Can speakers be too large for a room

"Problems that remain persistently insoluble should always be suspected as questions asked in the wrong way."

It's not your room treatments ... bass traps deal with low frequency issues Peaks/Nulls and modal ringing ... first reflection treatments effect sound staging and imaging

If you have High Frequency issues it may be caused by long RT60/decay times, Echo Slap, and Comb Filtering ... but I don't think this is what is troubling you

I think your source is over diving your Bryston's 1 volt input sensitivity not allow you to turn up the volume

Your Bryston has an input sensitivity of 1 volt ... meaning it only needs only 1 volt to be drive to it's maximum output ... 100w 8ohm 180w @4ohm (specs from Bryston site)

Your source is probably out putting 2 volts or better and this is driving your Bryston into distortion when you turn up the Volume

By turning the volume down you keep the Bryston from going into distortion, but can't provide enough watts at this lower setting to drive the room

When you turn the volume up you supply enough watts for the speakers to drive the room ... but because of the 1 volt input sensitivity of the Bryston and the 2 volt output from your source ... your source drives the Bryston into distortion which you perceive as Fatiguing

This link will explain it better than I can ATTENUATORS

I have a couple sets not in use right now ... if you would like to borrow a set to try and see if it solves your problem ... send me your mailing info through the A/gon mailing system and I'll send you a set to try

HTH Dave

Dlcockrum

You bring up another good question. I've talked to the guy's at Wilson and they told me that the B100 should be plenty af amp for the speakers, But I've heard more than once that I need a larger amp. The is no way that I could make my amp clip without hearing protection. Why would I need more power. Remember I'm a newbie and us newbie's ask dumb questions

Ponnie,
I like the Harbeth's I've heard them at a studio i was working on. I did not buy the Wilson's because they sound so great. I bought them because I got such a great deal on them. Money talk's

Samhar

I've tried every set up known to the internet. One thing I am going to try is to raise the speakers some. This is my office, so my listening position is higher than normal. I,ve read that the tweeters should be about ear level. I am going to try and raise the speakers about 2 inches. When listening the soundstage seems to be a little low. Just another tweak to try.

Thanks guy's

Dave

These look interesting. I will look into these. Thanks for the offer.

"I've talked to the guy's Wilson and they told me that the B100 should be plenty af amp for the speakers,"

I use to run a Luxman L580 integrated 105w @8ohm driving a pair of inefficient 86db NHT3.3s ... could never turn volume up past 9 o'clock ... added the Rothwells and could now set volume as high as 1 o'clock restoring headroom and dynamics

Next I swapped the Lux out for a 500w@8ohm 960w @4ohm D500 Phase Linear

I sit 10 feet off the NHT3.3's tweeter's and have listening levels of 92 to 95db with peaks hitting 100db at my seating position

Funny thing is my P/Linear's meters tell me at those DB levels (92 to 95db) I'm only using 50 to 75 watts

If your current system was a quarter mile drag car ... you would be currently operating as if you had a throttle stop on the accelerator cable ... limiting the carb's ability to open up all the way producing maximum usable horse power

Your amp has the power to do the job, you just need to get that volume control operating in its sweet spot and allowing the amp to realize it's full potential for dynamics and headroom

Please accept my offer on the Rothwells ... all it will cost you is return shipping to 06484 CT.

Yes. Hope you have read Floyd Toole's 'Sound reproduction' to assure you have not missed all the issues that could be affecting your sound. The speakers and room are what you are hearing, so it may not be the speakers but their placement, room treatments etc.