grainy sounding high end system


Hi, I hope this is the right forum to ask this question. I have a quite decent audio system at home, which consists of Pioneer CLD-98 laserdisc/CD-transport, Bel Canto DAC 1.1, Conrad-Johnson Premier 7b preamplifier, Mark Levinson 333 amplifier and Dunlavy SC-IV speakers. Though this is a "high-end" system on paper, it sounds not very high-end to me: the overall sound has a grainy quality, it has compressed dynamics, the low end is quite lousy and the highs are too prominent. Why is this happening to me? I have invested a lot into this hobby and is this my reward? What could be the reason for the abovementioned grainy sound? Maybe I have to get a better CD-transport, like the TEAC P-30 for example.
dazzdax

Showing 2 responses by tok20000

Not knowing your cables, I will assume the cables are not the problem.

I would try to demo a different digital front end and see if that is your problem. Try to demo a nice one box CDP. If your sound is still grainy, the next likely suspect is your preamp. Make sure all of your tubes are good. Maybe even try a backup set of tubes if you have one. See if you can demo a nice preamp. If grain is still persisting with a demo preamp.... Make sure all of your speaker drivers are functioning. You could possibly have a blown or have a defective driver. You might want to check your speaker drivers first.

If none of the above solves your problem, well it is probably your cables. You need to demo different cables to see if that grain goes away.

If it's not your ICs or none of the above... you might want to goto an ear doctor and have your hearing checked.

Good Luck!

KF
Preamps can make all the difference in the world.
Good preamps are hard to find.

I bet though, after you get your preamp retubed, it will sound better than your NAD.

KF