Need cable to soften brightness just a little?

Hi Echolane,

I'm someone who's very sensitive to fatigue issues and was about to start my own thread on this topic when I stumbled across yours.  What you're saying about your system's upgrade in resolution and accuracy being accompanied by fatigue problems, very much mirrors my own experience.  I've found that even the smallest bit of tinkering can be very disruptive for system equilibrium and that major configuration changes--what many audiophiles would consider to be a "better" sounding and more detailed rig--can be a very painful listening experience for me.  I can offer a few suggestions here, but am also looking for feedback myself.

Like others, I suspect that it will take some time for your system to stabilize and "burn in," especially as you've made three major component changes!

Since we're talking about the synergy of a completely-upgraded system, you might want to take a look at  the other cables in addition to the interconnects.   

-- What kind of speaker wire do you use?  Your Spendors---do you biwire them or use jumpers?  I've found that biwiring with Mogami 2921 creates a more forgiving, laid-back sound. 

--Your power cords? I recently purchased some Cardas Clear-M and they really helped tame the brightness in my system caused by the introduction of a new streamer.

-- Do you use Wifi or ethernet cable?  I found that that Supra Cat8 was much better for fatigue problems than generic ethernet.  

--Finally, as for ICs, I've found Cardas Quadlink to be the most musical and least fatiguing of the several that I've auditioned. 

With respect to the major components, I have Spendors as well, but used in conjunction with a tube amp and a non-oversampling DAC. As you might gather, I've had to take a lot of steps to create a more smooth-sounding audio signature, since  my  sensitivity limits me to a mid-fi approach.

Echolane, I'm having a difficult time envisioning how all the components in your system are being swapped out and interacting without first drawing a massive diagram on my wall ; )

Let's go back to David's point about the differences between the two Oppos. Do you still have the 83 so that  you can see how it works with the Pioneer?  And secondly, is there a standalone DAC anywhere in your system, or is/was everything played through one of the Oppos?  If you don't have a standalone DAC, then the Oppo switch is a major sonic  change for your system and could very well be the source of the brightness.  For a DAC, I use a Metrum Onyx and before that an MHDT Havana, both of which are non-oversampling, since my ears are very prickly in response to to certain types of digital processing.   If you do isolate the Oppo as the problem area, then you might want to consider a good power cable rather than the stock one and then swap in some smooth ICs for your preamp and amps.  

That's a sensible approach, but I was just trying to pinpoint where the digital-analog conversion process was taking place in your various watching/listening scenarios.  Since there doesn't seem to be a standalone DAC, the sound is likely to change depending upon which piece of equipment is being used to convert the digital signal. 

On the contrary,my weakest link is anything having to do with audio. I've made any number of ill-advised purchases over the years, detrimental to friendships, bank accounts, and most importantly, my ears, so take everything I say with the usual caveats.

Because of my sensitivity issues to brightness, I've auditioned about a 10-12 DACS in the last year, so I don't recommend this painful chore for anyone.   But I do think you are on the right track in trying to assess where your system is making the digital conversion when you switch between your preferred components.  Since I know nothing about A/V systems, I'm wondering whether you might have a couple different options in your existing setup(s) to convert the digital signal without even buying any new cables, etc.   I know there's a DAC chip in your Arcam, and I know that there's a DAC chip in your Oppo, though don't think there's one in your pre-amp.  So are you using both the MF pre-amp and the Arcam for switching duties at the same time?