I definitely second and third the suggestion to try different cables. I nearly took a pair of speakers back yesterday until I started changing interconnects. With the right combination, they went from sounding distant and uninvolving to being absolute keepers.
The tube amps will also warm up many systems. Most fellow lifetime musicians I know prefer them for their ability to reveal the humanity in the playing, for lack of a better term. There are no absolutes in audio, but I think the suggestion of getting a tube amp could be your ticket. It's just a matter of getting the type that is appropriate to the music you prefer--as in SET, push-pull, triode...
Have you listened without the vibrapods? With my CD player, they actually made the bottom end sound thuddy.
Don't give up. It can be very frustrating, but following up with the suggestions that people have made here will undoubtedly lead you to what you want. |
Dsiggia.... might be right. I have a Sonic Frontiers Line 2 preamp and I noticed that it's very picky on the tubes that you use. Try replacing the first 4 tubes with cheap match quads JAN-Philips 6922 from tubestore.com and a pair of 6H23n-EB for the rear. |
Xiekitchen, I don't know if you can get too clean. But you can have clean without involvement in my experience. |
Get rid of the active preamp and get a passive. Experiment with cables, try some Cardas Golden Cross and Cardas Golden power cords.
Amps like Mark Levinson would make it worse..
Try out an amp like Rogue 88 or Air Tight...
I myself have walked into some shops and heard extremely expensive systems, only to feel that they were sterile and dry, lacking body warmth and maybe even a little too clean. |
I wouldn't look past the tubes in your pre. You may have some tubes that don't work well in the preamp and/or sounds like the ringing sound could be microphonics. |
I would suggest a tube amplifier. Consider an ARC VT100 or SF Power 2. I experience the same feeling from time to time and it almost always goes back to crappy digital recordings. It is amazing how bad most popular music is recorded. In fact, the better the equipment, the worse it will sound (to me). Only the best recordings and audiophile "weanie" recordings are listenable. Perhaps you should go back to vinyl. What you are describing sounds like source problems. Your digital gear is quite good. |
One thing is for sure, we all have opinions. Some cables can be a bad match, but I do not think they are the problem. System synergy is very important, it is clear that you have some very good gear, but maybe they are not a good match for each other. Furthermore, from what I have READ, no experience, the speakers you have may not be the best for the music you like to listen to.
The headphone idea is good if possible, but also if you have access to other gear, swap out pieces until you find something that may be the cause for lack of synergy. |
I think if you experiment with interconnects and power cables you might be able to get the sound you want. The best way to do this is contact the Cable Co. and rent a bunch of cables. Cardas cables have a warm signature that might work for you. Try Cardas Neutral Reference from your preamp to poweramp. If that one isn't warm enough, try Cardas Golden Reference. Audience AU24 is also a basically neutral cable that can help with aggressive highs.
Cardas and Shunyata power cables also can warm up a system. You may lose a little in the way of high frequency dynamics but they can definitely warm up the midrange. Try the Cardas Golden Reference PCs on your power amps and a Shunyata Python Alpha on your preamp. Your DAC may benefit from a shielded PC, also. |
Music sounds dry and not open,also I am hearing a ringing sound out of the tweaters.When you go to a high end dealer they sit you down in the sweet spot and take great care to adjust the speakers till it sounds perfect to your ears.I want to be able to walk around the room and have it still sound good.I use to have nordost cables, they were open and lively but way to much highs.I have a friend with a Marantz M7 yhh! tone controls.It help me tailor the sound to my liking but I lost something. |
I am guessing that some tweaks might be in order. Some I would recommend you investigate are Marigo VTS tuning bands on your dynamic driver basket arms, Marigo room treatment dots, and especially some isolation platforms such as the Machina Dynamica Promethean. Another thought is the possibility that your room treatment products might be hindering your enjoyment rather than helping. I am not saying this is definitely the case, but I would re-assess that element in any case. |
What is it you do not like about the sound? |
I second the idea of listing to headphones. You can really get an idea of how well your speakers are setup and how well the acoustics are by listing to headphones. Get the Stereophile test cd and pay attention to the MATT (music articulation test tone) done by Acoustic Sciences Corporation I believe and the soundstage tests. They worked well for me. It can be discouraging however. |
It is very difficult to get the sound that will make you happy by just buying expensive gear and hooking it up in whatever room that you have available. Think of the advice that you would give a beginner who had bought a new expensive bass guitar and had your complaints.
My first suggestion is to find someone who has a system that you like, and try substituting one piece of your equipment at a time. Also, listen to your equipment through headphones. If it stinks on phones, it will not improve in a room hooked up to speakers. I once hated a friend's very expensive system, and using the above method found that his very well reviewed (Audio Research) line stage sounded terrible. We substituted a 79 cent Radio Shack volume control instead of the line stage, and the grundge went away. Do not be intimidated by brand names. Some very expensive designs are poor matches in the "real world" for much of the equipment out there. Even same brand equipment can be so scale (gain) mismatched that it is operating at its design limits (sounds stressed) rather than at its optimum (sounds open). A dealer should know by experience what combinations work well together. Unfortunately, few dealers have the technical background to understand WHY. A few bucks spent on a competent technician can get one off the equipment swap bandwagon, and actually solve and demystify many problems. Do not, however, be alarmed if the technician prefers a Zenith radio, after all- good taste is not his job. Good luck. |
Gellis,
My guess is it's probably a combination of your room, your speaker setup, and your woofer location. Need more information about that for any of us to make recommendations. Dimensions, layout of furniture and speaers and sub, # openings & sizes, what's on the walls, etc.
You've got some nice stuff there and it should be ringing your bell, better than it is.
Is this a dedicated room? Are you familiar with setting up the speakers in a "nearfield" configuration?
Do you know the simple trick for determining the best spot for the placement of the sub? (place it in the main listening position and .....)
Cheers,
John |
Sounds like a great system to me. Sorry I can't help you. I'm sure someone will. |
