Just another update on my 1120 experience - especially for those that have made helpful suggestions previously.
To be honest I have been pretty underwhelmed with the results I have been getting from this new amp - yes, the bass integration is excellent (far better result than with my antimode which, of course, only tamed the sub as a separate entity) but I was just not getting the wow factor and it was all sounding a bit lifeless and non-musical compared to my previous Rega Brio.
I tried various configurations of crossovers (or none for the mains), filter slopes and various toe-ins for the mains - some gave a slight improvement whilst others were pretty dire! So much so, that I have been putting off further tweaks for a few days and considering the "moving on" of the Lyngdorf and going back to my previous system!
I had a few free hours today so I thought I would have another go and decided to move the Aria 926s again. Only sideways 50mm on either side - increasing the speaker spacing by about 100mm - thinking that's not going to do much. Then I concentrated again on the toe-in and found a setting I was happy with for the sound stage width as well as the centre vocals - which can be a problem in my room - I think the slightly asymmetric left side wall can cause a problem - there is an under-stair alcove adjoining the L/H corner of the front wall so the speakers are not equidistant from the side walls.
I also moved my MLP chair back by about 250mm - can't go too far as I would not be able to reach my beer on the coffee table! Entered the new measurements to the transducers and did an RP calibration.
The calibration completed - 98% in 7 readings (I did a couple of extra ones just as "belt and braces").
So, with minimal expectations, I sat down and played some music - and, I am very pleased to say, this time it did actually PLAY SOME MUSIC! Hooray!
I think I have finally got it - sound-stage, depth, dynamics, vocals, timing, energy and MUSICAL. I put on some Cat Stevens tracks which sounded excellent on my old system but terribly dull and lifeless on the Lyngdorf hitherto - WOW, absolutely immersive and superb definition of his voice and all the instruments etc.
But, I kept feeling there was something not quite right, almost an occasional "out of phase effect" but could not really understand exactly what was going on.
Still had a very enjoyable couple of hours playing some favourite tracks - some sounded quite different (enjoyably so), presumably without the effects of the room having such an influence on the sound - and it does go loud without you realising - the Brio had an ear discomfort limit which I could not exceed, this one will go much, much louder so be careful.
Then, shortly before I had to power down to resume normal domestic routines
I decided to check my measurements, just in case. Ah, I had somehow made an error on the sub distance so the system thought it was about 120mm further away than it actually was!
I have now entered the correct value and had a quick listen - the peculiar "phase" effect has now disappeared, I think, but the overall sound seems to be the same, thankfully.
Presumably I will now need to re-calibrate with RP - I just hope that does not muck it all up again. That will have to wait until tomorrow (oops, today, I just looked at the clock).
So the moral of all this, as far as I am concerned, is the much touted "stick your speakers tight on the front wall and your sub in the middle (or corner in my case) - run RP and your good to go" is absolute small sphericals!
As I have discovered, you can realise the potential with an awful lot of tweaking, trial an error and, hopefully, logical thought processes!
At this moment in time I am very hopeful that I might have a Rega Brio, CA CXN and Antimode 8033S II going spare, but I am not going to get the boxes out of the loft just yet!