To tone control or not to tone control


I recently stepped up to a Conrad Johnson PFR preamp to mate with my CJ MF-2200 amp (200 wpc). Was previously running an Adcom GTP-450 pre/tuner which had bass/treble controls which help to compensate for those recordings which are recorded poorly. Though the CJ PFR sounds really good on most of my cd's there are some of my favorite artists whose recordings are really pitiful. Is there a good tone control which I can use on the PFR to use for these poor recordings? Is there a way to connect both preamps to one system. I do have an older cdp that I could connect to the Adcom preamp for the poor cd's and use the main system for the good stuff. I have also thought of trying a subwoofer to help with filling in the bottom end since most of the poor recordings are R&B and Rock N'Roll and that is where they seem to be lacking the most. The rest of my system consists of a Sherwood Newcastle 980 cdp and Infinity RS 5000 speakers (12 yrs old) and next to be replaced. As always your help is appreciated
128x128artemus_5

Showing 8 responses by gregm

Artemus, you cannot compensate for what is not on the S/W in the first place so adding a tone control will distort your sound, rather than fix it. If it's not there, or it is but the system is not picking it up, you can't add it after the fact... I think that, simply, your system is now more revealing of weaknesses in recordings and other system components. (Check out yr CDP; maybe yr new pre is revealing weaknesses in yr source equipment, or maybe there's bad synergy there.)

You can, however, make sure U extract the most information out of these and other recordings by tweaking the system: play w/ speaker placement, cables (ALL cables), dampening 1st reflection points, cones... and the sound may become better than before on "bad" recordings and awesome on good ones. IMHO, DON'T add anything between yr source and yr front-end amplification. As a kid I thought that Stones' recordings were terrible because Jagger wanted it that way; I was surprised at the amount of detail and musical involvement I got when I first tweaked my system and listened to Sticky Fingers again... 20 yrs after.
Regards.
Enjoying music is what counts -- so do try Bruce's suggestion before U spend mega $ on the likes of Cello. While you're at it, also try the cdp w/out isolation; it might help the bass...
And don't worry about purists: we're all in this for the music (methinks). Cheers!
Great idea, Dekay! Artemus, grab it! Have heard a X-tone and it wasn't bad... easy to use, too (U can switch back & forth). Sorry, it didn't come to mind.
Greg
Hi Artemus, wish I could help more. As Dekay, I never used this in my system. Sonically, the mid-range darkened only by a tad, the bass was boosted and the highs became more pronounced and a bit harder -- but at least, one got a simulation of highs... I remember (may be wrong on this) the x-tone being connected between source component & line input; this setup may sound better than going thru the tape-loop.
Not much to go on, I'm afraid.
But, do play around with your adcom, as bruce & dekay suggest, it may offer an acceptable solution.
Artemus, I would be interested in the results of the tone-control "tricks" suggested above -- if U have the time & feel like it, do give us feedback.
Thanks!
Guys (gals), don't know if I offended someone(s), I have got -2-2 on all my posts on this thread. Whoever it is, help me do better rather than expect me to understand what i obviously do not. We're here to exchange info, experience around music and its reproduction -- or am I wrong?
Artemus, Bob, referring to Bruce's suggestion & your results. I have an old Cambridge pre with tone controls. I'll try it out and get back to you if anything musically worthwile... emerges...
Yours, (in further negative votes)!
Artemus, I tried the old pre (BTW, a NAD; not Cambridge -- sorry), between the CDP & the main pre. Although it doesn't overload on low volume, the sound is, well... like throwing a blanket over the speakers. Strangely enough, the tone controls' effect increased with volume on the NAD; on the other hand, that's what ended up overloading the main pre --and distorting...
Oh well...