2. amps-preamps
  3. 1097950144

What does "good" sound like?

I'm not sure where this topic should go, but here's the deal....My old roommate had an Adcom 5400 on my Kilpsch kg 3.5's with a Yamaha receiver and player(don't know the model #'s). We went our own ways and I decided to buy another 2 channel amp. I loved the way the Adcom sounded, but that was all I had ever heard. I did a little research and found many people loved to mate Aragon with Klipsch. So I ended up getting a 2004 mkII. It sounds way different, apples and oranges. I had no idea an amp could sound different. The problem is I don't listen to what most people listen to on here. I listen to mostly alternative/hard rock. Plus, it's in a different room with different components and wiring, although my wiring is better. I have a Yamaha htr5250 receiver and I had a Sony dvd player, it crapped out. I used to dac's from the Yamaha anyway because I thought they sounded better. With the Adcom I could really hear the guitars, they really stood out. Now with the Aragon the lead guitars are set really far back and the bass guitar and kick drum are really brought forward. I have to say, I like the Adcom better. The bass was pretty weak but the mid's and hi's were so much better. It seemed much more "alive" as you could hear guitar plucks and finger slides and much more detail. The Aragon is much better through the entire spectrum though, that thing will slam. I had no idea those little Klipsch's would go so low. So what am I missing here? Is it just that the Adcom was strong in the right frequencies and was more suited to the music I listen to? Or could it be the dac's are different? The room is different, but I doubt that's it. I don't think I have the right words to describe what it is I'm trying to say. Like, do I need better mid range or top end? I kind of want to swap out the Aragon for an Adcom 5500, but I love the aragon with movies because it has such great bass. Any suggestions? Thanks.
todd76
noonan
16 posts
 
tstan, I am a little confused here, but will offer some comments anyway. I am not clear on what the Yamaha receiver is doing in this chain,...are you using it as a pre-amp? You also mentioned that your Sony player "crapped out",...are you using a different cd player?

To answer your questions, amps DO have significantly different sounds, soundstaging, etc. However, I would not be sure the different sounds are due to the amp. It sounds like you changed rooms, cd players, wires and interconnects, and possibly other factors. The only way to be sure the different sounds are due to different amps are by listening to the exact same system, in the exact same room, and changing ONLY the amps. If your friend will let you, borrow his Adcom and put it in your current system and compare. If you still like his better, sell your Aragon and buy a used Adcom. I personally think Aragon makes a great amp for the money,...but it is what YOU like that sounds "good".
honest1
586 posts
 
It sounds to me like a room thing. I find speakers sound MUCH different in different locations, especially in the bass. My guess is that the mids and his aren't recessed as much as the bass is overwhelming them. Are the speakers closer to corners than they were before? Is the room smaller? Both of these things can boost bass. Also, check to make sure that none of the drivers (individual speakers) are damaged. Maybe you have a midrange or tweeter that isn't working. Maybe you were so excited about the new amp, you cranked it to 11? Or maybe damaged in the move? Put some music on QUIETLY and listen to each driver up close to see if sound is coming out. By the way, many of us listen to various types of popular music. I understand the stereotype (pun intended)- boring middle-aged guys closing our eyes to see if we can picture Diana Krall standing in our living room (which we do), but most enjoy a wide variety of music.
Also, what you describe is not what many people would call good. Most audiophiles value a clean, articulate, non-fatiguing midrange over all else, and would prefer weak bass to booming thumpy bass that obscures everything else. So, No, this is not what "good" sounds like.
radiob
30 posts
 
Buy a tube pre-amp, keep the aragon, and youll be 90% there with those speakers.
creeper
251 posts
 
"Good" is relative. No two sets of ears are the same. The point of this addiction is to please your own ears.

As stated above, playing around with speaker positioning can make a HUGE difference. Start there. If after some experimenting you still aren't satisfied with the results, go for an amp change. The Adcom 555 or 555 mkII are great amps for the type of music you listen to. Plus, you won't find any lacking in the bottom end. The 555s have plenty of slam factor and can be picked up used quite reasonably.
todd76 OP
13 posts
 
Thanks for the responses. The Yamaha receiver is being used as the preamp, yes. The amp doubles for home theater as well. As far as the dvd player, I haven't bought another one yet. I'm having a baby, my wife and I moved in with my parents as we are trying to buy a house, so I'm using their's. It's a Kenwood, major junk. I think I'm going to go with a Denon 1910 though. I'm trying to find one that has better dac's than the Yamaha receiver being used right now. The Sony I had before sounded pretty bland so I used the receiver's. As far as the room goes---With the Adcom, it was in a town home so things were tight. The room the Aragon was in was 18x12 with the speakers in the corner of the 12ft side. So you were a little too far from the speakers technically. The room was mostly closed in with an opening about 3/4 back on one wall 18'wall, and 2 windows and a door on the other. It was an old house and was very "loose"(old windows, big crack under the door, etc). I just set everything up here at my parents' house and I haven't gotten many oppourunities to listen to it. Let me ask about my wiring. I got it from a guy that makes them(heartlandcables.com). I think he uses Canare wire and they have Eichman Bulletplugs. Also I have his speaker cable as well. Any thoughts on that? One more ?. How much an effect does the preamp section on a receiver have on the sound? Like I say, it was a Yamaha receiver used before, but I think his was a better model than my Yamaha, just older. I've already thought about trying to compare the two amps back to back, but one of the channels is dead on his Adcom. I wish he'd fix it, lol!!! Thanks for the help.
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