Blodgett Desktop Audio Upgrade ~ SMSL GaN PA200 Class-D Amp & Reignited NHT SB1s 01Sep26

Blodgett Desktop Audio... I've never had a speaker setup for the Blodgett Desktop; it's always been headphones only. This had made sense with even open air headphones bugging other house members. My headphone system there is stellar Schiit Mjolnir2, Schiit Gungnir MB, and Mr Speakers EtherC Flow closed plannar magnetics or Sennheiser 600 open cans. Nonetheless, I like speakers better in general these days so why not toss a pair below my monitor for near-field listening in the study. I'll just need to pick my listening times properly.

GaN FET Class-D... I am watching the progress in the power, efficiency, and quality of "chip amp" audio amplifiers. I've owned, and used, and sold, and mothballed many of these inexpensive and efficient amps over time. These included Toppings, NADs, PopAmps, and other brands of "Class-D (digital)" amps and they were OK but nothing compared to my finer transistor or tube gear of classic linear amplification circuit designs. But I'm intrigued with the latest high speed class D variants in gallium nitride (GaN); they are even more efficient, even clearer & flatter, and still not expensive or large.

Class-D PWM Amplifiers... These convert analog audio input into high-frequency pulses using a technique called pulse-width modulation (PWM). Transistors (MOSFETs and increasingly GaN FETs) switch between power rails creating a pulse train (versus classic transistor amps using linear gain techniques). A low-pass filter is applied to eliminate very high frequencies and EMI from output. Efficiency is increased substantially in employing transistors fully on or fully off, 100%. Switching amps have been around since the 1930s but only relatively recently have gained the quality and performance status sought by audiophiles and music pros.

Mid-Fi Class-D... My dive on the category yielded numerous entries from $70 - $7000. The high end is not for me and I can't believe they'd be worth it compared to comparably priced classic SET, Class A or Class AB designs, much less SET tube designs for home audio. Many good products are raw boards for integration with powered speakers or in plate forms for PA systems, but I wanted a boxed variant. And, I prefer a unit with a pre-amp for volume control. The entry-level is littered with Chinese gear of varying sonic and reliability levels but one needs a bump in price to get GaN FETs and higher quality. After reviewing SMSL, Hypex, Purifi, atma-sphere, Nord, Buckeye, Crown, and others I decided on the Chinese entry-power level SMSL PA200. It's GaN stereo with 85W/ch into 8Ω with "no" THD for ~$400. Awesome on paper, and the reviews were 4.8/5.0 stars.

Install & 1st Impressions... The amp arrived quickly from Amazon. I'd retrieved a pair of "retired" NHT SB1 bookshelf speakers from the Nest that I repurposed to be the near-field transducers for this updated desktop system. Viola; it was all quickly installed and cooking. The audio path employs source flac files spun from my server through macOS via JRiver MC (or YouTube vids), then through my fine Gungjir R2R Multibit DAC over USB, and onto the SP200 amp from SE-out (single ended) via unbalanced RCA cabling; the last run to the speakers is via 16 gauge zip cord terminated with banana jacks. Listening demonstrated wanting low end so I need to work on a sub, but down to 100Hz it was stellar. Else the Blodgett Desk system is really clean and true and fun. Of course I measured the system raw at this point; measurements are taken @ listening position ~3ft away @ 1.5x the mains separation. 

Subwoofer Trial... I own a closed SVS SB 1000 subwoofer deployed in the Blodgett Fam Rm theater. I borrowed it for a trial with the NHT SB1 mains for a 2.1 system to fill the low end. One failing of the SMSL PA200 is the lack of a sub-out... to solve this I added a combiner to the 2nd SE-Out of the Gungjir DAC. I did not optimize the sub location; I just plopped it on the floor beneath my desk. I tuned it a smidge and this is the Blodgett Desk Audio 2.1 SPL sweep. I twidled the sub crossover & output volume for good integration. So much nicer. The full range 2.1 off the Gungjir MB DAC is nice but I wanted to see if I could smooth out some peaks.

EQ Baby... I found other aberrations, beyond lack of low end, in the 2.0 sweep and so employed my miniDSP 2x4HD to flatten for the speakers and the room. I rue the moment I converted my sweet R2R built analog back into 24bit/48KHz via USB in the miniDSP, but I did. Raw was good, DSP EQ was maybe better. Time will tell. I eliminated the Gungjir MB and used the miniDSP directly via USB from macOS, as DAC and PEQ, and drive both the mains and the sub exclusively from the miniDSP, with less perturbations and fine results. I measured again with REW, then created PEQ/biquad filters and saved the file ~ I loaded the file into proper slots in the miniDSP. Here are the Gungjir raw (orange) and miniDSP EQed (green) final integrated sweeps. Nice, a new fine mid-fi audio, system is born.

Update 04Sep26 ~ New Kanto Subwoofer & New Sweeps & Filters... The trial with the borrowed subwoofer worked very well but I returned it to its rightful place in the Blodgett Fam Rm system. So, I bought an entry level sealed sub (preferred for tighter musical bass) with decent reviews, a Kanto SUB8VMB for $350. It's smaller than the SVS but fine for the desktop audio low end. I again spun the dials testing crossovers and gains, measuring them each time. I ultimately chose a 100Hz crossover point and created a new filter set for the sub itself. And, to be most accurate, I remeasured the NHT SB1s and built filters off the new measurement for them and reloaded into the miniDSP 2x4 HD. The new Blodgett Desktop audio system sounds great. It is used sparingly in waking hours but useful in preparing monthly Music Appreciation entries when in COS.

Remeasuring NHT SB1s ~ Here are the filters and then the raw vs EQed SPLs; clear improvement but displaying the need for a subwoofer.

Kanto Sub Integration ~ Here are comparisons of Kanto Sub8 and mated miniDSP crossover settings for the sub, with the baseline NHT SB1 wanting low end. I settled on the Kanto set at 70Hz crossover (not really as the integrated xover is not very effective) and a 100Hz low pass filter in the miniDSP (more effective). The Sub8 can get loud but gets pretty distorted. The gain on the sub's Class D amp is probably ~25% here to produce 75dB, as my SB1s are doing. At final setting THD is ~11%! And, it loses steam from 20Hz-30Hz. I'd go to the SVS if I could but it is 2X the price of the Kanto. There was a little bump at 100Hz I could tame in the miniDSP and so I built a biquad for it.

Final Integrated SPL Sweep & Listening ~ Once everything was completed I re-swept the integrated system (compared to original raw) and started listening in earnest. This is a decent result for lower end gear chosen specifically for this location... I'm pleased. I wanted to hear the bass thump and listened to Miley's latest drop of pop, "Bass Persuades;" wow, and so it does. I moved on to more complex stuff from Elephant Survival, AJ Lee, & Cat Clyde and the kit is very smooth ~ I was concerned for harshness from the GaN amp but none, just clean. The distortion from the Kanto SUB8 was not a problem.

Blodgett Theater Upgrade ~ miniDSP Tide 16 Experience; Front Height To 5.1.4; SofaBaton X1S Control 11Jul26

miniDSP Tide 16... My 15 yr old Integra controller/decoder left things to be desired and the wait was over to buy a miniDSP Tide 16 (FCS was delayed months). I've long gladly used miniDSP gear for measurement and EQ in audio systems and the Tide 16 is their most ambitious offer. It is a 16 channel AV controller/decoder for Dolby, DTS, and PCM streams from HDMI or other digital audio inputs (USB, SPDIF, Toslink, Bluetooth) and includes Dirac Live automatic measurement & correction and/or a myriad of DSP PEQs, impulse adjustments, and more across those 16 channels! What an incredible spec/design.

Import Delays... I bought my device directly from Hong Kong and paid $850 additional for tariffs. It was shipped FedEx but was held up in customs for 2 weeks awaiting correct documentation. I had to become an importer to free it from Nashville. I wasn't easy on folks along the way; this is just a snippet. I finally got it,when even greater challenges began.

Max Beta Boy... I unpacked and installed my Tide 16 ASAP after de-installing the Integra piece. In discussing (often) with Tech Support I learned: "there are many units in the field." I don't know about that ~ my remote didn't work for 10 days; decoding all the way to Dolby Atmos remains elusive; upcoding is amazing from PCM to Dolby or DTS; Dirac did not initially measure and sometimes didn't load the filters; there's much more. Hardware is keen... the 16 channels are all balanced outputs to my fab 7 channel Integra Research RDA-7 amp (and 2 other unbalanced channels to a D-Amp).

5.1.4 Array... To best take advantage of the most modern encodings, one wants some height speakers. Prior I added Paradigm Titans in the rear of the Blodgett Theater but prepping for the Tide 16 I added front height speakers as well. I repurposed some wide throw Bose satellites above and at the rear of my theater cabinet. I drove the 2 drivers/spkr with a Topping MX3s amp also hidden up there. This was perfect to yield a sweet 5.1.4 array. I knew I'd be able to balance and correct it all later with Dirac Live so the choice for front height transducers was fine. I am all about the DSP in the Blodgett Theater these days. Declaring the speaker config properly in the Tide 16 is important ~ the wrong declaration will eliminate some decoding capability. Too, setting bass management correctly for each speaker is time well spent.

Device Console... miniDSP gear has long been controlled from a mac/PC app called "Device Console." Fortunately the Tide 16 is network controllable (vs prior gear needing direct USB connections). I use my macBook Pro running the "Device Console" and on WiFi and it is rock solid. I am able to monitor & control my Tide 16 easily from my mac. I have all the dials and settings at my laptop fingers and mouse. However, who in the world wants to deal with a PC interface, no matter how solid or good, when using an audio theater? After set up (macOS is appreciated for that vs some requiring iOS apps), I want nothing but a click to "Stream Music" or "View Roku" on a simple remote, not booting a PC and connecting it and having it's screen brighten my face in the theater room... but I do want some feedback on status that all's good. We do also have the unit's very informative Panel but it's tiny and 12 feet away. Nonetheless, these are what we have. The remote finally worked after multiple reflashes of the various firmware packages for computers in the Tide 16. Not backlit, and again, the results of a button push are none too evident without Panel viz or Console blaring. Tide 16 should overlay the HDMI out with comprehensive device status. The pic is of my JRiver Media Center spinning FLAC through the Tide 16 USB ~ 2 channel PCM is upcoded to Dolby or DTS, or remains 2.1 native. From my music server I can send 128Kbps/32bit and the Tide 16 sees it but processes everything as 48Kbps/24bit internally (I knew that and am ok with it). 

Dirac Live... I use Dirac Live in the Nest Music Theater and like it's spin on auto-DSP config on my mains there. Getting the same for the entire Blodgett Theater's 10 channels is a boon. Early glitches to get measurements to complete and to get PEQs to load and reload live were overcome with settings and firmware updates. I took a doz measurements across the "listening sofa" in the Blodgett Theater using a miniDSP umic 2 to empower Dirac Live to build filters for every one of the 10 speakers in my array. Raw measurements are corrected to a desired house curve: flatten EQ, adjust dB, assess impulse response, adjust for time delays... all kind-of automatically. My system was pretty clean to start but the adjustments are noticed.

SofaBaton Control... I completely hate multiple remotes dancing to set the next scene. I am willing to "program" the handling of multiple devices into "activities" via IR or WiFi control like "Watch Roku." I have long used integrating universal remotes. I sold the originals to happy buyers; I've used an iPhone; I settled on Logitech Harmony One with Hub long ago and deployed it throughout my many systems. Many neophyte users have used the integrations successfully; it's now 7 years on from "end of life/service" and they are regularly beginning to die in one way or another. The CloudBase is still supported but it's dubious and slow. No one bought the Harmony servers, code and IP. Enter SofaBaton, a Chinese teams with a mocking design. Yep it is fast hardware; yep the coding is obtuse and sometimes ill organized; yep you can make it work ultimately. With the new gear and audio-paths in the Blodgett Theater, and the failing of the Harmony, I bought another X1S and coded up the new BT system. As always, tweaks and finicky IR shit was adjusted. We have a clean launch... Blodgett Theater rocks. From Nebula content, to DTS BluRays, to top JRMC FLAC files, to YouTube OLECs, to Dolby Digital & Atmos movies (almost).

Dave's Audiophile Systems' Summaries Update ~ Blodgett Theater Tweaks 27May26

Blodgett Theater ~ Paradigm Reference 5.1.2 Theater... I 'updated' the controller to a 12 yr old Integra DHC 80-6 (cheap from eBay) to get modern discrete decodes like Dolby Atmos and new DTS & THX stuff. The 7 channel Integra Research RDA-7 (clean 150w/ch class AB) still rocks as amp, connected balanced to the controller. The 5.1 array is our original Paradigm Reference '1s' with mains now augmented by Fostex T90 horn super-tweeters. The .2 height speakers are Paradigm Titan Performance versions updated to the task. My main sources for this system are BluRay, Roku Ultra, and a mele Linux JRMC streamer. I re-EQed the mains with the venerable miniDSP 2x4 HD. I hadn't touched this system in a while and these additions are excellent. Yet, there are more improvements in the works.

Nest GR8 Room Theater ~ Three Unique TABA Designs... The latest audiophile system I've finished is the Nest GR8 Room Theater. This 5.1 system's front and surrounds are all custom built using 4" titanium TangBand W4-1337SDF drivers, so timbre is consistent throughout. The L/R mains are quarter wave transmission line speakers with front firing rectangular bass ports (TABAQs) delivering down to 45Hz in these TL cabinets - amazing; the center channel is a unique dual chamber bass reflex speaker with two rectangular bass ports (TABAD) delivering effortlessly to 70Hz; the surrounds are tiny (2.9L) PicoOnkens using aperiodic rectangular bass ports (TABAOs) smoothly tuned to 78Hz. This array is backed by a classic 400w Velodyne ULD-18 Series II servo subwoofer for the very lows (resonant frequency of 4Hz). The TV monitor (Sony 55" XBR HD) and AV receiver (Denon AV-1912) are serviceable but dated. The 90w/chan receiver does do Dolby Digital+ for discrete though and Dolby ProLogic IIz and other DSP settings derived from PCM 2 channel and all other analog stuff needed. My sources for the Nest GR8 Room are all digital: Roku Ultra, iPod, Denon Blu-Ray, and BT or Apple AirPlay. The recently added speakers are a substantial upgrade from the stock NHT 1s, NHT surrounds, and NHT CC they replaced.

EleFrugalKit ~ High Efficiency Stereo Horns With Low Power Tube Amp... I moved the EleFrugalKit to the lower level. It is built upon the incredible Frugel-Horn Mk3 cabinet design; I built and tweaked this keen design from Scott Lindgren. After rolling and measuring 5 different 4" full range drivers, my favored are Mark Audio Pluvia 7.2HDs. The MAs are smooth and and completely round sounding and deliver down to 45Hz. Driving the transducers is a DRC hand-built Elekit TU-8200R 4 watt tube amp loaded with modern Russian Tung Sol 6550 power tubes (configured SET, not Pentode) and a 1960's NOS Valvo ECC82 pre-amp section. There was a significant roll through of power tubes and driver tubes to get to this optimum. Offering source material is a keen Bluetooth aptX HD receiver called DS200Pro on one input (for phones and other transient wireless stream sources), and a mele Linux computer streaming from JRiver MC networked to my .5TB of flac files spun from my ArchLinux server on the 2nd input. The hardwired source is rendered through a Schiit Modi Multibit 2 "multibit" DAC, the least expensive MB DAC I could find (tested great); the DS200PRO has its own ESS Sabre 24/192KHz delta-sigma DAC. The gear all sits on a suitable mobile stand now and I can get lyrics and band images on a $200 43" OLED monitor. I navigate in theater view with my universal Harmony remote via Flirc, except when doing maintenance on Linux, then I use the Logitech Pop KB & mouse connected via USB Bolt dongle. The stereo only sound is simply fabulous; I trialed external DSP and a subwoofer and ultimately removed these adulterations and just relocated the horns forward and placed damping pillows behind. I did EQ/flatten the system to my house curve, for when streaming FLAC files, via the EQ capability directly in JRMC itself (I measured in REW and auto-generated the PEQ filters, then loaded them my hand into JRMC. It's awesome.

Blodgett Schiit ~ Reference Headphone Kit... The best headphone system in the quiver is my Schiit & Mr Speakers gear in Colo Spgs. This setup, most often featuring closed headphones, does not suffer the incursions into folks' personal space that speaker systems do. My preferred drivers are the awesome Mr Speakers EtherC Flow planar magnetic over ear headphones with balanced cabling. Alternatively, when dynamic driver sounds are warranted, I am stocked with Sennheiser 600HD dynamic open back headphones for this system, also with balanced cabling to the amp. Driving the cans is a hybrid Schiit Mjolinar 2 tube amp. I've evaluated many driver tubes and my favorites are all early 1960s: the Amperex "Holland D Getter" E88CC (fun) and the Telefunken E88CC (clean). Again I selected a multi-bit design (vs delta-sigma) DAC... to me they sound more organic (at least when the resistance ladder is very accurate). Matching the amp in the Schiit line is the Gungnir MB version (updated with Unison USB subsystem). Notable is that I've balanced the system all the way from digital stereo sources to my ears - meaning each channel is driven directly from source to ears via separate  circuits (except for any initial signal processing). We come to the cans from 4 wire XLR connectors and cabling and prior through the amp, via XLR interconnects between amp & DAC, and then back from that, fiber or USB digital stereo sources inbound to the DAC from the macOS Studio. The source, mostly flac files from JRiver MC as bit-perfect streams, or YouTube vids. My headphone system corrects for even tiny abnormalities (non-flat frequency response curves) via Sonarworks directly in the mac via digital signal processing. I used this because I can't do the measurements on headphones myself - I sent my headphones to Lithuania for measurement and they sent me correction curves! This is definitely my reference headset and Kala sleeps soundly.

Nest Music Theater ~ NestMT... 6.1.2 Immersive Sound

Mobile Nirvana ~ Fine Portable Music Gear... It's small and balanced and dynamic.

NestDesk ~ Bamboo Blanda Bowls All Around With Massive Monitor And Planar Magnetics... Condenser mic for podcasts and zoom calls, Black Ice FX10 amp and Denfrips ENYO DAC. The front 6" bowls are built with 4" Fostex FE108NS drivers and they're supported by an 11" Blanda serving bowl subwoofer carrying a 6.5" Tang Band WS-22536 driver driven by an external 100w class AB plate amp. Yeah, that's a bamboo dog bowl holder carrying the sub. The kit is driven by a Black Ice FX10H tube amp updated with Tung-Sol 7189 power tubes and winning the DAC-off was a Denefrips Enyo 15th R2R DAC. I added a cork-backed desk pad (not shown) to absorb some bounced mid-high waves but otherwise this has killer near field sound, with some thump. I didn't scrimp on the monitor either; it's a 42" 4K/HDR LG OLED on a monitor arm. Works for lots of workspace, or killer desktop concerts... that's the amazing Anna Moss on screen. Too, the kit has some nice headphones: Audeze planar magnetics or AKG dynamics when right; a condenser mic is lashed in through a mixer for podcasts and a Logitech camera delivers for Zoom calls. Source material is spewed by my MacStudio YouTube/Music, FlacBox or JRiver MC apps.

Blodgett Family Room ~ Front Array Onkens & Updated Surrounds... The referenced post is about the front array of Onkens but I've now updated the in-ceiling surrounds for this install as well.

You cannot go anywhere @ Blodgett or the Nest without finding stellar audio and fun music. At this point I think my work is done; wait, it never is. Listen intently.

Digital Audio Done Right ~ Added New JRMC Streamer, Mobile Stand, And Equalization To EleFrugalKit 28Apr26

Monitor & Stand... The lower level east wall EleFrugalKit got an update with the addition of a new TV stand & monitor, and the additional of a new Mele Quieter 3C streamer. I broke an old 65" monitor attempting to one-man load it on the new stand but bought an out-of-date, refurbed, smaller one on AMZ for cheap. The stand is mobile "just in case" and hosts my 'tiny' electronics stack of the Elekit SET amp, the DSPro 200 bluetooth receiver (most often receiving YouTube Music from guests), the new JRiver Media Center streamer (hosted on Ubuntu 22 on the Mele fanless PC), and the Schiit Modi MB 2 DAC.

MC Streamer... I built the streamer pretty quickly from a bootable thumb drive but getting JRMC32 (4 versions back) to run well on Jammy Jellyfish took some trials to find and install the correct archived versions and install them properly. Got it done and working on the best unadulterated audio path from USB-C on the PC to USB-C on the ModiMB2. Some say the JRMC software is acid, especially on Linux, and it does fail, and is bloated with so many features and so much flexibility, it is sometimes painful. Nonetheless, once dialed in, it works well for me... I've built 4 of these fanless Linux streamers now and once clean, they are strong. I don't really need a monitor (see my phone-based remote control of the streamer) but it's nice for updating software and viewing band images and lyrics. All my streamers pull mostly FLAC files from a multi-TB archLinux server.

Equalization... The new streamer also provided the chance to reload parametric equalization filters for the FrugalHorn Mk3s in this location, at least for JRMC content. Room curve flat baby.

Measurement... I remeasured the kit from listening position. I first compared the response of the JRMC streamer to the response of the DS200 Bluetooth receiver. It clearly shows the dominance of the speaker design and room itself as the curves are nearly the same. I next added PEQ filters and measured before/raw and after/EQed. There's strong improvement in sweep flatness when PEQ filters are applied. I also measured both the DS200 receiver equalized and the JRMC streamer equalized but won't show that as again the results are nearly equivalent. Distortion is mostly below the noise floor but I am losing something in the 4KHz-9KHz range that I wasn't before in a brighter room.

One can really warm up the most sterile digital files with some fine speakers, a multi-bit DAC, and tubes. The EleFrugalKit is very inexpensive, very cool, and very very...