Can't get Acoustic Zen Adagios to sound smooth


I have owned a pair of Acoustic Zen Adagios speakers for over 4 years. They can sound very good, BUT also have a HARD AND UNSMOOTH sound when playing certain CD's. I have changed electronics from separates to an integrated amp, and recently purchased a Ayre CX-7e to replace a Rega Apollo. The Ayre easily highlights the limitations of the Rega player and outperforms it.

Nevertheless, the hard and unsmooth sound seems to prevail. It can also sound like an acoustic overtone, and (I think )the music looses its bloom or musicality. The current living space is well damped with maps,and rug hangings on the walls. I also have two 6 ft tall bookcases that contain only 70% less books than my previous apartment These shelves are in the corner, perpendicular to the speaker on each side of the room.

I encountered this problem before in a different and smaller living space.

I also recently changed speakers cables from a 4 year old pair of Audio Art SC-5 to a brand new pair of Grover Huffman which seemed to be slowly breaking in and are more detailed than the AA cable. I also replaced the standard wimpy power cord of the Ayre player with Panagea's new 14SE MKII power cord designed for just components, not amps. The Panagea PC is excellent, and has dropped the noise floor allowing for more detail to emerge. I drive the Adagios with the Rogue Sphinx hybrid integrated amp (100RMS)whose PC was replaced by an Acoustic Zen Tsumani Plus power cord.

I am beginning to wonder if there is another speaker that might provide a smoother top end performance and still have the taut bass, and detailed mids of the Adagios. Will appreciate all and any advice, even new speaker recommendations. Thank you
sunnyjim

Showing 7 responses by shakeydeal

First of all, I can't believe you lived with this for four years. They would have been gone from my house long before that.

Secondly, I agree with John. How do you know that the media is not at fault, and not the system?

BTW, not sure I even know what "unsmooth" means. And smooth in the context of music reproduction isn't always a good thing.

Shakey
"Maybe you caught the man with a question that was in the owners manual hey everybody has a bad day, try and get over it."

No, that's pretty much how he is. Not saying that there is anything wrong with it, but don't try to sugarcoat it. Richard isn't a pleasant person to talk to on the phone.

Shakey
Jl35,

You are correct that if he wants "smooth", Vandersteen 2 or 3 is the way to go. Very bland, but not offensive sound would be his.

Shakey
"I get that you have it out personally for Richard Vandersteen because he wasn't friendly to a buddy of yours or maybe it was to you."

Oh Please! To suggest that I "have it out for Richard Vandersteen" would suggest that I give a good s&*t at all. Which is really not the case. Just because they aren't my cuppa doesn't mean that I have a vendetta against Vandersteen and am conspiring to keep anyone from purchasing his speakers. The OP, and you for that matter, are free to buy and listen to any loudspeaker you wish. I am not "out" for anyone.....

Shakey
I bought a used pair of 1Cs a few years ago for my GF (now wife). They arrived pretty beat up with one woofer not functioning. I contacted a dealer but was instucted to call RV regarding repair.

I'm not saying he was a horse's ass, but it wasn't a pleasant conversation. I did send the driver in and it was repaired and returned. No harm, no foul. But friendly is not how I would describe him. As a matter of fact, I probably wouldn't be described as such either.

So as I stated before, I don't care one way or the other. That's just my experience.

Shakey