2. speakers
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2 Channel system sounds weak and lackluster

Hi

For starters let me go into my system. I have a 13x11x8 dedicated room (no room treatment at the moment and vinyl floor). Speakers are Focal Aria 936 driven by an Audio Research DSi200. Vinyl is Rega P6 with Exact through Whest TWO.2 phono and CD is PSAudio Perfectwave Transport and DAC. Each component is powered by and interconnected with Audioquest cables.

 

I have moved the speakers in many different positions and found close to the wall gives them the best sound, but no matter what I do they sound lifeless and have no real impact to the sound. Cranking the volume up helps to some degree but there isn't any intensity to the sound and just leaves me frustrated and wanting more.  The speakers are positioned on the 11' wall, though I haven't moved them to the 13' to see if the different angle changes much.

I also changed out the speakers last night with my Wharfedale Denton speakers and they were even more dull and lifeless.

End game for the room is to tear it down to the studs, sound deaden the walls and put carpet in, but other projects are more pressing at the moment. For now I just want to be able to listen to and enjoy my music.

 

Thanks all

boxboy83
sudnh
112 posts
 

Untreated room!?!?!  🤣

 

As a test hang some blankets on all the walls, including and especially behind the speakers and listen again. 
 

You’re welcome!

bassbuyer
377 posts
 

A lot of good advice.  You know it’s not your equipment because it sounded good to you before in another room, so it’s the room.  Start with affordable treatments like the rug and wall hangings that you mentioned.  Set the mood too. Low level lighting, a comfortable seat and listen with your eyes closed.  Just typing it makes me ready for a nap.  Good luck and enjoy your music! 

lak's avatar
lak
4,723 posts
 

You are in need of some room treatments as others have noted.

mswale
203 posts
 

Lots of advice here, but none of the basics. 

Are the speakers in phase? That will 100% give you what you are describing. 

Is everything setup correctly? Do you have any EQ or tone set wrong? Any muting going on? 

Besides finding the best spot of the speakers, would suggest unplugging everything, setting it all back up, going over every setting, then use some test tones.

I changed 2 cables going to my sub, for weeks my system sounded dull, hollow. Thought my equipment was going out. Actually picked up another amp, plugged it all in, and it sounded wonderful!!! Went back to my old amp, it now sounded better over the "new" one. Found one a speaker cable was backwards. It has been out of phase. Was both happy to figure it out, but sad, I purchased a new amp to figure it out. 

My pre-amp has 3 stage muting. One day, again, after adding a new TT cable, the volume needed to be up all the way. Nothing fixed it. Didn't sound bad, just no volume. Turns out, I pressed one of the muting buttons, also thought my equipment was going out.

Point, is, we panic, when something is not right, in our panic, do something dumb. Sometimes the most obvious problem is the problem.

boxboy83 OP
6 posts
 

Ok so update, I swapped out the amp for the one I used with the Wharfedales at my last apartment. It sounded pretty much the same for both speakers. I repositioned my listening room along the long wall and it made a drastic difference, even threw some blankets on the floor to see if that helped at all and it seemed to make a notable improvement. As much as I would love to buy a new amp, finances are pretty tight right now so I can only do so much.

My plan for the moment is go to Costco and buy the small sound deadening panels they had because its cheap and gives me a chance to see how it helps and then get an area rug and throw that down. Thanks to everyone for their advice and input, once I try a few things in the following week I’ll report back. Hopefully it truly is just poor room treatment because that’s a lot easier to get spouse approval for vs new equipment 

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