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High end sound

So I'm gonna get to the point. My system sounds kind of flat and dull

It doesn't seem to have crisp tight sound it all. It should sound much better. I think than it does. I'm wondering if it's the old speaker cables and interconnects and I have a old vintage phono cartridge it just seems like it's kind of dead sounding...Vpi classic 

Goldstein ph10

Audible  Illusions  m3a.  New tubes

Bryston 4bsst 

Magnapan  1.7i

Here comes the questionable part, the cables. I have old cables monster m one thousandHere comes the questionable part, the cables. I have old cables monster M 1 series. One speaker's cables M 1000 series.One speaker's cables m one thousand series one interconnects ..one pr.m1000 is

Talisman s cartridge retipped. I don't have a lot of extra money. My wife just died last year. Can anybody give me a hand with this? Thank you much.

 

 

But i

pointtrucking
lostsouth
10 posts
 

What type of room treatment do you have?  If you're hearing the same sound multiple times due to reflections that's a problem.  Watched a Darko video a few days ago and he believes that room treatment is the most important thing in your system.  I tend to agree with him.  Until you get that right (which is very difficult) or at least better you're working against yourself with other changes.

parkergetdean
1,032 posts
 

by pure elimination it's the amp.

elliottbnewcombjr
7,701 posts
 

I agree, get the cheapest CD player hooked up, see how your system sounds. 

Speaker wires, sometimes if bare wire, I trim to get fresh copper terminations.

Cables, connectors, jacks, it won’t hurt to spritz contact surfaces with a Contact Cleaner with Lubricant, 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006LVEU?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3

https://www.amazon.com/CRC-Contact-Cleaner-Protectant-Aerosol/dp/B007I9Y200?ref_=pd_bap_d_grid_rp_hxwhrp_sspa_dk_bia_0_1_ec_i

 

I have that Sumiko Talisman S Cartridge, Van Den Hull Line Contact on Sapphire Tube, OEM Stylus, it sounds excellent, I suspect you need to have it looked at, perhaps get it to Steve Leung at VAS for evaluation.

https://vasnyinc.com/repair-service/

Your phono stage and preamp have many settings, are you certain they are correct?

Live near me at Plainfield, NJ 07062, you could bring/listen to your cartridge/phono/preamp here.

 

hilde45's avatar
hilde45
5,994 posts
 

My room is 14 / 20 with an 8 foot ceiling. 

Thanks. As others are saying, it's about the way sound acts in those dimensions, too. Room treatments may be required -- even just a little bit -- but the dimensions by themselves don't tell that much.

billpete
396 posts
 

@pointtrucking  

You mentioned that your cartridge has been re-tipped. Has it sounded good since getting it back? If they repaired in any way, it may need a break in period. Most MC cartridges need close to 50 hours or so to sound good. This could also be true after a repair. Re-tips can go either way, some will be improved, some will be as good as they used to be and some can go the wrong way.

You also mentioned new tubes. How new? Many tubes need up to 100 hours of use before they sound like they should. 

Electrostatic speakers often need repairs, something about the ribbons and something breaking down over time. I don't remember what it is, just that it happens. Plenty of folks here will know what I'm talking about.......even if I don't. 

Good luck. I"ve chased things like this myeelf and made many changes over the years. As others have mentioned, our hearing does go downhill over the years and we may never get back to what we remember "in the good ol' days". Best of luck to you. So sorry to hear about your wife. 

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