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Request advice-need "brighter" speakers than Totem Hawks

Hi All-
Love the community here; first time poster.
My gear:
i have a pair of Totem Hawks, driven by Sim Audio W-5 amp and P-5 pre. I listen primarily to Redbook CDs via a Marantz SA8005. Cables are all Audience AU24SE. I listen both through a modded Eastern Electric DAC (op amp upgraded, tube removed) and direct from CDP to preamp (teensy sound difference between DAC/no DAC, if any). My medium sized room is pretty dead sonically (carpet, textile window coverings).

My Issue:
The high frequencies are uncrisp, rolled off severely, muted, and just lacking generally, especially on contemporary works (jazz, rock). I don’t hear cymbals, hi-hats, or rich, crisp snare drums (yeah, I’m a drummer). Listening to my favorite disks is a deeply disappointing experience, Though classical sounds ok to fine. I am thinking that I need brighter speakers than the Hawks (though there are numerous folks who extoll Sim Audio plus Totem speakers, something is not right. I do have a bit of hi-freq. hearing loss from playing percussion for over 40 years (amateur), but I’ve heard a number of less expensive systems that sound better to me. My first thought is to go for a used pair of B&Ws (CM5s?) or Vandersteens (assuming good WAF on the latter) to swap out for the Hawks. I’m on a budget, but am not above selling some of the current gear to pay for the right equipment.

I would love love to hear some suggestions or alternate diagnoses/ideas. I am not limiting myself to speakers; I’ve tried a bunch of different cables to no good effect. Analysis Plus silver cables, for example, were a disaster with this gear, for example, FYI. Thanks in advance for any sage thoughts you choose to offer. -Bruce


bheiman

Showing 1 response by pokey77

pokey77
1,269 posts
 
This sounds pretty familiar to me. For reference, I heard my entire system at my dealer and with the tone controls on the integrated out of the system, or 0, it sounded very good, very good indeed, with very nice extended top end (and solid bass as well). In fact, I wish it sounded as good here at home as it did at the dealer. 

I think the main difference is that the dealers room is not over damped and I actually heard my system in two of his rooms; one was purpose built with wall damping and commercial carpet while the other was a smooth flooring with a rug or two and drop ceiling like in an office. My room has thicker carpeting, a big sofa, and some wall hangings. It also has a vaulted ceiling that goes from 11' on the left wall down to 9' on the right wall. Without the Treble control near the end of its' positive range, the sound is just unacceptable; all the top end is very rolled off; the room just seems to suck out the treble. The bass response is pretty good and no tone control necessary. Anyway, thankfully, the Mc has tone controls and it has rescued me for nearly a decade. The sound is more than acceptable, but I'm not sure if it is the carpet/furniture/wall hangings or the uneven ceiling that are sucking out the Treble. But I do plan to check into it further when I remodel that space in the next year or two.

Hope this helps.
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