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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
61 responses Add your response
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nekoaudio's avatar
nekoaudio
489 posts
 
I'm going to agree with the others who have already posted and initially guess it is poor quality audio on the CDs themselves. The Adagio's measure extremely well with low distortion so it is very hard to imagine it is the speakers introducing something undesirable. Switching to the Ayre also supports this theory, as its zero-feedback design would result in less distortion during music clipping.

If you really want to be able to listen to these CDs without hurting your ears, then grab a different DAC or tube buffer that will attenuate the high-frequencies and only use that during playback of those CDs.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
There's a good chance its the recordings like everyone else is saying. I would also try it with the stock cord. Just put it back in and leave it for a few weeks. Don't be too quick to judge it.
bcgator's avatar
bcgator
355 posts
 
I'm with John 100% on this - the first reply to this thread nailed it. You already know the cause of the issue. You said it yourself..."from certain CDs". This isn't about new tubes, new amps, or new cables with lapis lazuli-filled coating. If you're on a wild goose chase, changing out components and cables, just to try and make listenable a CD that is poorly recorded, I've got bad news for you...that wild goose chase ain't ever going to end. It's a shame, but there are a lot of horribly mastered CDs out there, and if you build a system simply to cater to those, that same system may not make you all that happy when you actually use it to play something that was recorded well. You're welcome to empty your bank account on new stuff, but there seems to be too much encouragement to go changing equipment when the problem likely comes from "certain CDs". I'd love to know the titles of those discs you're hating...some of us may hate the same discs for the same exact reasons as you.
nanotweeter
55 posts
 
I had my AZ Adagios in my system with AC tube, battery tube/hybrid and SS amplification (integrated, power and monos). NEVER did they sound harsh when the recording was good. They were smooth, extended at both ends and grain-free with all amplification, albeit to variable degrees. I did, however, feed them via AZ Satori speaker cables which I still use (I like occ copper cables best) And my room is fully treated with sound panels and bass traps. But I understand that YMMV. I can only say that my Adagios never created a harsh, un-smooth presentation in my system/room unless the recording really sucked. Hope you find the cause to this issue. Regards.
soix
10,156 posts
 
Agree with Thewizard. You might contact Mark O'Brian at Rogue and see what he'd recommend for tubes. He told me a while back there's a particular tube he likes with the Medusa, so he might have a recommendation for the Sphinx as well.

And Satori cables may also bring you a step in the right direction as well. Nicely detailed but without etch and also convey rich tonality when it's there. You don't say what you're using for interconnects, but in my system they make a bigger difference than speaker cables and could certainly be a source of harsh or hardness, so you might want to explore that too. AZ Silver Reference is worth a shot. I mean, the guy who built your speakers designed the cables sooooo. Buy used and you can try this stuff with very little risk as there's a good market for used AZ wires.

Last thought is perhaps there's an issue with the speakers themselves. Not sure if maybe one or both of the ribbon tweeters might be damaged? Probably a long shot, but just a thought.
ddd1
261 posts
 
I am bothered much less by edgy CDs after having moved from various audiophile speakers to PA speakers. Now it is rare that I play something annoying. Because they are front ported and don't go low enough to excite my worst room modes I can keep them fairly close to the front wall. Also they don't seem to produce as much side wall reflections so they can be placed closer to side walls. Even if I had decided to keep a pair of audiophile speakers out in the room, I would still have a pair PA speakers behind them for the not so well recorded stuff. Mine are half decent so they sound good with the good stuff too. My listening position is about 12 feet away from them. Never hurts to have a second pair of speakers around for an alternative. I would stick with either EV or JBL. You could also consider cinema speakers like the JBL 3677.
shakeydeal
979 posts
 
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
thewizard
60 posts
 
try with tubes and try the acoustic zen satori speaker cables
cymbop
315 posts
 
Jim, I'll bet those Adagios could sing a different tune if you can drive them with a tubed output section. I'd try a new amp before I ditched the transducers.
jdoris
972 posts
 
"when playing certain CD's"

Are you convinced that it's not these recordings that are the culprit, rather than your Kit?

Lot's of edgy CDs out there.

John
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