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May you help speakers amps

Hi Gentlemen,  I’ve always had a music ear. Over the last 5 years I feel I am listening to too much midrange without smooth but crisp highs. It is like I am listening to a piano playing middle octave. The treble octave is there but not crisp. Yes ok crisp but not like I am standing next to the piano. It sounds like I was listening to a record 20 years ago. I had my hearing tested. I am 62 and just have some normal high frequency loss that comes with being 62. I think I just cannot make out which of my components to match and I may have dug myself into a hole of not being able to choose the right stuff. My speaker wire is in the wall so I cannot run to the A/B input and some of my stuff lacks that anyway. I do listen to a lot of Pandora via Bluetooth and it might be that. I realize the music source isn’t so good. Yes, maybe that is it. I will go to Spotify Premium today if that is the suggestion from you. Here is the equipment I have to work with. There isn’t any fuzz, hum or abnormal components that makes me feel that there is a bad filter 

AMPS: McIntosh MC2100 (recapped), Sonamp 260x3, Sonance DSP 150, BGW 8000, Yamaha P2500 for rbh sub, Yamaha receiver STR SE 591, Denon AVR 1913 for my tv stuff only. I don’t use all of these. I just have them available. I don’t use a pre-amp. 
Speakers: Magnaplanars MGIII (like because of the smooth and forgiving imaging.  They are 2 ft from the wall). Monitor Audio Silver S1, Quadrature DSP 3a, Vandersteen 3ce

I realize that my ear is the test for what sounds the best. Would you mind telling me what the various audiophile audiophile audiophile thoughts are?  I’m sorry that I don’t have super expensive stuff that needs a separate DAC or anything. I’ve just lost my love of sitting listening to music because it all sounds like I am in the back row of an auditorium. Which components would you pick or are they all too old?  Do I need to get rid of Pandora. Any of your personal opinions?

128x128geworthomd
geworthomd's avatar
geworthomd OP
98 posts
 

I think I found a deal on a used Sony 1TB DAC, thanks to you. I am a Mac guy but there is no reason I have to use my primary laptop for this when Walmart has new Windows laptops for $300 and you say Windows has software built it. 
I guess u said I have to cancel Qobuz because there isn’t any software to support it between a laptop and the Sony DAC?  If I read you correctly?

Thank you again, new friend  I’m also on gmail if the rules allow me to say here?

geworthomd

geworthomd's avatar
geworthomd OP
98 posts
 

Update on an old post:

It all came alive:

Cambridge Azure 851a amp, Cambridge CXN streamer, Qobuz premium subscription, good cables, power conditioner and B&W 802 speakers. 
Wow, awakened to the real world of music!

Unfortunately, the Cambridge 851a was one of the many, but not all, to sustain that dreaded turns-off just after it turns on. Eventually, after 8 months of Cambridge attempted repairs, I decided to go with Cambridge’s all-in-one EVO 150 “Award Winning”…

Piece of junk!  Wow. Back to Bluetooth sound!

Cambridge’s EVO 150 does not use a toroidal supply (851a did). The EVO 150 has it’s own streamer built in so I no longer used the CXN streamer. The EVO 150 had similar RMS output as the 851a but the EVO 150 is underpowered for my B&W 802’s. The EVO 150 uses a cheaper ESS Sabre 9018 chipset instead of a Pro. The EVO 150 is a class d vs the 851a is a class a/b. 
 

The EVO 150 has a broad dynamic range but not as good as the 851a. The highs are the same with both amps. The woofers flutter at the 7-8/10 volume whereas, the 851a would make your ears bleed. 
 

The Cambridge EVO 150 falls apart in the soundstage, timber and overall midrange. Instead of being in the front row of a concert (851a) the EVO 150 sounds like you are 100-150 ft back from the stage. Instruments blur at the same notes. It is hard to tell which instrument is playing because they all sound the same from that far away. 
 

Bottom line:  Music can be great but if you have heard better before then switch to the Cambridge EVO 150, you will be out $3,000 on a junk sounding machine. I could not imagine that an amplifier could make such a difference. The Cambridge EVO 150 is class D, no toroidal power, lowest of the ESS Sabre chipsets and I wonder if there is a streamer hardware cost-savings decrease as well. Compared with the Cambridge 851a, though reliability issues with but some, the Cambridge EVO 150 is unsatisfying and a major decrease in soundstage, timber and headroom. 

geworthomd's avatar
geworthomd OP
98 posts
 

Update on an old post:

It all came alive:

Cambridge Azure 851a amp, Cambridge CXN streamer, Qobuz premium subscription, good cables, power conditioner and B&W 802 speakers. 
Wow, awakened to the real world of music!

Unfortunately, the Cambridge 851a was one of the many, but not all, to sustain that dreaded turns-off just after it turns on. Eventually, after 8 months of Cambridge attempted repairs, I decided to go with Cambridge’s all-in-one EVO 150 “Award Winning”…

Piece of junk!  Wow. Back to Bluetooth sound!

Cambridge’s EVO 150 does not use a toroidal supply (851a did). The EVO 150 has it’s own streamer built in so I no longer used the CXN streamer. The EVO 150 had similar RMS output as the 851a but the EVO 150 is underpowered for my B&W 802’s. The EVO 150 uses a cheaper ESS Sabre 9018 chipset instead of a Pro. The EVO 150 is a class d vs the 851a is a class a/b. 
 

The EVO 150 has a broad dynamic range but not as good as the 851a. The highs are the same with both amps. The woofers flutter at the 7-8/10 volume whereas, the 851a would make your ears bleed. 
 

The Cambridge EVO 150 falls apart in the soundstage, timber and overall midrange. Instead of being in the front row of a concert (851a) the EVO 150 sounds like you are 100-150 ft back from the stage. Instruments blur at the same notes. It is hard to tell which instrument is playing because they all sound the same from that far away. 
 

Bottom line:  Music can be great but if you have heard better before then switch to the Cambridge EVO 150, you will be out $3,000 on a junk sounding machine. I could not imagine that an amplifier could make such a difference. The Cambridge EVO 150 is class D, no toroidal power, lowest of the ESS Sabre chipsets and I wonder if there is a streamer hardware cost-savings decrease as well. Compared with the Cambridge 851a, though reliability issues with but some, the Cambridge EVO 150 is unsatisfying and a major decrease in soundstage, timber and headroom. 

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