Focal Mini Utopias

Rich, I'd start at the source. And I don't mean components (although you don't list your associate gear, amp, player etc..) Start with recordings. I assume you listen to CD's? Some of them are highly compressed.

What's the rest of your system? I run a pair of Micro Utopia's, not Be's, with an all tube system and have no problems with brightness. Give us more info so we can help. One thing though, the speakers are so easy to drive, why not try tubes?

OK, thanks for your comments so far. Here's the rest of my system: Musical Fidelity(MF)M3 Int. Amp (250 wpc), MF 3DCD, VPI Scoutmaster TT, EAR 834P Phono Stage, Synergistic Research X2 Interconnects and X2 Speaker wire.

If I play a well mixed and mastered disk (anything by Steve Hoffman) it sounds great. Almost anything new is on the bright or harsh side. LPs sound fine. Do I need an equalizer to compensate for bad recordings?

I would recommend room treatments first. On occasion I found the tweeters on my Mezzos leaning on the hot side, but after installing room treatments the brightness and hardness is no longer an issue. I have had good results with ASC PCAD panels.

First of all, you have a very nice system. However, you Musical Fidelity Integrated is probably not be the best match for the JM Labs. If you are going to keep those speakers I would strongly suggest you consider selling the MF Int Amp and getting a Tube Integrated Amplifier like a Cary SLI-80, a VAC Super Avatar, or something in that realm.

On a good system, bad recordings do sound like bad recordings though and good ones of course sound great. The addition of the Tube amp though will add some needed "Bloom" and sweetness and should correct what is bothering you.

Good Luck!

Chris