Help with fatiguing sound in my PC system


I replaced my Halo Pre and Denon changer with a PS Audio DL III. I run lossless music into it from iTunes on a PC (Windows 7 64bit, core i7, 16MB RAM), I use a Pangea USB cable into a MF V-link, then go into the DAC with a Wireworld ultraviolet coax. The increased detail, clarity, resolution and extension are remarkable, but so is the amount of listening fatigue. The highs are too much, but the music sounds muffled if I add the pre-amp back. My system is profiled in the link below. I have some ideas, let the voting begin:
1 - buy an offramp or a pacecar (can't afford it!)
2 - use better USB/coax/interconnects/speaker cable
3 - apply acoustic treatments to the room
4 - use a software player (Jplay) that sits on top of iTunes
5 - buy speakers with different tweeters (Quad 22L2/Focal 826v, this is happening, but not any time soon)
6 - get a better amp (McCormack/Odyssey, distant future)
7 - tweak Windows 7/iTunes settings (WASAPI exclusive mode?!?)
8 - adjust speaker position/toe in (already did this and it helped a little)
I am thinking about trying #3/#7 next. Ideas? Thnx in advance.
realremo

Showing 1 response by stereo5

I am running a Asus notebook running Windows 7 64bit and J Rivers 17. The usb output from the notebook goes to a Musical Fidelity V-Link via a Wireworld Starlight usb cable and a Wireworld Starlight coax cable from the V-Link to a Wyred Dac 1. The sound is extremely detailed, NON FATIGUEING, and musical. All my hi-rez files sound incredible. All my files are ripped into flac and output the player in waspapi mode.

First thing I would do is ditch iTunes and try the J Rivers 17 Media Player. You can use it free for 30 days and then decide if you like it. It blows away iTunes by a wide margin.