How Long
Does it Take
The days spent optimizing your system pales in comparison to how long you've taken to curate it.
It isn't easy to pre-determine precisely how long the setup and optimization process will take in any given system. Very often, the expectation of what can and should be done is well underestimated in preparing a system to make music. The proper setup and optimization process involves the entire system's teardown, cleaning, reassembly, and optimization. My goal for the first day is to make the system as mechanically and electrically neutral as possible, fire it up, play music, settle in, and warm up overnight. That may sound like a simple goal until you see your entire audio system laid out and organized on your sound room floor. Then it hits you with how many different parts there are in a high-end music system. It can be very daunting. There is always something to be done that you would never have thought of, and I only see it when I'm there. Almost every job I do involves a visit (sometimes more) to a hardware store, and I've been in hardware stores all over the world. Just ask any of my clients! After the first day is completed and the system makes sound, the rest of my time is dedicated to creating the sound and music presentation your system can provide.
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A system setup is a minimum of two days. But a complicated and/or very demanding system will easily consume three days of work. Based on the system, we will talk about how many days I'll be working on your system, but if your system is quite involved, I'll want to schedule three days of work. If I can complete it in two days, I'll only charge you for those two days. I like to start work on your system by 9am. The first day's work is typically completed by 7:00pm, but it can sometimes be completed earlier (rarely) and sometimes much, much later. I try very hard not to stay too late for your and your family's sake.
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Regarding speaker setup day(s), there are so many variables that predicting a one-day conclusion is folly. In many instances, it is impossible to devote the time and attention required to each step of the process in a one-day session. Some yes, many no. If a turntable is involved, a third day is almost guaranteed.
So there you have it. My estimate on how you should plan for the duration of my visit to you.