Help-sibilance!

Thanks for all the good input guys. I do believe it is the highly efficient Newforms that are revealing the problem which could be with my amp and digital front end, which while nice budget pieces, probably tend toward the "etched" side. I guess this is the typical high end goose chase. Get a really good new component and realize all the shortcomings of lesser equipment you were happy with before. Can anyone offer me a very cheap tweak that will totally solve the problem? Like Vibrapods and a brick on my preamp? Something tells me this won't be this easy! Mike

Zen: What is your transport and also your cables? Sorry, I thought that the Rotel was your player. Also, I beleive that Doug at this site had or has the Newform's. Doug?

no, i don't have newforms - i'm holding out for a custom pair w/accuton midwoofs replacing the scan-speak revelator midwoofs - these ceramic drivers are even *faster* than the scan-speaks, & i tink they'll mate that much better w/the newforms' electrostatic tweeter.

regarding sibilance, i also find it to be recording-dependent, but i definitely agree that it can get worse as a systems' resolution increases - especially a speakers' resolution. i also think it's partially a product of digital sound. my analog set-up seems less-afflicted... prior to getting a tubed preamp, i had to run my cd-player thru a z-man ase, in order to be able to even listen to digital. but, w/the rogue 66 pre, i'm surprised there isn't the same synergy i found.

perhaps timvis is right - too much negative feedback on yer amp - perhaps the mfr can tell ya how much (if any) there is in the design. my electrocompaniet amps don't seem to have this problem... :>) rotel lists a 991 amp *and* a 991 cd-player - which unit is yours, zenaudio, & what's the other piece?

perhaps also sfar is right, & this recording is particularly bad in this respect. i don't have this specific recording, but i should get it & see - i have just about all lyle lovetts' other albums, & i've seen him live several times, so it would be interesting to hear - i don't think lyle has a sibilance problem normally... i think he has one of the best voices around, ackshully, and great lyrics to boot! ;~)

doug

I belive the DAC and 991 are good products but in your system you require a better source.Suggest you try out a few new sources and see what happens.The rest of your stuff is very nice. You might want to try a different interconnect.

Thanks again guys. A little more info. I have the 991 amp (200WpC), a Pioneer 414 and an older Sony ES 5 disc carousel both hooked to the Link DAC 1. Obviously this is budget digital gear which could be the culprit. Some stations on my digital cable tv sound horrible, others decent, DVD's sound great. I sold my TT when I bought the Rogue since I have the remote version which has no phono. IC's are Sonic Euphorias from Jeffssoundvalues and the DAC is connected with a Tekline digital and an MSB optical I believe. I think I need a better digital source and a better amp. I was considering going with the hotrodded MSB, but also need to look at the Bel Canto, Perpetual, and EVS. Any amps out there with a thwacking bottom end but smooth on top? Mike