Simplify to a Bel Canto C5i integrated amp. Can be had used here when they come up for under $1000 (the price of less than a handful of audiofile fuses). SOTA at its price point and smooth as silk. Your ears and bank account will thank you. Has everything needed for analog, digital and phono in one tiny unassuming and great sounding box.
My C5i works great in this regard with my Dynaudio Contour 1.3mkII speakers which can also have an edge some might find too hard in many cases. I’ve heard the Quads, Monitor audio and Gallos and think it would be an exceptional and easy and affordable pairing to fix the problem and perhaps even sound better than ever in the end with any of those.
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Al is right on.
Biamp REALLY sucks.
Use single Aragon first and see what happens. I don't think that Golden Tube will be good enough for Galos.
Gud Luk
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Fatgosil, I’m not sure if you are realizing that a passive biamp arrangement, which is what you appear to be describing, will not provide proper tonal balance unless the gains of the two amplifiers are equal or close to it, or if differences in their gains are somehow compensated for externally to the amps.
I couldn’t find a gain spec on the SE-40, and in the absence of a spec there is no reason to assume it is similar to the gain of the 8008.
I realize that you have tried using at least one of the amps by itself and still perceived brightness, but it is very conceivable that multiple factors are contributing to the problem, including gain differences between the amps. So as Lowrider and others have suggested I would do any further troubleshooting using just one of the amps running full range. And try each of them if you already haven’t, and use whichever sounds less bright. Which one will sound less bright depends in part on the relation between the output impedance of the amp and how the impedance of the speaker varies over the frequency range, and I can’t say which amp that would point to because I couldn’t find an impedance curve for the speaker.
Also, to be sure that something simple isn’t being overlooked, have you removed the jumpers from the speaker terminals when you have been using the two amps?
Regards,
-- Al
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I have wood vaulted (timber frame) ceilings in my home theatre room 17' high 24'x28' it has two sofas, a projection and 5-1 set up it has been a challenge to tame the highs.I would bet the bulk of your problem in placement and room acoustics.imo
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What is the floor material in your room? If your’e playing your music to decent or moderate levels and your room is very reflective or lively no cables, or putting a tissue over the tweeter is going to fix things. I’d try only one of your amps and plug it directly into the wall not using the Monster. As someone earlier I think mentioned, you need to simplify things. It will be easier to solve your problem with less going on.
If you have purchased any of your equipment from a local store ask if someone there would visit your home to hear it first hand. Most experienced audio salespeople know how to set a system up properly.
If you want to rule out its not your gear but your room, set it up in another part of the home in a smaller room with lower ceilings if possible. A large room with 20ft tall parrallel walls is going to be a bear to control. I don’t have even be there to have an idea how it must sound. You need to deaden the room, reduce the slap echo and have furniture such as bookcases up against the walls to break up the reflections; read up on standing waves. If you have a hard surfaced floor throw down a nice heavy rug between your speakers and you. If you have a big glass coffee table in between you and the speakers you need to cover that while listening.
If you have this big room with tall ceilings and you’re a minimalists / contemporary dweller with a sparse finished room that’s not helping you. Just guessing on your room here. The point is, that room needs objects and absorbent materials to control room modes. Get your hand clap to have less echo and ping in your room and you’ll be happier. Think how it sounds when you clap outdoors. That’s your reference. Good luck. |
I agree with losing the biamp for now; simplify your system and use one amp until you stop the offending brightness.
Then address treating your room for best sound. Can you answer these questions, please...
- What are the dimensions of the room? We only know that it's a high ceiling.
- Do you have carpeting or bare floors?
- Do you have bare walls? You'll need to have wall hangings or furniture against the walls so that sound waves don't bounce around.
- How far away from the speakers is your listening position?
- Have you done any reading about how to use acoustic room treatments?
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I'm also tried to look for a decent cable to match my system...any advice...thanks |
I have a monster cable conditioner n a Belkin pf31...I plug both amp into the monster conditioner...I have tried switch out n plug in wall, but still...n also tried switch them all around...but power reading at at about 120...
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I have a monster cable conditioner n a Belkin pf31...I plug both amp into the monster conditioner...I have tried switch out n plug in wall, but still...n also tried switch them all around...but power reading at at about 120...
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If you're plugging your amps into any cheap power / computer strips pull those out. Plug your amps directly into the wall. If you are by chance using computer type power strips don't plug any of your gear into them; get rid of them. Also if you have all this gear on a shared circuit with lights or what ever else that doesn't help. If amps aren't being feed well they can sound a little lean and if you're really pushing them it becomes worse. Dedicated circuits make a huge difference and a hospital grade Hubbell receptacle makes a nice difference and they're affordable.
These types of tweaks help a lot but I still bet your room needs the attention first. |
Did your speakers come with grill covers? Are they in place? If your speakers making your ears bleed, try taping a hanky over your tweeters and report back. |
Thanks,,,,I have notice some lousy recording cd that I have too...I will play with ur advice...everything sounds good except the high pitch it just killing me.......thanks for all the input...oh..my friend was telling to swap out c40 n replace with a tube pre.amp...but I don't think that is the problem, cause borrowed my brother c41 but no luck.... |
Recordings have a lot to do with it as well. As your system improves and becomes more revealing you'll find most pop recordings are horrible and no matter what you do you cant fix what was done in the studio.
If you get a nasty ping when you clap your hands then you need to work on your room first. |
If you're never taken the time to voice speaker and sitting placement in your room you should.
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I also hooked my sacd sony 9000 n tried but no luck...I listen to a lot vocal (pop), like the high pitch of female vocal really really hurts my ear...
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Definitely could be. Throw a blanket over it and see / hear what happens. If it's that close it's likely part of your problem. |
I have a big glass table top behind my where I sat about a feet away...could that cause the issueissue |
I have tried just used one amp at a time but still bright...oh, I just purchased a paired of psvane ct181 to replace 6922 to golden tube...but still no luck...have probably 50 hrs...is very nice on everything except the bright |
Some after market cable...but I also try my brothers Tara lab..but no luck |
Wow, new to audio.....you jumped in with both feet. Good knowledge of tubes... |
I would start by connecting each amp full range to the speakers. It could be the room but temporarilly eliminating the bi-amp config is where I would start. I've used 6l6gc tubes and they never seemed bright, they are well balanced so I' d be suprised if that's the problem.
How does it sound with other sources? Do you have a BluRay player you can use to troubleshoot?
I have a tough room, 10' high tin ceiling, 6' windows, hardwood floor.... an area rug, and curtains went a long way to tame things. A Velodyne sms 1subwoofer eq/crossover really was the trick to eliminate the boom around 40hz.
Good luck |
When you clap your hands do you get a lot of Slap Echo. Looking at your components real quick nothing jumps out to me. Could be a lot of things but I'd start with your room. Get rid of the echo and see what happens.
Question with your speakers why you're bothering using two amps. Try using only one amp at a time and then try the other. If your room is hot it's really easy to overload the space if you're playing too loud. Cables and other tweaks will help but you have to fix the room first or you'll go crazy and spend unnecessary money.
Speaker placement has a lot to do as well so walk and stand around where you want or prefer your speakers to be and start talking loud and listen to your own voice. You'll be surprised how your voice changes; pick the spot that sounds more natural to you and start there. It takes a lot of work to get it right but you'll get there and learn a lot in the process. Stand with your back against the wall you have your speakers on and listen how your voice sounds chesty; as you walk off the wall your voice will become or sound more natural... get too far out in the room and your voice will get thin. Mark the spot that sounds best with a piece of tape. Now do the same thing on the side wall. You'll end up with an "X" on the floor. That will be a good spot to place your speakers and start making small adjustments.
Start with speakers shooting straight ahead with no toe in. Once you think you have it then mess with toeing the speakers in if needed. Now the fun part... you have to dial the location of your listening seat as well. It's kind of the same process but just work off the back wall centered between the speakers. If you can, never have your listening seat up against the back wall.
Once you get all this dial in; sit in your chair and have someone else walk down the sidewalls with a mirror and mark on the wall with a piece of tape where you see your tweeters. These are the areas you need to address with something to break up or absorb the reflection before it gets back to your ears. This is a lot of work but it works. It helps to have another person to assist to see where they think their voice works best too. Good Luck |
What cables are you using?
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The very first thing you need to do is "simplify" your system. Conrad Johnson tube pre in your price range for a start, and a pair of tube monoblocks by PrimaLuna could be the start of your trip to paradise.
Enjoy the music.
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