Robert Harley's Reviewer Background
Robert Harley -- Wed, 11/18/2009 - 12:47
Musical interests: Traditional jazz, modern jazz (Chick Corea, Steps Ahead, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Dave Holland, Roy Hargrove, Jack DeJohnette), chamber music (Bach, Handel), orchestral (Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff), piano (Chopin), contemporary classical (Philip Glass), jazz-oriented fusion (Return to Forever, Weather Report, Jean-Luc Ponty), rock-oriented fusion (Dixie Dregs), Zappa, virtuoso guitarists (Steve Morse, Zappa, John McLaughlin, Joe Satriani, Robben Ford, Stevie Ray).
Listening concerns:
1. Realism triggers – transparency, timbral purity, dynamic contrasts
2. Realism inhibitors – bass overhang, midrange colorations, glassy treble
Room
Built from ground up. 14.5’ wide, 21’ long, 9’ ceiling (dimensions chosen for modal distribution—see graphic). Concrete floor, drywall on stud walls and ceiling. 2x6 construction with additional bracing between studs. Three separate dedicated 20A circuits. Electrical ground separate from house ground, copper rod in dirt just outside listening room.
Room computer modeled by Norman Varney (then of Acoustic Room Systems, now of AV RoomService). Treated with Acoustic Room Systems. Panels of .125” sheetrock backed by 1.25” of fiberglass cover most of room. Absorbent side (fiberglass) faces out at first reflection points. Reflective side (sheetrock) faces out all other locations (about 10% absorbent side out). Areas behind and above listening seat are diffusive (convoluted plastic panels). Acoustic treatments then covered by cloth. Measured RT60 is 0.34 seconds from 125Hz–8kHz (see graphic). House is in semi-rural area on three acres and is very quiet; measures better than NC20.
Current reference equipment
Fan-less, drive-less PC music server with Lynx AES16 card. Berkeley Alpha DAC. dCS Puccini/U-Clock. Basis 2800 Signature turntable with Vector 4 arm and Air Tight PC-1 Supreme cartridge. Basis fully loaded with Calibrator Base and Syncho-Wave power supply. Aesthetix Rhea Signature phonostage. Pass Labs XP20 preamp. Pass Labs XA100.5 Class-A monoblock amplifiers. Classe CDP-502 CD/DVD player (AES out feeds Berkeley Alpha DAC; analog output feeds Pass preamp for DVD-A playback). MIT Oracle MA and Oracle MA-X interconnects. MIT Oracle MA loudspeaker cable. Classe SSP-800 multichannel controller. Anthem P5 five-channel power amplifier (center and four surround channels). Wilson WATCH center channel speaker. Revel Embrace surround speakers (x4). JL Audio Fathom F113 subwoofers (x2). Runing Springs Audio Dmitri AC conditioner with HZ power cord. Shunyata Hydra V-Ray V2 and Hydra-8 V2 conditioners, Shunyata Helix CX-Series AC cords throughout system. Main speakers change with review samples; last three weeks: Volent Paragon; previous three months: YG Acoustics Kipod Studio; previous 18 months: Wilson Alexandria X-2.
Video system: Sony VLP-VW50 SXRD projector, Stewart Filmscreen Grayhawk 92” wide 16x9 motorized screen, Sony BDP-S350 Blu-ray player, DISH Network HD dish and DVR.
Background
Built speakers and amplifier kits as teenager. Worked in hi-fi stores during college. Degree in recording engineering. Designed, built, and ran recording studio in early 1980s. Engineered albums on national jazz charts. Taught degree program in recording engineering at college with 24-track studio; oversaw first CD project by a college music program (1986). Worked in CD mastering in late 1980s. Wrote or co-wrote three Audio Engineering Society papers (“Recording, Editing, and CD Mastering Entirely in the DAT Format,” “CD-V Signal Optimization,” “The Role of Critical Listening in Evaluating Audio Equipment Quality”). Member (junior) of a six-man team that designed and built a CD mastering machine (laser beam recorder); later wrote the machine’s operation and service manual. Wrote two chapters of the McGraw-Hill CD-ROM Handbook (1987). Technical Editor of Stereophile from 1989 to 1997. Technical Editor of Fi: The Magazine of Music and Sound from 1997-1999. Audio Technical Editor of The Perfect Vision 1999-2000. Editor-in-Chief of The Perfect Vision 2000-2006. Editor-in-Chief of The Absolute Sound September, 2001 to present. Author of The Complete Guide to High-End Audio, Home Theater for Everyone, and Introductory Guide to High-Performance Audio Systems. More than 150,000 copies sold to date in four languages.
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What is the white tape on the floor in front of the speakers used for? Kind regards, Ken Sheehan
The tape was used in setting up the Wilson X-2s. I have several tape marks on the floor (with different colored tape) that indicate particularly good spots for previously reviewed loudspeakers. It comes in handy as a starting point when installing new speakers. Fortunately, the room is a working room and I don't have WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) issues.
Mr. Harley,
Thank you for sharing this information with us. I have often wondered what an experienced reviewer's home "set-up", and musical background, and musical tastes were present so that I can get a "feel" for what you are describing in your reviews. By knowing this, I can tell you "hear what you hear". Thanks for the info, it really makes this hobby a lot more "fun" these days, I'm sure we could all use that!
Paul
P.S. The winning lotto numbers would help...........
Thanks for the earlier information on the 'tape'. Another question. Do I see a center channel speaker between the main speakers? If so, details on type and how driven. Is it only used for movies?
The center speaker is a Wilson Watch, and I use it for film soundtracks and occasionally for multichannel music.
Robert,
I was curious about your speaker placement. With the speakers so close to wall, wouldn't you be sacrificing soundstage depth? I'm wondering if you could give some background on their current positioning.
Thanks.
I was surprised during the set-up that the X-2s ended up so close to the room corners. This is, however, where they sounded the most natural in the midrange and also produced the smoothest and most dynamically articulate bass. I've heard deeper soundstaging from the X-2 than what I heard in my room, but overall that's the best place for the speakers.
Incidentally, Dave Wilson and John Giolas from Wilson Audio set up the new Wilson Sasha in my room last Thursday. I have tape marks on the floor of all the major speakers I've reviewed in the past two years. The Sasha ended up just slightly behind (closer to the wall) were the X-2s were.
Mr. Harley,
I would absolutely love to have a audio/video room like yours. Awesome room.
A quick question...
Do you run your Berkeley through the Pass XP20 Preamp or do you change the interconnects and run direct to your amps?
I currently have a SSP800 that I use in conjunction with JC1s and Sophia 2s. I have a Classe CDT300 transport and use the DAC in the SSP800 to decode. I am looking at buying a Berkeley Alpha and was wondering if I should run it through the direct XLR inputs on my SSP800 or buy a seperate preamp(JC2).
Thanks for everything you have done for our hobby!
I run the Berkeley through the Pass XP20 most of the time, but will move the long interconnects driving the power amplifier from the XP20 directly to the Berkeley for special listening sessions to high-res material, or to demonstrate the system. If you don't mind making the switch on occasion, you can forego the preamp. I have other two-channel sources that feed the preamp, which is why I use the Pass.
Thanks so much for the kind comment.
Robert, How much improvement in sound quality do you get when you switch the cables from the Pass XP20 and connect them directly to the Berkeley? Is the improvement mostly noticeable with High res material? I guess not a significant difference is present when by passing the preamp.
good afternoon robert,
i noticed in your review of the alpha dac you ran it directly to your dma 360's. i have a dma 180 and would love to run my alpha dac directly to it but with all the warnings from spectral about not using a spectral preamp, i do have some concerns. i wondered if you had any reservations? i do use all mit cables so i have that part covered. at present, i use the bada direct to a krell fpb 600c and switch cables for tv/movies to a theta casanova, taking the bada out of the chain. i think the spectral is a better amplifier, or at least to my liking with my wp 7's, and would like to move it into the krells place but it would then run through the bada and casanova at times.
i am a long time reader of your work and know that you have been a spectral user for quite some time so i would love to get your thoughts on this subject. we have very similar taste in gear and i always find your review system to be quite close to my end goal. hope you do not mind the question in this forum.
You'll have no problems driving the Spectral amplifiers directly from the Berkeley DAC through MIT interconnects.
Hi Robert,
I'll always be a fan of yours. I remember your giving me really cogent advice in the 90's on putting a system together. Had I followed your advice, I probably would have spent much less money than I ended up spending. But, I really appreciated your money doesn't mean pleasure - necessarily - approach. Thanks.
I am now in Ghana, looking at a system I can't use because my tube preamps are fried, could be current fluctuations, just don't know. Everything else, tube or solid-state seems to work fine. I don't know what you'd recommend, but I'm thinking straight integrated solid state integrated amp or a solid state preamp to drive my VTL monoblocks. What do I think about in making the choice? Impendance, sensitivity? I've loaned The Complete Guide out, regretfully.
I need my music!!!!!!
Thanks for the comment, Kofi. What loudspeakers are you planning on driving?
Thank you very much for replying, Robert. I'll be keeping my Audio Physic Virgos. And the VTL are the MB-125's.
Looking forward to seeing photos of the new set up in the new California Home RH, whose listening room is open in the central space, & open to the rest of the house (I too have a centeral AV set up, and my Benq W5000 works well with ambient light).
All the Best Mate.
Mr. Harley,
You mention that your #1 realism trigger is transparency. Don't you get distracted by all of those details and miss the musical whole? Doesn't thta limit your listening for enjoyment to just half a dozen disks?
Have you heard the Marthin Logan CLX driven by an OTL such as Atmasphere? That may be as transparent as you can get.
Robert, Please post pictures of your new listening room when you get a chance. Before, in process and when done it would be nice. Also it would be nice to know the dimensions, materials/treatment done if any, and placement of equipment(audio racks, speakers, chair, amps...etc... Your findings as u set up will also be of great value.
Here are some shots of the system and room. The second shot is Richard Vandersteen and Fred Nadel (the BALabo distributor), which also shows the back end of the room. I'll write in the magazine about the new room in a future issue.
Nice!
Robert, Nice house and nice room! thanks for sharing the pics. looking forward to the issue with your room details. Please discuss the setup as well. The open area on the left seems interesting...I wonder how that would affect imaging etc.... anyhow....I know you are busy.... I'll wait for more... Thanks.
Robert, It also looks like you have a lot of new gear in that room. do you have multiple listening rooms now? What happend to the Wilson speakers and Berkeley DAC? are they in a different room or were they sent back? Also will you be reviewing the Vandersteens, Balabo, ARC REF 2010, ARC Preamp, Sooloos music server All of them appear new to your room? Can we expect a follow up even though a lot of that gear has already been reviewed. i.e. Sooloos in the most recent issue of TAS and Balabo and ARC already reviewed by JV. Some insight to whats upcoming would be nice and what happening with the old stuff.
If I may ask, what power conditioner are you using with this set-up? BTW, I see that your listening "room" is your formal living room. You must have an understanding wife!
I would consider closing those holes/openings. But the problem is the opening above to second floor and a very tall roof. Also would mess up the very nice look of the house. I also wonder how I would cope with neighbors with such powerful sound. And what about guests. Especially kids. I mean if the stuff is insured and just loners then that's fine. But if I owned it. It would not be like this for little brats to destroy while there parents sit calmly or just smile in pride of their cute kids. And all parents do that. Kids are naughty and parents/grandparents don't want to stop them from anything. Im becoming grumpy and old.
The open aspects of the room seem to help rather than hinder the sound. In fact, the large diffusive structures are, in my estimation, largely responsible for the open soundstage I'm hearing.
To answer JLeeMD, I have a Shunyata Hydra-8 and a V-Ray V2 and all Shunyata CX power cords, except for the power cord on the BAlabo amplifier, which was supplied by BAlabo (and which they insist upon).
I'll be writing about all the new gear: Vandersteen Model 7s (next issue), Basis Inspiration turntable, AudioQuest Sky and Meteor cables and interconnects, and follow ups on the BAlabo and Sooloos/Meridian 808.3.
I still have my PC server and the Alpha DAC, but returned almost everything else for the move.
Robert, Any chance of a followup review on the Qsonix 205 music server? The new one has the digital outputs done by WADIA digital company and seems promising. Few years ago you had done a sooloos and qsonix review with a check list comparizon as well in one of the TAS issues. A followup of the qsonix audiophile version 205 would be real nice specially with the improved digital outputs.
Sorry to nag but will we see a review of the Shunyata V-Ray II any time soon? I need a power conditioner. I use Shunyata CX power cords so the V-ray II is a logical choice. However, recently you made no bones about the fact that the Dmitri was superior compared with the original V-Ray; thus, I am also considering the Dmitri. Logistically, it is very difficult for me to audition these products.
The Shunyata V-Ray V2 is in my system now and is on deck for review (issue 208).
Looks like you got some great ARC gear as well Robert, ARC 40th ?
Mr. Harley,
Could you comment on your Runing Springs Dmitri Conditioner? Was there a special reason or you just think it does not have a bad effect on sound?
I use Isotek Nova but a reliable source in industry has recommended Dmitri over many respected brands. It came to my attention that you have actually have one.
Regards
Mert
Mr. Harley reviewed the Dmitri in TAS several months ago.
I did indeed review the Running Springs Dmitri in Issue 193.
Mr. Harley,
Your new room looks to be an endeavor, almost a challenge (seemingly square (LxWxH) with a hard wall on one side and open space on the other). Are there slap echo / comb filtering issues? Glad you are tackling the task.
I hate to be a bug, but I'd appreciate some feedback on this thread:
http://www.avguide.com/forums/robert-harley-wilson-sasha-versus-magico-v3
Hello Mr Harley
I wanted to fist say thank you for all you do for the high end industry. I am a big fan of you, your book, and have highly recommended it to others.
I am also surprised at the distances you have the speakers to the rear walls, as your certainly going to limit the sound stage depth. Im also surprised that you get the best overall frequency balance that close to the back walls as well.
I noticed the reverberation times your getting. First that seems to be a bit overdamped, certainly for my tastes. How are you getting those times with what I see little to no room treatment ? Is that really the ideal reverberation times you prefer and want to achieve ? It seems you prefer a more damped room then ?
Myself I like to see somewhere between 1 to 1.5 mil sec reverberation time. Almost as a rule start with the 1/3 placement into the room, and rarely get speakers closer to the back walls then that. So I was just alittle surprised to see your setup. But I guess thats what makes hi fi fun lol.
Thanks Kevin
Kevin LaTour
35 years hi-end audio video enthusiast
Hi Mr Harley;
You mention the Purity Audio preamp line in your comments from RMAF.
I recieved a Purity Audio Silver Reference a couple weeks ago. Beautiful equipment. It now has over 200 hours of break in play.
I am a Tron, Horning and TW Acoustics guy but decided to take a chance with the SR (Silver Reference). I did not attend RMAF but I heard good comments regarding the manufacturer. The SR seems to have been designed with a great power supply and a low noise approach.
I think the best attribute of the SR is it's low noise floor. Transparency.
Detail, dynamics and tonal purity are displayed wonderfully. This results in a presentation that is very easy to listen to; I hate noise and it bothers my ears. Detail is not pushy but allows a greater gestalt in appreciating the artists endevour. Sure the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, but with better and more parts, the whole is greater here. For example, small (nearly hidden) varied percussion pieces can add a joyfulness to the music and I better feel the emotion of a vocalist by hearing their subtle modulations. Wow on Peggy Lee.
I really appreciate the micro dymanics of the SR.
And combined with ease of listening, the tonal presentation attracts me into the music. A compelling kind of beauty. This is different from tonal balance. The former tonal purity seems to get closer to an instruments inner essence.
Voices and instruments have also a special vibrancy about them. This occupies space in the soundstage.
And regarding the soundstage, the SR gives a more of a fully realized soundstage. More filled in and more logical. Well beyong the speakers, of course, in all directions.
Questions are solved. Two guitars or one, who is singing, and what is the mood of the vocalist?
I purchased the SR from Joe Jursic, though I don't have any other offerings from Joe in my systems. Yet the SR dropped into my system perfectly.
As an aside, I am now expermenting with a RWA Black Lightning battery supply and tried it with a Virtue Two.2 amp and a Zodiac+ DAC. The battery supply really raised the level of the Virtue amp. The SR improved my system in much the same way. Both being noise foes.
Robert,
You have had your system set up like this for more than 6 months now. What are your thoughts of keeping your audio equipment behind the speakers. I am curious about the turntable, and tubed phono preamp and tubed poweramps like the ARC REF210. Keeping these close to the speakers doesn't degrade the sound? what about imaging when keeping the racks right behind the speakers?
Hi Robert, I would dearly love to read your review on the Meridian 808.3 CD player. Have you or any other TAS reviewer listened to it critically yet?
Hi Robert - are you still answering these posts? If so, then could you please contact me? Thank you, Karen Terry