan on selling the Aerial subs.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Now that my five Aerial Acoustics 7ts and two JL Audio Fathom f212-GLOSSY subwoofers are burnt in - I just added three of the brand new that just started shipping Theta Prometheus monoblocks, with a pair of Cardas Clear Light speaker cable for each monoblock-7t pair. The monoblocks and cables are still burnin' in - but they sound so good already I just ordered two more. So my system is now

five Theta Prometheus monoblocks, five Aerial Acoustics 7t speakers with five pairs Cardas Clear Light speaker cable. And Craig Shumer/VGI indicates that my CB3 HD SSP upgrade to CB4 hopefully is just around the corner.


Theta Digital just started shipping the Prometheus this week. Some are on way to Europe. I am first customer to have them! they are remarkable sounding. Transparent, fast, micro and macrodynamic. The easily beat the three Theta Digital Enterprises I had used for center and surrounds. And they are every bit as good as the Theta Digital Citadel 1.5s I've been using for front left and right, and the new monoblocks are still burning in! Compared to the Citadels, you can hear the even better dynamics of the Prometheus, which has a sound noise ratio of 124 dB (Citadel sound noise ratio of 103 dB).

The Citadels are somewhat more airy sounding with more "space" between instruments, whereas the Prometheus is I think more like a real acoustic venue where instead of as much separation (as with the Citadels) you get more focus and clarity and dynamics. Both are great amps and I luv both. But my system for surround sound, music, movies, tv now will be fully "balanced" with the same monoblock at each vector. My favorite demo/test disk is Telarc-Heads Up "Jazzin' Surround" SACD Sampler, which I have on my Media Server hard drive as a ripped SACD ISO file. WOW, it has never ever sounded this good!


----------



## Frohlich

Sounds awesome Steve. I have always had a "thang" for Theta products but just aren't in the cards for me at this point. Sure you are loving all the new upgrades.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Photos of my new theater "front end", Aerial Acoustics 7ts, JL Audio Fathom f212-GLOSSY subwoofers, Theta Digital Prometheus monoblocks (first ones outside ATI-Theta in the entire world), Cardas Clear Light speaker cabling:

 
 
 
 
 
 


I luv the Prometheus so much that I have ordered two more so all five main channels are [email protected]@@


----------



## BrolicBeast

Replaced the Citadels? So the Prometheus amps are THAT good?


----------



## SBruzonsky


Even not being fully broken in yet my impression is that the Prometheus is overall the equal and possibly better to the Citadel 1.5. though this may vary based on personal preference and system and room. Also, it gets hot here in Az - Citadel 1.5 runs at Class A all the way - whereas Prometheus Class D doesn't even get a warm tinkle! Hey, I luv the Citadel 1.5s and I equally luv the Prometheus from a performance standpoint. The Prometheus has practical advantage, size, weight, lack of warmth in temperature, which appeal to me in addition to its outstanding sonics!


----------



## BrolicBeast




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *SBruzonsky*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/120#post_24372452
> 
> 
> Even not being fully broken in yet my impression is that the Prometheus is overall the equal and possibly better to the Citadel 1.5. though this may vary based on personal preference and system and room. Also, it gets hot here in Az - Citadel 1.5 runs at Class A all the way - whereas Prometheus Class D doesn't even get a warm tinkle! Hey, I luv the Citadel 1.5s and I equally luv the Prometheus from a performance standpoint. The Prometheus has practical advantage, size, weight, lack of warmth in temperature, which appeal to me in addition to its outstanding sonics!



***fighting the urge to call VGI and order***


----------



## g_bartman

How are you liking the 7t's so far?


----------



## SBruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *g_bartman*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/120#post_24374262
> 
> 
> How are you liking the 7t's so far?


 

 

I luv the 7ts.

 

I had the Aerial 10Ts 1997 - 2008.

 

Then Aerial 9s 2008 - 2014.

 

Now, Feb 2014, the Aerial 7ts.

 

 

The 10Ts were Stereophile speaker of the year 1996!

The 9s were even better than the 10Ts, better bass and midrange primarily.

 

But the 7ts have a new tweeter that is clearly better than the 9s, better midrange than the 9s,

and much better bass in that you can now feel the bass and hear the bass vibrations without using a subwoofer!

Even though the 7t is rated only 2 Hz lower than the 9 for bass at -2dB, you can hear and feel the bass so much better than

with the 9. The 7t images better than the 9, too. For example, I have two rows of leather recliners in my theater, 3 in front and 2 in back, with one of the recliners in back directly in back of the front center recliner. For some time I have preferred the front row center for tv and movies (being in the "sweet spot" of all my full range speakers, but the back row center for music (being not as near field to the front left and right speakers). But the 7ts image so well that now the front center is equally as pleasing - Dave/Thezak last Friday said that the front center was so good that he actually preferred it to the second row center for music.  Now part of that is thanks to the 7ts, and part of that is thanks to the new Prometheus monoblocks (which have a soundstage not as airy with instruments not as separated as the Citadel 1.5s).

 

Don't get me wrong. The 9 is a great speaker. Especially at used prices and for those who can't afford 7ts. But the 7ts wonderful!

In particular as I am now using a 7t for the front center speaker as well!


----------



## SBruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *BrolicBeast*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/120#post_24372686
> 
> 
> 
> ***fighting the urge to call VGI and order***


 

Looks like you are fighting the urge to order several JL Audio f212 subwoofers AND Prometheus monoblocks!! @@@@@@

Mebbe you should block yourself on AVS from reading my posts?

 

What speakers do you have for front left and right, center, and surround?

 

Keep in mind that amplifiers can be funny in that good amps may sound not so good with certain speakers and fantastic with certain speakers. Seems that Theta amplfiers have always sounded great with Aerial speakers, and the Theta Digital Prometheus with Aerial 7s certainly sound great together!


----------



## BrolicBeast




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *SBruzonsky*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/120#post_24374389
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like you are fighting the urge to order several JL Audio f212 subwoofers AND Prometheus monoblocks!! @@@@@@
> 
> Mebbe you should block yourself on AVS from reading my posts?
> 
> 
> 
> What speakers do you have for front left and right, center, and surround?
> 
> 
> 
> Keep in mind that amplifiers can be funny in that good amps may sound not so good with certain speakers and fantastic with certain speakers. Seems that Theta amplfiers have always sounded great with Aerial speakers, and the Theta Digital Prometheus with Aerial 7s certainly sound great together!


 Oh nah, just the Prometheus amps man.  I've heard the F212's and prefer my current Seaton Submersive HP+ subwoofers, but those amps of your our outstanding.  My speakers are Triad Platinum LCR's for the front soundstage and Triad Gold LCR's for surround and rear channels.  I'm building a music room where I will be (likely) reinserting Legacy Audio Focus SE's and I'm thinking of using the Prometheus Amps for that room.


----------



## hometheaterguy

Hello, Mr. Steve. It has been a long time, brother. Any new upgrades? 4K PJ? Miss you man. Oh, BTW, I have been in Steve home theater several times. A job well done for the best theater I have been in and listened to. "Two thumbs up".


----------



## SBruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *hometheaterguy*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/120#post_24545183
> 
> 
> Hello, Mr. Steve. It has been a long time, brother. Any new upgrades? 4K PJ? Miss you man. Oh, BTW, I have been in Steve home theater several times. A job well done for the best theater I have been in and listened to. "Two thumbs up".


 

Give me a call or AVS PM and come back over, Read above - all new speakers and monoblocks. The sound - today listened to two channel only and - its amazing how much my new setup sonically is better even though the "old" one sounded so darn good at the time. See my thread at the $20k forum on upgrades.


----------



## hometheaterguy




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *SBruzonsky*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/120#post_24545975
> 
> 
> Give me a call or AVS PM and come back over, Read above - all new speakers and monoblocks. The sound - today listened to two channel only and - its amazing how much my new setup sonically is better even though the "old" one sounded so darn good at the time. See my thread at the $20k forum on upgrades.



Thanks, brother, I will. One thing I remember was when you turned your three Aerial Acoustics subs OFF, but the theater still had kick ass, in your chest pounding bass. Then, you fire up the three subs and it was even more righteous. Good seeing you again, brother.


----------



## hometheaterguy

  
DXD-12012_QUATTRO_QUATTRO_600.jpg 167k .jpg fileVery nice, you are using JL subs now. I was wondering what you thought about JL and if you would go with them sometime. Have you seen Ken Kreisels new generation of subs? http://www.kreiselsound.com/ 


Aspirin not included. DXD-12012 QUATTRO-QUATTRO $47995


32, twelve inch drivers.

12000+ Continuous RMS watts

True Peak Power** 24,000-35,200 watts

QUATTRO Four stacks of the

QUATTRO

WEIGHT 1289.6 lbs/585 kg


----------



## SBruzonsky


My Theta Casablanca III HD SSP shipped off to Theta Digital for the Casablanca IV upgrade yesterday!!!!

 

I'll have you over once I get it back and get the CBIV all set up and burned in, with DIRAC [email protected]@


----------



## kevon27




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky#post_16725749
> 
> 
> I thought I was perfectly happy with my Aerial 10Ts circa 1997 (Aerial CC5 circa 2000) and Bryston 7B monoblocks circa 1997.
> 
> 
> Both had Bybee mods which at the time improved the sonics. But I got a really good deal when I bought that stuff, and good sales price when I sold that stuff, and great price on buying the new Aerial 9 and Enterprise monoblocks. I anticipated at least a bit of sonic improvement - but the significant additional transparency all around was frankly unexpected and wonderful.
> 
> 
> 
> Here's some front views of Aerial 9 and Theta Enterprise monoblock. Each Enterprise is on top of a set of three Symposium Rollerblock 2s.



I really can't take those Theta amps seriously. They look like PC's


----------



## SBruzonsky


You can "take seriously" and enjoy whatever amps you want. Your prerogative. I could care less what your opinion is just like you could care less my opinion!

 

Those amps are old news and gone now anyway. As are a pair of Theta Citadel 1.5 monoblocks that I was using at front left and right since 2011. Now I have the theta Prometheus monoblocks - Class D and I luv 'em.


----------



## kevon27




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *SBruzonsky*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/120#post_24643989
> 
> 
> You can "take seriously" and enjoy whatever amps you want. Your prerogative. I could care less what your opinion is just like you could care less my opinion!


Take it easy partner.. It was a joke.. You are way to sensitive..


----------



## SBruzonsky




> My five new Theta Prometheus monoblocks, reprinted from above:
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Steve Bruzonsky*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/120#post_24370650
> 
> 
> Photos of my new theater "front end", Aerial Acoustics 7ts, JL Audio Fathom f212-GLOSSY subwoofers, Theta Digital Prometheus monoblocks (first ones outside ATI-Theta in the entire world), Cardas Clear Light speaker cabling:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I luv the Prometheus so much that I have ordered two more so all five main channels are [email protected]@@


----------



## SBruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *kevon27*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/120#post_24643999
> 
> 
> 
> Take it easy partner.. It was a joke.. You are way to sensitive..


 

Take it easy partner, I was joking you back!!! @@@@@@  Except the Prometheus monoblocks are [email protected]@@


----------



## SBruzonsky




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *SBruzonsky*  /t/1158431/my-dedicated-audiophile-home-theater-steve-bruzonsky/120#post_24643093
> 
> 
> 
> My Theta Casablanca III HD SSP shipped off to Theta Digital for the Casablanca IV upgrade yesterday!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> I'll have you over once I get it back and get the CBIV all set up and burned in, with DIRAC [email protected]@


 

Hopefully I'll have my upgraded Casablanca IV SSP back soon.

 

Meanwhile, for the past several weeks I've been setting up, and in the past week using, a Western Digital 16TB WDMyCloudEX4 network server.Big 5800 sq foot house. Wireless N Apple Airport Express base station upstairs in home office, whereI have the network server. Monster Cable Powerline extenders all the way at east main floor at my dedicated home theater room, and also powerline extender to basement at other side of home. To my surprise, wirless for my custom media server is working absolutely fine, no hiccups at all, on all the stereo stuff I'm playing all the way up to SACD ISO files. When I get my Casablanca IV and use multi-channel over HDMI to the CBIV, hopefully I'll find it works fine.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

I just finalized my JL Audio subwoofer setup. Here's photos:


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

For a complete discussion of my subwoofer setup, see:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1533189/optimizing-subwoofer-setup-for-audiophile-music-home-theater


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

For a complete discussion of my Theta CB4 and observations, see:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1533199/my-new-theta-casablanca-4-a-high-end-audiophile-digital-preamp-as-well/0_10


----------



## hometheaterguy

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> I just finalized my JL Audio subwoofer setup. Here's photos:


Wow, bro, and to think you old setup was IMAX intimidating! So, you keep the Thetas and Aerials? Are you still using the Stewart VISIONARY ELECTRISCREEN and DWiN2? We may be in Phoenix this Summer, can you send us "tickets" to your new theater?


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

hometheaterguy said:


> Steve Bruzonsky said:
> 
> 
> 
> I just finalized my JL Audio subwoofer setup. Here's photos:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, bro, and to think you old setup was IMAX intimidating! So, you keep the Thetas and Aerials? Are you still using the Stewart VISIONARY ELECTRISCREEN and DWiN2? We may be in Phoenix this Summer, can you send us "tickets" to your new theater?
Click to expand...

Go back to the first post in this thread, which is updated for all my current home theater stuff.

You are WAY YEARS behind in my setup and system changes! Pretty much totally revamped my stuff in 2007-2008 and again during Feb - May this year!


----------



## hometheaterguy

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Go back to the first post in this thread, which is updated for all my current home theater stuff.
> 
> You are WAY YEARS behind in my setup and system changes! Pretty much totally revamped my stuff in 2007-2008 and again during Feb - May this year!


Steve, you suck! , JK, you are my hero, brother! We have got to get in your room, for a new demo!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Just added the two Acoustic Sciences Corporation 22" X 22" X 15" high custom SubTraps, placed under each JL Audio f212 subwoofer.

Just changed out my wireless networking to three Linksys WRT1900AC routers, using two programmed as access points.


----------



## hometheaterguy

He who dies with the "best" home theater hardware...wins, lol!


----------



## kevinlg

I can't wrap my head around a $14,000 amp lol, I need to hear what they do in person and see if the price can be justified, badass set up though.


----------



## darthray

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Just added the two Acoustic Sciences Corporation 22" X 22" X 15" high custom SubTraps, placed under each JL Audio f212 subwoofer.
> 
> Just changed out my wireless networking to three Linksys WRT1900AC routers, using two programmed as access points.


I just skim through this tread and you Sir, have an amazing set-up 

I am surprise that you did not receive more Thumb-up or like than what you got!!!
I gave you one at the end, but they were so many post that deserved-it, it would have look as I was trigger happy.

Beautifull room and lots of thought about all big and small details.

Ray


----------



## Dutch-boy

looks awesome


----------



## hannachin

*Velodyne sms 1*

Are you still using your Velodyne SMS 1? If so, how meny ms have you aded fore the SMS 1? Have the Gotham myself, but i dont knov how much delay i can add vith the Gotham & Velodyne SMS in a chain.


----------



## whatuppa

OKAY I have to ask,,,,,,,,,,How much have you spent on all of this ......The original add-on to your home, guessing around 10K back in 1997? and after that???? Thanks John


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

whatuppa said:


> OKAY I have to ask,,,,,,,,,,How much have you spent on all of this ......The original add-on to your home, guessing around 10K back in 1997? and after that???? Thanks John


Seriously? You think building an additional wing with a home theater room, hallway and bathroom onto an existing home costs pocket change of 10K?
Or did you mean 100k and the 10k is a typo?

Regardless - I never discuss what I pay for stuff, too much of a "gentleman" for that. HA!

I will say I got a real good deal when I built my home theater addition. My office neighbor was then a contractor, they had a slow time, so they built it for me, with a lot of my own input, at a reasonable percent above their cost, and they did a fantastic job!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

kevinlg said:


> I can't wrap my head around a $14,000 amp lol, I need to hear what they do in person and see if the price can be justified, badass set up though.


The Prometheus monoblocks retail MSRP is 12 grand per pair. I had the very first of these, in the whole wide world, outside of Theta Digital itself, back in Jan 2014!!! These monoblocks are one of twelve CEPro products of the year for 2014!!!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

hannachin said:


> Are you still using your Velodyne SMS 1? If so, how meny ms have you aded fore the SMS 1? Have the Gotham myself, but i dont knov how much delay i can add vith the Gotham & Velodyne SMS in a chain.


I was using two Velodyne SMS-1s with three Aerial SW-12 subwoofers. When I revamped by speakers and subwoofers January 2014 I sold the Aerial subs and quit using the SMS-1s as no longer need them based on (1) placement of the subs on ACS subwoofer stands just to the inside of the Prometheus monoblock amplifiers, such that placement is only 6" shy heightwise of the perfect placement per Art Noxon of ASC's calculations for where to place subwoofers in a rectangular room; (2) as sub placement is perfect width and length of roomsie per Art Noxon of ASC; and (3) my Theta Casablanca IV SSP has Dirac as well.

http://www.tubetrap.com/bass_traps_articles/home-theater-3.htm Art Noxon's article on subwoofer placement!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

darthray said:


> I just skim through this tread and you Sir, have an amazing set-up
> 
> I am surprise that you did not receive more Thumb-up or like than what you got!!!
> I gave you one at the end, but they were so many post that deserved-it, it would have look as I was trigger happy.
> 
> Beautifull room and lots of thought about all big and small details.
> 
> Ray


Thanks. Can't say I care about how many "thumbs up" I get. But thanks for yours. I will say that with "trigger happy" movies you can hear and feel the gunshots much better than the very best commercial movie theaters. HA!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

In recent months, my component changes are as follows:

Added a LG 55UB8500 55 inch 4k Ultra HDTV (under projection screen)

Changed from DireCTV HR24 HD DVR to DirecTV HR44 Genie with C41 Genie Client (the Genie shows a clearly better and more uniform brighter picture than the prior HR24).

Changed iPad from iPad3 to iPad Air 2

Changed HDMI Cabling from thick Blue Jeans BJC Series-1 HDMI cabling
(which even in short 6' runs I found had a bit better picture quality than their lower guage thinner HDMI cabling) to Monoprice 18Gbps Ultra Slim High Performance HDMI Cable w/ Redmere Technology (Except Blue Jeans BJC Series-1 HDMI cabling in wall to projector because its too much work to replace it if I don't need to). This Redmere technology is a small computer chip at each end of the cabling. I use only 6' HDMI cables because I have been advised by Lumagen and other experts that shorter HDMI cables can have reflections which lower the signal quality). These Monoprice cables are cheap and work as good or better than the much thicker cabling I was using previously. Not only does the Redmere technology ensure the signal coming in and the signal coming out are the same, but as the HDMI connectors and cables are lightweight, they connect perfectly and do not strain the HDMI connectors on the components.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Here's whats really scary!

Last year, after I changed to the two JL Audio F212 subwoofers, I also placed them on two custom ASC
(Acoustic Sciences Corporation) sub stands! We then placed the screen a foot higher on the front wall - we determined this was the highest we should go to maintain best video quality.

So my front three Aerial 7t speakers and two JL Audio F212 subwoofers now are all under the line of sight to the front screen! My prior speakers, Aerial 9s, were taller.

A few months ago, a brainstorm came to me. No longer am I limited with the width of my screen no wider than the present 10.5 feet (128.5 inches) (2.35 screen) - I can now go 14 - 15 feet wide! I am waiting for 
4k technology to mature some, and likely in the next 1-3 years I may change to a new projector and screen at least 14' wide.


----------



## darthray

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Thanks. Can't say I care about how many "thumbs up" I get. But thanks for yours. I will say that with "trigger happy" movies you can hear and feel the gunshots much better than the very best commercial movie theaters. HA!



+1
Anyone with dedicated room with proper equipment, room acoustic treatments and calibrated properly.
Can enjoy a movie with better results than any commercial movie theater.


Ray


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

I am having not a mid-life crisis, but a 60ish life crisis. How am I dealing with this?

Over a year ago, got rid of lotsa "old" stuff, and brought in "new" stuff - five Aerial 7t speakers, five Theta Digital Prometheus monoblocks, two JL Audio f212 subwoofers,
with Cardas Clear Light speaker cable.

Now, I have added two more Theta Digital Generation VIII Series III DACs (now have three total), for front left and right (been using a Gen VIII for this since early 2011), and now another DAC for center and subwoofer, and a 3rd DAC for surround left and right!

I have coming some Cardas Clear 1.5M AES/EBU digital cables, for the three Gen VIIIs, 

I split the signal coming out of one Gen VIII subwoofer channel into two subwoofer channels, because bass out of the Gen VIII does sound a bit better and more cohesive than using the Extreme DACs in my Casablanca IV SSP. 

I will be using my two year old Media Server with HDMI only for multi-channel, as I have a new CAPS4.0 Pipeline Media Server arriving any day now for 2 channel.


----------



## g_bartman

So now that you've had siginificant time with the 7T's, what do you think of them?


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

g_bartman said:


> So now that you've had siginificant time with the 7T's, what do you think of them?


I've had the five 7ts for 14 months now and they are outstanding speakers, just luv '[email protected]@@


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Over a month ago picked up two used Theta Gen VIII Series 3 DACs, so now have three of them for 5.1 channels, and use a DH Labs Silver Sonic analog balanced splitter from the Theta CB4 SSP to my two JL Audio f212 subwoofers.

Less than two weeks my new Media Server arrived, a CAPSv4 Pipeline as sold by Small Green Computer with an outboard HDPlex linear power supply. Now I use my prior
CAPS3 Zuma (modded with larger case and an added Sapphire/ATI video card for multi-channel audio) only for multi-channel.

On two channel, the CAPSv4 Pipeline is even much better than what I had luved with my CAPS3! Appreciably quieter, one can turn up the volume on the CB4 "higher and higher". Drums, bass, everything simply clearly sounds better. Bottom line is the CAPSv4 has appreciably less power consumption and EMI/noise thus that cleaner background and greater dynamics. I played several recent jazz recordings all in hi rez - "Jazz Funk Soul"; "Hacienda" by Jeff Lorber Fusion; and two albums by David Chesky and the New Harmonic Jazz. Oh - also an old but goodie Billy Cobham album and the improvement in dynamics is beyond what I could have expected. Don't get me wrong - the CAPSv3 has been terrific for stereo - but once one hears the CAPS4 Pipeline, one cannot go backwards!

For two channel now I almost always listen with the CB4 in multi-channel DTS Neo6! I have matching top dog speakers (Aerial 7t), monoblock amps (Theta Prometheus),
and DACs (Theta Gen VIII Series 3) at each channel including subwoofer, and I am finding that the "extra" extrapolated speakers only enhance the otherwise two channel presentation without taking [email protected]@@


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Over a month ago picked up two used Theta Gen VIII Series 3 DACs, so now have three of them for 5.1 channels, and use a DH Labs Silver Sonic analog balanced splitter from the Theta CB4 SSP to my two JL Audio f212 subwoofers. Less than two weeks my new Media Server arrived, a CAPSv4 Pipeline as sold by Small Green Computer with an outboard HDPlex linear power supply. Now I use my prior CAPS3 Zuma (modded with larger case and an added Sapphire/ATI video card for multi-channel audio) only for multi-channel. On two channel, the CAPSv4 Pipeline is even much better than what I had luved with my CAPS3! Appreciably quieter, one can turn up the volume on the CB4 "higher and higher". Drums, bass, everything simply clearly sounds better. Bottom line is the CAPSv4 has appreciably less power consumption and EMI/noise thus that cleaner background and greater dynamics. I played several recent jazz recordings all in hi rez - "Jazz Funk Soul"; "Hacienda" by Jeff Lorber Fusion; and two albums by David Chesky and the New Harmonic Jazz. Oh - also an old but goodie Billy Cobham album and the improvement in dynamics is beyond what I could have expected. Don't get me wrong - the CAPSv3 has been terrific for stereo - but once one hears the CAPS4 Pipeline, one cannot go backwards!
> For two channel now I almost always listen with the CB4 in multi-channel DTS Neo6! I have matching top dog speakers (Aerial 7t), monoblock amps (Theta Prometheus),
> and DACs (Theta Gen VIII Series 3) at each channel including subwoofer, and I am finding that the "extra" extrapolated speakers only enhance the otherwise two channel presentation without taking [email protected]@@


Yesterday and this AM finished recalibrating audio/speaker levels in my sytem. This is pre-Dirac. Will recalibrate with Dirac in near future.

In the past, I had calculated delays for all of my CBIV audio modes based on speaker & subwoofer distance from the front center row (two rows, front row three leather recliners, back row two leather recliners, with the front center recliner and the back left recliner having “me” or whoever is sitting there right in front of the front center Aerial 7t or right in the center of the front & surround left and right Aerial 7ts). But I have found that I like watching DirecTV at center front, but I like listening to music at the back left. And sometimes I like watching blu ray movies from the back left, too. So I thought – why not setup CBIV modes with calibrating “delay” and “level” for the speakers for both the front center and back left (again, only two recliners in back row, and the left is actually in the center of speakers from left to right)? So I did.

In the past, I have preferred using DTS Neo 6 for converting my media server USB 2 channel music (which I have set at 80 Hz 24 dB crossover and I always use my subs for 2 channel and every other music, movie and tv source in my system) into multi-channel. But now, after the above recalibrations, and with my new CAPSv4 Pipeline 2Ch music server being clearly more dynamic than my CAPSv3 modded Zuma music server, I find that there is a loss of dynamics using those modes. But I find that “Special Matrix” is simply wonderful to derive multi-channel from 2 channel music! No loss of dynamics at all. In order to always be able to on the fly compare 2 channel USB vs derived multi-channel using “Special Matrix”, using my Radio Shack analog sound level meter, I listened and raised the 2 channel (plus subwoofer) CBIV source up by 5 dB for each speaker & subwoofer level. Its obvious that I have noticed the loss of dynamics using the Dolby and DTS modes due to (1) now having three Gen VIII DACs for all channels, not just front left and right; (2) new CAPSV4Pipeline music server simply more dynamic than the CAPSv3 modded Zuma music server for stereo; and (3) my setting speaker distance and levels for the left back row (actually center as noted above). 

I like to use the start of the blu ray movie “Prometheus” to hear and evaluate bass on my system for movies! WOW! Interesting I found the bass overall not as loud as before. But the bass is deeper, more musical, and so much more REAL! When the spaceship is hovering over the waterfall, I now hear the waterfall like when I visited Niagara Falls some years ago! I’ve always liked the back row for movies, liking the bass I would feel and hear – bass is great in the front row, but even better in the back row. Now that I have made a source setting for the CBIV based on my position at left back row (actually center as discussed above), with the proper speaker delays for that position, I found that the subwoofer speaker level for the back is quite a bit higher than the front, so I lowered the back subwoofer level to about equal the other speakers. And the result in doing this that I can really hear my system in all its glory!


----------



## ragmack

Do you have an updated view of the Home Theatre. Impressive setup .


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

In the near future I'll take some photos and post them here. Thanks.


----------



## Sharp1080

Great story on the evolution of your room and system. Thanks for the conversation and help regarding Theta equipment the other day Steve. Burning in the new amps now!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Sharp1080 said:


> Great story on the evolution of your room and system. Thanks for the conversation and help regarding Theta equipment the other day Steve. Burning in the new amps now!


Glad to help. One of these days it will be nice to meet each other!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

My current home theater pix!


----------



## Sharp1080

Wow Steve that is beautiful.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

I've recently added an Uptone Audio USB Regen (Amber) for my two channel USB media server - CAPSv4 Pipeline.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

As noted and shown in pictures of my theater room in this thread, I have many of Michael Green's products, primarily his PZCs (Pressure Zone Controllers), mounted on the walls and ceiling in my room. Today, the daily audio email from Paul McGowan, PS Audio, discusses these - they really work nice and give my room a much larger but natural sonic "feel":


C:\Users\Steven\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\YH2GZTBS\email.mht


"*Ear openers*

_I might have said my first introduction to tweaking rooms for best sound was a religious experience because the man that demonstrated it looked like he stepped from the pages of the Bible.It was the early 1990s at CES, near the end of a long day of greeting customers and demonstrating the system when a bearded, long haired man – dressed entirely in black – entered the room (had he been dressed in robes the illusion would have been uncanny). He introduced himself as Michael Green from Room Tunes, and proceeded to tell us what miracles he could bring by adding objects to the room. Both Arnie Nudell and I were certainly familiar with the round cylinders of Arthur Noxon, called Tube Traps, but Green claimed something very different.

The room had cleared out and we agreed to let him wave his wand in the interest of better sound. He returned with a trolley full of rectangular floor standing frames, each about four feet high, two feet wide and six inches deep. Each frame was covered in an attractive gray grille cloth and weighed next to nothing. On each base was a label indicating directionality. There were probably ten frames and Green quickly distributed half of them in a semicircle equidistant between the back of the speaker and wall. The other half were placed to the sides of the room facing the listener. Music played and Green busied himself repositioning frames until he was happy, then asked us to sit and listen.

Where previously we had a good soundstage and proper tonal balance of instruments, now a vast panorama extended deeper into the room and wall to wall too. Instruments were much more believable and the whole presentation took on a life we hadn’t yet experienced. It was a real ear opener if ever there was one.
We subsequently purchased the lot of lightweight frames and took them home with us and used them for many years. The idea behind the Room Tune was nothing new: a reflective membrane on one side and an absorptive material on the other. But building them into an accessible and attractive product like Green did was something I hadn’t seen. I don’t know what happened to Green – I had heard a rumor he was denied entry into Singapore because of his appearance, and somewhere along the way he began veering into the weird by making pillows for corners that didn’t do anything I could hear – though I see he has a website called Michael Green Audio.
Regardless of where he landed, the day he walked into our room was the beginning of something interesting."_

_______________________

Note last I heard Michael Green had moved on from the audio business but not the hobby. A friend in the Az Audio Video Club drove to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Michael Green is a business broker, to buy a used amplifier from him!


----------



## ShaunPressley

Hey Steve - it has been a lonnng time. The theater looks great, my friend! I'll bet you don't pick up AM Radio in that left front speaker anymore?! HA!  I'll bet the theater sounds even better now, than with the Ariel 10t speakers, (which were awesome). 

We moved to Texas a few months ago, but when we plan a trip back to AZ, I'll reach out to ya. 

Take care!

Shaun


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

ShaunPressley said:


> Hey Steve - it has been a lonnng time. The theater looks great, my friend! I'll bet you don't pick up AM Radio in that left front speaker anymore?! HA!  I'll bet the theater sounds even better now, than with the Ariel 10t speakers, (which were awesome).
> 
> We moved to Texas a few months ago, but when we plan a trip back to AZ, I'll reach out to ya.
> 
> Take care!
> 
> Shaun


I remember that. Back when my favorite song was Steely Dan's "FM". HA! Yea, when you are in the area, be sure to come over!


----------



## ShaunPressley

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> I remember that. Back when my favorite song was Steely Dan's "FM". HA! Yea, when you are in the area, be sure to come over!


I will do that, Buddy! Glad to see you on the forums more.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Over the past few months I've made a few changes:

1. Now using ROON software for 2 channel music instead of JRiverMC 21, the latter which I still use for multi-channel music.

2. Now using a Curious Cable .8M USB cable (for CAPSv4 Pipeline 2 channel music server)

3. Now using Lumagen 2143 for video scaling/processing (got a great price on one used), replacing my Lumagen Radiance XE. I did this only because the 2143 has built-in Darbee processing which I use.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

EGADS! ROON has just got WAY better in my audio/home theater [email protected]@@

My ROON setup, until tonight, was as follows:

CAPSv4 (Computer Audiophile forum server, version 4), USB out. With Roonserver loaded, designated as my primary music computer for ROON, because ROON would only use the USB out from the primary music server.

iPad Pro with the iPad Pro app for ROON, used as a controller only.

Also a Toshiba laptop, with the full RoonInstaller loaded, but used only as a controller as well.

_______________

Tonight, as I started listening to music with ROON, an auto ROON software install came up and loaded. I checked and found out the ROON version is now 1.2. And version 1.2 also has RoonBridge software, which now allows the full RoonInstaller to be installed on a computer remote, that is, from the media server that is outputting the USB music!

Now my ROON setup, as of late last night (Tuesday night) (EXCITING!) is:

CAPSv4 (Computer Audiophile forum server, version 4), USB out. With Roonserver and RoonBridge loaded, designated as a remote computer for ROON.

CAPSv3 Zuma (Computer Audiophile forum server, version 3) (modded a bit). I use this media server only for multi-channel out via HDMI using JRiver Media Center software (as ROON does not at this time do multi-channel audio). But NOW I have loaded the main RoonInstaller, the full ROON program, and I have this computer designated as primary for ROON. ROON’s database is now on this computer. This computer does all the filing, searching, internet connections, audio processing, etc now for ROON and my 2 channel audio – then the audio file goes through my wi-fi network to the CAPSv4 and out its USB. HA!

iPad Pro with the iPad Pro app for ROON, used as a controller only.

Also a Toshiba laptop, with the full RoonInstaller loaded, but used only as a controller as well.
____________________________

ROON as configured prior to tonight, in my system, sounded better than JRiver Media Center 21, for stereo! 

By moving all the PC “work” and “processing” over to the CAPSv3, the sonic improvement is astounding and [email protected]@@ 

ROON is a terrific audio playing program for audiophiles and music luvers! Its metadata capabilities alone are reason to use ROON. But its audio quality particularly when you use a separate computer for the ROON processing, etc (as I use the CAPSv3), and use a media server pretty much only to pass on the audio signal (as I use the CAPSv4), is second to none! I am blown away! I wonder how long I will stay up listening to music tonite? Its already 2 AM!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Sonore and also Small Green Computer just started sales of their revolutionary new product, the Sonore MicroRendu - A Revolution in Music Server Price & Quality!

Read the review at: 
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/co...part-1/Product for sale at Sonore’s website, also at Small Green Computer for a “whole” $640! http://microjukebox.com/products/mic...nt=18223114884 

MICRORENDU

•	$ 64000
•	
________________________________________
Power supply 
Sold Out
________________________________________
Connect your USB DAC to your network.
The microRendu allows you to play music from many different network music sources on your USB attached DAC.
POWER SUPPLY OPTIONS
iFi iPower Supply - 100-240VAC, 50/60Hz, ~1uV average audio band noise floor, for USA/UK/EU/AUS electrical outlets, with Active Noise Cancellation+

SPECIFICATIONS:
AUDIO
•	Supported File Formats: FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, MP3, AAC, OGG, WMA, WMA-L, DSF, DFF
•	Native Sampling Rates: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz and 384kHz
•	DSD formats: DSD64, DSD128 and DSD256
•	Bit Depths: 16, 24
•	SPDIF output supports: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, and 192kHz both in 16 bit and 24 bit
CONNECTIVITY
•	Network: Gigabit Ethernet RJ45
•	USB: 2 USB ports
•	SPDIF: 1 optical SPDIF digital output
•	Power: 5VDC input
•	Network Protocols: DLNA, , Squeezebox®, Roon RAAT
USER INTERFACE
•	Android: App Available Online at Google Play Store - OrangeSqueeze
•	iOS: App Available Online at Apple App Store - iPeng
•	Roon iOS or Android App
DIMENSIONS:
•	3.5"x2.2"x.7"
•	1 lbs 
POWER CONSUMPTION:
•	8 Watts
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT:
•	0° C to 40° C
___________________

I just ordered one! For now they are sold out.

I will be using it in my system in place of my CAPSv4 Pipeline, which I will sell. This component will be my RoonBridge, in lieu of the CAPSv4 Pipeline I am using right now for this purpose.My CAPSv3 Zuma will continue to be used for multi-channel audio over HDMI with JRiver Media Center; and also my CAPSv3 Zuma will continue to run the main RoonServer program to interface with internet music info and data and to do the processing/conversion of audio files and then send them via Ethernet to the MicroRendu which will output clean and isolated audio over USB to the rest of my system! I was hopin’ this would come about. Never expected so quick. For now, I will be using the MicroRendu with the external LPS power supply that came with my CAPSv4. Sonore is coming out with a premium LPS power supply particularly for the MicroRendu, which I plan to get once available, which should even give me somewhat improved sonics over my current LPS!
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	microRendu_.jpg
Views:	0
Size:	65.2 KB
ID:	1419066


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

I love the Microrendu. Sonically, using the HDPlex linear power supply it at least equals, ifnot betters in some respects, my CAPSv4 media server!

To improve sonics ever more, I just ordered a Sonore Signature Power Supply for the Microrendu!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Let me explain again how I have used Roon in my system during this year so far:

1. Initially, I installed RoonServerInstaller64, on my then CAPSv4 (operated headless, using Teamviewer to remotely control the CAPSv4 from my PCs or iPad) (I didn't install the "full" RoonInstaller64 program because Windows 8.1 Pro had been optimized on my CAPSv4 to elimate unnecessary functions, including those necessary for Roon's video display). This program permitted me to utilize the CAPSv4 USB output for audio.

2. In April, Roon updated to version 1.2, a BIG DEAL! I was able to install RoonInstaller64 on my Toshiba laptop; and install RoonBridgeinstaller64 on my CAPSv4. Thanks to RoonBridge on my CAPSv4, I was able to have all the internet seeking for metadata & info, and audio processing, done by my Toshiba laptop; using the RoonBridge on the CAPSv4 only as the USB audio output. 

3. I then substituted my CAPSv3 (which runs JRiver for multi-channel via HDMI) (which I quit using for 2 channel via USB once I got the CAPSv4) running RoonServerInstaller64 for the Toshiba laptop, as the CAPSv3 is fanless, and as when I run Roon I am not also running JRiver (which I now use only for multi-channel) at the same time as Roon.

4. In May, I replaced the CAPSv4 as a RoonBridge (outputting
USB audio) with the Microrendu (which comes Roonready, which is the same as loading RoonBridge onto a computer).

My current Roon setup:

CAPSv3 runs RoonServerInstaller64. Microrendu is Roon Ready.

WDMyCloudEX4 (Western Digital) 16 TB Server connects via ethernet cable to Linksys router/access point.

CAPSv3 connects via ethernet cable to Linksys router/access point.

Microrendu connects via ethernet cable to Linksys router/access point.

Microrendu connects via USB output/USB cable to Berkely Audio USB to digital converter.

Berkely connects via Cardas AES/EBU digital cable to Theta CBIV SSP.

Theta CBIV SSP connects via three Cardas AES/EBU digital cables to three external Theta Gen VIII Series 3 DACs.

I initially used the Microrendu with the HDPlex 100 watt linear power supply (LPS) that came with my CAPSv4, and it was a clear sonic improvement over the CAPSv4. After I few weeks, my new Sonore Signature Power Supply (with 2 Synergistic Research black fuses) arrived, and this was a substantial sonic improvement even more than before!

Note that my CAPSv3 (and now sold CAPSv4) Windows 8.1 Pro operating systems were optimized by Andrew Gillis, Small Green Computer (he also wrote the software for the Microrendu) to delete unnecessary functions for the best audio sonics and to avoid operating hiccups. I have personally experienced operating hiccups when using a computer without having Windows optimized for audio usage.



Having the main Roon core with all processing done on one computer, with another computer or component operating as a Roon bridge or endpoint, gives appreciably better sonics than having all of Roon done on one computer. And then add the Microrendu and I found the additional sonic improvement was simply breathtaking.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

So what have I done/changed the past few months:

For two channel stereo (and expanded to 5.1 channel sometimes on music): Started using ROON on my then CAPSv4 Pipeline about Jan. 2016. In April, ROON allowed me to run ROON Core on one computer, and use another computer as a ROON bridge, so I used my CAPSv3, retired from stereo use and still used with JRiver MC for multi-channel audio, as the ROON Core and the CAPSv4 as the ROON bridge. Then, May 2016, CAPSv4 is retired and sold and replaced by the Sonore Microrendu as a ROON endpoint.
Just a few days ago, replaced the CAPSv3 as the ROON Core with the Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter i5.

Added a pair of TP-LINK GB Media Converters between the Microrendu ethernet connection to the Linksys router/access point

Inserted a pair of PS Audio Quintets, each powered by one of my two PS Audio P5 power regenerators. One Quintet is used for computer & networking gear, including providing clean power to my new pair of HDPLex 100W LPS (linear power supplied). The HDPlex’s are used to connect DC power inputs of the Linksys router, Linksys switcher, Sonic Transporter i5,
Lumagen 2143 video processor, 2 TP-Link GB Media Converters, Western Digital WDMyCloudEX4 Server. The other Quintet is used for 3 DirecTV power plugs.


----------



## Em84

Amazing thread Steve. I came to your thread after searching the entire forum for the sonicTransporter i5 ! There aren't many photos of it on the web and in forums.

Are you able to share some pics, of the front, sides and back of the unit, just so I can see the ports available and the build of the unit.

It looks very cool on the main sales website and judging from your feedback in this thread, performs really well

Thanks in advance


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Em84 said:


> Amazing thread Steve. I came to your thread after searching the entire forum for the sonicTransporter i5 ! There aren't many photos of it on the web and in forums.
> 
> Are you able to share some pics, of the front, sides and back of the unit, just so I can see the ports available and the build of the unit.
> 
> It looks very cool on the main sales website and judging from your feedback in this thread, performs really well
> 
> Thanks in advance


Here are pictures of my Small Green Computer i5 Transporter!


----------



## Em84

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Here are pictures of my Small Green Computer i5 Transporter!


Thanks Steve ! Do the HDMI and speaker ports actually work or have all video and sound output component's been stripped from the motherboard to keep the sonicT i5 as efficient as possible for storage and network playback only ?


Sent from my Blackberry DTEK50 using Tapatalk


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Em84 said:


> Thanks Steve ! Do the HDMI and speaker ports actually work or have all video and sound output component's been stripped from the motherboard to keep the sonicT i5 as efficient as possible for storage and network playback only ?
> 
> 
> Sent from my Blackberry DTEK50 using Tapatalk


Sorry, I only use the Transporter i5 for Roon Core with the Microrendu as a Roon Endpoint. You would have to ask Small Green Computer your questions, or post them at the Computer Audiophile forum.


----------



## Em84

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Sorry, I only use the Transporter i5 for Roon Core with the Microrendu as a Roon Endpoint. You would have to ask Small Green Computer your questions, or post them at the Computer Audiophile forum.


Thanks Steve. I also have the microrendu and will be using it similarly to you. I wanted to know if the sonicT has stripped away unnecessary components (like video processing and audio output) the way has been done with the microrendu to optimise performance. I thought you may know or have asked in the past but I'll post in the relevant threads. Seeing those HDMI and speaker out and mic in ports made me curious.

Many thanks again for sharing and what a great system you have!


Sent from my Blackberry DTEK50 using Tapatalk


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Here's my now updated system info. I have recently added three HDplex 100 watt linear power supplies, which power all of my DC input components, giving me much cleaner and better sounding power than using the supplied DC bricks! (The only exception is my three DC bricks for my DirecTV system are plugged into a PS Audio Quintet, which is plugged into one of my PS Audio P5 Power Plants)
And most significantly, my 3 Theta Digital Generation VIII Series 3 DACs are gone (sold), replaced by the new Xtreme D3 DACs internal to the Theta Casablanca 4 SSP (surround sound processor), and which I have verified sound as good or better than when I was using the 3 Generation 8 DACs. Its really amazing. New technology, with the volume controls on and as part of the D3 DAC cards, give us the very best internal DAC cards for a SSP, with the resulting sound competitive and even better than most of the two channel DACs sold today! 




Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Below is current information on my theater and components as of December 2016!
> 
> STEVE BRUZONSKY’S HOME THEATER SYSTEM – December 2016
> 
> 
> VIDEO DISPLAY AND PROCESSING:
> 
> Sim2 C3X 1080 3 chip DLP Projector
> 
> Lumagen 2143 video processor/scaler
> 
> ISCO IIIL Anamorphic Lens and Cineslide Multistand II, with PPL-XL custom extra long length Cineslide mount kit
> 
> Stewart Cine-V Curved Screen, 2:35 128” W X 54” H, with drop down side masking to 96” W for 16:9, 1.3 gain.
> 
> LG 55UB8500 55 inch 4k Ultra HDTV (under projection screen)
> 
> 
> AUDIO VIDEO SOURCES & PROCESSING:
> 
> Theta Casablanca 4 surround processor (with DIRAC Live room correction) with 2 Xtreme D3 DAC cards (12 channels – ready for Dolby Atmos in near future, when the CB 4a becomes available with Dolby Atmos and Auro 3D, for which I will be adding four KEF THX in ceiling speakers and an ATI multi-channel amp for those speakers)
> (I had three Theta Generation VIII Series 3 DACs connected via a full bandwith digital out card to the Theta CB 4, and when I recently added the D3 DACs I found that they sound as good or better than the Generation VIII DACs, which I have sold) (My current configuration is 5.1 channels, with the two subwoofers chained to each other).
> 
> Theta Compli Blu 3D Universal Player (Blu Ray, SACD, DVD-A, CD)
> 
> Oppo 103D Universal player (which I use to rip SACDs)
> 
> Amazon Fire HD
> 
> Customized CAPS3.0 Zuma Music Server (computer, assembled and purchased from Small Green Computer),
> used for multi-channel HDMI output to Theta Casablanca IV SSP (using JRiverMC 21 software for multi-channel music).
> 
> Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter i5 used for ROON Core, and Sonore Microrendu, as ROON endpoint, for 2 channel stereo output over USB to Berkeley Audio Alpha USB Converter, then AES/EBU to Casablanca IV SSP). Powered by Sonore Signature Power Supply with Synergistic Research fuses
> 
> Western Digital WDMyCloudEX4 16TB network server (with more than 8TB for 2Ch music); and Western Digital WDMyCloud 8TB (with more than 4.5TB for multi-channel music) (in theater room, as fans make no discernable noise) (connected by CAT6a Ethernet cable to Netgear access point, which is then connected by CAT6a Ethernet cable to the CAPSv3 (multi-channel music player), MicroRendu.and Sonic Transporter i5 (two channel music player)
> 
> 2 TP-Link GB Media Converters, placed between Linksys WRT 1900AC router and Microrendu
> 
> Berkley Audio Alpha USB Converter
> 
> 3 Linksys WRT1900AC routers, programmed with one in upstairs home office as main router, and two as bridges – one in home theater, one at West main floor of home, for wireless network)
> 
> Netgear GS116NA 16 port ethernet switch
> 
> DirecTV HR44 Genie with C41 Genie Client
> REMOTE:
> 
> Apple IPad Pro (for remote Music Server playback), using both JRemote and TeamViewer 10.
> 
> 
> POWER AMPLIFIERS:
> 
> 5 Theta Digital Prometheus monoblock amplifiers.
> 
> 
> SPEAKERS AND STANDS:
> 
> 5 Aerial Acoustics 7t speakers (including one for front center channel). Surround 7ts are elevated an additional 6 inches high by having OsirisGiza Mk II stands .
> 
> 2 JL Audio Fathom f212 subwoofers (each subwoofer has two 12” woofers).
> 
> 2 custom Acoustic Sciences Corporation SubTraps (22” X 22” X 15” high)
> 
> 
> AUDIO AND VIDEO CABLES:
> 
> HDMI Cabling Monoprice 18Gbps Ultra Slim High Performance HDMI Cable w/ Redmere Technology and Blue Jeans BJC-FE HDMI cables, with Blue Jeans BJC Series-1 HDMI cabling in wall to projector
> 
> Five Pairs Cardas Clear Light 1.5M speaker cables (each speaker biwired with one pair)
> 
> Granite Audio Model 470 Silver Analog Interconnects (single-ended and balanced) for long runs from monoblock amplifiers to speakers.
> 
> Mogami microphone XLR subwoofer interconnects
> 
> Cardas Audio Clear AES/EBU 1.5M digital audio cables
> 
> Curious Cable Link USB cable (connecting Microrendu to Berkley Audio USB Converter)
> 
> Blue Jeans Cat 6a and Audioquest Cinnamon & Forest Ethernet Cat7 Cables
> 
> 
> POWER ACCESSORIES:
> 
> 2 - PS Audio Perfect Wave P5 Power Plants
> 2 – PS Audio Quintet (Each one connected to a P5, one used for computer & networking, and one used for 3
> DirecTV plugs)
> 3 – HDPlex 100W LPS (Linear Power Supplied). Each of the PS Audio P5s feeds one of the HDPlex 100W LPS.
> The HDPlex’s are used to connect DC power inputs of the Linksys router, Netgear switcher, Sonic Transporter i5,
> Lumagen 2143 video processor, 2 TP-Link GB Media Converters, Western Digital WDMyCloudEX4 and WDMyCloud Servers.
> 
> PS Audio Soloist in wall power conditioner (for all non-amplifier components)
> 
> PS Audio Power Ports AC outlets
> 
> Granite Audio Model 560 and 555 power cords
> 
> Audioprism Noise Sniffer and Audioprism Quietline AC Filters
> 
> 
> COMPONENT RACKS:
> 
> Michael Green Deep Clampracks, one 54" high and two 48" high
> 
> Michael Green Deluxe Justarack Tuning Boards (3)
> 
> Steve Blinn amplifier stands (2)
> 
> ROOM ACOUSTICAL TREATMENTS:
> 
> Michael Green Acoustical Crown Molding 5" (black) placed on bevel at wall/ceiling seams
> 
> Michael Green Pressure Zone Controllers (black): Four Mini Corner Controllers, placed at ceiling corners over ACM joints; Eight Wall Mount Controllers 36", one at each of four wall corners, two on each side wall; and Six Mini Echo Controllers, one centered above the screen at the wall/ceiling seam, one centered above the back cabinets' wetbar at ball wall/ceiling seam, and one placed on the ceiling above each Aerial Acoustics 10T speaker
> 
> FURNITURE:
> 
> La-Z-Boy Legend Power Leather Recliners. 1st row three recliners, with console including two cupholders inbetween the front row center and right recliners. 2nd row two recliners with console including two cupholders between them.
> 
> OTHER ACCESSORIES/TWEAKS:
> 
> Symposium Platforms, Ultra and Svelte.
> 
> Symposium Rollerblocks Series 2.
> 
> Cardas Caps (for components' unused RCA inputs/outputs)
> 
> Michael Green Cable Grounds.
> 
> 
> Notes on Setup & Special Dedicated Room Construction and Features
> Notes on Setup:
> All speakers are floorstanding.
> How far apart are the main speakers? 168" (14 feet) front left from front right, & surround left from surround right. 165" (13 feet 9 inches) front left from surround left, & front right from surround right. All speakers including front center are Aerial Acoustics 7ts. Center speaker is equidistant from front center as the other speakers. The four front and surround Aerial Acoustics 7t speakers are setup at about 2, 4, 8 and 10 o'clock on circle, tilted at the center front row "sweet spot" (two rows of leather recliners each row) listening/viewing position at about 45 degrees, with each of the four main 7ts facing another 7t diagonally at a 45 degree angle.
> How far is the listener from the rear wall? Rear row 5 feet, and front row 11 feet from back wall.
> Placement of the rear surround speakers? Rear surrounds are about 1.5 feet to the rear of the rear row listening positions. Rear surrounds are about 7.5 feet to the rear of the front row listening position.
> How many rows of seat in the theater? 2 rows,3 leather recliners in front, 2 leather recliners in back, back row raised 8 inches on a platform. Back row left seat (2 recliners in back row) is right in the center sweet spot of the speakers from left to right. Front row center seat (3 recliners in front row) is right in the center sweet spot of the speakers from left to right.
> Surround Processor Settings: I have Theta CB4 settings including Dirac and speaker levels with one setting for front row and another setting for back row. I primarily listen to music in the back row. I may watch movies/tv from front or back row.
> Acoustic Treatments? Normally, the Aerial 7ts are too far apart for excellent imaging and sonics; however, thanks to the Michael Green Pressure Zone Controllers and acoustical treatments, this is preferred positioning for best home theater sonics. The Pressure Zone Controllers at the front of the room are adjusted for a solid phantom center image with only stereo playing for the front left and right 7t; and towards and at the back, the controllers are adjusted for more ambience.
> 
> SPECIAL DEDICATED ROOM CONSTRUCTION AND FEATURES:
> 
> Home Theater room dimensions are 18 feet 3 inches wide, 25 feet long and 11 feet 11 inches high. This is #3 on the Louden scale of best acoustical audio dimensions, to lessen the room node interaction at low bass frequencies as much as possible.
> 
> The room was added East of the Master Bedroom. A hallway and bathroom are between the Master Bedroom and the Home Theater room. The theater's cement foundation has seams between the theater and the hallway/bathroom, and also between the hallway/bathroom and the Master Bedroom, for vibration control.
> 
> Double masonite doors with wood and rubber seals around them lead from the Master Bedroom to the hallway, and from the hallway to the theater. Double 2 inch X 4 inch stud walls, with 1 inch air space inbetween, are between the Master Bedroom and the hallway/bathroom.
> 
> At the rear of the home theater, flat black cabinets with a wetbar in the middle are 20 inches deep with the 2 inch X 6 inch stud wall in back of the cabinets.
> 
> There is blown in cellulose insulation for all of the walls, which seeps into and perfectly seals all nooks and crannies, except the ceiling insulation is BAT (much of the ceiling is taken up by large oversized air conditioning ducts and there was insuficient room up there to squeeze in a blow in cellulose). USG Acoustical Sealant was used on all stud surfaces to minimize vibrations. Sound board, followed by gyp board, was installed on all of the walls and ceiling of the entire addition.
> 
> The air conditioning return is at the rear of the theater underneath the cabinets and is roughly about more than 10 feet long and 4 inches in height. The air conditioning is whisper quiet thanks to the oversized gentle turns insulated air ducts. The air return is located in the attic above the bathroom, with a separate air conditioning unit outside the room, and with the air conditioning unit on a concrete slab separated from the addition's concrete slab, so that the air conditioning is self-contained and totally separate from the rest of our home.
> 
> The local code requires at minimum the Home Theater room's windows, two windows four feet wide X 5 feet high. Each window is on the north and south side walls, with each window ending 7 feet from the front video screen wall, just behind the very front of the front left and right Aerial Acoustics 7T speakers. The windows consist of one double pane outside and a single pane inside. Each pane is on a separate wood insulated frame to minimize vibrations and maximize soundproofing. Manual Draper Lightblock shades ensure that the room remains totally dark for video.
> 
> Our home has a 400 amp electrical service. That service was originally split into two 200 amp panel boxes, one for the East and one for the West side of our home. With the new addition at the East of our home, its 200 amp service panel box has a new 100 amp circuit breaker, which is isolated from the 200 amp panel from which its fed, which feeds a third panel box which contains 19 dedicated 20 amp, 10 guage wire circuits for the Home Theater room only. However, I intentionally wired the Home Theater room and addition lighting, a ceiling dedicated 20 amp circuit (which can but is not presently used for the projector), and the addition air conditioning dedicated 30 amp circuit into the pre-existing East panel box, to help keep noise from those circuits out of the panel box and dedicated circuits for audio and video components. The 19 dedicated 20 amp circuits in the Home Theater room panel box are wall wired same electrical phase, skipping every even circuit in the panel box (otherwise, as in typical panel boxes which don't skip every even circuit, this results in doubling the AC power noise). 4 guage copper wire runs from the Home Theater panel box to a nearby 8 foot copper ground rod well buried in the ground. The house ground is a 4 guage copper wire from the East panel box. And a 4 guage copper wire connects the copper ground rod to the house ground. The Home Theater room electrical outlets are PS Audio Power Ports 20 amp (which replaced Hubbell one grade below hospital grade in August 2002). In 2007 added whole house surge suppression, Innovative Technology (Eaton) PTE160 for 400 amp panel and PTE0481S101 for home theater panel.
> 
> Home Theater room colors are optimized for front projection, black carpet over a cement foundation, black ceiling, and black side walls from the front screen wall out seven feet to the edge of the windows, the remainder of the room is dark gray (the dark gray looks like a medium to lighter gray when placed next to black).
> 
> Three black art deco style theater lights on each side wall.
> 
> Lutron Grafik Eye 3000 remote controlled lighting.
> 
> A black, remote controlled whisper quiet ceiling fan centered about two-thirds into the room from the front screen wall.
> 
> Boltz Multimedia racks for audio and video media.
> 
> Four Billy Bags amp stands are used as mobile end tables.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Here's my now updated system info. I have recently added three HDplex 100 watt linear power supplies, which power all of my DC input components, giving me much cleaner and better sounding power than using the supplied DC bricks! (The only exception is my three DC bricks for my DirecTV system are plugged into a PS Audio Quintet, which is plugged into one of my PS Audio P5 Power Plants)
> And most significantly, my 3 Theta Digital Generation VIII Series 3 DACs are gone (sold), replaced by the new Xtreme D3 DACs internal to the Theta Casablanca 4 SSP (surround sound processor), and which I have verified sound as good or better than when I was using the 3 Generation 8 DACs. Its really amazing. New technology, with the volume controls on and as part of the D3 DAC cards, give us the very best internal DAC cards for a SSP, with the resulting sound competitive and even better than most of the two channel DACs sold today!


For the past few years, I had not listened that much to multi-channel music (primarily ripped SACDs) because my two channel has sounded so much better.

My two channel has been using a Berkley Audio Alpha USB converter and Cardas AES/EBU digital cable, with a dedicated 2 channel media server which for some time had been a CAPSv4 - but the most recent itineration is:

Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter i5, connected via ethernet cable from network switcher; Sonore Microrendu, connected via two ethernet cables with two fiber converters inbetwen the ethernet cables, from network switcher; and connected by very short Curious Cable link (USB cable) to Berkley Audio Alpha USB converter, connected via Cardas AES/EBU digital cable to Theta CBIV. Using ROON, with ROON core on the Transporter i5, and the Microrendu is a ROON endpoint.

My multi-channel has been using a custom/modded CAPSv3 with Sapphire/AMD video card, connected by HDMI cable to Theta CBIV. I had been using either a PS Audio silver HDMI cable or a BlueJeans Cable HDMI cable, both of which about sounded the same. Using JRiver Media Center software. And HDMI simply hasn't compared to two channel for the past few years in sonic quality.

In recent months a number of changes have made multi-channel music sound way better!

First, about 4-5 months ago, I sold my three external Theta Generation VIII Series 3 DACs, and installed new D3 internal DAC cards (thanks Craig Shumer/VGI for arranging all of this). I felt that the D3 DACs
sound as good as the external Gen VIIIs, although I can't say I noticed a noticeable change in sonics for multi-channel music.

About two months ago, I got a decent deal on a top line Audioquest Diamond HDMI cable (thanks again Craig/VGI, who didn't even suggest this, but I thought I'd try it as he is now an Audioquest dealer).
Unquestionably really nice sonic improvement where I started listening to more multi-channel music and really enjoying it - although, sonically, there was still a noticeable gap in performance.

In the past week, with ROON 1.3 recently coming out with multi-channel now a feature, I have migrated my multi-channel to ROON. So my current multi-channel setup is: 

Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter i5, connected via ethernet cable from network switcher; custom/modded CAPSv3 with Sapphire/AMD video card, connected by ethernet cable to network switcher, also connected by Audioquest Diamond HDMI cable to Theta CBIV. Using ROON, Roon core on Transporter i5, Roonbridge on CAPS v3 (which has been using Windows 8.1Pro optimized by Small Green Computer for JRiver, which I just upgraded to a non-optimized Windows 10Pro).

You know those folks who keep telling us that we hear the placebo effect, what we expect to hear, or that what we believe we hear isn't accurate because we haven't done a proper blind test? 
By this analysis: I expected a sonic improvement using ROON for multi-channel - but in now way did I expect multi-channel to improve so much that I would most of the time have trouble distinguishing the sonics of my two vs multi-channel. Before implementing ROON for multi-channel, for example, if I played some really well recorded two channel vocal/jazz music, there was still a stark detriment to the two vs multi-channel. Where multi-channel excelled was on say Chicago Quadio, some Heads Up Jazz, and other stuff with some good material in the surround channels, where even though two channel was more you are there, the multi-channel was fun! This is what I expected to improve with ROON for multi-channel!

So with ROON fully working for multi-channel, I started playing some music! Stuff like Chicago Quadio and some multi-channel jazz sounded better than before, no doubt. 

then I got Alison Krauss' new album in 96-24. Had listened to it several times with my two channel setup. Now, I tried it with ROON over my multi-channel server, Wholy Batman! I was having a hard time distinguishing two channel Microrendu vs multi-channel CAPSv3 HDMI! In fact, I can play both two channel Microrendu and multi-channel HDMI at the same time, all I have to do is hit my remote to switch CBIV source inputs, and I can easily compare. On playing some marching band hi-res music, it also sounded close - though I thought perhaps the horns were maybe more dynamic and real with two channel.

I've had a nasty cold since setting this all up in past week, so I really haven't been in the mood for much critical listening! And I'm not in any hurry! When I feel better I'll have a few audio friends over to do some comparative listening and "see" what they think (Dave, you listening!).

Bottom line though - my "new " multi-channel HDMI is so darn good with ROON, etc that I am blown away. And most folks would be very happy with just using HDMI if they could get it to sound this good!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Final Verdict: On the best quality recordings, two channel Microrendu USB audio still sounds the best and most real and live in my system! But if one didn't have that and just had my HDMI multi-channel audio one would be most happy anyway! And on excellent multi-channel "discs" like Grover Washington "Limelight" with interesting and fun surround tracks HDMI audio is absolutely wonderful in my [email protected]@


----------



## Jrunr

Steve, 

Are you planning on upgrading your theater to accommodate Atmos? If so, what speakers will you use in addition to your Aerial 7T's?


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Jrunr said:


> Steve,
> 
> Are you planning on upgrading your theater to accommodate Atmos? If so, what speakers will you use in addition to your Aerial 7T's?


I've got four KEF Ci200RR-THX In-Ceiiing Speakers waiting to been soon installed, and an ATI AT526NC 6-channel Amplifier (200W RMS per channel) (Class D) that I'll be using for these Dolby Atmos speakers. Also, as soon as Theta Digital has the upgrade available for Dolby Atmos, my Casablanca IV SSP will be upgraded to IVa!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

I upgraded my network server from the Western Digital WDMyCloudEX4 16TB (with a mere .5GB RAM) to the latest greatest WDMyCloud Pro 4100 32TB (upgrading RAM from 4GB to 16GB)!
Using RAID 5 I was simply running out of space for my 11TB plus of two and multi channel music (RAID 5 takes up additional storage so that if a hard drive goes bad, you pop a new hard drive in and the server fills in the data).

Also, about 6 weeks ago I upgraded many of my ethernet cables to Audioquest Vodka, and changed the digital AES/EBU cable from Cardas Clear to Audioquest Diamond! Nice sonically!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

FINALLY! My 4 KEF Ci2000rr-THX in ceiling speakers were installed two weeks ago today! I then had to move my three component racks back against the wall and resetup and reconnect all the components, which included my just arrived upgraded Theta Digital Casablanca IV to IV-A SSP with Dolby Atmos and DTS-X, and an ATI AT526NT multi-channel amplifier for the new in ceiling speakers. YEA!

Also setup a brand new Oppo UDP-205 4k blu ray universal player (the Theta Compli Blu 3d crapped out on me).

Also setup a brand new Sonore Signature Rendu, replacing the previous Sonore Ultrarendu and its external Sonore Signature Power Supply (for stereo USB out).

Very very happy camper!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

(Noted August 10, 2017):

My discoveries so far with the CB-IVA:

1. Darn - Upmix sounds nice using my 4 ceiling speakers on lots of stuff. As Cannga noted, adds a bit of spaciousness that you notice not with loud stuff but simply with low to medium musical or other noise (like wind) passages. However, if you set the mode to Upmix, then I figured out by observation/listening that if you play a Dolby Atmos soundtrack: (A) You will only get the base Dolby (e.g., Dolby True HD) and not the Atmos "top" channels - the Atmos "top" channels will be upmixed and synthesized, but you will lose the original mixes for the Atmos channels; and (B) the front display will show you this, because it will read only the base Dolby mode and not show "Atmos" as well. On blu ray, playing a passage at the start of "Prometheus", I did feel that in my system, it sounded somewhat more musical and cleaner using the "Direct" mode than the "Upmix" mode, although "Upmix" still sounds very nice. I could hear more of a difference playing the blu ray "3-D" from Kraftwerk with a Dolby Atmos Soundtrack, simply showing that you do not want to use "Upmix" as opposed to "Direct" when the soundtrack is Dolby Atmos. How "Upmix" vs "Direct" sounds to you for non-Atmos soundtracks may depend on the movie, your system, and your ears/brain. On multi-channel (mostly hi res) music from my CAPSv3 server, although "Direct" is somewhat cleaner, I sometimes prefer "Upmix". I NEVER have any idea directionwise that sound is coming from the "top"/ceiling speakers - my dealer Craig/VGI was certainly right in strongly recommending the KEF Ci200RR in ceiling speakers for me which match well with my main Aerial Acoustics 7ts (5 of them).

2. The non-HDMI digital inputs (coaxial, balanced, and I presume toslink which I have not bothered to test, and toslink is limited to 96k whereas coaxial/balanced go up to 192k) are limited to receiving 48k. Anything above and you either show a signal being received (on the front display) with no sound, or that no signal is received and no sound. Theta Tech John Baloff and Craig/VGI (my "super" Theta dealer) have been on top of this since I first reported this early last Monday, and Theta has determined that it is a command issue which is limiting the bandwidth of the SPDIF inputs at this time, which is set in the new DSP chip from an outside vendor. Theta is already communicating with the vendor so that a software upgrade will turn the filter to the correct bandwith, so that the other digital inputs will have the same bandwith and accept incoming digital signals up to 192k. I assume this will then be easily enabled in a firmware/software update for the CBIV-A. As the CBII-HD (operating at 48k) and the CBIV (operating at 96k, as does the CBIV-A) accepted incoming digital signals up to 192k for all digital inputs (not just HDMI), no one could have possible thought this would occur! But this should be fixed soon! I just replaced my Sonore Microrendu (and its top line Sonore Signature Power Supply, which I traded-in for great value) with a brand spanking new Sonore Signature Rendu (which as its own built in power supply with even better performance than the Sonore Signature Power Supply) - but I really am holding off on using it until this non-HDMI digital input is fixed by a software/firmware upgrade. I set the Sonore stuff to output 96k (downsampling/upsampling as needed) to the CBIV and now IVa - sounds much better than outputting 48k or 44k to the CBIV or CBIVA. I will be very glad when this is all done - hopefully soon - again thanks to Craig/VGI, John Baloff, and of course ATI/Theta's owner Morris Kessler who personally is on top of this issue! (You folks using basic streaming devices and sources that do not output above 48k will not know that this is even an issue - but I do, as I've been doing hi res stereo and multi-channel since 2011, and again, I reiterate, the HDMI inputs all handle up to 192k input and then the CBIV-A DSP processes at 96k - so this is an issue perhaps for 5-6 Theta luvers that I've seen post on this forum over the past several years, and most of you would never know or notice this if I didn't open my "big" mouth).

So far I am very, very impressed with the CBIV-A and its sonics!!! Oh - "Game of Thrones" on HBO sounds better than ever!





(Noted August 12, 2017):

Theta Digital CBIV-A – MARVELOUS!!!

My Long Road to the Theta Digital CBIV-A: My first Theta Digital purchase, a Theta Generation VA DAC, which I paired with a state of the art Citation 7.0 (analog) SSP, was 1993. Purchased the just out Theta Casablanca in 1997 and have upgraded as soon as available ever since (in the pre-HDMI digital CBIII-HD days even using the Six Shooter analog multi-channel preamp, and an Integra SSP to play blu rays analog out into the Six Shooter, with the CBIII from 2005-2011. In 2008 replaced my five Bryston 7B-ST monoblocks with five Theta Enterprise monoblocks. In 2011 replaced my front left & right Enterprises with Theta Citadel 1.5 monoblocks. In early 2014 replaced the Enterprises and Citadels with the very first in the world, out of the ATI/Theta factory, FIVE Theta Prometheus monoblocks. In 2011 I added a Theta Generation VIII Series 3 DAC for front left and right, and in 2014 I added two more Generation VIII Series 3 DACs, which replaced the Casablanca internal D2 DACs (which had replaced the Casablanca internal Superior DACs back in 2001). In 2016 the Generation VIII DACs were sold and replaced by two Casablanca internal D3 cards (12 channels, awaiting the Dolby Atmos upgrade), and I found no loss of sonics at all! Along the way I’ve had Theta disc players, Theta Voyager LD/DVD, then Theta Compli, then Theta Compli, Theta Compli Blu, and since 2012 Theta Compli Blu 3d.

Along the way, my speakers have been, starting when my dedicated home theatre room was built: As of 1997 – four Aerial 10Ts, Aerial CC3 center, five Vandersteen 2Wq subwoofers; 2001 replaced Aerial CC3 with Aerial CC5 center and added three Aerial SW12 subwoofers (and shortly thereafter sold off the five Vandersteen subwoofers); 2007 replaced the four Aerial 10ts with four Aerial 9s; early 2014 replaced the four Aerial 9s and Aerial CC5 with five Aerial 7ts, and replaced the three Aerial subwoofers with two JL Audio f212s.

As I initially “built” my multi-channel system along the concept of equidistant floorstanding speakers all around with equal electronics & speakers in each vector, if I made a change in any vector where equality was no longer I could hear it. In 2000 we soldered Bybee filters at the front left and right Aerial 7ts. After doing one speaker, and playing music, I was “pulled” to the Bybeeized speaker even though they were the same volume, as the Bybeeized speaker sounded better (though with more experience perhaps it sounded “different”, as I later realized that the filters may offer some sonic improvement but also perhaps some sonic loss of dynamics/microdynamics and didn’t use them on later speakers). Also, as we had yet to solder the Bybee filters into my center channel speaker, I noticed what a friend called a “hole” at the center channel, and compensated by turning up the center volume a few dB (even though it was louder using the dB meter). A few weeks later we soldered Bybee filters into the center speaker, the “hold” was gone, and I lowered the center volume to the same as my other speakers! In 2011 and for 3 years thereafter, with Theta Citadel 1.5 monoblocks and a Theta Generation VIII DAC at the front left and right but “only” Theta Enterprise monoblocks and Casablanca internal D2 DACs at the center and surrounds, although my system sounded “better” with the Citadels, particularly on two channel, I felt that I had lost some of the holographic imaging with my system more focuses on the front soundstage – with all of the marvelous holographic imaging restored with my 2014 “re-equalization” of five Aerial 7ts and five Theta Prometheus monoblocks! 

Why tell you all of this? Because I was conflicted about upgrading to Dolby Atmos/DTS-X and adding four “top”/in ceiling speakers. I had thought about using four Aerial 5 speakers mounted off my 12 foot high ceiling for “top”/ceiling speakers, but not only was that too much $$, but even Michael Kelly of Aerial pooh poohed doing this stating that to sound right the Aerial 5s need to be a decent distance from the ceiling. I was deathly afraid that installing lesser amplifier and speakers for the “top”/ceiling speakers would detract from my sonics and that I was better off not upgrading and sticking with my “ground” based system (HA)!

I’d been going to a Dolby Atmos movie here and there at the Harkins Cine Capri (Tempe) and more recently AMC Stapley Dolby Cinema (Mesa). What I heard at times was not that much in terms of sounds coming clearly from above as a somewhat cleaner, clearer quieter better sounding movie (War for Planet of the Apes which I saw a month ago was the first Dolby Atmos movie where I really noticed sounded coming realistically from above).

Nonetheless, I am a bit of a technology home theatre junkie, and the addiction won out over my experienced judgment. Plus the fact that my long long longstanding Theta dealer, VGI/Craig Shumer, was of the opinion that one of the new ATI Class D multi-channel amplifiers and four KEF Ci2000rr in ceiling speakers would work well and sound excellentwith my on the ground Aerial speakers! And the price was reasonable, too! I actually got the new gear last December and I held off with the install until just over two weeks ago, as I was about to finally get my upgraded Theta CBIV-A with Dolby Atmos & DTS-X!
I took down all of my component racks and components (except I left monoblock amplifiers and speakers where they were) and moved out from the “component wall” so my installers would have room for ladder, etc to install the ceiling speakers (it was a good time to clean and condition all connections, which I did). The CBIV-A came back towards the end of July and my in ceiling speakers were installed two days later (Thursday July 27). Then the tedious task of moving the component racks back to the wall and loading the components, connecting all the cables, etc. Taking my time so as not to blow out my replaced right hip or two need any other joint replacements, and getting sore as hell in the process causing my hiatial hernia to act up for the first time in 6 months!
After parts of 2 days, my system is up (except for some adjusting and tweaking over the next few weeks). Even play a blu ray movie with my Theta Compli Blu 3d a few days later! And guess what! The next day, the Compli Blu 3d “died” on me. So I ordered and 2 days later (last Saturday) received a brand new Oppo UDP-205 4k blu ray player. (I got the heavier, more solidly built with video jitter reduction 205 instead of the 203 becausing the 205 is supposedly per a reviewer more musical for multichannel music and hoping that would translate over to movies as my system is so “musical” particularly as I am replacing the wonderful sounding over HDMI Theta Compli Blu 3d). Note the Oppo UDP-205 appears to be built more like a Theta player when it comes to weight, vibration control, better power supplies, etc. Since getting the Oppo a week ago, I have pretty much been burning it in around the clock playing the new Kraftwerk 3-D blu ray using the Dolby Atmos track (when I am out of room, leaving only the ATI multi-channel amplifier on for the “top”/ceiling speakers).

I have really liked using the “Upmix” mode for DirecTV programming, like “Game of Thrones”. Compared to my prior CBIV, I feel that the CBIV-A on DirecTV simply sounds at least a bit quieter and cleaner/clearer.

Note that I also have an Oppo UDP-103D blu ray player – which I’ve been using to rip SACDs, not for playing blu rays, as my Theta Compli Blu 3d simply sounded better for movies over HDMI (Theta players with upgraded power supply, etc have always sounded better then the corresponding Oppo players, which I have owned, in my system.) I recently compared the Kraftwerk Dolby Atmos track with the Oppo 103 & 205, and the 205 was clearly more musical, more dynamic, simply easily better sounding!
Meanwhile, I discover, which Theta is working to rectify with a software upgrade, that although HDMI inputs accept up to 192k, that the other digital inputs (I tested balanced and coaxial) only accept up to 48k. And I just received my brand new just out Sonore Signature Rendu to play two channel via USB out into my Berkeley Audio USB converter, then out balanced digital to my Theta CBIV-A SSP. Accordingly, the sonics with this new Rendu are just not there until the CBIV-A hopefully soon receives the software upgrade, and I am “merely” listening to my CAPSv3 HDMI multi-channel music server (which sounds better than ever with the CBIV-A, but my two channel via USB has always been my very best sounding musically). Although my multi-channel music sounds better than ever, since I moved by Western Digital MyCloudPR4100 AND Sonic Transporter i5 (both connecting via Ethernet) to my home office “far” away from my theatre room, that can perhaps account for some sonic improvement of my multi-channel music, not necessarily the upgraded CBIV-A (I think both “moves” contribute to better sonics.) I find that the CBIV-A’s direct digital mode is somewhat cleaner/clearer for multi-channel music, but sometimes I like the added ambience I get using the “ Upmix”mode.

A few days ago, I played “Deepwater Horizon”. However, I had the CBIV-A source input set for “Upmix”, thinking that when the SSP received a Dolby Atmos signal, it would automatically switch to Dolby Atmos. Sonics were nice, but I felt that something was missing. This is when I realized that on “Upmix”, the CBIV-A front display doesn’t show “Atmos”, and on “Upmix” the Atmos channels are being synthesized and you don’t get the original channels. To get the original Atmos channels, you need to set the source input for digital direct.
Last night, I played “The Girl on a Train” in DTS-X! No upmixing for the “top”/ceiling speakers this time! Even in DTS-X will the new Oppo UDP-205 (with audio jitter reduction circuitry for HDMI) sounds as good as my Theta Compli Blu 3d would have? I had my doubts! But alas, this is easily the best my system has ever, ever sounded on a blu ray movie. Spectacular. Cleaner, quieter, musically the [email protected]! I am very very happy! 

The BIGGEST improvement with the CBIV-A and Dolby Atmos/DTS-X is the extra crystal clear dialogue and “separation” of the dialogue from the “background” or “foreground” soundtrack/music. The fact that I have “lesser” speakers and amplifier for the “top”/ceiling channels is not something that I notice at all – so contrary to my expectations as discussed above. I do thank my dealer Craig/VGI because no doubt the KEF in-ceiling speakers work so well in my theatre with my ground floor Aerial 7ts.

THIS IS EXCITING! I GRADE THE CBIV-A UPGRADE AN A+!!! 


OK. I put on "Deepwater Horizon" again, watching a few passages, this time using the CBIV-A's digital direct mode, where the CBIV-A display says "Atmos" and plays the original "top"/ceiling channels. Can clearly hear the sonic improvement over the "Upmix" mode. Nice!

Played some of the "Batman v Superman" blu ray. Just watched this abou two months ago with my CBIV system! Dolby Atmos in CBIV-A digital direct mode with front display saying "Atmos"!
Sounds even better than I remember (even though again I'm using the Oppo UDP-205 and not the Theta Compli Blu 3d I had used two months ago). My comments on sonic improvement as discussed above for the DTS-X track of "The Girl on a Train" stand as the same!! NICE! NICE!

I alsp played a bit of a 96-24 multi-channel blu ray of Julienne Taylor. Sounds great, as good as I remember a few months ago (my memory ain't good enough on this one to say better - but as good for me using the Oppo makes me very very happy)!

The CBIV-A is a [email protected]@@ As is the ATI multi-channel amp and KEF Ci2000RR-THX in ceiling speakers!


(Noted on August 16, 2017):

I watched the blu ray, Dolby Atmos, of "Alien:Covenant" last night! Again, using direct digital mode so I get all original channels in the soundtrack including "top"/ceiling channels. Sounded [email protected]@@ Best sonics ever for a blu ray with of course special effects galore done well! I've always had great imaging even pre-Atmos, but again, with Dolby Atmos, the surround sound and holographic 3D imaging is simply quieter and appreciably much better/more intense (in a relaxing way, which is outstanding) (I didn't think this would be possible) and of course dialogue is clearer than ever standing out more from everything else goin' on!

I am also starting to burn-in my brand spankin' new Sonore Signature Rendu, USB out for two channel. As noted above, until the CBIV-A gets a software upgrade so digital balanced/coaxial accepts up to 192-24 (right now accepts only up to 48-24), I have set the Rendu to output 44-16 redbook as 44-16 untouched, 48-16 or 48-24 as the original untouched, and I'm downsampling everything else to its even integers of either 48-24 or 44-24! And I must say, whether untouched, upsampled or downsampled, sounds marvelous! No matter how good the CBIV-A sounds over HDMI (and it does), its even better for two channel over digital balanced/coaxial (using Berkeley Audio USB to digital converter, and Berkeley recommends balanced digital as sounding best with also bnc digital sounding excellent as well). 

I've already burned in the HDMI out on my new Oppo UDP-205 4k blu ray player. Now I'm burning in the Rendu.

I will soon be connecting analog stereo from Oppo to CBIV-A and burning in and trying that! I will also connect Rendu USB to Oppo, then via analog stereo to CBIV-A, and try that!

I also tried (I've done this before with prior Oppo/Theta blu ray players) using the Oppo connecting to my network and my music stored therein and playing over Oppo HDMI to CBIV-A.
As I always found in the past, this sound is pretty sterile - my HDMI out CAPSv3 music server sounds leagues better in this regard.

Stay tuned!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

BIG CHANGES THIS MONTH:

Sony VPL-VW5000ES laser projector with Stewart Filmscreen Vistascope 2:40 168" wide variable side masking Snowmatte 1.0 gain screen. Out with Sim2 C3X 1080 projector, ISCO IIIL anamorphic lens and Cineslide and Stewart Cine-V 2:35 128.5" Studiotech 1.3 gain screen with drop down side masking. Also Lumagen Radiance Pro video processor/scaler, out with Lumagen 2143.

Isoacoustics Gaia II speaker feet for all five Aerial Acoustics 7ts!

Furman Elite-15 DM i power conditioner, used only for projector. Out with APC-S15 UPS power conditioner for prior Sim2 projector, as doesn't output sufficient current to handle the beast of a Sony laser projector!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Photos of my home theatre after install yesterday with ceiling mounting of Sony VPL-VW5000ES laser projector and install of Stewart Filmscreen Vistascope 168” wide (for 2:40 aspect ratio) (124.4” wide for 16:9 aspect ratio) (70” high) with Snowmatte flat 1.0 gain screen) (its like looking through a clear clean window) (all the movie studios use this screen) wth sides that move inward/outward to match the aspect ratio! VERY HAPPY! 😇🤡😇 Thanks to my longtime friend Gerry Behm/[email protected] for a phenomenal and somewhat tedious and difficult install - the screen barely fit but it did - clearing my speakers and subwoofers height wise so I can sit in front row and see entire screen & the Velux black border on top extending to maybe an inch under the black acoustic treatment at the very top of the Wall!


----------



## Mashie Saldana

Lot's of nice hardware in there, any plans to do acoustic treatments of the walls/ceiling to match?


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Mashie Saldana said:


> Lot's of nice hardware in there, any plans to do acoustic treatments of the walls/ceiling to match?


Michael Green Pressure Zone Controllers, etc - see my components, etc at start of thread. Google Michael Green Pressure Zone Controllers.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Just recently added:

A 2nd 4k blu ray player, Sony XBP-X1000ES.

Lotsa Isoacoustics Iso-pucks. 4 each under following components:

Two PS Audio P5 power conditioners.

Five Theta Digital Prometheus monoblock amps.

Darn! The "pucks" are the real thing. And not real expensive, either. Just as the Isoacoustic Gaia II speaker feet I added last month really made a positive difference, too!

Ken Whitcomb will be here next week to calibrate my Lumagen Radiance Pro with Sony VPL-VW5000ES laser projector. EXCITING!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Hannukah was over last week but finally my theater upgrades and renovation is all done (except for a bit of touch up painting and patching with the final touches, video calibration and setup by Ken Whitcomb last week, and I did the Dirac Room Correction measurements and filters the other day, after my handyman installed my new ceiling fan. I wanted all the physical structures etc in the room to be complete before I did the Dirac sofa measurements, one for front row (video), one for back row (music)!

New components in past few months:
Sony VLP-VW5000ES 5000 lumen laser projector
Lumagen Radiance Pro video processor/scaler
Stewart Filmscreen Vistascope screen, 2:40 aspect ratio, 14' wide, Snomatte flat 1.0 gain (like a clear window), with side panels moving inward to 
perfectly mask any aspect ratio from 2:40 to 16:9 to 4:3!
Oppo UDP-205 4k blu ray player (also demoed a Sony UDP-X1000 4k blu ray player but I am returning it)

And a few months prior to this upgrade, added four in ceiling Dolby Atmos speakers - KEF Ci2000rr-THX in wall speakers, along with an ATI multi-channel Class D amp to power them!

Thanks for Gerry Behm, [email protected], for fantastic install work. And of course Ken Whitcomb as his setup and calibration makes the picture sing like you have never seen before! And also not only thanks Sony and Stewart Filmscreen, but especially Jim Peterson/Pat Harkins/Lumagen as their Lumagen Vision Pro, as adjusted and setup by Ken Whitcomb, tone maps 4k Rec2020 HDR to 4k Rec2020 SDR saving 40% bbrightness and on 4k HDR discs giving the most amazing picture, color, detail, etc that I have ever seen! And of course Theta Digital and Dirac for their phenomenal Theta Digital Casablanca IV-A surround processor with D3 DACs and Dirac Live Room Correction - and no matter how good my system sounded before using DIRAC, DIRAC made a large sonic improvement once again!

Photos to follow.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Theatre photos:


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

More Theatre photos:


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

More theatre photos.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Hannukah was over last week but finally my theater upgrades and renovation is all done (except for a bit of touch up painting and patching with the final touches, video calibration and setup by Ken Whitcomb last week, and I did the Dirac Room Correction measurements and filters the other day, after my handyman installed my new ceiling fan. I wanted all the physical structures etc in the room to be complete before I did the Dirac sofa measurements, one for front row (video), one for back row (music)!
> 
> New components in past few months:
> Sony VLP-VW5000ES 5000 lumen laser projector
> Lumagen Radiance Pro video processor/scaler
> Stewart Filmscreen Vistascope screen, 2:40 aspect ratio, 14' wide, Snomatte flat 1.0 gain (like a clear window), with side panels moving inward to
> perfectly mask any aspect ratio from 2:40 to 16:9 to 4:3!
> Oppo UDP-205 4k blu ray player (also demoed a Sony UDP-X1000 4k blu ray player but I am returning it)
> 
> And a few months prior to this upgrade, added four in ceiling Dolby Atmos speakers - KEF Ci2000rr-THX in wall speakers, along with an ATI multi-channel Class D amp to power them!
> 
> Thanks for Gerry Behm, [email protected], for fantastic install work. And of course Ken Whitcomb as his setup and calibration makes the picture sing like you have never seen before! And also not only thanks Sony and Stewart Filmscreen, but especially Jim Peterson/Pat Harkins/Lumagen as their Lumagen Vision Pro, as adjusted and setup by Ken Whitcomb, tone maps 4k Rec2020 HDR to 4k Rec2020 SDR saving 40% bbrightness and on 4k HDR discs giving the most amazing picture, color, detail, etc that I have ever seen! And of course Theta Digital and Dirac for their phenomenal Theta Digital Casablanca IV-A surround processor with D3 DACs and Dirac Live Room Correction - and no matter how good my system sounded before using DIRAC, DIRAC made a large sonic improvement once again!
> 
> For lotsa theatre photos, go to mt theatre info thread at very end listed in my AVS signature below.


Last night my audiophile bud Pete came over. We went to CEDIA in September.

We played demos from 4k discs of (16:9 Imax) Flight of the Butterflies, Grand Junction Express, and Mysteries of China and (2:40) Atomic Blonde, Dunkirk, Baywatch, Passenger - and this AM I watched Life! And last week I had watched the blu ray of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and I demoed parts again.

Again so much thanks to phenomenal calibrator Ken Whitcomb & Lumagen for their Radiance Pro with tone mapping of HDR into an SDR container
(as I can hit a button on my Radiance Pro remote and compare "naked" HDR vs "tone mapped" and the latter is so much better its not even close), and thanks to Theta Digital (and my dealer VGI/Craig Shumer of so many years) and Dirac room correction. And thanks to my investments, without which I never could have afforded all this crap!

First, the difference between using Dirac vs no room correction with the Theta CBIV-A with all Xtreme DACs in my Dolby Atmos system! Breathtaking difference on both movies and music! E.G., the blu ray of the Star Wars movie, pre room correction, had a number of places in the movie where the bass was so overwhelming that it sounded sort of like clipping "rat tat tat tat rat tat tat" etc. But with Dirac enabled, no "clipping" issues at all, the bass and mid-bass are even much cleaner, quieter, impactful. I noticed the sonic improvement of Dirac a few years ago when I first used it - but now I notice even more of a difference!!! And movies sound so clean, quiet, impactful especially bass. Two great dynamic scenes are the start of Dunkirk and towards the end of Atomic Blonde! The best sounding movie theaters I have heard are the Harkins Cine One (Goodyear, Az, 83' wide screen) and AMC Dolby Theatre (Mesa, Az near me) (just saw the new Star Wars movie there). I enjoy movies at these theaters when I go on occasion.
But the sound in those theatres is nothing like what we heard last night in my theatre. Amazing what I have done with "audiophile" speakers and components with speakers out in the room as opposed to in wall mains speakers and with two JL Audio f212 subs. This is now easily the very best my room has ever sounded and frankly now I think (but I am prejudiced?) even a good amount better than the best I heard at CEDIA (the Dynaudio room). Dave (Thezaks) from Goodyear will certainly be visiting me shortly to hear (and see the video post-calibration). The gunshots, etc at the start of Dunkirk were amazing, and we noted that from the start I turned it down like 8-10 dB and yet everything remained crystal clear - as it was at the higher dB level, which was fine for a normal movie dialogue, but was simply too much as the gunshots, etc rained on and on in this movie. And the fighting sequence near the close of Atomic Blonde was simply outstanding as the sound was just as amazing.

Getting to the video quality. Blu ray looks great - the Star Wars movie has so much better everything and black level than the sequel I just saw at the Dolby Cinema. But 4k HDR is another story entirely. With the Snomatte no gain material, all of the 4k movies mentioned above were simply a window to what the camera filmed. Amazing! The movie could be lousy and one is still entranced watching the "perfect" video. There is so much detail and real color and excellent black level in all of the above 4k movies its simply amazing. My family was here for my oldest daughter's wedding last month and we watched "Atomic Blonde" pre-video and audio Dirac calibration. What a difference! Not even close for both audio and video. Pete and I last night were simply blown away!

I'll be 65 in March; and to think that I have this video and audio setup is something I never could have dreamed of? Gives me reason to continue better eating habits, lose some more weight, stay relative healthy, and enjoy life! And if after spending all this $$ I can't afford or don't feel like much traveling, heck, play a 4k movie and its easy to imagine that I am there!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Last night my audiophile bud Pete came over. We went to CEDIA in September.
> 
> We played demos from 4k discs of (16:9 Imax) Flight of the Butterflies, Grand Junction Express, and Mysteries of China and (2:40) Atomic Blonde, Dunkirk, Baywatch, Passenger - and this AM I watched Life! And last week I had watched the blu ray of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and I demoed parts again.
> 
> Again so much thanks to phenomenal calibrator Ken Whitcomb & Lumagen for their Radiance Pro with tone mapping of HDR into an SDR container
> (as I can hit a button on my Radiance Pro remote and compare "naked" HDR vs "tone mapped" and the latter is so much better its not even close), and thanks to Theta Digital (and my dealer VGI/Craig Shumer of so many years) and Dirac room correction. And thanks to my investments, without which I never could have afforded all this crap!
> 
> First, the difference between using Dirac vs no room correction with the Theta CBIV-A with all Xtreme DACs in my Dolby Atmos system! Breathtaking difference on both movies and music! E.G., the blu ray of the Star Wars movie, pre room correction, had a number of places in the movie where the bass was so overwhelming that it sounded sort of like clipping "rat tat tat tat rat tat tat" etc. But with Dirac enabled, no "clipping" issues at all, the bass and mid-bass are even much cleaner, quieter, impactful. I noticed the sonic improvement of Dirac a few years ago when I first used it - but now I notice even more of a difference!!! And movies sound so clean, quiet, impactful especially bass. Two great dynamic scenes are the start of Dunkirk and towards the end of Atomic Blonde! The best sounding movie theaters I have heard are the Harkins Cine One (Goodyear, Az, 83' wide screen) and AMC Dolby Theatre (Mesa, Az near me) (just saw the new Star Wars movie there). I enjoy movies at these theaters when I go on occasion.
> But the sound in those theatres is nothing like what we heard last night in my theatre. Amazing what I have done with "audiophile" speakers and components with speakers out in the room as opposed to in wall mains speakers and with two JL Audio f212 subs. This is now easily the very best my room has ever sounded and frankly now I think (but I am prejudiced?) even a good amount better than the best I heard at CEDIA (the Dynaudio room). Dave (Thezaks) from Goodyear will certainly be visiting me shortly to hear (and see the video post-calibration). The gunshots, etc at the start of Dunkirk were amazing, and we noted that from the start I turned it down like 8-10 dB and yet everything remained crystal clear - as it was at the higher dB level, which was fine for a normal movie dialogue, but was simply too much as the gunshots, etc rained on and on in this movie. And the fighting sequence near the close of Atomic Blonde was simply outstanding as the sound was just as amazing.
> 
> Getting to the video quality. Blu ray looks great - the Star Wars movie has so much better everything and black level than the sequel I just saw at the Dolby Cinema. But 4k HDR is another story entirely. With the Snomatte no gain material, all of the 4k movies mentioned above were simply a window to what the camera filmed. Amazing! The movie could be lousy and one is still entranced watching the "perfect" video. There is so much detail and real color and excellent black level in all of the above 4k movies its simply amazing. My family was here for my oldest daughter's wedding last month and we watched "Atomic Blonde" pre-video and audio Dirac calibration. What a difference! Not even close for both audio and video. Pete and I last night were simply blown away!
> 
> I'll be 65 in March; and to think that I have this video and audio setup is something I never could have dreamed of? Gives me reason to continue better eating habits, lose some more weight, stay relative healthy, and enjoy life! And if after spending all this $$ I can't afford or don't feel like much traveling, heck, play a 4k movie and its easy to imagine that I am there!



Yesterday I watched THREE 4k discs, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, The Magnificent Seven, and Life. Soundwise as previously discussed - amazing! Videowise, still a total revelation. Ken Whitcomb in calibrating likes to use the Magnificent Seven as one of his references on black level. WOW! To me at least most satisfying, fantastic picture. Same for all three movies, excellent black level and top notch picture, period.
I guess I won't be going to the Dolby Cinema much (unless there's a first run movie I just have to see)!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

In past months I've added some Iso-Acoustics isolation footers under monoblocks and multi-channel amps, etc, which have clearly enhanced my sonics for both movies/tv and music! And Isoacoustics Gaia 2 speaker footers and carpet spikes (for 5 Aerial 7t speakers)

Also, just put in my master bedroom an Elac Discovery Z3 wifi/bluetooth stereo speaker/DAC up to 192-24/140 amps per speaker. Nice simply for some bedroom music and simple to connect as I use it ROON Ready over wi-fi!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Also, as discussed in the Theta Digital thread:



Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Actually - Only until very recently I had been using Dirac full range for both my front row filter (video/movies & tv) and back row (music/primarily 2 channel including using CBIVA DTS Neo X). Only recently playing with Dirac did I finally stumble on how to drag the right side down to 500 Hz or even less. I could never figure out how to do this before. But finally I stumbled and double clicked on a crossover dot on the slope recommended by Dirac, removed the dot, and all of a sudden I realized I could then drag in the right side!
> 
> In playing, watching, and listening, and in considering good info recently contributed here in this thread by various folks, for now I have decided on the following:
> 
> 1. Front row (video) filter: Full range Dirac. Using 80 Hz XOvers for all speakers except 100 Hz Xovers for top 4 in ceiling speakers. I've experimented with lower XOvers but my opinion is that on video/movies I am not losing anything, my system remains most musical, but I gain even greater dynamics on mid/low bass for video/movies thanks to my two JL Audio f212 subwoofers (each sub with two 12" woofers). My listening impression bears out Mark Seaton's and Jeff's (Stereojeff) advise about using Dirac full range for best blending of multi-channel speakers (even though I have matching main five vectors with five Aerial 7ts, five Theta Prometheus monoblocks, and then four KEF THX in ceiling speakers with a ATI Class D multi-channel amp). Using Dirac full range gives me best sonics and smooth sonics, in that I can listen to especially movies at whatever volume I like yet get the full sonics and impact of the movie - I felt that this was true but to a somewhat lesser extent limiting Dirac to 500 Hz.
> 
> 2. Back Row (music) filter: Dirac applies to 500 Hz for all channels, except full range Dirac applies to top 4 in ceiling speakers. As I find myself listening more and more to non-vocal jazz & classical, etc not just 2 channel (Direct mode) but expanding to all channels using DTS Neo X. However, I have the center channel off when I expand to all channels, because this leaves the front left and right channels/speakers sounding so very same as they do for straight direct two channel, and simply adds what I perceive as added natural ambience and at times some added slight dynamics, more like an excellent sonically conert venue like the Phoenix Musical Instrument Museum, Mesa Arts Center or the Phoenix jazz club The Nash! RIght now I am listening to "jungle boldie" (Turtle Records) (www.nativeDSD.com) (avg dynamic range 14) in DTS Neo X at avg 90 dB+ with peaks to 95 and 100 dB. Saxophone, bass and percussion and I almost feel like its live at The Nash. It was excellent the other week using Dirac full range on all speakers, but now even quite a bit more real and live!
> 
> Why the different use of Dirac, and my differing sonic impression, with video/movies vs music? I think this goes back to what Mark and Jeff posted here. With video, you have more going on in all channels and blending/sonic matching of all speakers is so important. But with music, I am playing stereo (32Tb server, to Sonic Transporter i5 Roon core, to Sonore Signature Rendu SE, USB to Berkley Audio Alpha USB to digital AES/EBU converter, then digital AES/EBU to CBIVA SSP), and other channels are derive from the two channel primarily for ambience.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Last week I upgraded from my Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter i5 to the Sonic Transporter i7 for ROON DSP. The big advantage is doing so is the i7 has two bridged ethernet connections. Whereas the i5 has one ethernet connection to the ethernet network switch only; the i7 connects both to the ethernet network switch and direct via ethernet to the Sonore Signature Rendu SE (ROON endpoint, with the i7 as the ROON core). Theory being direct ethernet connection of ROON Core to ROON endpoint sounds better. And it does!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Recently I've added to my theatre an Apple 4k TV and a TIVO Bolt OTA!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

In the past few months I've added to my theatre an Apple 4k TV and a TIVO Bolt OTA! I really like the Apple 4k TV and am no longer using the Roku! The Apple TV 4k has a setting for native HDR vs no HDR; also for native refresh rate. Also, if the program is HD, I can go in settings and output 1080p and let my projector do the upscaling to 4k, as my Sony VW-5000ES projector's Reality Creation does a better job than any streaming box! The TIVO Bolt OTA, hooked up to my pre-existing outdoor antenna, on local channels gives a better picture than over my DirecTV, and the TIVO can record 4 channels at once as well. 

I also just added a Furman Elite 20-PFi power conditioner for my projector only. I have had a long in wall power cord to my ceiling mounted Sony VW5000ES projector plugged into a Furman Elite-15 DMi power conditioner for over a year. Recently, I added (got a great price) a Furman Elite 20-PFi power conditioner and plugged the projector into that, and I use the other Furman 15 for some miscellaneous items that are not plugged into my two PS Audio P5 power regenerators (note - all amps plugged straight into wall in dedicated circuits). Note the Furman 20 is 20 amp capacity, but works fine over my dedicated 15 amp circuit its plugged into because the draw is not more than 15 amps. Something happened that I could not and did not expect, especially since my educated guess is that the primary difference between these 2 Furman power conditioners is the 20's ability to handle a 20 amp circuit! But with the Furman 20 the picture is noticeably better, brighter, clearer, seemingly better black level, detail, on every source! WEIRD but nice. I have found I get the best or at least most pleasing HD picture simply having the Radiance Pro output 720p/1080p and letting the projector using Reality Creation do the upscaling to 4k. However, using the Furman 20, on HD sources, I find that setting Reality Creation at 25 gives me the best picture, whereas with the Furman 15 I would vary Reality Creation usually from 35 to sometimes as high as 65. My picture has always been very nice. But this has been a nice surprise! Am I crazy or what?

Also, I just got a DJM Electronics Gigafoil v4 fiber media converter (with its own "wall wart" linear power supply) (just came out). Inserted between the ethernet connection from Sonic Transporter i7 Roon core to Sonore Signature SE (for 2 channel music). Instead of using the supplies wall wart 5vdc linear power supply, I am using one of my HDPlex 100 watt linear power supplies, the 5 vdc output, to power it. The fiber/optical conversion is very clean sounding and clearly improves sonics some with no negatives!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

OMG! Been with Theta Digital for DACs since 1995, when I bought a Generation VA DAC. 1997 Casablanca SSP, over the years upgraded to a current CBIV-A SSP with the very best SSP DACs available, the D3 DACs. Also own the first 5 Theta Digital Prometheus monoblocks out of the factory in early 2014 which are still going strong.

But I have now changed my SSP to Trinnov Altitude 32 8-16 SSP (16 channels)! After all these years! The advanced room correction/optimization, software/firmware upgradability by downloads/uploads, 3D speaker remapping, etc. are just killers soundwise! Also its ROON Ready ethernet sonics for both 2 channel and multi-channel are outstanding. I will be selling my modded CAPSv3 (Computer Audiophile Forum recommended build) which I used for multi-channel via HDMI as no longer need it as ROON Ready sounds even better for multi-channel. I may be keeping my just upgraded Sonore Signature Rendu SE 2 channel ROON endpoint USB out (into Berkeley Audio USB to digital converter, digital into SSP), which is now upgraded for optical/fiber System Optique, by Sonore, as I need to demo and it may sound even better than the ROON Ready Ethernet for 2 channel (hard to believe, but possible)! I am using my recent DJM Electronics Gigafoil v4 optical/media converter on the ethernet into my Trinnov Altitude 32 so that ROON Ready via ethernet sounds even better!


----------



## ShaunPressley

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> OMG! Been with Theta Digital for DACs since 1995, when I bought a Generation VA DAC. 1997 Casablanca SSP, over the years upgraded to a current CBIV-A SSP with the very best SSP DACs available, the D3 DACs. Also own the first 5 Theta Digital Prometheus monoblocks out of the factory in early 2014 which are still going strong.
> 
> But I have now changed my SSP to Trinnov Altitude 32 8-16 SSP (16 channels)! After all these years! The advanced room correction/optimization, software/firmware upgradability by downloads/uploads, 3D speaker remapping, etc. are just killers soundwise! Also its ROON Ready ethernet sonics for both 2 channel and multi-channel are outstanding. I will be selling my modded CAPSv3 (Computer Audiophile Forum recommended build) which I used for multi-channel via HDMI as no longer need it as ROON Ready sounds even better for multi-channel. I may be keeping my just upgraded Sonore Signature Rendu SE 2 channel ROON endpoint USB out (into Berkeley Audio USB to digital converter, digital into SSP), which is now upgraded for optical/fiber System Optique, by Sonore, as I need to demo and it may sound even better than the ROON Ready Ethernet for 2 channel (hard to believe, but possible)! I am using my recent DJM Electronics Gigafoil v4 optical/media converter on the ethernet into my Trinnov Altitude 32 so that ROON Ready via ethernet sounds even better!


I love to see the upgrades you've made over the last 10 years. I'm sure it sounds and looks incredible, my friend. Hope you're doing well!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

ShaunPressley said:


> I love to see the upgrades you've made over the last 10 years. I'm sure it sounds and looks incredible, my friend. Hope you're doing well!


Thanks Shaun. If you are again in the Phoenix area, stop [email protected]@@


----------



## ShaunPressley

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Thanks Shaun. If you are again in the Phoenix area, stop [email protected]@@


Yessir! I'll let you know when I'm headed back to Phoenix. Would love to experience your theater again, in person!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Major audio renovation underway and will be completed hopefully within the next two months!

End result will be a 9.4.8 audio system! With recently acquired Trinnov Altitude 32-1624 (24 channels) SSP (just added 8 channels so total 24 channels); speakers 3 Aerial Acoustics 7ts, 6 Aerial Acoustics 7LCRs on wall for front wide surrounds, side surrounds and rear surrounds; 8 
Triad Inceiling Rotating Silver/Sat 9 (In ceiling speakers for Dolby Atmos/DTS-X/Auro-3D); 2 JL Audio Fathom f212 subwoofers (each subwoofer has two 12” woofers); 2 Paradigm Persona subwoofers (each subwoofer has six 8” woofers); 3 Theta Digital Prometheus monoblock amplifiers (for 3 Aerial 7t speakers up front); Trinnov Amplitude 8 (same NCore 1200 modules as in Prometheus monoblocks) (for Aerial 7LCR on wall speakers used for surround front wide, side surround, and rear surround, all on wall speakers); Trinnov Amplitude 8m (NCore 500 modules) (for inceiling speakers – 8 Triad Inceiling Rotating Silver/9 Sat) (Trinnov amplifiers connect to Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP via DB25 cables – no more bulky XLR balanced interconnects!).


*Out (being sold) are:*

Sonore Signature Rendu SE with System Optique (optical/media) upgrade, with Synergistic Research black fuse
Berkley Audio Alpha USB Converter
(I am using Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP which is ROON Ready over ethernet thus no need for above two components and ROON Ready sounds just as good if not better)

ATI 526NT multi-channel amplifier (for 4 KEF in eeiling speakers)

4 KEF Ci2000rr-THX in ceiling speakers

Surround pair of Aerial 7ts (already sold) and pair of Theta Digital Prometheus monoblocks.

__________________________________________


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Just updated first post for the components and theater renovation to hopefully be completed sometime this June!


----------



## ralpheburns

*Help choosing CAPS music server?*

Steve -

Can you help me with a purchasing choice based upon your experience? Since 2014, I've been using a Small Green Computer micro-Zuma CAPS v.3 with a SOtM USB out for my two-channel audiophile system, but the micro-Zuma motherboard had died. Until then, all was happy. My choice is repair or replace.

Here's my system. I don't care about multi-channel audio for movies!
ascent-design.com/audio/
You may notice that I have a top-notch MSB "Analog DAC". It does femto re-clocking, R2R output and a buffered volume control to replace a preamp. Only have to turn off the re-clocking goodness when streaming movies because of the sync delay. No biggie.

I already sent the micro-Zuma in to Andrew at Small Green Computer. He can rebuild it, although with a newer motherboard and processor type, but keeping the SOtm USB PCi card.

Andrew suggests upgrading to the Sonic Transporter i7 and prefers Linux for lower temperal latency, but I'm hesitant and here's why:

- I'm not a computer hack and want to keep it simple. My life is already overloaded.

- the old one served me fine. The MSB Analog DAC comes with test files to test for bit-perfect, and the v3 CAPS always passed. One school of thought might be that passing perfect is as good as it gets!

- I use JRiver because I have thousands of DSD DFF files (Roon can't play those), and don't have the time or inclination to try to convert them to something Roon can use. The SonicTransporter i7 embedded Linux can't run JRiver, because the the Linux version that JRiver needs must be the "desktop" version.

- plenty of audio folks prefer JRiver over Roon. I could try in the future, but don't want to be forced into one.

- I have 13TB of hi-rez audio files on my NAS. My NAS is located in my home office one floor below the stereo living room. For the TV and CAPS, I've run two ethernet cables, which go outside the wall, up into the attic and drop down the living room wall to a wall plate. Do I need two ethernet cables for SonicTransporter i7 plus the UltraRendu? If I need another ethernet cable run, then I'll puke and just stay with the rebuilt CAPS.

If I get the CAPS v3 rebuilt (making it maybe v4+?) then don't I have the choice to use both JRiver and Roon? And maybe I could make it dual-boot, adding Linux in addition to Win10 as a second OS. Maybe then Linux will give those lower-latency results on the rebuilt CAPS that Andrew talks about. But given my DAC does re-clocking, doesn't that resolve any PC latency (time-goofiness) issues?

I think you can see that I'm preferring to rebuild the Zuma and live with less changes.

Thanks! - Ralph


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

ralpheburns said:


> Steve -
> 
> Can you help me with a purchasing choice based upon your experience? Since 2014, I've been using a Small Green Computer micro-Zuma CAPS v.3 with a SOtM USB out for my two-channel audiophile system, but the micro-Zuma motherboard had died. Until then, all was happy. My choice is repair or replace.
> 
> Here's my system. I don't care about multi-channel audio for movies!
> ascent-design.com/audio/
> You may notice that I have a top-notch MSB "Analog DAC". It does femto re-clocking, R2R output and a buffered volume control to replace a preamp. Only have to turn off the re-clocking goodness when streaming movies because of the sync delay. No biggie.
> 
> I already sent the micro-Zuma in to Andrew at Small Green Computer. He can rebuild it, although with a newer motherboard and processor type, but keeping the SOtm USB PCi card.
> 
> Andrew suggests upgrading to the Sonic Transporter i7 and prefers Linux for lower temperal latency, but I'm hesitant and here's why:
> 
> - I'm not a computer hack and want to keep it simple. My life is already overloaded.
> 
> - the old one served me fine. The MSB Analog DAC comes with test files to test for bit-perfect, and the v3 CAPS always passed. One school of thought might be that passing perfect is as good as it gets!
> 
> - I use JRiver because I have thousands of DSD DFF files (Roon can't play those), and don't have the time or inclination to try to convert them to something Roon can use. The SonicTransporter i7 embedded Linux can't run JRiver, because the the Linux version that JRiver needs must be the "desktop" version.
> 
> - plenty of audio folks prefer JRiver over Roon. I could try in the future, but don't want to be forced into one.
> 
> - I have 13TB of hi-rez audio files on my NAS. My NAS is located in my home office one floor below the stereo living room. For the TV and CAPS, I've run two ethernet cables, which go outside the wall, up into the attic and drop down the living room wall to a wall plate. Do I need two ethernet cables for SonicTransporter i7 plus the UltraRendu? If I need another ethernet cable run, then I'll puke and just stay with the rebuilt CAPS.
> 
> If I get the CAPS v3 rebuilt (making it maybe v4+?) then don't I have the choice to use both JRiver and Roon? And maybe I could make it dual-boot, adding Linux in addition to Win10 as a second OS. Maybe then Linux will give those lower-latency results on the rebuilt CAPS that Andrew talks about. But given my DAC does re-clocking, doesn't that resolve any PC latency (time-goofiness) issues?
> 
> I think you can see that I'm preferring to rebuild the Zuma and live with less changes.
> 
> Thanks! - Ralph



Ralph,

You have a great two channel system. Don't get the CAPsV3 repaired, get something more state of the art for your system.

Keep in mind my audio/theatre system, until recently, has been based on a Theta Casablanca IVA SSP, processing at 96-24. So I used JRiver, then moved to ROON about 3.5 years ago, and as necessary downsampled to 96/88-24. Used a Berkeley Audio Alpha USB to AES/EBU converter. And for my USB player, I have moved since 2011 as follows: Bryston BDP-1 (coaxial digital out, not USB); modded CAPSv3 Zuma (both USB for 2 channel and AMD Sapphire HDMI out for multi-channel);
CAPSv4 (USB for 2 channel); then ROON software upgrade permitted using separate ROON Core and ROON Bridge/Ready devices, so while I continued using CAPSv3 for multi-channel HDMI, I also used CAPSv3 as ROON Core with CAPSv4 as ROON Bridge/Ready output; Sonore Microrendu with external Sonore Signature Power Supply (USB for 2 channel); Sonore Signature Rendu SE (with even better power supply built in); and more recently, upgraded Sonore Signature Rendu SE with SystemOptique (optical/fiber conversion/isolation). Each step of the way I noticed improved sonics. And I like ROON way more than JRiver MC. True ROON will not play ISO files. I actually used JRiver MC to convert all of my ripped ISOs (about 800) to DSF files playable by ROON. Its easy to do in JRiver. Not all that time consuming at all. And ROON is so much better as far as I am concerned! And when ROON updated their software to allow the processing in the ROON Core device, and the "playing" USB out in the ROON Bridge/Ready device, the sonics improved remarkably!

However, I recently after years and years (since 1997) changed from Theta Casablanca platform SSP (still not ROON Ready) to Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP (ROON Ready). I have found in my current SSP setup that ROON Ready via ethernet sounds about the same as the Sonore Signature Rendu SE with SystemOptique upgrade/Berkeley Alpha USB digital converter combo.

If you ask me, with your excellent stereo system, you should do the following, if its affordable:

1. Sonic Transporter i5 or i7. If you have ISO files that are higher than DSD, the i7 might be more likely to process without any hiccups. Andrew at Small Green Computer can tell you for sure. Advantage of the i7 also is that it has 2 ethernet ports - connect one to your network switcher, one to your USB player (this is what I did with the Sonore Signature Rendu SE, now I do this by connecting one ethernet port if the i7 direct to my Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP). This will be your ROON Core device.

2. Go for the best. Sonore Signature Rendu SE SystemOptique upgrade, whether you buy new, or buy my used before its gone (Sonore is extending my original owner upgrade warranty as well). This will be your ROON Ready USB two channel out device. (If you want to buy my used unit, AVS Private Message me with your phone and email)

3. Use JRiver MC to scan your ISO files and convert, in the same file folders, to DSF files, playable by ROON. Kal Robinson of Stereophile fame did this several years ago, on my advise, and is very pleased as well. 

I want to add that my theatre system, although sounds great, has essentially been limited to 96-24 (although with Trinnov SSP I can play to 192-24, I use Auro 3D expanding two channel to use all my speakers and Auro 3D only works up to 96-24). Your MSB DAC I assume processes at DSD or higher. The Sonore Signature Rendu with SystemOptique upgrade should really shine for you!

"I have 13TB of hi-rez audio files on my NAS. My NAS is located in my home office one floor below the stereo living room. For the TV and CAPS, I've run two ethernet cables, which go outside the wall, up into the attic and drop down the living room wall to a wall plate. Do I need two ethernet cables for SonicTransporter i7 plus the UltraRendu? If I need another ethernet cable run, then I'll puke and just stay with the rebuilt CAPS." No, will work fine if just connect i7 to network switcher." But you don't need to drop another long ethernet line. You simply place the i7 within a meter of the
Ultrarendu (or as I recommend, Sonore Signature Rendu SE with SystemOptique upgrade) and connect ethernet from i7 to Rendu.

"If I get the CAPS v3 rebuilt (making it maybe v4+?) then don't I have the choice to use both JRiver and Roon? And maybe I could make it dual-boot, adding Linux in addition to Win10 as a second OS. Maybe then Linux will give those lower-latency results on the rebuilt CAPS that Andrew talks about. But given my DAC does re-clocking, doesn't that resolve any PC latency (time-goofiness) issues?" I used JRiver and then ROON with my CAPSv3, so yes this can be done.

Seriously Andrew Gillis at Small Green Computer did the software for the Sonic Transporters and Sonore, I have talked with him extensively, he is honest and knows his stuff.


----------



## ralpheburns

Ok Steve, I'm listening. You kinda get that I just want it to work without burning too many brain cells?

I'm wondering if people hear sonic differences between devices due to resampling. The whole point of my MSB Analog DAC was that it takes native data up to 32-bit / 384 kHz / 256x DSD with no resampling... the notion that resamping is evil. Maybe all good DACs do it that way these days.

So SonicTransporter i5 or i7. The i7 uses the same chassis as my micro-Zuma, so maybe there's a re-use opportunity.
Then would I want to add the ultraRendu for cheap or the opticalRendu for bucks.

The i7 has an ethernet pass-thru to save me running another long cable. My network switch and NAS are in the home office, a long, long ways from the listing room. Or have to steal the ethernet cable from the TV and use wifi for the TV. I use Toslink from the TV to the DAC, for streaming audio from online sources like Amazon (low-fi is usually good enough for my movie tastes).

I loose the browser functionality of the CAPS v3. I.e. If I wanted to stream a movie from PBS website or watch the debates from some web stream, then what? Do I haul a laptop up there and connect to the Sony 4K via HDMI? Or do I figure out how to get browser function out of a TV app? Seems so clunky either way.

Convert those the DFF ISO files using JRiver on another computer. Honestly, I hardly play those (about 6,000 hi-rez albums), and most of my listening is maybe 500 Redbook CDs ripped by EAC. My musical tastes are folk, small-time artists from whom I buy CD's direct and African. I wonder if Tidal even services those. Rock & roll bores me, ha!

One other other consideration is that I use old, old Squeezeboxes around the house.... a Squeezebox Touch into a stereo in my home office (WFH), and two Squeezebox Booms in the two shop areas. I only have the Squeezeboxes playing the Redbook files and my local public radio station. I do bore of my Redbook collection and might like to branch out to the hi-rez library... I guess that the SB can already do all the higher-rate FLAC files, but it's not as easy. 

I'll PM you.

- Ralph


----------



## ralpheburns

FWIW, I ended up getting the ethernet input MSB v2 MQA Renderer and the Linux-based i7 SonicTransporter.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

Steve Bruzonsky said:


> Just updated first post for the components and theater renovation to hopefully be completed sometime this June!


Update: My cabinet guy came last week. He and my installer are working on renovation plans for me to approve. Unfortunately the cabinet guy is backed up and won't be able to get to me until July or August so that's when the install will be. Meanwhile, with my existing system, I am so enjoying my now Trinnov based theatre.

One more note: Over the years folks may have read some of my posts and some have bought gear from Craig Shumer/VGI, I have even recently had a few contacts from AVSers regarding the Trinnov SSP that I am now in love with. Craig has for some years been my dealer for Theta Digital, ATI, and more recently Trinnov and Paradigm (subwoofers). (I have had other dealers for Aerial Acoustics, Kaleidescape, Sony projector, Stewart Filmscreen, Sim2, etc) (though Craig was an Aerial dealer through early 2015). I will not go into details but simply say that Craig is no longer my dealer or friend/acquaintance and under no circumstances do I recommend or refer anyone to him. I feel obligated to state this because I have noted in the past on this forum that Craig has been my dealer for the above mentioned products and he is no longer. Please do not ask wny here on this forum because I do not intend to get into this publicly at this time absent Craig or anyone on his behalf stating anything untrue.


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

By the way, I've come a long way, as I was not just a Theta luver, but also an Aerial Acoustics speaker luver since 1997. Whereas I have now left the Theta Casablanca SSP (but still have 3 Theta Prometheus monoblocks, and my new 2 Trinnov multi-channel amplifiers are manufactured by ATI/parent company of Theta):

1997: Four Aerial 10ts and a CC3
2000: CC5 replaced CC3
2001: Added three SW12 subwoofers
2008: Replaced 10ts with four 9s
2014: Replaced 9s and CC5 with 5 7ts (and sold the SW12s, now discontinued)
2019: Selling two of the 7ts, adding six of the on wall 7LCRs!
2020: When Michael Kelly comes out with his new "30T" (who knows, he might change the name by then), I plan to sell a pair of 7ts, keeping one 7t for center channel, and get a pair of 30Ts. I will finally have my dream speakers for music and home theater! (And I can finally equal or beat Ash Sharma, who has 3 Aerial 20Ts, now discontinued, up front in his theatre!)

_______________________________

Install/Renovation of my theatre will be sometime hopefully July/August this year, as cabinet guy must coordinate his schedule with my installer Gerry Behm/[email protected]

When we are done, out come component racks and disc racks from the sides of theatre; and out comes existing shelves/cabinets/drawers at rear of theatre, in comes newly done area at rear of theatre for rollout Mid-Atlantic component racks & disc storage, etc as well as for the projector (getting out of the room so no projector noise at all) (with a cooling system for projector in its own hush area).

Here's what my upgraded/renovated system will include:

VIDEO:
Sony VPL-VW5000ES laser projector
Panamorph DCR anamorphic lens
Lumagen Radiance Pro 4444 video processor/scaler 
Stewart Filmscreen Vistascope 2:40 168” wide X 70” H screen, Snomatte (1.0 gain) (with variable side masking to 4:3) (16:9 is 124.4” wide)

AUDIO:
3 Aerial Acoustics 7t floorstanding speakers w 3 Theta Digital Prometheus monoblocks
9 Aerial Acoustics 7LCR onwall speakers w Trinnov 8 multi-channel amplifier
9 (possibly 13, still to be determined) Triad Inceiling Rotatable Silver/9 Sat speakers w Trinnov 8m multi-channel amplifier(s)
2 JL Audio f212 subwoofers (each subwoofer has 2 12" woofers)
2 Paradigm Persona subwoofers (each subwoofer has 6 8" woofers)
Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP (24 channels) (ROON Ready)

OTHER COMPONENTS:
Oppo UDP-205 4k blu ray player
Kaleidescape Strato C 4k blu ray player
Kaleidescape Terra 40 TB Movie Server (located out of theatre in home office)
Small Green Computer Sonic Transporter i7 for ROON
Western Digital MyCloud PR4100 32 TB (network music server) (located out of theatre in home office)
2 DJM Electronics Gigafoil v4 (optical converter) (used for ROON ethernet connection to Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP & for Kaleidescape Strato C 4k blu ray player

What's scary is my theatre sounds tremendous right now, pre renovation, with my current 5 Aerial Acoustics 7ts/5 Theta Digital Prometheus monoblocks/4 KEF in ceiling speakers, and Trinnov SSP (which several months ago replaced my longstanding Theta Casablanca IVA SSP). Its only gonna get better - propelled by Aerial Acoustics all around the main "bed" of speakers!


----------



## Steve Bruzonsky

My theater has been down since August 1st. Maybe 2-3 months before its back up, completely renovated and upgraded. It will different and better in so many ways, with dimensions changed somewhat as well due to renovation, that this thread has served its purpose. I am done posting about my prior dedicated home theater, since 1997, as I will once we're all done start a new thread on my current dedicated home theater.


----------

