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New system has fatiguing, harsh high frequency sounds. How to fix?

I just purchased my first audio and home theater system (other than a bluetooth speaker or computer speaker system). I use it for listening to music as well as watching movies. It is a tremendous upgrade and I’m enjoying it. It has clarity and detail that I have never heard before. However, I notice a harshness in the high frequency sounds when listening to music.

I would like my treble to be smooth, sweet, soft, silky and gentle. Right now it is the opposite of that. It is annoying, screechy, metallic and harsh.

I am seeking a solution to that issue. From the little I have been able to find on this subject, it seems that room acoustics might be a big part of my solution. Is that true? If not, what is my next step? An equalizer? I can’t see many options for big changes in speaker placement. At most I can move them a few inches or change the angles.

My listening room is about 11.5 feet by 11.5 feet and square except for the doorway in the back corner which protrudes into the room 18 inches x 44 inches. In the room are a bookcase, couch, end table, media center stand (holding TV, center speaker, receiver, disc player and Roku), computer & computer monitor, my speakers (and rear speaker stands), a ceiling fan and that’s about it... I’m describing the room on the assumption that the room (or its contents) are relevant to the treble problem I’m describing. (However, throwing some thick blankets over my TV and computer monitor, as a test, did not change the issue.)

Here are my home theater components:

  • Computer monitor: WASABI MANGO UHD400 40" 3840X2160
  • TV: LG OLED65C7P 65"
  • Receiver: Sony STRDN1080
  • Disc Player: LG UP875 4K BLU-RAY PLAYER BestBuy SKU 5979504
  • Streaming Box: Roku Ultra streaming player (model 4660)
I mention the monitors (and their size) in case they play a role in reflecting sounds.

Speakers:
  • Front 1: Polk Audio RTi A7 floorstanding speakers
  • Front 2: Polk Audio RTi A5 floorstanding speakers
  • Center Speaker: Klipsch RP-250C Center Channel Speaker
  • Subwoofer 1: Polk Audio PSW125 Subwoofer
  • Subwoofer 2: Klipsch R-112SW Subwoofer 
  • Rear/Surround: Polk Audio RTI A3
Speaker Layout: 5.1 layout with two pair of front speakers and two subwoofers.

The front speakers are on either side of the LG TV on the front wall (and near the room corners. The front speakers are angled in. Minimum distance to wall is 10", but measuring straight/parallel from back of speaker to wall is at least 18". From side of speaker to wall is at least a foot (one side of room has 30 inches). There is only 3" between each RTi A5 and RTi A7 speaker.

The rear speakers are behind the couch at each corner and against the back wall.

One subwoofer is in the back corner. The other is midway on the other wall and angled toward listening area.

For music, I usually prefer listening in 2-channel stereo. The dual pairs of front speakers are awesome. (I initially started out with a 7.1 layout but I prefer this layout now.) The high frequency problem exists even in 2-channel stereo. It also exists if I use only 1 pair of front speakers.

Wiring
All speakers are bi-wired, except the center (and subwoofers), which don’t support it. (Not bi-amp’d, just bi-wired*.)

Speaker wire: Mediabridge 12AWG 4-Conductor Speaker Wire (100 Feet, White) - 99.9% Oxygen Free Copper - ETL Listed & CL2 Rated for In-Wall Use

* https://www.qacoustics.co.uk/blog/2016/06/08/bi-wiring-speakers-exploration-benefits/

Banana Plugs:
  • Mediabridge Banana Plugs - Corrosion-Resistant 24K Gold-Plated Connectors - 12 Pair/24 Banana Plugs (Part# SPC-BP2-12 )
  • Sewell Silverback , 24k Gold Dual Screw Lock Speaker Connector
  • Ocelot Banana Plugs, 24k Gold Plated Connectors, Open Screw Type
BTW, my prior speakers were the Edifier e25 Luna Eclipse. I thought they sounded good and I did not remember them having these harsh high frequency sounds. After listening to my new system for a week, I went back to those for a test and they sounded horrible in comparison. The harsh high frequency sounds are much worse, and every other aspect is worse as well. (That shouldn’t be a surprise given the price ranges being compared, but my incorrect memory had been that they didn’t have this issue.)
lowoverdrive
guitarstruck
1 posts
 
I recently experienced the same sibilance problem on video dialogue when I swapped a new Sony STR-DN1080 into my existing system.  The receiver was the only change I made, so that isolated the problem.  I spoke with Sony technical support and they concluded it's a defective receiver.  So I'm going to return or exchange it.

If anyone is stuck with one of these units, I found I could tame the sibilance to almost tolerable levels by setting the calibration profile to Front Focus, setting the Equalizer treble to -10db on front and center speakers, switching the Sound Field to A.F.D., and turning off the Sound Optimizer and Pure Direct.  

BTW on the same Sony STR-DN1080 receiver, I got perfect non-sibilant vocals on music when I streamed Tidal over Chromecast, and it also gave me jaw-dropping audio quality overall on music.  So the sibilance problem seems to be specific to video sources.  
Post removed 
rxonmymind
3 posts
 
First response is my guess too. Got rid of a new Sony receiver (put on CL for free pick up. Gone the next morning.lol.) for that exact same reason. Bought an older Denon model 3803. On the other side is Yamaha rxv777 which is clear has more sparkle, a tad forward sounding and is pretty much the opposite of Denon warm, smooth and slightly laid back sound. The good news is some if the older totl receivers are a MUCH better value than any offerings today. Such as Denon 5800 or Yamaha zx series. 
Good luck
fredv8zen
3 posts
 
Here is something that I have not seen covered in this blog.  Strings (violins) sound harsh and metallic when playing classical music from my Samsung CD player, or when streaming classical music from my iPhone or MacBook via bluetooth, Airplay or Apple TV to my Yamaha Aventage RX-A2070 AVR.  The speakers are SVS Ultra Towers.  I had the same experience on Klipsch RP-280F towers. But when I listen to classical music from any public TV broadcast, or from any music and/or video app on my TV (Netflix, Amazon, PBS, Apple Music, Pandora, etc.), THE STRINGS SOUND PERFECTLY SOFT, close to what they sound like in a concert hall!  I have the iTunes equalizer settings set to "flat" on my iPhone and MacBook.  The Parametric Equalizer on my AVR is set to YPAO:flat.  Does anyone know why the harshness exists from some sources and not from others?  I am stumped!  
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