Searching for a little more warmth

I’m always of the opinion: before going for new/different speakers; before going for room treatments: spend some time, measure the sound in that space, at your listening position: with a SPL Meter and test tone CD. Armed with the results, FIX IT!

a. SPL meter, on tripod, ear height seated listing position:

paste in Amazon: BAFX Products - Decibel Meter/Sound Pressure Level Reader (SPL) / 30-130dBA Range - 1 Year Warranty (Standard)

b. Test Tone CD, (not LP)

paste in discogs: Various - Amazing Bytes (CD, Comp, Promo)

c. Your Speakers have a UNIQUE ‘GAP’ Feature (from Positive Feedback Positive Review):

a special setup that might improve things (I suspect more ‘presence’ needed not more bass).

"I did was adjust the Griewe gap. The Zu-Griewe technology functions as an acoustic impedance matching scheme that allows the main driver to better match the room’s impedance. When properly set, it produces smooth and clean bass and affects the sound well up into the mid-range. When incorrectly set it can make the speakers sound bloated or thin. This gap is not a traditional port, and in the case of the Soul VI is located at the bottom of the speaker. Setting the gap is more or less setting the distance from the ground to the bottom of the speaker. Zu has a write up on this technology as well as how to set the gap correctly on their website, and I suggest any owner or potential owner of a Zu speaker go familiarize themselves with how to properly set the gap, as setting this incorrectly is incredibly noticeable. I have a carpeted floor, so I started with the recommended gap of 10mm, this proved to be the correct gap. I also tried lowering the gap to about 7mm, which made the speaker sound very light in the mid-range. It may have been slightly faster, but I clearly had lost an entire octave of bass, which measurements later confirmed. Changing the gap to be about 15mm, produced a speaker that was very bloated and was missing bass detail as well as lower mid-range detail. I tried many values in between 7mm and 15mm and eventually landed on 10mm being correct for my room."

d. Location and Toe-In

After getting the GAP ’right’ for your space, then work hard to find the best location in your space and best toe-in (use the SPL meter and CD then adjust for taste..

e. Keep them? or try some tone controls, or an equalizer

might be needed, IN THAT SPACE for any speaker). Now or in the future.

f. Let’s not rule out your hearing, may need a tone adjustment (for existing or any other speaker).

I have a hearing test scheduled. Certainly at 75, they will find something. I bought a DBX Dual Band 2231 31 band equalizer with bypass, I’m ready to try adjusting according to the hearing test results.

IF I need/get a hearing aid(s), I may still prefer the equalizer curve to the hearing aid(s), OR, as I age, I could modify just a bit without getting new hearing aids, i.e. boost highs some.

I went for a DBX 2231 dual channel 31band (1/3 octaves) EQ with Bypass.

You can find them new on Amazon, I got this one (already in USA)

EMB Professional Sound System EB831EQ Graphic Equalizer/Limiter with Type 3 NR for Home/DJ Performance/Club/Studio/Stage/Show/Entertainment

used one, from Manchester Music Hall looks good, $130. delivered

DBX - 2231 Dual 31 Band Equalizer/Limiter Rackmount Unit - x0294 – USED

g. New/Different Speakers (get return option)

h. Room Treatments

LAST IMO, you may find _____? needed for existing or any speakers in that space. SPL? Test Tones will help your choices

 

 

 

@croissantfoxwine My suggestion is to swap out the Node for a streamer that is at a level that matches the rest of your system. The helpful advice I received was that I need to start with an ideal signal before I start changing other things around. You may be compensating for upstream issues.

In my case, when I swapped my Node for an N150, I perceived the greater level of detail to be less warm or less soft sounding and the higher frequencies lost the unwanted sizzle (perhaps high frequency noise), such that I perceived the overall sound being more pure and clean and thus the highs were less bothersome then before.  

Again, this is all very appreciated and great to have the different perspectives.  

All ears are different and I understand that.  After reading through this discussion, I am inclined to pursue an upgrade to the streamer/DAC.  I've had my eye on Aurender and will likely look further into those options.  I know each experience varies, but I'm open to some suggestions on Streamer/Dac's should anyone have a relevant suggestion.  

 

Reference3A Speakers.  Some of the newer models have two mid-bass units to pump out a bit more, deeper, and better controlled bass.

Efficient, tube friendly.  Great service and support from the small company in Canada.