Upper midrange glare prominence --

Two areas need to be addressed. The first is speaker placement including toe in. We have a tutorial on our site at the http://www.rivesaudio.com/listroom. Go to speaker placement and you can download a short white paper on some of our philosophies about speaker placement.

The second area is room acoustics. Quite often they are out of balance. Midrange frequencies need some diffusion to keep from having the glare you mention. High frequencies are often covered nicely by carpet, drapes, and other furnishings, but most of these do little for mid frequencies. The problem comes when you try to get this in balance, because most of the time when you try to absorb or diffuse mid frequencies you almost always attenuate high frequencies. If the highs were previously correct, they will become over damped, and the room will still sound bad (but different). Not knowing much about the room, it's difficult for me to comment further, but hopefully these ideas will help.

Wise comments from Rives. Nothing to add.

I've experienced midrange glare in the past that was ameliorated by adding Sonex panels on the side surfaces where first reflections took place. Toeing-in my monitors and a different amp that didn't have those same frequency prominances also lessened the glare to the point where the panels were no longer necessary.

EQ rules! You could get a Z-Systems rdp-1 for a measly 5K.

Charlie

p.s. Rives is correct, as is becoming their pattern here. (Careful, Rives, they will run you away if you start making too much sense.)

Get good line filtration for your digital!!!

Suggest you try MIT interconnects on the CD player. Also, you may want to investigate the AH! LS Noise Killer filter. This is a series filter you connect to the tweeter connectors on your speakers. It effects a subtle roll off of the highs. I have B&W DM 602s2 which have metal dome tweeters and the AH has sweetened up the sound nicely. It only costs $50, but I don't think it is returnable.

I'm afraid it's the speaker. You've outgrown them.

My system used to have the same thing. I partially solved it by upgrading powercords from stock to aftermarket ones. I permanately solved it when I moved into a new place. I believe lots of new fabricated housing, you know the ones in california where every house in the neighborhood looks the same, are not acoustically sound.

Throw away any digital components and you'll be fine.

You can experience Totem Beak on top of your speakers. Many dealers would offer you this product to try for 30 days and will refund your money if you won't find it usefull.
I was able to setup midrange the way I like to hear it most and can't now imagine my speakers with no beak.

Cwlondon suggestion hits the apple since midrange fatigue problem is present in many digital with no exception to high definition digital components. Spending money for digital can only become frustrating and useless.

I believe it's your source. If you were to use the CDP as a transport and get a Perpetual Technologies P-3A DAC modified by Dan Wright and a good digital cable, this would add a lot of sweetness to the midrange and achieve better detal overall, not to mention better bass impact. I believe Dan sells them modified - SignatureII mods. I have one and It's superb - no glare.