Impessions of newDRTs

It’s taken me a bit of listening to evaluate the differences since setting up my new 60” DRTs but I can say the difference is substantial. I had previously posted some of the rough adjustments that I had made such as the left side (see pic Lft side) I had to move the 60” DRT (immediately in back of the speaker) backwards almost ¾” from the original 48” position because the response was faster and the sound stage shallowed and also adjusted the toe in outward a bit more. The Right side 60” DRT (see Rt Side pic) stayed pretty much in their same spot but again I had to adjust the toe in a bit more left, theses are both on the front wall. On the rear wall it took using a tape measure to space the added 48” FL to the exact spacing from the rear of the room with a slight toe in from the Left side of my listening chair (see bck wall pic) to keep from getting mid-range suck out. All this was accomplished after days of adjusting and listening and listening to figure out which was the burn side and which was the diffusion side of the new 60” DRTs. And now in an acceptable placement, thank God for tape! As now all the current positions are now marked incase anything were to be moved during a cleaning process ‘cause any movement can be heard!
Now the sound stage is wide (but I’m going for wider yet), the imaging is rock solid now with the elimination of faint echoing that I had before this. Bass is absolutely solid and much better defined thanks in part to the new balanced Sx ICs from Grover Huffman (and yes both the 60” DRTs and the Sx cables play important parts in the change I’m hearing, so I give credit where credit is due). You can see that before when I had all 48” FLs (see pic sz diff) that the ribbons for my Apogee Slant 6s were not covered the full height. I will say again that the image solidity is startling solid by prior comparisons as has been exhibited listening to; Garbage, Susan Tedeski, Dire Straights, Thomas Dolby, Blondie, Alan Parsons, Enya and others. It’s great to hear the music reach upwards in height when listening as well as hearing such enjoyable and better definition as well as that increase in bass response from my rig when I listen. If anyone has ideas to increase staging please let me know, what is in stone is that I don’t move the speakers form their placement. Michael Thank you for building these much needed and very special 60” DRTs for me, I’ve wished I had taller diffusion panels for years wondering what the difference would be and I have not been disappointed.


Left Side




Right Side




Back Wall




Size Difference

Hi apogee6

Thank you for your review of the 60" DRTs. There is a lot to be said for tuning above the vertical center plane (especially when using panel speakers). You did a good job of choosing the height.

On the issue of width read the review posted by Sonic on the new cable grounds. I have heard from many who have changed out their grounds with mine of the width increasing dramatically.

Congratulations Apogee6!

Thanks for sharing how your system is coming together…and do be part of the club made up of people like Garp and Sonic who use their favourite equipment yet enjoy the power of the Tune.

You system is nicely on the way – I can see a Corner Tune in one of the pix so you have done the corners and with the 60” DRTs have balanced the pressure zones at mid-room level. The Cable Grounds will make a big difference without great outlay. They give you girth and soundstage size plus a better noise floor compared to other forms of cable lifters. I’ve tried lots and found them all to have different effects – foam cups, plastic, sorbothane, wood etc. The most natural sounding by a long shot is Michael’s cable grounds.

Another thing worth considering in working to build your soundstage width is the zone around your listening chair. Three floor standing DRTs or Pressure Zone Controllers, one just behind your seat and two flanking, will give you lots of ambience and a “being there” feel. The angling affects the width and the focus of the front images, Sonic has found. Which (DRTsd or PZCs) will suit your room depends on how acoustically “live” or “dead” that part of your room is along with the hardness of the walls.

Sonic