Dynaudio C1 vs current speaker-Wilson Benesch ARC


Components: Conrad Johnson Premier 350, CJ Act 2 Series 2 Pre, Audio Research CD7, MIT cables & power cords. Stillpoints ESS suspension rack with sound pucks. Room: 12x12. My room is far from perfect. It's my small office with lots of small shelves, but the sound can be amazing at times, depending on the recording. The ARCS are about 7 feet apart, but within a foot from the wall (no choice) and have tremendous detail, have good resolution at the lowest level (#1), but can be quite fatiguing after an hour or so. I listen for 7-8 hours a day at times. Just curious if the C1's would make a difference.
mikebs
i really don't know. my try acoustics handbook off amazon. or call Rives/ASC and beg :)
C1 need to be further than 1 ft in the room.

ARC are great speakers....but you may have to try something like Focal Micro Utopia BE that is front ported.

the brightness you are hearing is most likely room related---a square room is aweful for that.
I had ARCs in a small room and they were never forward or fatiguing. BAT tubes, Nordost, Marantz sa-7. Frankly one of the best speakers I have owned (very coherent) and at times wish I still had them. Placement near the wall is not an issue with that speaker. Do you listen at loud volumes? Maybe listening at levels beyond your room size. Sounds like you like the speaker. I would look for another source of your forward sound.
MIT gets significantly better in terms of the quality of the signal as you move up... there are however not terribly forgiving.

Maybe something that comes across easier on the source.. or preamp. Voodoo Black Dragon? It'll actually work on anything! Not a lot of money either. An Elrod Sig III on the big ol' CJ SS would help as well, if ya want to buy accordingly to the component.

BTW.. got a power cond in the mix there? that's a thought too. Might just be the power itself.

I've heard the preamp, and got the impression from talking to and reading about the CJ SS that it's mighty revealing as well and can be too articulate up top for some or just hard in the wrong setup. Some nice RCA tubes in the pre could be the deal. I use a mix of them and bugle Boys in my pre.

you've nice gear there.. just look at the peripherals, and accessories before getting rid of anything.
I've tried some different cables. I believe the ARCs are very detail oriented in a very forward manner. Blindjim -- the power chord may be something to try. I've got low end MIT power chords on all pieces of equipment. I'm going to audition the C1 when possible. Thanks for the input.
Michael
Given you like what you are getting for the most part via the current speakers... and If you seek to lessen the 'fatigue' factor, I'd recommend a couple or at least one power cord change, and or, one pair of interconnects, rather than exchanging your speakers.

I prefer to tweak, massage, or reconfigure and address what's on hand over replacing good stuff with other good stuff and ignoring perhaps some existing issues that won't be addressed by so doing.

Things might be as simple as addressing reflections with some corner treatments or panels at point of first reflection.
Of course they would make a difference. The question is will this be a difference you like? I have not heard the WBs but I have heard the C1s and they are easily the best stand mounted speaker I have ever heard, and that includes the Special Twenty-Five, and the Usher BE-718, and the Mini Utopias. I have not heard the Magico minis yet. Unfortunately I can't think of any speaker,with the exception of say the Audio Notes, that will perform well with the restriction of room placement that you have imposed on your ARCs. To be blunt, that type of placement is simply applying to large a handicap for any speaker to hope to overcome.