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Tube or Trasistor

Hello friends
Hope you all had a good New Year!!
I live on the far south coast of Australia, the nearest hi fi shop, is a three hours drive!!, so can some one give me advice??, as I have found the sound on a lot of music to be a bit harsh, below is My gear!!
1. Once Analog TT, loaded with a loaded Denon/Zu 103 cartridge
2. JLTI phono stage, with power supply, (sold state), made in Switzerland by Allen wright
3. PS Audio, pre-amp with build in DAC
4.Pair of PS Tube Mono Blocks, these are highly regarderd, running KT 88's output tubes, made in Hong Kong, silver point to point wiring!!
5. Pair of Zu Soul MK 2 speakers
Friends, some modern recordings sound great, but as I have mint collection of music, some sound harsh!!
My last system, sounded great, in the bass region, but was lacking in the top end, just a bit!!
My last system was, below, please don't ask why I don't have it any more, very personal!!
1. Well tempered Labs Classic, with a Dyavector 17 D 3
2. A local made Tube pre amp, with phono stage, made by a person in Canberrra, I don't have his name!!, This system is approx 20 years old??
3. Bedini class A transistor amp, around 100wps
4. Shahinian Arc Speakers!!
Although i has been nearly twenty years, since the last time I heard this system, I don't remember, this system sounding "harsh"!!
The only thing I can think off, is the pre amp was" tubed", and the amp was solid state, now it is the otherway around, the phono stage, and pre amp are solid state!!, whilst the mono blocks, are tubed!!
Am I missing something here??, Before I change my system, with a cost I can't really afford, can some one give me advice?? Thanks in advance
David Spry
Australia


128x128daveyonthecoast
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Presuming the system sits in the same room as the old one did, and that’s a HUGE if...  If the room is different, all bets are off. But playing along, two components jump out at me that would possibly lead to what you noticed in a big way:
1. Zu loudspeakers vs the Shahians
2. Once Analog TT with Denon cartridge vs the Well Tempered with Dynavector
whoopycat
165 posts
 
I did hear Sean Casey of Zu on a podcast the other day talk about how he hates the sound of KT88 tubes. Your amp might not be the best match for the Soul.

With that said, I agree with the poster above... try pointing your speakers straight out with no toe in.
rcprince
3,059 posts
 
I'd side with Reubent on this one; my recollection of Shahinian speakers was that they would sound less bright than traditional speakers due to their omni-directional design.  I agree with the suggestions about speaker placement and room treatments before you make any changes.
mickeyb
534 posts
 
The tubes man! I dislike kt88 tubes. Also, tube preamp is the way to go with ss amp. 
Try a different set of tubes first. Then try a tube pre. 
coldears
76 posts
 
I currently run Zu Omen Def. Though a vastly different speaker than the Zu Soul the Zu sound is still there.
I also prefer a sound that won’t tear your head off and don’t like picking music to suit my system. Here is what I have found the past two years of ownership. ( personal bias included of course) 

1) I like tubes better than solid state with these speakers. Tube type and quality, I like the Mullard el 34 or Nos Tesla el34, RFT. Amps that have worked well for me. Quicksilver, Unison S6, Luxman SQ 38u, Allnic t1500 but all needed tube rolling.
2) Placement is critical. They need room to breath, near field didn’t  work for me. Toe in, speaker height all extremely important and listening chair below tweeter axis. If you have a lively room you need to settle it down.
3) The Zu mission speaker cables work well with them, with Interconnects I liked copper better than silver.



When set up and synergy is dialed in these speakers will at times startle you but it will be a journey.




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