Atacama Nexus 6i.

The One S is just for games... for now. We watch movies on Netflix, but I might add a 4K BluRay player in future.

I haven’t got the One X because I’ve had this console since it came out and I don’t game enough to upgrade it (I’m still playing Fallout 4). My partner wants to add a PS4 though.

I’m not going to upgrade to 5.1 because I want the space behind the couch to be a blank wall for work. We don’t watch enough movies for me to justify adding a surround receiver.

I used to have a 5.1 setup (Pioneer LX50 and Polk speakers) with a JVC projector on a 120” screen. It was amazing for movies, but I don’t feel the need to repeat that.

... yet.

I think so. They’re rather substantial... even without sand in them. I’ll get a bag of that added soon.

I think so. They’re rather substantial... even without sand in them. I’ll get a bag of that added soon.

No, I'm British. It wasn't really a factor in my choices, but it turned out that way. Other than the visual components, I think the the Van den Hul (Dutch) is the only non-British manufacturer.

I’ll add a Rega Planar 2 or 3 in future, but it’ll probably sit on a separate table for ease of access and to minimise rumble/vibration.

That’s on the to-do list. I need a longer power cable for one part, but then I’ll channel all the power cables together and get everything tidy.

Heh. The whole setup had only been in place for ten minutes. I’m going to tweak location to my OCD-riddled heart’s content.

I find that it’s just a matter of thought and patience. I route speaker cables and interconnects on one side and power on the other. If they cross, it’s at right angles.

Zip ties and a cup of tea are your friends.

It’s my happy spot.

Heh. It’s from IKEA. I can’t remember the specific model name, but the base unit was about €80 and the doors/drawers/glass added about €150. The glass is also compatible with IR remotes.

I just need to raise the shelf with the 851N about an inch.

For movies, yes. Anything is an improvement over the TV’s speakers though.

My fiancée wants a sub (because she’s big on EDM and industrial), so it’s a likely addition. I’ve got my eye on a BK Elec P12-300SB.

My neighbours will probably have a fit.

They're Euro plugs. I live in Amsterdam.

I love vinyl, but my last collection ended up in the hands of my ex. Digital and Hi-res is really convenient, but I will be adding a turntable in the future.

I’m not hugely fussy with decks, but I like the Regas. It’ll go perfectly with the Elex-R too.

Sadly, I don’t really have time to for the second-hand/refurb/upgrade route, but maybe when I retire . Work keeps me so busy that I barely get time to listen.

That’s the way it was taken too.

My OCD will require me to get everything perfect though. I’ve got my measuring tape nearby so I can centre everything this weekend.

It’s hard to say given that my old B&Ws went back in 2007. They both have the Bower’s “house sound”, with a bit more midrange accuracy and clarity in the 606s. The bass in the 606 may be a little more taught, but not necessarily more of it. Memory is a strange thing, but that would be my opinion without a side-by-side comparison.

Atacama is a well known brand in the UK audiophile circle. There are also brands like Norstone and Partington. Any of the UK Hifi magazines will have various ads, suggestions and reviews. Then you can see if there’s a dealer/supplier near you.

I was worried, but the only really hot component is the Elex-R. Door closed and left on 24/7 with no load was barely warm, but it hasn’t had any issues.

I’ve placed it in the best ventilated section. Short of ramping it to max with really inefficient speakers, I don’t think I’ll need to worry.

I’ll keep an eye on it, but I’m not foreseeing any dramas.

It looks like I’ll need to raise the 851N a little higher to see the screen and ensure the remote can meet the sensor. A couple of racquetballs cut in half should sort that out. Probably add a little resonance damping too.

I’ll still be tittivating the layout and cable runs. This was after about 10 minutes of unboxing. I plan to keep it clean and minimalist.

I definitely want to bundle those three Cat 5E cables and hide them.

Then it may be achieving final form. Then it’ll be choosing the best spot for the sub. If I ever build another house, I’m building another definitive listening room after selecting dimensions, materials and kit.

The dream for now is a small hold farm in Scotland. Only the ducks would be bothered by the noise. At least they don’t complain to the local council sending letters starting “Dear Alleged Noise Nuisance,”

Maybe a Hendrix-ed up version of “Scotland the Brave”?

I actually prefer UK plugs. I’ve read electrical engineers praising them, but I don’t know that 220v makes a difference to sound quality. 60 Hertz hum is easier to avoid with guitar amps though.

Agreed. The smaller enclosure on the 607s is really agile, but my room isn’t small and I wanted a bit more oomph.

My fiancée and I were listening tonight and the clarity is beautiful, but I’m considering a BK Elec sub to help with the bass below 60Hz. It’ll keep the works beneath the €5k budget I was given for my birthday setup.

I know I enjoy it. I just need time to be able to enjoy listening now. Work never seems to give me much of that.

I liked the 607s but they were pipped by the 606s (for me). There's just that bit more fullness to the 606s... Probably from the larger enclosures. I have a room that's about 5m x 16m, so I wasn't pressed for space.

I generally prefer standmounters (with a sub to round out the bottom, if needed) over floorstanding speakers. The 606s were the winners in my budget (€5k for amp, source, speakers and cables). This lot came to just over 4.2k.

If you’ve got room for the bigger enclosure, I can wholeheartedly recommend the 606s, but I doubt you’ll regret the 607s.

(FYI, the last B&W speaker I had were some old DM601 S2s, and I loved them.)

Fair enough. Everyone has their own taste.

I considered a white unit to match, but it was all getting a little like a John Lennon music video at that end of the room. If it were my place - rather than a rental- It’d probably turn out differently. Even so, I can’t recommend the white couch (an IKEA Landskrona) enough. It’s really comfortable and easy to clean.

I’ve seen silica beads, but I’m dubious as:

1. It’s more toxic than lead, but you’d have to eat them for that to be an issue.

2. They have less mass than either sand or lead.

I’ve had the best bang for buck from dry, soft sand, but I’m open to recommendations.

There are pros and cons to both. A bag of playground sand is about $4, and you can get it at Home Depot. Lead shot has more mass, so it’ll dampen vibration better. Clean shot is more more expensive and harder to find locally though.

You need to be careful with lead shot too. Breathing the dust would not be good for you.

I tried myself, but I’m not getting any hits in the US, so there may not be a US importer. In my opinion, any speaker stand you like will do. Ones that are weightier and more rigid will usually make for a better stand though.

If you can, fill them with dry sand from Home Depot. It doesn’t need to be the “audiophile” sand that some companies will be happy to sell you at a huge markup though. Soft sand is harder to pour into the stands but you’ll be able to add more. Besides, you only need to do it once.

It’s ugly, but you can also put stands on a slab of cement to dampen vibration. A friend did get some leftover 1” slabs of slate from a renovation project, and used them as bases for his speakers and rack. Looked cool and free.

There are plenty of low cost or free hacks to improve your sound (subjectively, of course) without buying expensive snake oil.

That’s it. It’s a Besta. Well done.

I actually wanted white so that it would blend into the walls a bit more. There are no kids to put sticky fingerprints all over the white, so I’m in the clear there.