Cube 1s & 3s / Harbeth P3ESR / Usher S520 + ??? Durham

Room to arrange and discuss bake-offs
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savvypaul
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Re: Cube 1s & 3s / Harbeth P3ESR / Usher S520 + ??? Durham

Unread post by savvypaul »

herbie07 wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2017 7:02 pm Ah OK - to clarify no criticism of the Cubes was intended :oops:
Hi Peter,

You're welcome to borrow the Cube 3s for a few weeks if you fancy a longer listen - they are normally in my office but I am getting redecorated / moved around so I have bought them home for safe keeping until everything's sorted.

Paul
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Re: Cube 1s & 3s / Harbeth P3ESR / Usher S520 + ??? Durham

Unread post by antonio66 »

Nice offer Paul.

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Re: Cube 1s & 3s / Harbeth P3ESR / Usher S520 + ??? Durham

Unread post by herbie07 »

Thanks Paul, that is a generous offer - I will PM you later this week.

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Re: Cube 1s & 3s / Harbeth P3ESR / Usher S520 + ??? Durham

Unread post by Dr Bunsen Honeydew »

Do any of you now understand "working with the room not fighting the room".

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Re: Cube 1s & 3s / Harbeth P3ESR / Usher S520 + ??? Durham

Unread post by kimangelis »

Just hooked-up a new (to me) Primare DAB radio to the NVA set-up. I'm sat (as I write) on the opposite wall to the speakers, and to the right of the right-most speaker. I can hear a clear stereo image despite being completely off-axis.

On a seperate note.... Officially I cannot receieve DAB at my postcode (TD12QN), but 2 x Roberts portables receive fine (I'm two floors up). The curious thing is that I receive quite a phenomenal signal to the Primare from my TV aerial pointing to a digital TV sub-station (so vertically aligned and polarized). My main aerial is at Selkirk (Ashkirk) and because of the surroundng hills cannot receive DAB except from reflected signals (there's a hill behind the house). The Ashkirk aerial provides both digital TV and DAB radio. Any ideas anyone why the signal from my TV aerial should work at all?
Primare CD22. Primare DAB/FM radio. SSP to NVA AP70 and AP10H(JS) with Denon AH-D7100's. LS5 to Cube2's.

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Re: Cube 1s & 3s / Harbeth P3ESR / Usher S520 + ??? Durham

Unread post by savvypaul »

Dr Bunsen Honeydew wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 4:05 pm Do any of you now understand "working with the room not fighting the room".
When I position the Cubes, the balance, solidity and image focus seem to snap into place like focusing a camera lens. I call this 'locking into the room'.
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Re: Cube 1s & 3s / Harbeth P3ESR / Usher S520 + ??? Durham

Unread post by savvypaul »

I've been giving some thought, since the bake-off, to describe the presentation of The Cubes. Having read somewhere here, along the lines of 'you see more of the musicians, you see and feel more of the acoustic'...this cinematic comparison struck me:

The Cubes are like having a panoramic view laid out in front of you; with depth and presence but without unnatural or forced projection; you do not sense the beams from the projector, you can sit anywhere in the cinema and appreciate the view.

With traditional 'point & squirt' speakers, you are the screen. The projector beams are pointed at you. If you move the screen (your listening position at the 'hot spot for the projector beams) the view is diminished.
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Re: Cube 1s & 3s / Harbeth P3ESR / Usher S520 + ??? Durham

Unread post by Simon Hickie »

Nice analogy, although the best P&S setups can provide an image which goes above, to the side of and behind the speakers. My friend's system can do this, but you still have significant sweet spot restrictions.

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Re: Cube 1s & 3s / Harbeth P3ESR / Usher S520 + ??? Durham

Unread post by savvypaul »

Simon Hickie wrote: Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:28 pm Nice analogy, although the best P&S setups can provide an image which goes above, to the side of and behind the speakers. My friend's system can do this, but you still have significant sweet spot restrictions.
Yes, I agree. Still enjoyed the 'P&S' speakers at the bake-off...
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Re: Cube 1s & 3s / Harbeth P3ESR / Usher S520 + ??? Durham

Unread post by savvypaul »

George Hincapie wrote: Sun Oct 08, 2017 1:24 pm I can't believe how close those Cubes are to the wall :shock:

Those Neats look lovely too.

Looking forward to the results! :guiness;
Now bi-amping the Cubes with A80 MK2s for bass and A60MK2 for tweeters (and upgraded to p90sa), and have moved the Cubes around 15cm away from back wall. A very subtle but worthwhile improvement. Not sure if the upgrades have made that possible, or if it was always there to be had...but thought worth mentioning, either way.
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