Your listening roon is set up diagonally, very similar to mine and we both run modest floorstanders (Mine are ProAc D-15's). I have fussed with this set up forever relative to positioning, toe-in, etc. My situation is compounded by not having a precisely positioned chair (Living room so WAF is involved). Did you do anything different due to the diagonal set-up? Any tips? 

Speaker setup is at least a two-person job. I was lucky and had three of us here and one of them was John DeVore who designed the speakers and the other was Stephen Mejias.

In this room, the move to the diagonal setup (John's idea) was an immediate and fairly dramatic improvement in every way. Placement is critical and small changes can offer large gains (that's one good reason why you need at least 2 people so you can listen while the other person does the moving). I put up the wall treatments after the speakers were positioned.

Where would any of us be if it wasn't for Ikea.

Both set ups are very nice.  I am jelous.

And there's another larger Expedit rack filled with LPs in the Library (but its camera shy).

Rooms and setups both look great from over here, Michael. Two questions:

1) What's each turntable's isolation from footfalls like, as you've got them setup?

2) No feedback from the left DeVore, either? Looks pretty close to the Rega.

Thanks for inviting us into your listening rooms. Was wondering how you like the Rega P3 table? I've recently won a Music Hall USB-1 and have really enjoyed the re-entry into vinyl. I'm on the hunt for an upgraded table and the P3 looks like a good value.

Thanks - also enjoyed listening to the podcast with Scott Wilkinson.

Mike

in the December issue (p.29). Thanks for pointing that out!

I'd also recommend a lengthy browse of the Stereophile site's turntable reviews where you can read, among many others, Art Dudley's take on the Rega RP-1.

If it weren't a Zinio version I could sell my issue on eBay and be rich, Rich, RICH, I tells ya!

Thanks to you both. I have the December issue of Stereophile and will check the review. It occurred to me that I shouldn't be asking about a turntable on a computer audio site, so thanks for the reply. 

Michael,

I just found Audiostream a few days ago and it is a terrific website, resource and and source of information and discussion.

Regarding your room setup, I also, after much experimentation, found that "sitting along the diagonal" in my small and somewhat unorthodox listening area produced notably the best results in sound quality. I backed this up with hard data when I was doing in-room real-time frequency response measurements with Room Equalization Wizard and Design of Experiments* to optimize the setup and placement of my REL sub in my system. What was nice about the measurements is that they confirmed my "anecdotal" listening tests that listening along the diagonal really sounded the best.

Regarding Rega turntables, I've had a Rega Planar 3 for the better part of 30 years as one of of my tables, but recently bought a Rega P5 when they were notably discounted to $995 prior to their discontinuation with the recent advent of the new RP-6. i've always been intrigued by the P5 as it seemed the sweet spot in the Rega lineup for performance per dollar, and at that price, seemed to good to pass up. I bought one with the nice cherry wood surround. 

I also have a much more "high-end" table (a Mchell Gryo SE MKII, SME V w/ Koetsu Urushi Vermilion), but I have to go on record saying just how very, very impressed I am with the Rega P5. I put my (used) Shelter 501MkII on this "modest" table, and it really gives my über-trick Michell a serious run for the money; if I were to hazard a guess, I would say the P5 delivers 80% of the performance of the Michell for about 1/6th the cost. 

I know the P5 is now discontinued, but if you're ever thinking about a step up from the P3, consider picking up a nice, used P5; this is extremely impressive table for the money. Something else to consider installing is a Groovetracer Reference subplatter; this precision aftermarket subplatter is much more preciesly made than the stock Delrin subplatter and utilizes a sapphire jewel on the business of the thrust bearing, and a replacement zirconium oxide ball bearing. This subplatter dramatically lowers the noise floor of any Rega deck, and on already quiet table like the P5, takes the performance up another notch. Very highly recommended. 

Lastly, let me close by saying that I find your writing to be more insightful, erudite, interesting and enjoyable to read than any audio writer this side of Art Dudley. Your writing reminds me much of the founder of an excellent photography blog, The Online Photographer, Michael Johnston, a very fine photography writer. Keep up the excellent work.

Best regards,

Stephen Scharf.

*-If you would like to know more about the use of Design of Experiments in setting up a system, let me know at scharfsj@ix.netcom.com; I think you will find it a rather fascinating approach.

I agree, he's a fine writer, a genuine good guy and his blog is great. He'll also comment on music, cars, fine audio sometimes.

Michael,

While you can research Design of Experiments (DOE), it does require some training in statistical methods and a software package like JMP, Minitab, Design Expert. It's somewhat on the complex side of things to do the analysis and one needs to understand the principles of DOE, which are based on ANOVA, in order to deisgn the experiment and use the DOE software packages. 

One can start here as a primer:

http://66.39.28.179/forums/showthread.php?t=234216&highlight=design+expe...

Regards,

Stephen.

is really neurotic - reminds me of the crazy kind of thing I would do lol! Love it