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Help me to tame brightness

I recently changed my Paradigm Reference Studio 100 v.2 to v.3. My source is Sony DVP NS999ES.,then Bryston SP-1.7 and Anthem MCA 50. All connected to 2 dedicated 20 amp. lines through API Power Wedge 114 ( power amp directly to the wall).All cables, including PC's are Signal Cable. I didn't feel much brightness with the V.2 Studios, so didn't I initially with the V.3. Everything seemed to change after a burn-in period of about 40-50 hours. Now it sounds very bright and fatiguing. What is it? inherent brightness of Paradigms? ( i was under impression that V.3 should be an improvement over the older one), the room? (basement 21x14x8, carpet over concrete)?, CDP?, Pre-Pro?, Power Amp? a combination of everything, my ears?.
What would you suggest I should try taming the brightness, short of changing everything?
Any help will be greatly appreciated. Regards.
maril555
maril555 OP
619 posts
 
Stehno, I do use API Power Wedge 114 power conditioner. Appreciate your comments. Regards.
nrchy's avatar
nrchy
2,124 posts
 
What are the walls made of, poured concrete, or sheetrock, or paneling? What is the ceiling material. My intial response would be to deal with the room since that is typically the biggest source of problems.

Companies do not design equipment to be bright, or incorporate other flaws. It sounded good enough in their listening room for them to want to sell it. Most system flaws are actually room flaws. I suggest going to http://www.rivesaudio.com and putting your room dimensions in their model. See what it comes up with, there may be a simple solution. This solution would benefit every upgrade to come.
mhansen796d
5 posts
 
I have always had problems with brightness in my system also. My listening room sounds similar to yours, basement 22' x 14' x 7' cement with two stacked wool rugs. I have Sony XA777es, EAD sig. processor, Ayre amps, cardas reference cables and Northcreek Rhythm Signature speakers with Kevlar drivers.
A friend but the same speakers with carbon fiber drivers and his sound much smoother. I just broke down and bought a set of the carbon drivers and you know my system isn't bright any more! I know this doesn't help you but I spent years and a lot of money to "smooth" out my system (bought equipment that is know to sound smooth) with our much luck and low and behold it was the speaker cone material all along.
brauser
520 posts
 
Mapleshade.com has some remarkable tweeks that can tame
brightness in many cases. I have found that the more definitive the system becomes the more willing a person has to be in working with the source material. Fortunately, there are some great tweeks that can really help without major surgery to the system.
ritteri
223 posts
 
I doubt its the speakers fault for sounding bright. Put more of the blame on the room itself. All first reflection points should have some sound absorption material on it. If you have alot of bare drywall, the first reflection points are going to smear the soundstage really bad and make the speaker sound unnaturally bright. Your speakers and the room itself are the 2 biggest contributors/detractors of sound quality.
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