How to tame brightness

A lot of solid advice here. One thing I will add is I would suggest changing your Integrated Amp. I owned one for a very brief period and had system-brightness issues with a pair of JM Labs. I actually borrowed a friends less expensive Cambridge Audio Integrated and the issues disappeared. Not to mention, it sounded significantly better than the Audio Refinement.

At that point, I ended purchasing an Electrocompaniet ECI-3 Integrated which I enjoyed for years with the same speakers and source. Anyway, that AR amp has a sonic hardness quality to it which may be your culprit. I would almost put money on it.

Good Luck!

-Chris

Chayro

The cd's in mention were by the bands Nathan and Dala...fantastic music but definitely done in the bright sort of folkie tang LOL!!!

And with my setup, the Epos are about 12ft apart and I listen about 11ft back!! Both speakers are toed in slightly as well.

Cheers!!!

Spike your CD player (and your whole system if necessary) into a maple platform(s).

Get an equalizer.

Based on the measurements and the comments in this review of the Epos M12.2, which I am assuming is not particularly different than the M12 in relevant respects, the comments by Duke (Audiokinesis) about listening height appear to be right on the mark. As well as the comments by Sideways about tubes.

The M12.2 has a considerable frequency response peak centered just below 1kHz, and another one around 4kHz, which the review indicates can be mitigated by listening from a point a few inches below tweeter level. That listening height apparently helps to smooth the upper treble response as well.

Furthermore, the impedance vs. frequency characteristic of the speaker is, in the upper mid-range and lower treble, close to being the exact inverse of the frequency response plot. Meaning that with a typical solid state amplifier having near zero output impedance, more power will be drawn at exactly the parts of the spectrum where the response peaks occur, presumably either causing them or further reinforcing them.

So first try various listening heights. If that does not satisfactorily resolve the problem, consider changing to a tube amp having relatively high output impedance (= low damping factor), although not too high or you will degrade bass performance.

Regards,
-- Al