One item checked off the "bucketlist" - build a stereo system that's way too loud...

[tabs]

The reason why Wayne could not stand to listen to his audio systems at full tilt in the past
was that he was running junk electronics.

Put on the Deads Casey Jones and lets us see if there is Head Space...

BTW the Dead's sound system was powered by a bank of McIntosh 300W and later 500W per channel Amps.. That was why their sound was so clean.

[esample]

Wayne
In general, I'm always awed by your astute choices and taste, however, Bose may not have been the best audio decision you could have made. That notwithstanding, try Steely Dan's Aja to gauge the overall clarity and definition of your system. Only an opinion. I could be wrong. If you like it, that's all that really matters.

[imcarthur]

OK, it is a sport to crap on Bose. I do it & the whole 'high performance' portion of the Consumer Electronics industry loves to smack Dr. Bose & the empire that he has built. But never forget that it is an incredible marketing machine - one of the best - only equaled in CE by Noel Lee @ Monster. Yes, it is very true that consumer Bose products can often be easily bettered by their competition. But their competition never packages or markets their own product as effectively as the good Doctor.

But Wayne did not buy a system to listen to at home. He bought a professional PA system. And all of the rules about what is needed change. For PA, you need loud, very efficient, reasonably indestructible and loud. And an eq for helping with the acoustics in the cavern that the system is working in.

Wayne, if you really want to see if it can handle thump, try Peter Gabriel's Growing Up at 90db. I use it as a test on every system I set up. If it sounds painful than the system needs help. If it sounds crank-me-up awesome than just enjoy.

Ian

[esample]

Originally Posted by esample

Bose may not have been the best audio decision you could have made. .... If you like it, that's all that really matters.

Sorry if this appears to be "dumping" on Bose. Few things are more subjective than speakers (female beauty comes to mind). The problem with Bose is the tendency to stimulate whatever standing waves may be present in their environment and to make bass resonance uncontrollable. If they work for you (and continue to do so) none of this should be a concern. I would probably move them out of the corners, though.

[Rob Channell]

Hey Wayne. Nice setup. It was a little (well, a lot, really) larger than I envisioned from the post title.

I found you a couple of fitting options for for an ipod dock for your office.

Aerodream One
http://www.jarre.com/aerodream-one-ipod®-iphone®-dock-speaker

or the iNuke Boom.
Monstrous Behringer iNuke Boom will rock your socks off | Crave - CNET

[RWebb]

I never knew Amar Bose was Bengali!

Dr. Bose is a genius at using knowledge of psycho-acoustics to make speakers sound better without spending a lot of money on the hardware. I was shocked the first time I heard a pair of 901s (in Cambridge back in the Holocene Period).

Bose products usually sound good for the money. Those who diss them are usually Audiophiles.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by esample

I would probably move them out of the corners, though.

+1

You will likely get better results if you can define a "stage" and "audience" area, and set up your cabinets in the same fashion as you would for live performance/sound reinforcement (you being the FOH guy, EQ-ing for the "audience" area). Plus, you would be better off if/when you actually have events with live music in the future.

For cabinet placement, I would probably experiment with a vertical line array on each side. Maybe up a bit high (flown?) @ around 3/4 ceiling height, away from the back wall. Slightly cant them inward so the on-axis convergence hits in the middle/rear-middle of audience area, with the bottom cabinets aimed slightly downward for help with nearfill if possible. That should be a lot more efficient (and controllable) starting point than cabinets in all four corners. There are a few decent (freeware) line-array calculators out there to give you some ideas.

As far as EQ, a decent parametric is probably a must, and 1/3 octave graphic would probably help as well. If you want to get fancy, maybe go with something like SpectraFoo.