I want to be moved and have the music touch my soul!

Well I found my answer. A pair of Revel Gem speakers, DIY subs and a minidsp SHD with Dirac room correction. The music puts me in a trance now. Amazing difference. I think the SHD cam make i big difference in any system.

Find out where and what your soul is and everything else will fall in place .

It maybe that your bored with the music you have collected or choose to listen to.  Sometimes I get bored with 'Western music' so I listen to Arabic music (old & new), wow that was like discovering Rock'nRoll all over again. Their drum beats are so fresh, different and so comprehensive.  Their approach to singing and composition of songs are so inventive.  Its very hard for me not to be passionately or at least musically involved in their music and to date its never been boring for me.  Its just a suggestion, try a new genre of music or even other music from different countries and continents, it may work for you.  At the end of the day music is a subjective choice and I just hope there is still something out there which will move you. 

Of course. Perfectly isolated and with the correct materials, etc. as well.

It will have to be positioned perfectly in relation to the speakers of course.

Good luck getting past the 'audiophile couch' you use in your office? : )

I don’t need an Audiophile Psychologist. I want to be one. You know.....how does that DAC make you feel? Did your mother listen to vinyl when you were small?

@n80  Page Teajay ( @teajay )....  : )

I think there needs to be a new profession. Audiophile Psychologist. There are clearly psychological barriers and expectations that exist that get in the way of music enjoyment. There are clearly factors that enhance and improve music enjoyment. Many of these factors are internal. Many are technical. Many are musical.

A good Audiophile Psychologist would have to have training in psychology, much of it in the same way a sports psychologist does. He would also have to have a good understanding of SQ and audio tech. It would even be better if he had several advanced systems in his clinic for testing and training as well as a large collection of high quality music.

Seems like a great way to write off a clinic with multiple listening rooms and great equipment.....all for clinical purposes of course.

OP: Don't forget to have your turn signal fluid changed monthly.

That reminds me of when I had new muffler bearings and knutne rods installed on my car.

you can use something like jriver media center or foobar2000 to ron audio through the freqshifter filter

Guitarsam,
thanks for the response but how do I use that in my stereo system?
ben

Ben, Your system is all quite tuned in to making good music. I have those Harbeths as well. Best speakers I have had to date.. Although I think a big part of this for many (including myself) is that the search for soul moving is not going to come from the music.. Not really.. Its going to come on the inside. And no one throughout history has really been able to be moved all the time. Moments of soul moving come on from time to time but nothing is permanent grasshopper. All is an illusion. So get that bong out and get yourself in a different mood.. Step out of what you have been listening to and check out KFJC 89.7 online for some music that does not follow the mainstream. Find what you like and you can always buy it. Bandcamp is a good online source for tons of very different music It’s not one of the sites that you have to pay premium $ . They do have lossless,,etc. My sense is the stuff you pay premium for will not be "new music" but standards that they know they can sell a lot of. I’m sure there must be exceptions though and those sites may have "alternative/ambient" There are many different genre’s of shows that air on that station and you may have to search for the type of show you want but there are some really good ones. Tues & Wes night 7 pm Cali time. Sun morning 9a Cali time. Many others that go into alternative genre.. Have no idea what you like but that station will likely have a time slot of it. They dont really do classical nor hip hop or rap for the most part. Glad of that for no rap or hip hop but could use more classical of the non dark horse variety.. The station has been my back up for when Im not playing vinyl or cd’s.. They have gotten more into a version of metal which doesnt appeal to me these days ..but lots of other stuff .. This is a non profit station based in Los Altos Hills, CA..

Heard a system in a home today with B&W802 D2 speakers. Gave me goose bumps several times. Very open and detailed top end. Bright on some stuff. Boxy sounding mid bass. Probably the room. 3D soundstage. Intoxicating. Orchestra lush and beautiful. His electronics were less than mine. Don't have the money or space for them. Crap.

As Bob Dylan says at the end of every song, good luck! Getting to the soul of the music, being entertained by the music, being touched by the music, feeling integrated with the music, whatever you want to call it, is something that transcends electronics and speakers and cables and even room treatments and vibration isolation. It is the Great Unknown, the Unimaginable, the Upspeakable, the Final Frontier, Xanadu. It’s all very hush, hush. But I can say no more than that. Music soothes the savage breast.

“If I could explain it to the average person they wouldn’t have given me the Nobel prize.”

Hi Ben,

You may want to take a look at your power delivery. It's the most overlooked and most important part of an audio set up. Ideally one should budgeted 25-30% percent towards cabling and power delivery. When components do not get enough power they are not operating at their fullest potential. 50% at best. Stock chords will not suffice. 

Adding a good power delivery system to your system is like adding another component / or power amp. What a good power delivery set up will add to your system is - what you are seeking -
holographic sound stage, texture, detail, clean tight bass. Enhanced Imagery along your systems entire frequency range. 

Its the most un-sexy, unseen part of the system. It took me a long time to appreciate this fact. I had to be shown - But once I embraced it I never looked back. If you weigh the amount you have put into the changes you have made to your system vs the amount you have invested in your power delivery you may find its at least worth investigating the investment.

There are those who do not believe in this aspect, which is why I implore you to make your own analysis. Its not going to be cheap, but can be strategically achieved over time. 

No matter what you decide good luck.
 

Honashagen has it right. I have an Oppo 105D and it sounds fanstasic with the right equipment.  I have a Hegel H360 and Raidho XT-2's.  With good recordings, it sounds like the musicians are in the room with me.  Ansuz cables.

The JBL’s have soul baby!

Almost bought some jbl's yesterday and then almost bought some Klipsch today

Hanashagen, I'm glad you added that, ironically, I have both of those. Musical preferences are very important in regard to SS or tubes.

There is one area that people neglect because they don't realize what a difference it can make and how important it is, and that's "Room treatment".

Did a Chord Qutest Dac- $1900 Couldn't tell a difference.

An Oppo direct to anything is sub optimal...just sayin’!  Dr give you an RX for this disease yet Honeshagen?

I did tubes. Prima Luna Prologue Premium and Audible Illusions L1. Not the same punch as the SMC DNA1 Gold power amp.

Honashagen, I know exactly what you're talking about; I mean what's the point if you're just going to listen to music and not be moved, and I mean by your rig and the playback.

I have never been moved by a SS pre, regardless of the price; can you think tubes?

If I were you, I'd add a good DAC. Keep the Oppo and use it as a CD transport and your DVD player. A good stand alone DAC will be a big improvement over the Oppo by itself. Some of the DAC's that I see most frequently mentioned in these forums are: 

Auralic "Vega", Mytek "Brooklyn" and the PS Audio "Direct Stream Jr or Sr."

As for the digital cable, if all your cables already match then "keep it in the family." If you've got a ,mixture of cable/interconnect brands, then God help you in that search!

Good luck and I hope you find what you're looking for (and without too much effort or frustration).

I would sell all the components except Oppo player and add Linear Tube Audio microZOTL integrated amp (yes, it's only 1Wpc), and Teresonic single driver speakers (yes, with 100dB sensitivity they will sing with 1W). This set up eliminates a lot of 'stuff' such as cables, output transformers, speaker crossovers... and free the music to allow it to shine through with life. To gain further improvement in sound add a good DAC such as Berkeley Audio Alpha between Oppo and the amp. 

So it sounds like you thought the crossover was deleterious. Is that correct? It allows seamless integration with subs, but at a price. Correct?

If I can can summarize - tubes, LPs, classic recordings.  Sounds great to me.  That is what I do, and I am in heaven.  EXCEPT when I messed up the MC & MM inputs when setting up the system.. :)  Took me a bit of time to figure out why Big Bill Broonzy's 1958 recording sounded so awful.

The crossover is out and so if the Ayre pre. It made a huge difference. Oppo direct to SMC power amp.

I’m curious.  When you take the crossover out of the system, do you notice any change in transparency when you take out the crossover for the sub?  I have yet to use a crossover that didnt affect transparency.  

Reading your post makes me think that you may more like a warmer sound that you do not find my your system.

Try some Three Blind Mice jazz recordings.

And this...
https://youtu.be/i1QmHLFqZxY

This is hilarious.  I’m laughing at you guys right along with the OP. 

This is what’s needed here:

https://www.genesisprocess.org/

Soul =a feeling;anyone that thinks you have to spend money for it is a sick puppy and has never felt it...Feelings are free and to be moved by music should not be a hard.  With the spoken word,lyrics ,one should be able to relate,with no lyrics there is a vibration,as Van Morrison said ,you breath in, you breath out.   A music system does not give you soul,it is a mindset.  The better the "system" just= gives you more nuances ,just as better optics can do.  I f you really want to feel you have to be able to give,give thanks.  Mother Nature has power,children can put a smile on your face. Soul,power to give: open up,Flow,feel,again it is vibrations,to be touched and thankful that you can feel and be thankful you can give.   Music is food for the Soul,music is not about equipment,soul is a feeling.     If ones thinks the higher the price the bigger the soul,or the closer you can get to true satisfaction,you miss the point.  Barking up the wrong tree....Appreciation of all living things is a soulful beginning,apprecation of music only come through vibrations,the more you like the music the more it should "touch" you and when get Really touched it enters your soul because it ,the music has made a connection,The connection =something you can relate to,your feelings!

Then you need to get familiar with Wesla Whitfield. First, listen to these three full CD rez tracks:

http://russbutton.com/tmp/over_the_rainbow.wav

http://russbutton.com/tmp/Lucky_to_be_me.wav

http://russbutton.com/tmp/Rhode_Island_Is_Famous_For_You.wav

Now that you’ve heard here, read her story here...

http://articles.latimes.com/1999/apr/18/news/mn-28533

Hmm... have you tried horn speakers? CNET’s Steve Guttenberg has been on a horn kick the last few months and feels that horn speakers somehow feel more alive, more visceral; more real: http://youtu.be/txRsNmMGWZo

Wind beneath my wings??  I’m gonna hurl....gahhhhh

Jazz music, big horn speakers with tube amplification...

I had an Audible Illusions L1 and the Ayre is better to me. Better than a Parasound JC2 too. It's been a couple of days and no preamp still sounds better. 

i can highly recommend a Tube Preamp like Audible Illusions L3A and either a solid state or Tube Amp. i used a ARC VT-50 with mine. class A pre-amps with separate power supplies coupled with a separate tube amp produces a very engaging listen. having said that a good solid state integrated with a class A pre-amp section with a separate power supply for each section would also be a good listen. i find the most engaging sound is a product of good timing. timing is a big deal. also power supplies make a huge difference. you may also consider dedicated A/C lines running into you listening room. any qualified electrician can handle this. i use separate. one line for the front end and a separate dedicate line for the amplifiers. clean power makes a noticeable difference. btw, your Harbeths are very good.  keep them.

"I feel bored when I'm listening."

I felt that way too when I had the  Harbeth Compact 7es-3 speakers. I changed speakers.

And try some Yello
if they don’t move you, you or your system or both of you need a new heart 💜 

i have the new Rega Brio integrated and RS1 speakers. using a NAD D1050. works for me. not the most resolving but very musical.  use to spend thousands on gear, but now just enjoy the music and not the system.

Try Bette Middler, Wind beneath my wings, if that doesn’t work it must be your system

Drink alcohol. There is a shop that I went to that has a $500,000 system on display. It sounds great, but it doesn't sound $475,000 better than my system. Instead of constantly tossing thousands into your system, fill your house with SONOS and have sound everywhere. Take a road trip across America. Get off the Interstates. Drink alcohol.

Have you ever heard a system that did move you?  The Harbeth's are great but "forgiving" I would move to Cardas Clear if you are staying in that cable family.  I don't know the amp but if it is considered "neutral" or "rich"  I would look at the matching Ayre amp.  Don't buy anything without a dealer committed to making your system emotionally involving for you and when it is there, write the check.