Frustrated with the sound of my system


Here is my system:
Rotel RCD-965BX CD Player as transport
MSB Link 2 DAC
Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 Signature preamp
Classe 10 amplifier
North Creek Audio Borealis speakers (Custom built kit speaker...something close to a Proac Response 2.5 design)
M&K V-75 sub
Kimber and Cardas interconnects
Kimber 4TC/8TC bi-wire speaker cables.

Here is my frustration:
The sound, regardless of music, sounds stringent, hard, really lacks air, and is anything but relaxed. It is fatigueing. I can listen to my Grado 60 headphones on an iPod and the sound is frustratingly more relaxed and has what I would call air.

I don't think that my system is that outstanding, but it really seems like I should be more pleased with what I am hearing.

I would be interested in your thoughts on where the most likely opportunity is. I really like the individual components of the system (OK the Rotel/MSB set up is old and just OK), but all together they seem to be underwhelming. I am thinking it is either in improving the digital front end (new player or DAC) or moving to a planar speaker to get the sound I desire. I have thought about new player like an OPPO 93 or 95, perhaps a tube based player or DAC, or else looking at something like a used pair of Maggie 12's or 1.6's. I have always enjoyed the Maggie sound.

In either case I am thinking that $2k is the absolute max I would want to spend on any solution. Thanks in advance. If there are other questions I would be glad to supply details.
stuartbmw3

Showing 6 responses by shakeydeal

Arbuckle,

Your statement is ridiculous considering the room contributes maybe 75-80% of the end result.

Shakey
Another suggestion. Move your listening seat forward in increments of 3-4 inches until the sound locks in. I think you are sitting too far away. Sit as close as you can until you lose the coherence of the drivers, then back up just a little. The closer you can sit, the more you remove the room from the equation. Ideally, I think you should be about 1 ft. closer to the speakers.

Shakey
"People pushing room correction devices and the like is snake oil in my opinion."

Another stupid blanket statement. I do not sell or manufacture anything audio related or otherwise. I am NO fan of digital room correction, but I still stand by my statement that the room is by far the most important component. Ever go to an audio show and hear six figure systems sound like crap? Throwing money at the problem, especially when it's the wrong problem, isn't always the answer.

Get the room and placement right, then work on what might be wrong with everything else.

Shakey
Spaz you are spot on. And before I get mega flamed again, it's not ONLY the room treatment that I am talking about. You have to start with a decent room. Not a closet, and not an open floor plan with 16 ft. vaulted ceilings. You only need to browse through the virtual systems on this site to view some of the nightmarish listening rooms and speaker placement. Some are better suited for headphone listening,

Shakey
>Given your handle is "Shakeydeal" I think we can all read into your intents. Putting together a perfect room with $300 in gear should do it right? Let's dump all of our money into room tweaks and forget about what we have hooked up, hell the room is 80% of the sound right? What a moron.<

I wondered when the name calling would start, what took you so long?

To even speculate about a 300.00 system on this site is laughable. But I won't stop you from showing your ignorance once again.

Nobody in this thread is advocating a cheap system in a 10K treated room. Use that lump on your shoulders for something other than a hat rack......

Shakey
That's a beautiful room and system Spaz. I have a hard time beliving it "stinks".....

Shakey