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How to tame a bright system?

Hi all,

I have been facing a problem, the brightness of my system:

Bluesound n130  --- Chord dave ---- audioquest fire (xlr) ---- Etude  ---- copper wire ---- B&W 606s2.

 

The brightness shows up, particularly after I upgrade the cable from the chord company clearway (RCA) to the AQ fire (XLR).  AQ fire really improved everything. However, the high frequency is too cristal to my ears (especially the "ding, ding" sound from the piano, I believe most of the people would love it but not me .... ).  I like the cheap clearway, but it does not have the excellent bass and the dynamic offered by fire. I also tried with AQ Mackenzie (copper) which gives a proper sound but lacks space. I also found the vocal of fire is a bit forward (I am not really big fun of forwarding vocal).

Can someone help to recommend a cable that has everything of clearway but more dynamic and extension at the low end? I think this would be an ideal cable for my current system.

 

If possible, please help to focus on the cable rather than the other components. I know there is a lot to improve, but not at the moment.  Thanks a lot guys!  ;-) 

 

 

 

tension255
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,866 posts
 

Did you try the toe in/out suggestion?   Easy to try and nothing to lose. 

tension255 OP
13 posts
 

Yes, I tried toe in/out. Toe-in works a bit but not as much as the xtrm cable. Yet, the cable is not day/night. Thanks a lot for the suggestion. I can enjoy more than a few days ago. ;-)

 

snarfie23's avatar
snarfie23
39 posts
 

I give you a example of my room accoustics.

The Grey line is the measured frequency response. Do you really think you could compensate (sometimes in the higher frequencies a 14db difference) that with any cables, dac, speakers etc etc forget it it is an endless quest that you go into. My or other speakers sounded extremely bright by using the white target curve my sound became completely balanced. If you have a room without any room modes thats another situation but in 90% of the rooms that is not the case. Measuring is knowing.

 

tension255 OP
13 posts
 

Thank you for the room eq suggestion. I tried a YAMAHA ypao long time ago not for the 606s, but for another setup. What I heard was proper response but at the cost of a lot of details. Thereafter, I dare not try anymore. Could you help to comment a bit more on the room eq while maintaining details as much as possible? Should be something added between the DAC/pre and the AMP?

snarfie23's avatar
snarfie23
39 posts
 

Sure. First off all it is not only software but also hardware that you can add like an carpet, absorption pannels, bass traps. But for practical reasons it is for lots of us not practical. The current room correction software is these days quite good like Dirac, Lyngdorf, REW, Minidsp an mathaudio for instance. Mathaudio is the only free software in combination with Foobar2000 where you don’t need lots of knowledge. For practical use an to find out if Room EQ works for you (an to avoid spending lost of money) connect your DAC to your laptop an connect the DAC to your Amp.

Download the Foobar Mathaudio Room EQ add inn an use Foobar2000 on a windows or OS apple system.

Buy a measuring Mic for instance an UMIK-1 Mic with a Mic standard for best an stable results. Do a multiple measurment as describe on the Mathaudio.com site Vertical.

Listen to the result as you can see in my picture use Room EQ or Bypass.

Decide from there what to do. Most important thing is that you Know what sort of frequencies are amplified or not. When buying a measuring mic atleast you know from than on which speakers to choose from comparing with your room acoustics.

Good luck.

 

 

 

 

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