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So Much "Harshness"

In perusing the various boards, both here and elsewhere ("we toured the world and elsewhere")one theme that seems to be prevalent is "my system sounds harsh" or "this cd player seems harsh", etc.

Why are complaints of "harshness" so common? Are people selecting the wrong components based on dealer demos where the "brighter" components sound better due to additional detail? Is it caused by a taste for music which is intentionally mixed bright to be heard better on transistor radios? (The radios are gone, but the mixing tradition lives on, doesn't it?) Are they simply listening louder than their systems will tolerate without deteriorating? I think this is pretty common. It costs a lot of money for a system that will deliver audiophile sound at high volume.

What do you think?
chayro

Showing 5 responses by sns

sns
3,735 posts
 
I have some HEXFRED bridge rectifiers going in my Cayin phono stage power supply later this week. Bypassing electrolytics with film bypass caps next week. I have always heard power supplies are critical to maximizing performance, we shall see.
sns
3,735 posts
 
Yes, there is plenty of 'enhanced' resolution out there. Earlier increases in my system's resolution were often accompanied by increased low level detail (the black background thing) accompanied by increasing levels of 'harshness'. Eventually, I got sick and tired of this kind of resolution and decided to go in the refinement direction. In my system this has been marked by more neutral tonality, increased harmonic development and the sense of real performers in room soundstaging,imaging). 'Real resolution' requires much time and effort.
sns
3,735 posts
 
I do think today's higher resolution equipment plays a large role in the epidemic of harshness. I don't recall hearing this kind of harshness in systems years ago. Higher resolution is quite often obtained by boosting upper mid and high frequencies, this acerbates harshness in recordings.

I've also found rather mundane parts quality in a lot of equipment. Upgrading capacitors and resistors can result in even higher resolution and much greater refinement.

I find too many recordings are excessively bright, again a problem with boosting upper mid and high frequencies.

All of this resolution does require careful system matching, getting the highest resolution and refinement is a delicate balancing act, easily the most difficult thing I've encountered in audio.
sns
3,735 posts
 
Picking up on what Al said. Some complain about the perfection of recorded classical music, how unatural and dehumanizing it is. Its gotten to the point where some are disappointed with live performance because there are mistakes.

Chashmal, I don't think a great deal of this brash sound can be fixed with tubes. I have nearly all tubes in my system, still hear plenty of brashness, harshness and glare from poor recordings.

Its true, too many contemporary recordings sound like crap, a major reason my collection is only 15% contemporary. Too many remasters of old recordings are also bright, glary and hard.
sns
3,735 posts
 
Learsfool, and then maybe its just that particular conditioner you tried. I've had a variety of conditioners in my system, a few did some of the things you speak of, others work wonderfully.
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