2. cables
  3. 172720-167068

How to tame a bright system?

Hi all,

I have been facing a problem, the brightness of my system:

Bluesound n130  --- Chord dave ---- audioquest fire (xlr) ---- Etude  ---- copper wire ---- B&W 606s2.

 

The brightness shows up, particularly after I upgrade the cable from the chord company clearway (RCA) to the AQ fire (XLR).  AQ fire really improved everything. However, the high frequency is too cristal to my ears (especially the "ding, ding" sound from the piano, I believe most of the people would love it but not me .... ).  I like the cheap clearway, but it does not have the excellent bass and the dynamic offered by fire. I also tried with AQ Mackenzie (copper) which gives a proper sound but lacks space. I also found the vocal of fire is a bit forward (I am not really big fun of forwarding vocal).

Can someone help to recommend a cable that has everything of clearway but more dynamic and extension at the low end? I think this would be an ideal cable for my current system.

 

If possible, please help to focus on the cable rather than the other components. I know there is a lot to improve, but not at the moment.  Thanks a lot guys!  ;-) 

 

 

 

tension255

Showing 3 responses by holmz

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

While cost isn’t everything, it is something. An ok $599streamer into a $2.5k interconnect and $12.6k DAC means that you are hearing everything (good and bad) that the streamer is producing.

What is the streamer producing?
I thought it was just a bit stream, and the DAC was doing the magic to make it analogue.

I am not even sure that the $2500 interconnect would do anything that the a $25 interconnect would not do.

Now the speakers I can understand could make a huge difference.

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

A DSP would be another option, but that assumes that the speakers (tweeters) do not have a lot of distortions that are creating the effect of brightness.

One can certainly get the frequency response shaped however they want with a DSP.

Or sell the B&W and get a used pair of Vandersteens and call it a day.

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

@Millercarbon Yes it is copy past because I stated "Its One of the solutions" in this case https://mathaudio.com/room-eq.htm.

https://mathaudio.com/testimonials.htm

I could have taken the same point from other solutions like Dirac, Lyngdorf , REW etc etc.

Point is you avoid the statement from me that really matters "whats wrong with measuring". Further more we could have an endless discussion about EQ, DSP, Room correction an again IMO leave it to the listener that has to decide. Probably we agree on one statement “Music/sound is in the ear of the beholder”.😉

  • I like the idea of a measurement.
  • I like the idea of compensating the room.

The idea of swapping cables to get some magic synergy seems like more of a crap shoot.

I am onboard.

More to discover