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What is wrong with my system?

Hi everyone -

I’m posting here because individually I think my components are all good, but together my system is not making music, rather is is making bright bass less noise. Honestly, I’m thinking it’s no one component, but the matching of components that is causing this issue. I would like to get everyone’s opinion as to what I’m hearing. My components are as follows:

B&W 802D (first generation diamond)
Audioquest bi-wired Indigo speaker cables

Classe CAM-200 monoblock amplifiers
Audioquest Water XLR interconnect

Bryston BP26 preamp
Audioquest Water XLR interconnect

Mark Levinson 5100 cd player (PCM slow minimum phase)

thanks in advance.

Mark Levinson 5100 CD player


onehorsepony
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Someone ran a test, forget who...concerning a coiled speaker cable...there was no discernible sound difference between a coiled or uncoiled speaker cable. My left speaker cable is coiled, my right is not. Sounds fine.
Sounds like that someone was you.   

If you have enough speaker cable to coil then trust me, it is not speaker cable. It is wire. Off a reel.  

If it sounds fine to you, wonderful. You can save a tremendous amount of money. We should all be so lucky. 

verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio
1,500 posts
 
Coiled vs uncoiled speaker matters depending on whether the cable is shielded.  Unshielded cable can’t be coiled.  Shielded cable can.  
This is easily testable and is not subtle with ribbon type cable and kills bass.  Traditional wire will sound slightly warm and cause treble to roll off.  This is more subtle.  I have tested this and almost threw out a pair of Nordost speaker cables thinking they must be counterfeit until this was pointed out to me.  

kymanor1
48 posts
 
Get rid of the Bryston.  Try a Classe preamp. Matched components matter. 
coppy777
141 posts
 
Here's an inexpensive experiment for you to try.  Are you woofers putting out much sound?  Years ago I had B&W N800's bi wired and bi-amped.  Tubes on top, SS on the bottom.  Eventually Killed it all as no sound benefit.  Suggest you clear the air on connections, cable issues and a possible impedance miss-match to your amp from bi-wire.  Get some old, regular speaker cables or even lamp cord and put the links back on your speakers.  Hook the speakers up straight and listen for a bit.  You may be pleasantly surprised at the increase in sound quality balance and can shop for some warmer regular speaker cables.  Good luck.
gnaudio
53 posts
 
In my experience it’s your speakers and speaker placement.
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