thanks, but I am convinced this issue is not a function of speaker placement. I have a dedicated room, and have had all this equipment for 6 months with ample opportunity to experiment with placement wherever I like. Just to be sure, after reading your thread I moved the speakers around with one of the discs known to sizzle at me (Bebel Gilberto eponymous). While moving the speakers impacts the bass, imaging and soundstage it has little impact on the sibilant treble.
Recommend analog sounding CDP with volume control.
I have been doing alot of research on this. Price range is $2500-$3500 for a used unit. This price range seems to provide alot of options, but based upon comments and reviews my main contenders are the Audio Aero Capitole Mk2 and the EAR Acute. You can view my system in virtual systems, but it is basically a Cary CD 303/200 with volume control fed directly into a Spectron Musician II amplifier and Totem Forest Speakers.
There is only one issue I am trying to fix, as I think the system is pretty amazing as it stands. The only problem is with vocal music (I listen mostly to rock, trip hop and vocal jazz). Many recordings get pretty sizzly with sibilance. I find that I would like to listen louder, but the aggressive sibilance causes me to reach for the "volume down" button. (And BTW, I don't listen very loud, usually sound pressure at the listening position is in the low to mid 80's dB).
I believe the amp and speakers are capable of faithful reproduction of whatever is fed to them, and I am starting to believe the sibilance comes from the CD player. The Cary has an oversampling button, which definitely changes the sound pretty dramatically. With oversampling "on" the sibilance recedes slightly, but overall it sounds like the engineer used excessive compression, i.e, instruments do not decay as naturally, and they do not have nearly the air around them. Bottom line - using the oversampling feature is an unacceptable (and incomplete) solution.
Because this change in CDP processing has such a dramatic impact on the sound, I am starting to believe that the digital source is the key to audio nirvana. I am therefore gravitating toward a higher end, more modern CDP with the latest processing technology. I am specifically inclined to try something with a tube stage.
I would appreciate any comments about the AA and the EAR, but also would love to hear other options that you know and love.
There is only one issue I am trying to fix, as I think the system is pretty amazing as it stands. The only problem is with vocal music (I listen mostly to rock, trip hop and vocal jazz). Many recordings get pretty sizzly with sibilance. I find that I would like to listen louder, but the aggressive sibilance causes me to reach for the "volume down" button. (And BTW, I don't listen very loud, usually sound pressure at the listening position is in the low to mid 80's dB).
I believe the amp and speakers are capable of faithful reproduction of whatever is fed to them, and I am starting to believe the sibilance comes from the CD player. The Cary has an oversampling button, which definitely changes the sound pretty dramatically. With oversampling "on" the sibilance recedes slightly, but overall it sounds like the engineer used excessive compression, i.e, instruments do not decay as naturally, and they do not have nearly the air around them. Bottom line - using the oversampling feature is an unacceptable (and incomplete) solution.
Because this change in CDP processing has such a dramatic impact on the sound, I am starting to believe that the digital source is the key to audio nirvana. I am therefore gravitating toward a higher end, more modern CDP with the latest processing technology. I am specifically inclined to try something with a tube stage.
I would appreciate any comments about the AA and the EAR, but also would love to hear other options that you know and love.
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- 8 posts total
- 8 posts total