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Did I damage my speakers?

Group,
Need your expertise: I own a pair of Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grand SE's.

I recently paired them with a new-to-me set of Bel Canto REF600M monos, which replace a Bel Canto REF500S dual mono stereo amp. My preamp is a Bel Canto Pre3VB with the battery power unit.

This weekend the tweeters and upper mids, vocals (mostly female), piano,  sound hazy, at times somewhat distorted, grainy. My listening level is typically between 60-75db. I don't push these speakers hard, but I'm also getting acquainted with an amp now giving 100wpc more than I'm used to. Recently I may have pushed these speakers a bit too hard, getting up into the 80db range a few times. Could I have over-driven the tweeters with this more powerful amplifier?

I've owned the REF600M's for about two months; until this weekend, never heard this kind of distortion/congestion at the top end. Doesn't happen on everything I play (mostly CD's). Before this weekend the sound has been wonderful.

I've had these speakers for almost 7 years and have never noticed something like this before.

Wondering how to troubleshoot this.

Thanks in advance for your insight/perspective.

J


arcamguy
fiesta75
1,378 posts
 
It's definitely not the speakers, but all suggestions are good. Check speaker connections first, both ends. I'm willing to bet it has to do with the preamp, battery problem, plug it directly into the wall outlet.
mglik
908 posts
 
I have the exactly described issue on vocals sounding “hazy and sometimes distorted”. This happens on fuller tones. Playing only vinyl, I think the issue is a mismatch between my cartridge and arm.
Your problem may be due to dirty power. Maybe...
arcamguy OP
83 posts
 
Hello all,
Thanks for your responses.

@millercarbon I always enjoy your posts. Sounds like you listen at louder levels; I will take your advice and check other issues. 

@erik_squires  thanks for the advice; I will leave them on 24/7. 

@douglas_schroeder thanks for that; I'm going to live with this for the week, keeping the amps on; I'll see if the issue improves. Didn't sound bad this morning, but still the occasional brightness/etch to the upper end. If this doesn't improve over the week, I'll swap out the preamp and see how that goes.

I am relieved to hear you all think it's not the speakers; what a pain this would/will be if those things have to get serviced. So, I am more relaxed about that. I checked all the connections: everything's good.

Any more thoughts, keep 'em coming.
Thanks all...
J
terra3
60 posts
 
That doesn't sound like a situation of overdriving at all.

Have you had those speakers that 'loud' in your listening room before?  Reason I ask is that if not, perhaps the higher listening volume is reacting more with your room and you're hearing limitations of the room's ability to accurately present the sound.

My last acreage had a room that sounded reasonable at low levels but anything even close to moderate levels of the past (the past being in a large 50 ft x 35 ft or so living/listening room) it sounded like sh*t.  Some weird low level slapback echo, other odd issues.   Down with the volume a bit, and back reasonable.


speakermaster
738 posts
 
I do not think the problem is in the speakers because you have not played them loud at all it is some kind of electronics issue somewhere in the system i would say a bad connection somewhere check every connection closely.
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