Here’s what we’re up to these days at Jaguar. Check out our new video of the Jaguar Listening Studio and our Reference System.
Note: Watch in Full-Screen, 1080HD mode, for the best viewing experience.
This video has been about 18 months in the making…putting the system and room together, assembling the video production kit and learning how to use it.
The Room
The acoustic panels are from RPG Acoustics, including eight 2ft tuned corner bass trap sections and a pair of 4′ x 5′ broadband bass panels. The ceiling is ringed by two dozen 2′ x 2′ curved (Broadband Absorption and Diffusion) BAD panels, with an additional 2″ layer of rigid fiberglass in the wood frames. The ceiling panel is a 36 sq/ft collection of flat BAD panels; we originally planned a 64 sq/ft panel, but scaled it back, with the potential to expand it later. I have about 500hrs invested in building the frames and installing room treatments. If you’ve never tried mounting 600lbs of acoustic panels on an 18ft ceiling, I can’t recommend it.
The acrylic rack was built by a local plastics fabricator, according to our specs, as were the speaker platforms, which have Townshend shock absorbers inserted between layers. Speaker suspension platforms are a typical feature with systems we build.
The coffee table was built by a a local woodworker, according out our design. The painting was done by a young Seattle artist named Noah Neighbor, who does a lot of interesting work.
Filming
The filming was done on my Panasonic GH4 / Lumix 18-35mm lens and edited on Final Cut. I was originally planning to use a Vivaldi string quartet for the music, but decided to go with the electronic piece. A 2nd video wasn’t really an option, because I did too much footage without a tripod and it was unusable. Please comment below on your ideas what you might have done differently with the video.
The Jaguar System
Here’s the gear currently in the Jaguar Reference System:
If your goal is great 2-channel audio, why would you mess everything up with a reflective TV and table?
Also, in your link, your picture is obviously old, as it shows Zu Audio speakers.
I understand your point Anon, because it’s what a lot of people think, but I think it’s incorrect. Like most things in audio, there’s no one right way.
First of all, a screen in a listening space is very common (the vast majority of rooms). It’s not that having a screen will “mess everything up”, it’s that you must account for it and tailor your sound for the situation. The screen is a pretty hard surface, but if it weren’t there, so is the wall behind it.
Without the screen, would I cover that area with acoustic panels? The deciding factor is the sound profile of the speaker (not the hardness of the surface). As long as the screen is there, I choose speakers that won’t make it a negative. If your room is more live and has more hard surfaces, use speakers that present less treble interaction in that environment. Each system is a delicate balance between the room and the components. As for the table, I often move it out of the main room during listening parties, but more so to get it out of the way than worrying about reflection.
As for the Zu speakers listed on the website, gear flies in and out of the Jaguar Reference System on a regular basis. I’m running a fast growing company, making new videos, responding to emails, etc, so other priorities are sometimes the focus.
Hi there.
I do like what I saw on the video. As you might see from my email address I’m in the business. But…I have a few customers each year that truly want “high end” equipment that I just don’t have access to and I usually shoot them off to
Definitive. Anyway I started my custom work in 1983 after working for Speaker lab. I’d love to stop by and take a look/listen to the systems.