Sibilance # 2 or "Boy, do I feel like an idiot"


I decided to try what @ghdprentice had suggested-- I took the Jay's out and tried both the Sim, then a Jolida JD100 CDP (with its DAC bypassed) and... I heard the same sibilance as with the Jay's !  

I'm baffled-- I  have no explanation and I'm sorry for wasting everyone's time. 

Before I got the Jay's (using the Sim transport.with the Hegel) I wasn't aware of any sibilance,

My wife, a decidedly non-obsessive but wonderfully perceptive bystander, is dead certain there was no sibilance before I acquired the Hegel. At that point, I used the Sim transport with a Wells Majestic integrated. 

Should I now conclude the issue is with the Hegel ?

Not that there is anything malfunctioning, but that there is a synergy issue? 

 

stuartk

Showing 2 responses by johnlnyc

” system was in balance, smooth as silk, no sibilance -- sim audio 260 cdp/transport to aqua la voce s2 dac to hegel 390 to silverline 17 monitors”

”Yes sir. The only difference between now and six months ago is the presence of the Jay's and it does not appear to be the problem”

Maybe I missed something, but, This thread is becoming a descent into audio madness. You had a system you apparently enjoyed. You for some reason, replaced your transports. Problem arose. The second quote (may be from a responder) seems to identify the culprit and the obvious solution.

 

Got it.

wandering audiophile disease.

see what happens in the pursuit of perfection…lol There were a few analogies with wine in a thread on subjective vs objective views in audio here. Your dilemma may be an adjunct to that issue.

Most often sibillance “lives”within a certain band in a recorded vocal. Engineers use de-essers and EQ etc to minimize this. You hear it. It is there. Whatever the reason, you are now able to recognize it. Casual listeners may hear it but do not recognize it…this goes for any number of flaws in recorded music. Many casual listeners don’t hear into any music. That is pick out individual instruments, timbre etc. An autotuned vocal for example, especially if handled subtly may not bother some or it can drive some crazy! There’s always a tolerance factor.

Anyway, whatever is behind it, you recognize it and I suspect you are subconsciously “looking for it” 

Not sure it was mentioned in all this but a DAC with  filtering settings may be an answer. I just got a Chord Qutest and am “playing around” with the filtering. It is subtle but as I “train” my ears to the differences….Also the interaction with the Audeze headphones I am using.

I am not familiar with your DAC.

I do think much of your issue may be your ear training facilitated by an equipment change is at least part of it. It is why top engineers always refer to the need for “good ears”