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Speakers for aging audiophiles - What's with today bass emphasis ?

I'd love to pick your brains on a issue and possibly a suggestion
My system has 2 sources, a Logitech transporter and Thorens 126 MKIII / SME / Supex.  Ampli recently changed to a Musical Fidelity M6si. My listening is 80% streaming and 20% vinyl. It's mostly classic and prog rock but also acoustic jazz and classic chamber music.
I have an issue with my current speakers setup: Dynaudio BM6 passive.
I have been using those for some months now and find that while they are satisfying in terms of scene, detail, resolution they are exceedingly strong in the bass (say 50 to 200 Hz) and not adequately balanced in the middle / treble, say from 1k Hz up. It seems as though the bass player stand in front with a big amplifier and everyone else is back in the stage.
I have changed the amplifier to the Musical Fidelity but while I am happy with that I did not see much change in respect to the issue I am describing.

I relate this issue to 2 causes:

1. Today's recordings emphasizes the bass unrealistically. Let me just give you an example. I recently bought Steve Wilson remix of Marillion "Misplaced Childhood". Great work. The mix is shining but compared to the old vinyl I have got you get this feeling of too much bass. Bass quality is great, well defined, solid, no complain but just too much of a good thing.

2. I am ageing, over 60 now. It is well know that as you age your sensitivity to the high frequencies falls down

Given those factors I'd like to change speakers to get something that:
- Is very open on the highs
- It's very analytical
- Does not over emphasize basses
- Bookshelf
- Ballpark cost 2 - 2.5 K

Can anyone make suggestions ? I was inclined to the Harbeths M30 but read several blogs where they say they do emphasize the bass. Maybe Dynaudio Special or Focus  ? How about Totem Sky ?

I don't mind spending a few more bucks to get what I want / need.

Thanks a lot everyone.

Mark.
marklings
Post removed 
marklings OP
61 posts
 
Thank you all for all the exceedingly useful suggestions.

I have done some experimenting moving my speakers away from the walls up to some 40". Not much change ! It sounds as if the problem is the room. There' a very clear spike at 70Hz and another one at 140.

The one at 70 is really impressive. By alternating a signal at 70 and 80 it's like the 70Hz signal sounds 5 times louder than the 80Hz one !

I could use a parametric EQ or better still a DSP solution. Any suggestion on room treatment not too invasive ?
Thanks a lot,
Mark
rhljazz
1,255 posts
 
A couple of things:  No room treatment will be able to cure a bass peak as you describe.  So that’s out.

 I looked up your speakers and Dynaudio lists them as near field monitors.  You say you’re sitting 10 feet away.  Wrong tool for the job?  

Is this a new house or room?  If not, did the room ever sound satisfactory?  Unfortunately bad rooms will remain bad rooms.  You can put lipstick on the pig but it’s still a pig.

So, let’s say it is simply a bad room. Your best chance at improvement would be a sealed box alignment perhaps with a smaller woofer that would be less likely to energize the rooms 70hz bass mode.


geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Actually, that’s what Helmholtz resonators are for, getting rid of bass peaks. For low frequencies a large Helmholtz resonator might be required. I once built a 15 foot long folded horn Helmholtz resonator to take care of a 70 Hz standing wave.
erik_squires
16,119 posts
 
The professional answer is to use bass traps (including helmholtz resonators) in addition to EQ. I find GIK Acoustic’s Soffit Traps exceedingly helpful. Good treatment in the bass can make speakers sound tighter and bigger. Specially tuned resonators can work.... but I find broad bands (relatively) traps plus EQ the most convenient and best combination of features. 

They dampen the ringing enough to allow EQ’s to work both with peaks and nulls.

Yeah, I have measured +20 dB at 30-40 Hz in an average living room once, in a narrow band. Made turning the sub up impossible. Kill the peak, and you can bring the sub up to better mesh with the mains.

Best,

Erik
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