2. speakers
  3. 1137775581

Listening Fatique- componet or speaker issue.

Hello everyone. I've been posting various questions in other topics trying to solve a problem that couldn't discribe until now. I jumped into the audiophile hobby these last few months full head-on. I got the best that I could for about 1200 and finally ended up with as my first set-up.

Totem Rainmakers (straightwire octava II)
Nad c320bee
Source (pc m-audio,foobar) will be (modded squeezebox2)

In the begining (sounds like the bible I know) after I hooked it all up I was estatic. I've never listen or owned any quality audio eq and this was a huge leap for me. The sound was or so detailed, huge, realistic and plain great. This only brief sessions. Now that all the newness factor is gone and I actually live with these I seem to be in a delima.
Normally I play my music at low levels simply because during the week days I come home late and I live in a tenant building (rules are rules). At lower levels I can listen to the music for a fair amount of time no problem. No real hint of fatigue.
Now my fatigue seems to occur at normal or slightly higher than normal listening level. I don't get seem to get headache as most other people. My ear mostly feel "tired" and occasionally I do get a ring. The sound coming out also sounds compressed and boxy.
I don't know if it's a speaker componet (source, amp, or room) but it's really getting me bumbed out. I brought my new setup so I can listen to more music and make it a more consistant part of my life as a musician (gotta study the greats) not so my ears ache and feel tired.
When I changed the source from my dvd to my computer (m-audio foobar) it became better but it's still there. I posted a thread about my amp changing but know now that I didn't ask the right question.
Now my Rainmakers are rated at min 50w at 4 ohms and maximum is 100w I think. I decided on the nad mainly on suggestion on this and other threads and read that a couple rainmaker owners match them. I like the amp quite a bit its warm and quite detailed but can this fatigue I am experiencing also be occuring because of the amp. Could this fatigue be just the normal distortion created by my speakers not being driven well at higher levels?
Or are the rainmakers just naturally fatiguing and harsh when pushed? I need advice from the higher ups.
daimbert
saki70
907 posts
 
I have used most of the suggestions mentioned above in a small bedroom that I use as a listening room.

I contacted the people at 'Eighth Nerve' for room treatments. I faxed a drawing of my room, furniture and components to them. They sent me a suggested placement for these items as well as suggestions for their room treatment products and their placement . It was quite easy and made an improvement. Price was under $500

I then tried cabling. A friend of mine has experience with the same components that I have and he suggested IC's and power chords that worked for him . They also made an improvement . Thanks Boa2. Price was under $200.

However the biggest improvements came when I changed to a tubed CDP and speakers with soft domed tweeters instead of metal ones . Each of these changes were about an equal improvement and greater than the previous ones. I can now listen for hours without any listener fatigue. Again Thanks Boa2.

I would suggest first to read the Rives primer on room accoustics and then introduce tubes into your system .
A couple of throw rugs, coats hanging on the walls and an inexpesive tubed DAC will probably be the easiest and least expensive way to start .

Good luck.
judy426
228 posts
 
Your source and speakers are the most likely cause of listener fatigue. Check out any B&W for more than an hour and you'll understand speaker fatigue.
dand3
1 posts
 
Try to isolate the problem by borrowing and substituting, until you find the right one. That's cheaper than replacing the wrong component. I doubt that the NAD unit is the problem; and I do agree that the room is very likely. You may have more than one contributor to the fatigue. As a temporary solution, turn down the tweeter or treble if you have the capability, otherwise put some thin cloth over the tweeter or point the speakers away from you. I liked the Rega suggestion above; see if you can borrow one or buy on a trial basis. You might also clean the connectors; they may be a second level contributor.
auaarons
94 posts
 
Replace the solid metal jumpers on the back of the NAD C320BEE that connects the Preamp OUT to Power Amp IN jacks with the Tara Labs The Missing Link or RSC Link. They are a pair of 6 inches long interconnects that costs about $35 new. They will smooth out the high frequencies, bring out more harmonics, air and ambience, take away some of the hardness overall and soften the midrange. An economic upgrade that is worthwhile.

As other have said, the biggest improvement will come from a new CD player like the Rega Planet and a good pair of interconnects.
slv
87 posts
 
My experience has taught me that every piece of the audio chain should be addressed before making assessments regarding the equipment. Acoustics have already been identified, however you haven't mentioned cables or power conditioning. What are you using for cables and are you using a power conditioner?
More to discover