2. speakers
  3. 1327190015

Frustrated with the sound of my system

Here is my system:
Rotel RCD-965BX CD Player as transport
MSB Link 2 DAC
Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 Signature preamp
Classe 10 amplifier
North Creek Audio Borealis speakers (Custom built kit speaker...something close to a Proac Response 2.5 design)
M&K V-75 sub
Kimber and Cardas interconnects
Kimber 4TC/8TC bi-wire speaker cables.

Here is my frustration:
The sound, regardless of music, sounds stringent, hard, really lacks air, and is anything but relaxed. It is fatigueing. I can listen to my Grado 60 headphones on an iPod and the sound is frustratingly more relaxed and has what I would call air.

I don't think that my system is that outstanding, but it really seems like I should be more pleased with what I am hearing.

I would be interested in your thoughts on where the most likely opportunity is. I really like the individual components of the system (OK the Rotel/MSB set up is old and just OK), but all together they seem to be underwhelming. I am thinking it is either in improving the digital front end (new player or DAC) or moving to a planar speaker to get the sound I desire. I have thought about new player like an OPPO 93 or 95, perhaps a tube based player or DAC, or else looking at something like a used pair of Maggie 12's or 1.6's. I have always enjoyed the Maggie sound.

In either case I am thinking that $2k is the absolute max I would want to spend on any solution. Thanks in advance. If there are other questions I would be glad to supply details.
stuartbmw3

Showing 3 responses by stuartbmw3

stuartbmw3 OP
90 posts
 
Thanks for the input so far....I really appreciate it. My room is 18 X 18 with 9 foot ceiling. Double french doors on on wall (usually open), triple windows with blinds on another wall, and a sofa, chair and desk in the room. THe floor is carpeted and there are several pictures on the walls.The speakers are somewhat off center, almost placed across a corner and less than two feet off the wall. They are about 5 feet apart. Listening position is either about 12 feet from the speakers, or off axis to the right at my desk. I know the speaker placement is probably not ideal, but I do have some constraints based on room layout and aesthetics.

I do have a little of a hard time believing that placement could be the primary culprit, but I have been wrong before. I do appreciate the advice of not blindly buy a respected/well reviewed, but somehwat random product and think it would solve my frustration. I apprciate the wisdom. At the end of the day the only piece that I would really hesitate in replacing is the SFL-1 Signature preamp.
stuartbmw3 OP
90 posts
 
Guys(figuratively), I really appreciate all the lively discussion. I will have the house to myself for the majority of the week, so I will experiment with speaker placement and listening position. There is a wealth of information from you and you are really making me think hard on solving this. I will keep you posted. Any one care to give me a little info on the "Cardas method".
stuartbmw3 OP
90 posts
 
I thought I would give you some updates in terms of what I have been trying. Based on your input I moved around the room. The speakers are now centered on a wall, about 3 feet off the back wall and about 9 feet apart. The listening position is stil about 12 feet from the speakers. I had to remove the Kimber speaker wire from the mix. I used a single run of Tara Labs Prism Klara speaker wire (really inexpensive). I also changed the tube in the SFL-1 Sig to a Dutch Amperex SQ 12AT7. It has always been my favorite tube in this preamp...gold pins and pinched waist.

Finally I messed with the sub settings(cross over, volume and polarity) and also unplugged the ports on the speakers. The designer had advised me to plug the ports if mating with a sub.

The sound has imroved and opened up significantly. Not there yet, but a real step in the right direction. I still believe I have two challenges. First the digital front end is quite old and probably outdated, and then secondly the speakers are not a great fit. Prior to these speakers I had a pair of Monitor Audio MA-700 monitors. They were great speakers and I only replaced them because one of the woofers went bad. I still miss those speakers.

Anyway, thanks for all the input and help....very much appreciated.
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