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?

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Showing 1 response by elliottbnewcombjr

Find out what your speakers are producing. Go forth with that knowledge.

FINALLY, after all these years, I bought myself a sound pressure meter, $20. Amazon.

 

mounts on a tripod, put at listening position ear level.

Then see measured output of specific frequencies, see what you are getting, in that position, with those speakers in that location.

I use this Test CD with 29  individually selectable 1/3 octave tones 25hz to 20,000 hz.

 

https://www.discogs.com/release/7290000-Various-Amazing-Bytes