System too harsh Help


I have a Parasound HALO P-21. Thought it would be good to power my Revel 30 preforma's. I will use a Halo P-3 preamp to try to match equipment but not committed to it. Might need another preamp. I was told to buy Harmonic Technology biwires pro-9. I have nordost cable Balduer running from cd Player , CD player is a conosance ref. 2.2 . Tube output.
I have two balanced cables both of which have not solved problem. Harmonic Technology precesion link and some generic silver wires, both balanced. They run from amp to current preamp Nuforce P-8.

The question is :
1. send speaker cables back. Get different one???
2. Add new cables to the signal path to correct brightness problem.
3. get a different preamp.

It sounds O.K. but highs are too crisp .

Can it be fixed witout a amp change. That damed beast cost too much to ship as well as my revel speakers.

Please help, any input would be great
128x128sansui80

Showing 2 responses by ricardo

The most effective way to reduce system harshness is to reduce SIV (Self Induced Vibration). I know what you're thinking, "It's all Edison's fault". True, but those transformers hummmm with AC.

Here's where being a physics major really pays off. I put my copy of University Physics right on top of the my hefty conrad-johnson preamp, I used my copy of Tippler's Modern Physics for the CD player because digital has a sort of quantumness. Some of those vibrapods [sp?] under might help too.

After building an amp stand out of alternating layers of MDF and closed cell foam, I put the Hammond Atlas on top of the amp because I like world music (and a rock from my wife's garden top of that, but she hasn't missed it yet).

No, you don't need expensive "audiophool" composite plates to get 99% of the effectiveness of mechanical damping, just put your education dollars to work.

Seriously, you will be amazed at degree to which you can reduce harshness by reducing mechanical vibrations in your system. Just try it. Hey, it's free.
Actually, I was blaming Edison for AC, not transformers. But I do blame transformers for hum.

My point was the big improvement you get from reducing internally generated vibrations, and that a text book does a good job of damping out these vibrations. I can see it now advertised in an audio mag:

"Hundreds of paper-thin layers impressed with pigmented resins bound by non-resonant composites..."

For the price of a typical "audiophile" solution, you can get the college education to go with the text book.