Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers Concert @ Gothic Denver ~ Awesome Setlist But Weak Sound 02Oct26

Arrive & Dine... Matt, Jim, & I headed to dinner at The Barn South Broadway on our way to the Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers concert at the Gothic Theater in that 'hood. It was fine for pre-game beers and some bar food. We rolled the Porsches on a clear night and parked close to everything for walking. The queue wasn't too big at 7:15pm but was full of fans. Roger Clyne again provided a great show of southwest tunes to an educated and appreciative crowd. We found our way to a good rail spot near center above the mosh pit (or was it good?).

Chris Day Band... Chris Day opened the show with a 45 min set of stuff I'd not heard; he was not dissimilar from Clyne but the sound sucked from the Gothic floor frankly. Boomy and devoid of mid-range, we couldn't understand his songs. We agreed we'd give Roger two songs and move up to the balconies if the situation continued... it did.

Gothic Sound Issues... The Gothic sound has never been my favorite in town and tonight again produced concern. Sure it was loud, my watch said it was a "loud environment" and I was in danger of hearing loss with 10 minutes of exposure. I used my keen  titanium ear plugs (supposedly just reduces dBs but are flat across the spectrum) for much of the Chris Day set. The issue is that the mids are just not sufficient in the mix and the bass and the low-end dominates and make it boomy and unintelligible. I might be resonances as well. Whatever, we moved the the 3rd balcony and stood behind and between the balcony rail folks. They knew something as I could withstand the errors more readily up there. I cuffed my ears to hear the vocals but it was passable and didn't require too much attenuation. Don't get me wrong, it's a gorgeous and pretty intimate place for music ~ but it needs work.

Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers... This band and its predecessors with Roger (The Refreshments) are and have been for 30 years a favorite of mine. Jim has now absorbed some of that enthusiasm and Matt is a flat out fan. Matt & I sang a ton of songs ~ he was 2 yrs old when "Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Bouncy" dropped, but he knew them all; good exposure from dad I suppose, but he did need to adopt it for his own. The show tonight was bookends with some splash. They played a number of cuts from the "original album" FFB&B along with cuts from the latest album "Hell For Breakfast." Roger Clyne is a fine vocalist and decent guitar player, but we come for the decades of southwestern-inspired irreverent song-writing and some searing guitar licks from his lead. The crowd was amazing tonight; at least ~50% of the folks knew most of Clyne's songs and sang and bounced and drove fists in the air with enthusiasm. This was good and our new spot in the balcony was serviceable for audio. So ultimately the setlist was great, and the band's playing was likely excellent, but the sound left us wanting for clarity. Fine night with fam and friends though.

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.

Update 24Sep26 ~ Blodgett Desk Audio Center Channel Upgrade; 3.1 Baby… I had an unused NHT center channel speaker and an open output on the miniDSP 2x4HD. I bought a cheap $40 Nobsound class-D amp based on the TI TPA3116 chip, which on paper will drive sufficient 40w in 8Ω for this application (to be sure though I also got a $15 24V/6A power supply as an upgrade to the included 19V/4A wart included with the amp ~ the chip can handle it). I’m running the amp for full range, not just for a passive subwoofer. Rather than buy an old Dolby PLIIx receiver to get a “dynamically derived adaptive steering” CC, I just went old school matrix tech and implemented my own center channel derivation from 2 channel PCM on my in-place miniDSP signal processor. I began with a simple summed signal (L+R)/2 for the CC, and then I tried a difference scheme R-L (harder to devise the correct settings to get this, as the 2x4HD can’t simply invert output). The difference scheme sounded weird and insufficient. The basic summing scheme sounded harsh on the cymbals at center and a smidge boomy on the kick drums at center. I therefore applied a 125Hz high-pass filter as well as a gentle 10Khz rolloff low-pass filter and even a broad bump in the mids 1KHz-4KHz; CCs are supposed to do voices and dialogue after all. Sounded good.

Measuring The New CC... The system sounds great with a more consistent near-field sound-field than the pure stereo “phantom center” one thrown prior. With these NHT speakers and my new 3.1 matrix setup, the Blodgett Desk Audio is now kindof special, beyond the headphone gear. The primary downside of this setup is my manually needing to dial the gains on the two independent amplifiers in order to achieve proper balance. I can do that by ear or by using Sonic Tools on my iPhone to measure SPLs... easy enough. I did measure the center channel itself. That is, after the Xfi fiber pull construction outside the house died down a bit from 108dB measured inside Blodgett... sheesh. It's loud; they are tearing up the yard, and my broadband service has been down for a week.

Here the green is the CC, the yellow shows the mains L & R, and the blue is the Kanto sub. Great result with the 3.1 scheme. I was able to return the 24v power supply as the 19v one is plenty sufficient.

Update 09Oct26 ~ Something Different This Way Comes... I bought another tiny class D amp based on the TPA3116, a $40 Fosi, this time stereo. I split the main L&R stereo at line level between repurposed upper NHT SuperZero Xμ speakers (on the new Fosi) and the primary NHT SB1s on the SMSL. The new 3+2.1 front array sound-field is great as my eyes and ears are at the center of the monitor and the sound surrounds that stage. I repurposed unused stands for the uppers and rebuilt them by removing a section to make them short enough to sit atop the lower speakers... they have security screws for the speakers and cable management to run the speaker wires. While the sound-field is great, by splitting, I am applying DSP designed for the lower SB1s to the uppers as well, so the uppers are not flat and come with a bit different timbre. I do have another unused pair of SB1s and might experiment with those as uppers. But frankly, right now the is sound killer, and the lighter uppers seem a bit safer.

I measured just the uppers alone at listening height (green) and the applied PEQs for the SB1s do make them sing bright some. While it sounds fine actually, swapping the uppers for SB1s is a righteous experiment yet to be performed. Just info, the fuschia shows mains, the mustard shows CC, and blue is the sub.

Update 13Oct26 ~ SB1 Flying Uppers Evaluated Much Better... As alluded above, I grabbed another pair of NHT SB1s to trial in the "flying uppers" spot in the Blodgett Desk Audio system. The bigger SB1 flying uppers present a better balanced sound-field than the smaller satellites. This is most likely from a more appropriate PEQ set up specifically for them (which I could not do for the prior satellites, due to the line level circuit I used). It is a very large array visually, but better. I remeasured of course and the first graph shows sweeps of the alternative "flying uppers;" the SB1s are shown in green and the SPL is flatter. The 2nd measurement shows each of the speakers, or pairs, measured separately. The array seems complete and better to me now.

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).