I have NOVA V's and I am not happy

I have Olympica Nova III and I can assure you they are not bright. I use silver cable from AQ (William Tell combo) and are great! 

My monos are PS Audio M1200s with tubes and this can help a lot.

in addiction I use Iconoclast XLR UOCC that are detailed and warm.

No issues at all.

Did you try swapping the speakers left/right in order to have more pressure between them behind vs towards the side walls? In my case this can bring different sound.

The first place to start is as Eric suggested: eliminate your room effects bye setting near field (only 2 - 3 ft. from the front plane of the speakers. Adjust the volume to the perceived level you prefer to listen, and what you hear is, sonically, how the amps, speakers and cables are working together, at the volume levels you prefer to listen - with little to no influence from the room. If the tone, texture and balance of highs, mids and lows is what you’re looking/listening for, then you’ll know that what you have will work with optimal speaker placement and room treatment.

Listening at those higher volumes brings out the worst in a room and increases the need for dampening and other treatments to reduce the reflections and oddities that can raise such havoc with the balance, tone and musicality of a great system.

For serious listening, it would help a bunch to put a blanket in front of the TV screen and move the speakers out further from the wall and experiment from there.

Best of luck........Jim

I’d add that my integrated has a EQ controls which gives me a lot of tonal flexibility. 

I have these speakers paired with a McIntosh integrated amp and they sound sublime. 

@mckinneymike Good luck in your search. There are a lot of options and I was in a similar situation about 10 years ago. I was very unimpressed with many speakers that had strong reputations - B&W, Mission, Martin Logan and others were close but there was something missing. 
 

And I have noticed my tastes change. I was really happy with both NAD and McIntosh previously and now I am much more drawn into Moon and Audio Research. 
 

I encourage you to create an audition list of music you like and have listening sessions at retailers and if possible friends systems. 
 

good luck

Those older Nautilus 800 series B&Ws actually measured fairly flat compared to current models and were arguably better speakers than the current series.

As for the SFs, I auditioned the Nova IIs and thought they were quite neutral. They were being driven by a relatively entry-level integrated though. 
 

I wonder if what you’re actually hearing is cone breakup from the midrange driver. It is absurdly common these days for manufacturers to fail to design a proper crossover network for the driver limitations. Even brands like Revel and Dynaudio have been guilty of this in recent years. They don’t low-pass the woofer or midrange cone at a low enough frequency so you end up hearing cone break-up distortion when the speaker is pushed, often in the 2-4kHz range where our hearing is most sensitive. I’m not claiming that’s definitely the issue with your SFs but it’s very common throughout the industry. No good excuse, just lazy engineering.

Anyhow, just a possibility. Also, as others have alluded to, some amps really struggle with the high capacitance of Kimber cables. I wouldn’t expect that from ML amps but something to experiment with. Supplementing some hardware store zipcord will be sufficient for determining whether it’s the Kimbers.

@ozzy62

I agree that getting different speakers is a great option, but if someone wanted to keep these speakers I don’t see any other option than EQ. And, if the off axis response is a smooth mirror of the on-axis response the results will sound excellent. I doubt that’s the case with this speaker but an equalizer can be a great thing if properly applied, doing far more audible good than harm. It’s more like putting shoes on your feet for a walk in the woods than a band-aid. It doesn’t just fix errors. It opens up new possibilities. Without filters much less would be possible in audio. For one thing we'd be stuck with whatever a full range driver could do. Or we'd just have to come up with drivers that roll off correctly on both ends of their ranges without any crossovers and somehow sum correctly. I think crossovers are great in speakers, and I don't consider them a band-aid. If I want to modify the response I'm just modifying the crossover.

@asctim 

I think before I would go with a band aid solution, I would just replace the speakers.

Looking at the response they measured below I get the impression that could be a very bright speaker depending on the room you are in and how it is set up. I can’t imagine how a speaker with a more flat on-axis response could be so bright unless it had side or back firing tweeters. They recommend listening off axis. I’d recommend also a very large or well damped room. What I think you could do to fix it is get an equalizer!

Cheers Grisley 🍻 😜

@romanesq exactly. He will be doing what he thinks is best for him, there is no need for calling him hopeless.

Taunting the guy for selling isn’t helpful. Sounds like a bad match of amp and speakers to the room. 

Well those speakers aren’t selling at that price. I’d be asking how much he wants for those ten thousand dollar speakers. 

Lol, Sheryl Crow at high volumes?  There's your problem. 

FYI his speakers are for sale on Audiomart so doubtful he'll take any advice.  I'd say his mind is made up and not taking any advice.  Hopefully whatever he does in the near future, better decisions are made and learns from his mistakes.  

Couple thoughts you may want to add into your equation.  What source/s are you experiencing these issues with….Dac, phono?  OR is everything equally less than acceptable in sound?  Do you have any other speakers that you could hook up to provide some type of comparison?  Has this combination ever sounded good to you?  You may want to try some type of sound demo tracks and see how they sound on your system.  Do you have a dealer where you could demo another integrated to see if that improves your sound?  How old are your speakers, and do you have subwoofers?  I would start with all the basics first, straight from the power cord, to interconnects and speaker wire.  If all that checks out then you may just have two components that are not a good match.  I had a similar situation with my system where I was running McIntosh mono blocks with Martin Logan electro stats and the Martin Logan’s needed an power supply that went down to 0 ohms but the McIntosh was not capable of delivering that so I never got the full experience of my system. 

Hope this helps and let us know how you make out!  

Good Luck rlross3!!

@overthemoon 

It's not just SF, it's a lot of modern speakers. I hope that I can find something that is new and modern that leans toward my still of listening!  Just not as easy as it used to be to find many options which I could then really compare and let them grow on me.  

@mckinneymike I tend to listen to music in the high 70s and low 80s db. 
 

I think there’s significantly better equipment at lower relative prices in comparison to the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. And there’s more options with equipment with different characteristics. 
 

I have SF Nova Vs and they sound different using different amps (I have owned McIntosh and Moon). They sound different than other speakers include B&W, Proac, Wilson DeVore, etc. 

Different tastes for different folks. And use of a sub may be worth considering 

I am 65 and also still enjoy louder listening levels than what many seem to enjoy. I have had a terribly difficult time finding speakers that will allow me to listen louder, without the upper midrange/treble region becoming fatiguing and troublesome to my listening.

I had sold highend audio on and off from the late 70’s until the early 2010's. Maybe it is my age/ears, but I think it has more to do with changing attitudes towards sound reproduction. I think that maybe my wants are not willing to embrace what is now the more accepted way for better music systems to sound.

I bought the house because of the room. [The realtor asked the missus "Why does he go around clapping everywhere we look?"]

Then I designed the diffusers, err, bookcases and put down hard as blaze strand bamboo then covered about 60% of it with wool rugs. Not visible are CD & DVD racks behind the seating area which extends back about as far as the front distance.

I could have put the TV at the other end and the sofa on a turntable, but there are limits... 😎

I tried a quilt and then bought an acoustic panel. I also tried both. I ended up throwing the TV out. 

In that photo above those books must really help. It helped my setup when I put a bookshelf behind the speakers.

 

That TV in the back is a big problem though a lot of people do it that way.

Easy to resolve with a quilt.

@samzx12  dang, why did I stop at 3???

Grisleybutter you need a drink or 4 🍸 

I know enough about projectors, had them for 20 years but thank you. I started downloading the internet, I will explore it when it completes.

@grisslehamn I understand some of us start from a deficit on those brain cells, so here is a link to what I am talking about. My buddy had some other model, but the projector tech is "Laser" something. There is this new thing called the internet that can help you dig deeper into this tech if you are so inclined.

LG HF85JA Full HD Laser DLP Home Theater Projector HF85JA B&H (bhphotovideo.com)

@yyzsantabarbara probably the most incoherent rambling about projectors I ever read, I will never get those brain cells back

@rlross3 No one beeching about your placement is really offering you any advice as to how to remedy it. Send me a DM on A’gon and I can direct you to some DSP solutions that will get you excellent sound and you will want to keep your speakers in the exact spot you have them now.

That TV in the back is a big problem though a lot of people do it that way. My buddy has a projection TV in his office (projector cost about $2000). I forgot the tech that was used but he projects the picture to the wall and the projector sits on the floor about 1 foot away from the wall. That is what I would use if I had to have a TV in the middle like that. The picture was very good, or good enough for me.

@arafiq it doesn't make a big difference what the asking price is, Half the people will offer 6K and half of them will try to resell it. If he's lucky, someone will be in the market for this exact model, and happily pay 13K

I saw the asking price on usaudiomart. Not sure who would pay this much for a used pair of speakers. My local dealer will give a better price for brand new, and install it for me as well. But you never know … there’s a sucker born every minute. 

I have never seen more passive aggressive parenting on a forum. The OP can do whatever he wants with the advice, he is not your kid or slave to follow through with it and do exactly as you say. It's his ear, his equipment, his happiness.

@danoroo 

Why is the OP not telling us more about his system? If his source was the problem why wouldn't he fix it with the software himself? He obviously has experience with other types of equipment. Who would pay $18k for a set of speakers and not plan accordingly.

Judging by the OP's answers it doesn't appear he wants any help and by placing the speakers on USAM seals the deal. This is why Audiogon forums is a waste of time...why post if your NOT going to show any effort to fix the issue from recommendations. Very comical indeed .

Keep your amp and speakers.

Ditch the Kimber 8TC.

Get some MIT Matrix 38 or 60 (HD or Rev) speaker cables.

Retain/improve the detail, add just a tiny bit of warmth, and lose the glare.

@wlutke  he should be working with his room first and also change amps. Obviously the Levinson isn't a good match plus it's much easier to change amps than speakers. If I were buying speakers and liked my amp,  I definitely would be trying to match which speakers sound best with Levinson.  

All this talk of changing speaker wires and amps is interesting (and somewhat comical) while @audiotroy  asked the question that possibly could lead to a simple and effective solution to the OP's problem, and he never got an answer. 

What is your source?

If your source is digital, you might very well be able to use your playback software, or a product like Dirac Live to EQ the system to your liking.  Another reasonable approach has already been mentioned and that's to place some rugs on the floor between the speakers and your listening position.

@ieales It’s the nature of the business. Many components are designed for looks / SPL and not accurate sound reproduction.

And this is your opinion of Sonus Faber?

“I have tried every speaker placement you can think of, toe in, toe out. distance from front wall and I am adding acoustic treatments as fast as they can be shipped. “  “If I decide after all my room treatments that I am not a fan of the Sonus Faber sound where should I turn for my replacement speaker? Or is it Mark Levinson's Fault?”

It doesn’t sound like he’s not got a clue to me.  His old speakers were ok, his new ones are not.  He’s asking about room, speakers and amp.  WTF else should he be asking?  Good work,I say.

@rlross3

Lee

Seems like you are more committed to the amp, rather then the speakers. You might want to do this the other way and get the right amp and some room treatment.

If you cannot, then your best bet is to get an amp that has room correction. Lyndorf is a good choice IMO. If you are not going to remove the reflections in your room and provide good amplification, what should you expect from any speaker that is made well? Just sayin

Why would a company make a product that doesn’t sound good or match well with various electronics?

It’s the nature of the business. Many components are designed for looks / SPL and not accurate sound reproduction.

I’ve lost count of the number times I heard 15 foot wide vocals or a kick that sounds like a pillow hit with a tennis racket or strings that would cut glass. Forget about sound stage and phase coherence.

The last time I went to a high end shop, the salesman was quite incensed that I thought the [$250k?] system was awful and asked "How would you know what it’s supposed to sound like?" Because I recorded it. And yes, the room was well appointed.

NOT ALL COMPONENTS [cables included] work well together.

seems like giant speakers for a small room. But I would go easy on him, he is here for advice not ridiculing

The price is wrong too.  So he has plenty of time to work with room and speaker placement since these aren’t going to sell any time soon.

Something as simple as a thick area rug and a few diffusor/absorption panels from GIK Acoustics matching the decor, as well as pulling the speakers out from the wall at least a foot will transform the listening experience.

Total cost to improve room acoustics will be less than the loss he’ll take selling these speakers and starting the endless merry-go-round.

A dealer I went to about a year ago was using Sim Audio with Sonus Faber. Sounded very nice. The Nova 3 were what I went to audition but they didn't have the Nova 5. They did let me listen to the Cremonese.  Oh lord I was salivating lol. 

I had the prior generation and had them in a system with the Simaudio 340i just loved them. Then I went back to tubes and bought more efficient QLN speakers.

Think the OP is clueless on setup and could make them work if he tried. 

we took a 585 in trade it was okay sounding not great

the krell k300i is far more musical

another great choice unison research unico 150 which is a hybrid amplifier

Dave and Troy

audio intellect NJ

krell and unison research dealer

Jerryg123 the pictures in the ad show 2 different rooms or setups.  Clearly he has no idea what he's dealing with.  Steve Guttenberg did a review on these speakers and loved them. 

$18K speakers don't horrible unless you're room sucks or the rest of the system doesn't measure up or match well. I'm thinking Best Buy is the best choice for the OP HAHA.  

Sam is correct, setup & room look horrible.

No hope.

Looks great! But can’t possibly sound any good. 

Clearly and he knows nothing about motorcycles either.

Some folks should just stick with buying their gear at Best Buy. No?