I would think that the AudioQuest line of cables would help in the bass department. What makes you think it is the cables?
Am I using the right speaker cables?
I am seeking some advice.
My system just does not sound like it has enough bass.
I am using:
Speakers Kef 207/2
Pre amp: Gat Conrad Johnson
Amplifier: Conrad Johnson 350SA
Phono: Conrad Johnson TEA2 MAXHG
Turntable: Kuzma with EMT JSD P6 cartridge, turntable arm Kuzma point 4, 9'
Interconnects: Harmonic Technology Magic Link III
Power cables: Nordost red dawn on phono amp
Analysis Plus Pro power oval on Gat CJ
Analysis plus pro power oval on turntable power ac source (kumza)
CJ amp original cable 20 amp
Speaker cables: Nordost Frey 2 - 4 meters.
How do I get my system to sound a bit more bassier
Thanks
My system just does not sound like it has enough bass.
I am using:
Speakers Kef 207/2
Pre amp: Gat Conrad Johnson
Amplifier: Conrad Johnson 350SA
Phono: Conrad Johnson TEA2 MAXHG
Turntable: Kuzma with EMT JSD P6 cartridge, turntable arm Kuzma point 4, 9'
Interconnects: Harmonic Technology Magic Link III
Power cables: Nordost red dawn on phono amp
Analysis Plus Pro power oval on Gat CJ
Analysis plus pro power oval on turntable power ac source (kumza)
CJ amp original cable 20 amp
Speaker cables: Nordost Frey 2 - 4 meters.
How do I get my system to sound a bit more bassier
Thanks
42 responses Add your response
I have an all- NORDOST FREY cable array: shotgunned speaker, matched shotgunned jumpers, and ICs. ’They took about 350-+ hours to burn in. Caution: FWIW.... (1) The audio performance improvement of going to a matched all-FREY cable array (ICs AND matched speaker) cannot be Understated . The degree of improvement for me was not subtle. (2) the burn-intime is NOT linear but rather a series of incremental steps = patience (3) Without prejudice to the former , we all know that there is no silver bullet choice on the yellow brick road to Audio OZ. The NORDOST cables simply may not be the best choice for your system. |
roberjeman, I don’t know if it’s a myth or not. In my experience, I can’t think of a component that I didn’t like from the beginning and months later decided that I did. I can think of several components that I initially liked and eventually decided that the sound wasn’t for me. I kind of sort of think break-in occurs, I just don’t think break-in provides a night and day difference to the overall sound of the component. |
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There are two things wrong and neither one has anything to do with your components or cables. Speaker position Your specific room/you are sitting in a bass null Fix one or the other or both....walk around the room with good bass music playing, if you find bass you like in a certain area then you can confirm the bass null. If you have enough length in your speaker wire(or use less wire just for testing purposes) move your speakers to your seating location. Now walk around the areas of the room that you would like the speakers to (roughly) be located in. When you hear the bass response you like (with the speakers playing @ your seating position) then you know to position the speakers in the place you are standing to get the bass you want at your seating location. The positions of the speakers to have optimal performance may not be to your liking but that's the nature of your specific room. If you can't change that your only option would be to use roomEQ (Audyssey for example) balance out the speakers frequencies in the positions you have them placed. |
I’m with jeneral as far as placement goes. Both where your speakers are AND where your listening position is, have a significant effect on what you hear, bass in particular. I set my gear up with the speakers 1/3 of the way from the front wall and my listening position 1/3 of the way from the rear wall............excellent bass, deeper, tighter, cleaner and everything else improved along with it.........and I don’t have mega-buck cables or interconnects. You may also consider room treatment...All rooms have problems, all rooms have bass problems. This can be addressed for a very reasonable amount of money and when done well, can make a huge improvement in everything. I doubt that your cables, any cables, would make as much difference as proper set up. Until you get your set up right, anything else is a waste of $$$. |
Jake, I use Purecable nano Cayenne ( the Netherlands): they are very pure in sound:natural high ,mid and low. Very inportent is the position of your speakers. Turn tem. 7-9 ° to the middle. Find out, the distance from te wall. But watch out for resonance. Møre low agaist the wall, and Visé-versa. See that you practical sit in a triangle. Even use bass traps. Also inportent is ,using good powercables and i use also the audioquest niagra 1000 ( netfilter) A good synergie beween high-mid-en low is very important. You have to feel “the Music”. Figure it out, and test everything on your hearing. |
I am a cable manufacturer but not going to promote mine here. You are getting good advice over all. The Nordost cables are tilted bright and do not have much bass. Besides our cables, the other solid designs are Purist and Cardas. I am also a dealer that sells Kimber but I don't think Kimber is rich in bass either although not as bright as Nordost. Transparent has plenty of bass but with your speakers will be muted or congested. |
Hi All, thanks for the suggestions.
Just an update.
I went back to basics and read the manuals in relation to all the equipment.
Problem now solved.
Speaker cables plugged in + to + - to - There is an adjustment at the rear of the speakers for LF and HF, I changed both.
Speakers on one side about 2 m from one wall on other side about 1.5 away and about 3.5 m away from each other. Both speakers about 1.2m from rear wall.
Placed cork under speakers (feet) floor is tiled.
All sounds awesome. Bass pumping and clear sharp highs.
Thanks again for everyone's input very much appreciate it. |
Hi Jake, Your set up is really stellar! Someone above had mentioned an EQ? Would hate to suggest something as heretical to the audiophile “flat” exprectation as incorporating an EQ, but I’m considering one of these: http://www.schiit.com/products/loki Really well made, quiet, attenuated just right, well thought-out in terms of roll-off, a bipass included. etc. Not just for headphones. Nothing but great reviews. Ive got a reverse problem, too much bass! Love my speakers (Tekton Lore), my room’s a bit trappy for them regardless of positioning...but it also depends on what I’m listening to so adjusting to the recordings is where it’s at. If you don’t mind tinkering! :) |
If requiring an upgrade in speaker cable in the future then please enquire into Synergistic Research Atmosphere X range, they rival the top Nordost at a fraction of the price and you can tune them by simply changing a screw in bullet on them. These are no gimmick, just world class tonality from a exceptionally good price point. |
jdub071 jake 123 stated " All sounds awesome. Bass pumping and clear sharp highs." later in his thread after cable burn in. I have a pair of Monopulse 82a speakers and the bass pours through the whole large building I'm living in, in a very deep natural way with semi high volume. Nothing to do with subwoofers to have more bass if 2 channel speakers are capable as well as cables and amp(s) in use. |
@devilboy The thread topic is “Am I using the right speaker cables”. That said, imho you get good bass primarily from your speakers, followed by amps, a/c power, speaker cables and isolation. So you can get a gain from a change in cables. It just won’t be as big a gain as a change of speakers for example. |
@melbguyone ok, I agree with your statement. Cables ARE tone controls so it may work. I just hope no one says that the OP needs to find cables that "get out of the way of the music". That’s BS. Yes, cables sound different but only because they all do something to the signal, manipulating it to give more of this or less of that. If the OP finds a cable that adds more bass it would be incremental IMO, not a significant leap. |
devilboy 08-19-2018 1:25amMmm not all. Actually I personally don’t believe in using cables as tone controls. I think you’re better off assembling speakers, amps, front end etc which work together synergistically & give you the sound you want. Then you can use neutral sounding, reference type cables which just let the music flow without editorializing. I use Jorma cables which fit that bill. If the OP finds a cable that adds more bass it would be incremental IMO, not a significant leap.Agreed. |
"Mmm not all. Actually I personally don’t believe in using cables as tone controls. I think you’re better off assembling speakers, amps, front end etc which work together synergistically & give you the sound you want. Then you can use neutral sounding, reference type cables which just let the music flow without editorializing". Agree 100% |
Let’s review: (1) cable burn-in won’t solve bad cable connections; (2) speaker placement in room won’t solve bad cable connections; (3) cable brand changes won’t solve bad cable connections; and (4) equalization won’t solve bad cable connections, BUT (5) reading speaker set-up instructions solves bad cable connections. |
dynaquest4 08-21-2018 1:47pmWell I think you should post your first thread topic or review before posting such effusive statements. FWIW, Jorma Designs state that all their ultra pure copper conductors are subjected to a spark test using 6000 V impulse tension before going into production. And the cables are then run in on their cable cooker prior to being shipped. My Jorma Statement cables were run in continuously for 2 weeks! The better cable cookers also burn in the cables more thoroughly than simply playing normal musical signals alone. I’d suggest reading the technical explanation of the Blue Horizon Proburn machine - http://www.bluehorizonideas.com/products/system-enhancing-accessories/proburn/ This article also provides a broad explanation of breaking in cables - https://www.mojo-audio.com/blog/breaking-in-cables-and-components/ As to my personal experience, I did an a-b comparison between my fully run in Jorma Prime sc’s vs a brand new pair of identical length Jorma Statement sc’s. The particular pair of Statement sc’s we tested were required urgently for a customer, so I was told they were only briefly placed on their cable cooker prior to shipment. I could clearly hear how much smoother my Primes sounded compared to the Statements, even though the latter cables sounded clearly superior straight out of the box. |
Room first. Nordost are for the hearing impaired. Tube amps with those speakers can tend to thin out the bass a bit as well since they are 4ohms through most of their range. MIT cables will unleash the dynamics, warmth and bass while offering crazy lifelike tone and soundstaging! You will be in the space of the performers. |