Cal Blacksmith Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 A while ago there was a thread on PC vs gaming systems for audio and it evolved into the normal discussion on which is better. I tried to avoid pushing one direction to little affect. This is my Man Cave. It is a 11.5 x 11.5 x 8 room. It is my 2 ch setup and I added a 40" 3D TV and gaming systems to it. The audio starts at the left with TT, CD, Tuner, Tape deck, Tube Preamp and power supply filter. It then goes to the main tube amp under the TV and to the Khorns. The audio flow for the game systems is HDMI to the switcher as the TV only has 3 HDMI inputs and I have 4 devices. Then to the TV via HDMI where it is converted to Tosslink then around to the audio cabinet and converted from Tosslink to Analog, into the Preamp and so on. LPs are the entire sections under the shelves and the open shelf too. This setup shows that a PC need not be chained to a desk and tiny speakers but can just as easily installed into a HT system as any stand alone game system. I use a wireless keyboard and mouse along with a Xbox to PC game pad. While some may argue that a 40" TV is small, it is only 6 feet from my eyes to the screen so it does not feel small. The room is setup for 1 person at a time so it is a solo Man Cave! It can get warm in the room even though we have central air conditioning so there is a fan mounted just above me. The audio system is easily able to overpower any unwelcome noise from the fan. So here you have it, my gaming PC which is easily 3 times the size of BOTH my PS3 and Xbox 360 together, not on a desk but nicely mated into a HT setup. Lets see yours ! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minermark Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Looking Good Cal. Let see if I can dig up a "When I started" pic and then a 'Where I am now" pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Mancave is 14' wide and 10' deep, computer furniture only, bed was removed. I don't do video games, so this is mostly for web surfing music videos and watching sports on TV, almost always at the same time. I do a lot of reading and I like to listen to Youtube on this rig. I do all my speaker testing here. The wife makes me keep my athletic shoes and racquetball bag here too, apparently because she thinks it "smells." Actually, she smells, the racquetball stuff stinks. Audio: The 2.1 setup has two Fusion 10 DIY speakers, 10" woof and 12" waveguide. Sub is Klipsch RW-12d. I have a gaming PC with good video card, 8GB ram, 250GB SSD and 1TB data drive. My audio setup is almost always changing, just for fun. The ten year-old 100 wpc Pioneer receiver says A/V but it only has analog inputs, so I use it to run the computer speakers in a 2.1 setup. Video: Dual Samsung monitors, a 24" and a 17". The 24" LG HDTV is above and behind the 17" monitor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minermark Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Way back in the olden days (last year) after the brand spankin new crites/refurbed/ w/custom risers, Scalas, things were sounding good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minermark Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) If a single set of Scalas were good, then another set stacked would be better, right ? They were, however upon stacking, the good feeling of sound seemed to be just coming alive for the space im in. Problem being, I just realized there still is not enough sound with these stacked. Kind of a wake up moment. Edited June 21, 2014 by minermark 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minermark Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) Fast forward two weeks, thinking if two pair seems to almost get me there, then four should do it ! Im shopping for Scalas, 500 mile radius, within one hour stumble across what is now the mancave standard, although not Klipsch, EAW is a Klipsch McM (competitor), not finding Mcm's for quite some time this seemed like the choice. Four pairs of scalas would easily be 4 grand, this set up is 2.2K, although three way crossover conversion is not complete(This week), the fulfillment of sound for the given space has been dialed in. Note: When it takes 3/4 open end wrenches/Ladder to adjust your tweeter, I think im there Edited June 21, 2014 by minermark 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minermark Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Feel free to use my advancement into the world of never ending upgrades, as a teaching tool for those affected with the quest for better sound. You know one of those things you show people and say "This Could Happen To You" 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthews Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 ...just one neighbor 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted June 22, 2014 Moderators Share Posted June 22, 2014 "This Could Happen To You" It's to late, maby years ago. BUT I don't have a cave, no fair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minermark Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) "This Could Happen To You" It's to late, maby years ago. BUT I don't have a cave, no fair. It's never too late, my "Cave is a detached garage" wife has the house with her Khorns and I have .....well, the jury still out on what I have. As I remember when I was a youngin, I started out in a closet, then as one gets older, you know, we get our own room. As I look back on all the years it took to get here "The Garage", the wife sits in a quarter million dollar house w/Mono Blocks/Khorns and a/c, wait a second, something wrong here. Edited June 22, 2014 by minermark 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Note: When it takes 3/4 open end wrenches/Ladder to adjust your tweeter, I think im there So...what time do the gates open for the concert??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minermark Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Note: When it takes 3/4 open end wrenches/Ladder to adjust your tweeter, I think im there So...what time do the gates open for the concert??? Basic crossover(s) will be here this week, then it's play time configuring bass, mids, tweet w/inductors and caps assortment, and the really cool part is ........I have NO FRIGGING IDEA what im doing, starting with a beefy 3way already loaded on a board at 1000 Wpc, add/subtract little goodies here and there. Gates will open under my wifes watch (time yet to be announced) as I will likely be dead by then from Radiation, beer is in the fridge. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 A clean garage is the sign of a sick mind. Here's my "man cave". It's too hot in here normally for my wife and daughter so I have it all to myself. There's always a project going on and music pouring from the KP-301-II's. If you like music and tools, this is your spot. AC and TV???? I wish. I envy the rest of you guys. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minermark Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 A clean garage is the sign of a sick mind. Here's my "man cave". It's too hot in here normally for my wife and daughter so I have it all to myself. There's always a project going on and music pouring from the KP-301-II's. If you like music and tools, this is your spot. AC and TV???? I wish. I envy the rest of you guys. You got room dude! there is nothing like having room, tunes even better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 A clean garage is the sign of a sick mind. Here's my "man cave". It's too hot in here normally for my wife and daughter so I have it all to myself I assume no cars ever rest there...I wish I had a room to use for building stuff. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 I assume no cars ever rest there... My wife's (in-between projects). Normally I can work on something and put it off to the side so she can park there. I'm working on 2 subs at once now so there's just no room. She'll have it back soon as these are about done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted June 22, 2014 Moderators Share Posted June 22, 2014 It's never too late Your right, not complaining, everywhere I go (not counting the bathroom) has music, even anywhere in the yard. But I had a cave, no heat or AC but gave it to my wife, it's a girl cave now with sewing machines AC and much better lighting, Why didn't I have that ? I will build a garage and it will not be AC which insures it will be mine, already have the speakers for it, the yard speakers will go there. That's bad when you already have the speakers for a building not built yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) Some nice looking and very "manly" spaces there! No plants on the speakers please! Sawdust is OK and adds that extra detail that most ladies just will not stand for. The space need not be anything in particular or decorated in any special way, just be some place where you can go, put away social rules and just be yourself and relax. I do have a shop to go to, no AC but then there is 3X the cubic feet of space than there is in the house so it could get a bit expensive to cool it. It gets cool enough in the winter so I do have a few propane heaters to warm things up. it is a 30' x 75' x 20' high steel building, 2,250 square feet x 20 feet high This space is just for me. The wife has the rest of the house but this one room is mine. You can not have speakers that are TOO big, I think Minermark proves that point! GEES dude! Way to morph the garage CEAA hey at least you have carpet too bad about the need for the wife's car to sleep there between projects but it is looking very nice at the moment and I am sure the music in there is several notches above the average "garage stereo" LOL! Matt, I love that space, what is the picture of the animal with the cans? That is great Wu, sweet! Some very "tune worthy" gear there. I have nothing against older gear. Look at my pics on the left, the SILVER gear is a tape deck and a Yamaha tuner from 1977, still working great. The TV room is using my older AVR, it must be 10 years if it is a day. Then in the shop I have a Onkyo receiver from the '70s that cranks out the tunes hours on end when I am out there. Dtel, is there a rule that you can't get ready for when the day happens? Better prepared than sorry! Edited June 22, 2014 by Cal Blacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) A clean garage is the sign of a sick mind. Here's my "man cave". It's too hot in here normally for my wife and daughter so I have it all to myself I assume no cars ever rest there...I wish I had a room to use for building stuff. Bruce Have you ever seen Mustang Guy's man cave? He has a building for room use! I've seen it with 4 cars in it, it's not even close to filling up his space. He fills it up with sound that is better and louder than any theater in our area! Edited June 22, 2014 by wvu80 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share Posted June 22, 2014 Lots of room there for sure I tended to fill mine up, this is a 15 minute overview of my shop, feel free to quit anytime you want. It started out as a quick once over of the shop for a woodworking board but it very quickly morphed to over an hour, just talking and giving a video tour. Youtube broke it into 4 segments and that turned out for the better, it was way too long and some say that the first 15 minutes is too long too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k9owLgKHSU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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