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I want to be moved and have the music touch my soul!

Hello all.
To start here's my system:  Harbeth Compact 7es-3 speakers with DIY 10" subs. JL Audio CR-1 crossover. Rotel RB 981 power amp for the subs. Ayre KX5mp pre amp. SMC Audio DNA1 Gold power amp. Cardas reference neutral interconnects. Kimber 8Tc speaker cables. Oppo BD105 player. 

The system sounds great but it does not move me. I want the music to touch touch my soul. I have been through many different speakers in the past 4 years but I like the Harbeths the most. I feel bored when I'm listening. I'm not sure what to do other than spend more money. Any help?
Thanks in advance.
Ben  
honashagen
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Honashagen, most so called audiophile speakers (Lord knows I’ve had a lot of them) sound restrained.  I could not enjoy the music!  I’ve just recently discovered that to go forward I had to revisit the past.  I got a pair of JBL 4429 Synthesis monitors and now the life is back...the soul is back.  They sound more alive than most other speakers.  Live music is crazy dynamic and delivers energy that you can feel...and it sounds uncompressed at any volume.  The JBL’s do just that!  Even the new L100 would blow the Harbeth away.
bstatmeister
534 posts
 
High dynamic range music could do the trick. Try Mike Oldfield's Amarok if you want one of the best hours a music loving being can have.
yaluaka
38 posts
 
Reading what you’ve written I can understand why you would be missing ‘soul’ in your situation. You’ve set up your stereo for clarity, and what I find to be a negative so incredibly common in the audiophile world, “accuracy.”  To me, those are almost anti musical terms and destinations. They are for those whose music serves to show off the abilities of their stereos. I find musicality, soul if you like, in the opposite direction. 
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Yaluaka is wise!
dobnbav
57 posts
 
Try getting a quality source by at least having ModWright turn your bright, somewhat clinical Oppo into a real quality source component and while you’re at it, Dutch the Rotel for something better too. When you’ve done those things, if you’re not so happy, the output is only as good as the source. One last thing, if you have a good collection of cds, try an actual dedicated CD player. Everything else is compromised being “universal”, master if none....full disclosure, I gave a 105 but not for CDs. Only SACD and BluRay video and BluRay Audio only discs.
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