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Sound quality vs. volume

Looking for a bit of expertise here:

I recently made a few changes to my setup and while overall pleased with the results, I’m on the quest for better.  I’m hoping you all can help me diagnose an issue I’m hearing.

When listening to music at lower volume levels - say less than 1/2 total volume, the clarity, imaging and dynamics come across far more coherent and “in focus”.  To use an often over-coined phrase “It’s like I’m there in the room”.  As I start to push the volume up a bit, closer to live-performance levels, the sound becomes increasingly “mushy”.  I know, a highly technical term, but the best way to describe what I am hearing.  The bottom-end loosens up - getting a bit boomy, the crispness of the mid-range and highs fade and the imaging falls out of focus.  These are all incremental with volume until I get to the point where it’s just unbearable.   

I’m no expert by any means but feel it might be room acoustics.  I already know I have a less than ideal setup with a nearly square room (21x20ft) with 60% of the surface covered with clear birch wood paneling. Some things we can’t change (easily).  I do not have any acoustic treatment, just lots of soft furniture.  What I find interesting is that my old setup (Magnepan 1.6) didn’t suffer to such a degree.  Maybe with the new setup there is more to loose?  A mystery.  

For a bit more context:  
Speakers:  Dynaudio Contour 60
Streamer: SoTM sms-200 Ultra
Amplifier: Peachtree Nova500

Within the 20x21ft. room, my speakers are 4ft. from the wall, I am seated 13ft. from the front wall (a bit back from room center). Speakers are 9ft. apart.

Any thoughts?  


wanderingmoo

Showing 8 responses by wanderingmoo

wanderingmoo OP
29 posts
 
Excellent recommendations, thank you!

I’ll start with room treatment.  I figured as much but wanted some validation.  WAF is a very real concern so I will have to see what can be done.  The egg-crate look is definitely in the no-fly zone.   If anyone has recommendations on half-reasonably priced, GOOD looking room acoustics drop a recommendation here.  

I did try every variation of the foam plugs that came with the Contours.  Ended up with the bottom port plugged completely and half of the top port sealed. While I like a good solid low-end, these speakers have a full-fat sound.  What I didn’t expect was the imaging and mid-highs to suffer so much but it might all be in my head :-). 

As for the headroom comment, anything is possible but I experienced this with the Maggies years back.  Too little power so I overcompensated with the Nova500.  While I know I could have gone fancy with Naim or Moon, I figured the Nova would hold me over (and the WAF is just off the charts) with enough power.  If anyone seriously thinks my problem lies in the Nova500 I could grab my friends Diablo 300 and give it a try.  Might do that anyway just for fun :-)

If I can’t get the room to cooperate I’ll try a DSP or other gizmo.  In my limited past experience with digital room correction, the results were somewhat boring - making the music a bit sterile if that makes sense.  I’m sure technology has moved along since then.  

If all else fails, I’ll pull out a good pair of cans and call it a day.  

Thanks again, 
Steve 

wanderingmoo OP
29 posts
 
Trying to respond to a few of the comments:

I’ll try experimenting with Rockwool panels.  Sounds like a fun way to spend a Saturday.  I will also try wiring in a power Amp to see if we have a power shortage/amp headroom issue. 

As for ports, they are are almost closed.  I tried sealing them completely and backed out a bit. Speakers are 4 ft from each side wall and 4 ft from the front wall and toed in so they converge about 5 ft behind my head.  At lower volume levels, this gave me the best of imaging and clarity without making them a tripping hazard to the kids.  

I don’t have much in the room except the necessities for family entertaining when we watch movies.  No musical instruments or other gear really. 

I have a sub (REL B3) but not for music listening.  Use it for movies.  

Steve 


wanderingmoo OP
29 posts
 
@glupson: definately not that loud. About the place on the knob where you start to feel the music but way before my ears start to bleed ;-) 
wanderingmoo OP
29 posts
 
Been away a few days - I pulled out my SPL meter and mushy stars right around 80db. (A-weighted) I know someone asked.  

I took your advice and plugged the ports completely and the sound improved.  Less but much tighter/cleaning up the lower few octaves.  

I also played around with poor-man sound treatments.  This also seems to help.  I put egg-crate foam behind a few paintings and prints on the back of the room.  This reduced reflection.  I was getting some “slap” from the back wall.  No doubt more can be done here.  Wondering if ceiling treatment might help?  It’s the easiest place to treat without disturbing the look of the room. I’ll keep at it.  I have a 110” projector screen between the speakers - maybe sound panels behind the screen?  

As for the Amp.  I have no doubt mono-blocks carved out of mountains of billet aluminum would yield an improvement.  I haven’t tested that theory yet.  Stay tuned...  and thank you for all the advice!
wanderingmoo OP
29 posts
 
Agree with the comments on loudness.  Very rarely do I push things 90+db.  There are those few "classics" that demand to be played loud but that's usually more of a party than critical listening.  

We are having some electrical work done in the next few months (renovation) and I'll ask if the electrician can pull a new 20amp circuit down into my listening room.  I think this, combined with some quality plugs, sockets and cables could make an improvement.  Sometimes I think the lights dim a little when I crank up the volume ;-)

In the meantime, I have have a DIY project for this weekend to build some acoustic panels and bass traps.  Placing them behind my projector screen, along the back wall and in the window bays.   
wanderingmoo OP
29 posts
 
It would be a nice experiment to move the system off-axis but unfortunately the home theater and layout of the room prevent rearranging the system.  

I have explored hanging large blankets and do believe, while not perfect, I can make improvements.  
wanderingmoo OP
29 posts
 
Foam plugs are in. 100%. It did improve the overall sound quality. I didn’t realize how overpowered the room was with low-frequency energy.

I pulled out the frequency analyzer and it appears I have a bump from about 125-350hz. I think I might try to build a few bass traps.

I do like the Dynaudio sound and generally like a good amount of bass but these things have crazy lower-octave powah!
wanderingmoo OP
29 posts
 
Lhansaguy: Good points.  I’m trying out the Diablo tomorrow.  I’ll let you know what comes of it.  I think I have a little bit of a lot of things going on with improvements possible on multiple fronts.  

To your point about speaker placement.  I discovered that as well.  When I first received the Contours, I placed them in the same location as the Maggies and that didn’t work at all!  Had to move them out considerably and toe them in another 10 degrees or so.  

I completely agree with the trade-offs.  

Question:  I’m thinking of putting up Rockwool panels behind my projector screen - which I believe is PVC (not acoustically transparent) in order to try and absorb some of the lower-frequency reflections.  Does anyone think this is a good idea?  (2” Roxul panels) 

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