Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Room: 4 x 6m opening to an 8 x 5m living room and 8 x 4m kitchen with exposed beam ceilings


Another year, another move. With our first Irish landlord intent on selling, it was that time again. 20 months after we'd relocated from Switzerland to Ireland, we were in our second home, sleet and sub-zero temps be damned. Once again as in Lecanvey and as previously in the Canton de Vaud's Le Mont Pèlerin and Chardonne, the sound room ended up with a very useful higher than standard ceiling and an open back to "see" kitchen and living room. In fact, normal people would consider the new 4x6m audio lounge the dining room. Abnormal people like us converted it into a hifi den. C'est le malaise melomane. Here's the space itself.


Here's the view the other way and...


... what happens on the other side of the freestanding fireplace: audio den #2 aka the two-channel home theatre around a region-free Oppo BDP-205 universal player, Vinnie Rossi Lio super integrated and German Physik HRS-120 omni 2-way towers.



Looking back from there into the lunar cave presents like so...


... and here's the split view on the kitchen and living room. The red sheep skins on the seats are a concession to our lounge leopards Nori and Chai. They like to sleep on furs. Cool cats.


With the London landlords not planning to return for at least 5 years—fingers crossovered—here's to hoping we'll stay put for a goodly while. It'd be swell, too. Not only is it a lovely home, it's got a mighty fine-sounding reviewing space. That deeply sofitted and gabled ceiling with red back lights and trapping beams is acoustically terrific by acting as a natural disperser. Not having a wall behind the listening chairs removes the usual reflections and allows long bass waves to develop fully. Looking out over the Sheffrey Pass mountain range in the south and straight onto Ireland's holy mountain Croagh Patrick in the west isn't shabby, either. The ocean views are gone but given the gnarly storms on Ireland's west coast which seem to get fiercer, that's probably a good thing. So starting January 15th 2018, my reviews are being conducted in this space. These visual references give you context for my comments and how they might relate to your own space or not. If you can't look a reviewer over the shoulder, you don't really know how his or her findings might apply to your own room. Now you know casa Ebaen's status...