In the past, I've thought something was wrong when I installed a new, higher quality component and then later came to realize it's greater transparency was revealing flaws elsewhere in my system. To solicit better informed opinions and suggestions, how about telling us something about your system's sources and speakers. Also, what about the room? Is it bright sounding with bare walls and flooring or is it well damped? None of this may be a factor, but it could be.
Just got Audible Illusions L1, but it sound harsh
I just got a Audible Illusions L1 preamp to replace my Rotel RC 1070. I can hear it is much more detail, it sounds more forward and bigger sound stage. But I also found it too harsh. Especially in vocal, the "s" sound is very loud and quite alloying. I don't have it in my RC 1070, but at the same time, it doesn't sound as musical. It is just like sing behind a curtain. I don't hear that detail, but also, those annoying "s" sound is "filter" out. Is it a characteristic of this preamp? Is there any thing I can do? I am using a Rotel RB 1080 amp. Should I try another preamp? Or try another amp?
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Quote from Joe's Tube Lore. "Special warning to Audible Illusions preamp users: The one thing you can say for the Sovtek is that you can run it hard and it can take it - and apparently thats exactly what AI does. Unfortunately the classic NOS tubes in this family just cant take this kind of treatment and will rapidly fail when used in these units (and some of you guys have the fried tubes to prove it!). So you AI users are probably best off limiting yourselves to the Sovtek, the Russian 6H23N & 6N1P, the 7DJ8 and the E288CC. There may be others the range of tube types and variations is quite literally bewildering but these are the ones Im aware of that should be able to handle the higher stresses of this brand of preamps. I review the Edicron, Siemens E288CC and 6H23N here but there are other brands for some of these. Ive seen Phillips E288CCs & Amperex 7DJ8s advertised on some web sites in the past and there are probably others. It might be worth your while chasing them down & evaluating them for yourself to increase the number of alternatives for use in your AI." http://www.audioasylum.com/scripts/d.pl?audio/faq/joes-tubes.html#6DJ8 I would think EH tubes would hold up just as well in the AI.... |
Thank you very much for all the reply. I tried other better audiophile test disc, it doesn't have this problem. So, I think it is that particular CD's problem. Although the Rotel RC1070 don't have that problem, but then when I listen to other discs, it is not as good as the AI. The tubes are 6h23n-eb, and the seller said there are less than 50 hrs on it. The rest of my system: Sony BDP350 Blu-ray player Maverick Audio tube magic DAC AI L1 preamp Rotel RB1080 poewr amp B&W CDM9NT speakers cheapy power cord and interconnects However, I have 2 PS audio statement SC power cord, and a soundsilver interconnect coming. |
I would buy a matched set of 6h23neb tubes from the Tube Store and let them burn in for a day or so. I am using those tubes in my Modulus 3A preamp and it has been a revelation. The Sovtek 6922 tubes that Art Ferris previously used in your preamp are no longer of the same quality and can sound harsh and shrill. |
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