The ultimate audio indulgence?

$100,000 speakers... nope! 10,000 rare LPs... not bad, but not the ultimate. There is no doubt in my mind that the ultimate audio indulgence is a properly designed, dedicated room. Even relatively modest gear will bring every recording to life in a room that gets out of the way of the music. Until you hear a room like that, it would be difficult to understand why I feel that way.

I just spent 7 months planning and building a ‘clean-sheet-of-paper,' no-holds-barred dedicated 2-channel audio room designed by Rives Audio. I had done quite a bit of research into design alternatives and settled on Rives... and the result is nothing short of miraculous. It's not perfect... but it easily far outdistances any other room I've ever heard. Richard Bird and Chris Huston of Rives Audio have an unmatched combination of science and real world experience in acoustics, as well as in complete pro and audiophile listening room design

Rives offers different levels of design support, starting at less than $1000. I choose level three, which is the top level of design support, and includes two or three on-site visits. Any construction project has its challenges ... an audio room has a few unique ones. If you are going to go to that trouble... you might as well choose the right design approach. Rives believes in the diffusion approach, as opposed to absorption... ‘live-end/dead-end' (LEDE) is wrong thinking in the Rives Audio book.

The Rives Audio level 3 room design therefore has my vote as a Positive Feedback Online Writers' Choice Awards for 2004.

See the Awards HERE