Tuning Quatro CT’s

[Next8]

When I took delivery of my Quatro CT’s and M5 amplifiers, my dealer (now retired and moved on) delivered and set them up.  These were on demo in his shop and I got great pricing.  They sound so good but I’m wondering whether they are tuned for best possible (red flag word) listening in my room.  I ask this only because there is so much on this forum about what I call “expert-level technical set-up.”   Yes, I read the manual.  (Crickets…..).  Do I think they aren’t set up properly?  No…but.  So in my defense, I have a not so great room, I have my triangle set up, I have the slight toe-in and tilt, the music sounds great, but it’s so technical, it’s not a long shot to wonder am I getting everything possible out of these magnificent components?   Asked by a non-technical newbie in Northern VA.    Thank you.  And hello to Brad if you are monitoring - nice to meet you at CAF.
 

[Richard Vandersteen]

Some of our Dealers have staff which specialize in extreme setup.   A good investment maybe getting one of them to tweak your system.  Call me for a recommendation closest to your location.  Another option is to take it in small doses with the help of the manual and advice available on this forum especially since you are getting great sound already.  Many of the complaints about setup involve the High-Pass (not difficult but unique, IMO) but this is no factor for you as the M5-HPA has that down perfectly.  What's left is tilt, placement and room EQ in order of importance.  Bass EQ is the easiest to recognize by playing track 13 and 14 on the provided test disc that came with your speakers.  If the notes sound equal in amplitude as the musician goes up and down the frets you are very close to optimum and any tweaking beyond that needs caution as one does not want to chase recording quality!  This game is never over and the function of a tone control anyway.  Give it a shot because you can always go back to where you were if you take pictures.   TAKE PICTURES and you may find the fun of knowing your system.  RV

[TomicTime]

@Next8You are already on a towering mountain top w M5 and Quattro CT  - but we are always prone to looking for / listening for higher peaks…

Lets start w tilt. What are your measurements and imo did you get them w laser ( $40 ) ?
in my own experience as both a sloucher, sometime recliner dweller and mover of furniture…. my relationship to the “ acoustic lens “… will drift over time…

Best to you !

jim

[Next8]

Thanks Richard.  I will call you for  dealers in my area who might have the staff to assist in reviewing my current set up.  That being said, I'll hold off on calling for now and try the small doses approach. As you say, it could be fun getting to know these magnificent speakers.  Thanks for the tip on taking pictures. 

Unfortunately I did not receive the test disc at purchase. 

Best,

Dave

 

[Next8]

Thanks Tom.  I'm trying to be careful and not over think the music coming to my ears.  After all, it is just waiting for me to fire it up and off we go.

My laser is on the way.  I'll post the measurements soon.  Tilt is on my checklist.

much appreciated.

Dave

[Stringreen]

2 hours ago, TomicTime said:

@Next8You are already on a towering mountain top w M5 and Quattro CT  - but we are always prone to looking for / listening for higher peaks…

Lets start w tilt. What are your measurements and imo did you get them w laser ( $40 ) ?
in my own experience as both a sloucher, sometime recliner dweller and mover of furniture…. my relationship to the “ acoustic lens “… will drift over time…

Best to you !

jim

Here's what I did for tilt....I got a laser pen from Amazon et al.  When I received the laser, I rolled it around on the floor to look for the out-of-roundness that the laser projects on the wall.  When I was satisfied that I could find an average as to what the laser is projecting, I put a piece of tape on the top of the pen.  I then put a piece of paper (post it note) on the wall directly to the rear of my listening position.  Then I put the laser pen with the tape facing directly "up" on my left speaker and rotate carefully until the laser is centered on the paper on the wall.  I marked that spot with an audiophile approved marker, then do the other side. The laser on the right should (?) be at the same level as the inscribed dot...if not, raise/lower one or the other so they match.  .....I know little of this stuff, but it worked for me....great air and depth from my setup.

[Richard Vandersteen]

4 hours ago, Next8 said:

Thanks Richard.  I will call you for  dealers in my area who might have the staff to assist in reviewing my current set up.  That being said, I'll hold off on calling for now and try the small doses approach. As you say, it could be fun getting to know these magnificent speakers.  Thanks for the tip on taking pictures. 

Unfortunately I did not receive the test disc at purchase. 

Best,

Dave

 

Dave, you can download it from our web site and then burn yourself a copy.  RV

[dsisssup]

I'm so bummed out because I relocated my Quatros to another room changed the settings and didn't think to take pictures.   It  has been a year and I'm still looking for a dealer to do that extreme set-up thing.  My local dealer in Raleigh NC won't touch them unless purchased from them.

If anyone out there who might know of a dealer/person willing to travel, please give it up.  It's a crazy feeling knowing that your speakers have so much more capability and you can't get it.

Thanks,

Jordan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TomicTime]

Jordan - Give me a week to beat Covid and we can facetime to get your speakers tuned. Jim

[GdnrBob]

Poor @TomicTime, hopefully your Covid isn't too severe.

Bob

 

[TomicTime]

Bob - thanks…..i got it easy so far, great docs, great meds…. 

[Holmz]

My G&T swilling friend was swearing by Tomic water and the anti malarial qualities as a preventative.
(However he did come down with pancreatitis.)

Tomic Tonic does have a bit of a ring to it.

[GdnrBob]

41 minutes ago, Holmz said:

Tomic Tonic does have a bit of a ring to it.

I wonder if it has a half-life?

B

[Richard Vandersteen]

On 2/12/2023 at 11:11 AM, dsisssup said:

I'm so bummed out because I relocated my Quatros to another room changed the settings and didn't think to take pictures.   It  has been a year and I'm still looking for a dealer to do that extreme set-up thing.  My local dealer in Raleigh NC won't touch them unless purchased from them.

If anyone out there who might know of a dealer/person willing to travel, please give it up.  It's a crazy feeling knowing that your speakers have so much more capability and you can't get it.

Thanks,

Jordan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Jordan, it is not difficult to optimize any Vandersteen as the manual has everything one needs to know.  I know some do not want to do the setup themselves but if one is going to pay someone it should be a dealer who has made it his specialty (mostly dealers who display Model SEVEN's).  On the east coast Audio Connection has a young man named Samier who is fantastic.  Cost would be about $1000 plus airfare.  This could be a good investment and you could take pictures and have a better idea on how to do it yourself next time you change rooms or move.   I hope you see that it will save a lot of money if you use the help from some of the members on this forum and do it yourself.  I guarantee you will know more about your system which will be very rewarding.  RV

[Holmz]

6 hours ago, GdnrBob said:

I wonder if it has a half-life?

B

^Maybe^
I added some Blue Caracoa to my G&T and sent our lady doctor a picture, and told her it made the G&T look like windex.
(I thought she was going to choke laughing.)

Hope you’re on the mend Jim.

 

[ctsooner]

Samir is more than worth it. He did my Treo’s with John (john drove and recorded what Samir told him to lol). 

[GdnrBob]

+2 for Samir. I need to have he and Johnny recalibrate my system, too.

Though, if you can wait for Jim (@tomictime), I think it will be an easy task.

(BTW- dsisssup was the guy who bought my 3a sigs, after I bought the Treo's from Ctsooner).

Small world.

Bob

[Holmz]

On 2/13/2023 at 4:41 AM, dsisssup said:

I'm so bummed out because I relocated my Quatros to another room changed the settings and didn't think to take pictures.   It  has been a year and I'm still looking for a dealer to do that extreme set-up thing.  My local dealer in Raleigh NC won't touch them unless purchased from them.

If anyone out there who might know of a dealer/person willing to travel, please give it up.  It's a crazy feeling knowing that your speakers have so much more capability and you can't get it.

Thanks,

Jordan

@dsisssup Jordan, if Jim has not sorted you out from his Vandy World Wide call centre, then Raleigh is between Va-Beach and Asheville… and I usually go that way once a year barring an epidemic. Never adjusted them myself, but I think most of the battle is having one person barking out orders and the other on the floor moving the pots around… so it shouldn’t be too difficult.

[TomicTime]

I am well. RV called and reminded me it was valentines day ! i gave her a rain check ❤️. Hopefully mid week the check clears.

Look, lets all be realists here…the original selling dealer who we hope made some profit on your purchase is going to be hard pressed to re, emphasis RE setup your EQ when making substantial moves or change of listening room. I do setup work for fun BUT i am retired on an excellent pension. Rutan and frankly most Vandersteen dealers are saints, BUT a good to excellent setup person is going to need to bill the shop rate….. this isnt < $100 an hour unless it’s a fire sale…… Frankly, the Samier rate sounds awesome.

One trick is use two devices that support screen mirroring to watch the SPL meter from behind the speaker…..dial it in, next track….

Best to all….

 

[dsisssup]

On 2/12/2023 at 3:06 PM, TomicTime said:

Jordan - Give me a week to beat Covid and we can facetime to get your speakers tuned. Jim

That would wonderful. I would like to exchange # before hand because I had a conversation with Richard on Wed and he gave me some useful info.

[dsisssup]

Had an interesting talk with Richard.  I'm on my 4th pair of Vandersteens and have had conversations with him before. So of course he returned my call (been doing that for forty yrs) and I just have to say, thanks Richard.  One of the many reasons his speakers are included in my set-up.

Jordan

[dsisssup]

On 2/14/2023 at 8:05 PM, Holmz said:

@dsisssup Jordan, if Jim has not sorted you out from his Vandy World Wide call centre, then Raleigh is between Va-Beach and Asheville… and I usually go that way once a year barring an epidemic. Never adjusted them myself, but I think most of the battle is having one person barking out orders and the other on the floor moving the pots around… so it shouldn’t be too difficult.

I appreciate your offer.  Richard also suggested trying to get Samir down here.  Talked to John yesterday, waiting for a quote. 

 

[TomicTime]

😉

[ctsooner]

Samir is great