Equalizer or acoustic room treatment or?


I have a high end stereo system: sony sacd-1, musical fidelity ss amp promitheus audio tvc, snell reference A-5 towers ($20,000) ( towers with external crossovers and huge stereo subs (approx 4'x2'x2') driven by parasound ss amps. The room is 24' by 12' with speakers at the far end. Room is carpeted and has furniture.
Here is the issue. The sound is extremely accurate and revealing. Its so accurate I find it fatiguing to listen to. I think this is due to starting w/ cd's which I always thought had too much of an "edge" to the sound combined w/ very accurate components.
I would like to smooth out or soften up the sound. So far everything I have played around with takes away from the accuracy and detail (slightly) without softening/smoothing enough.
Suggestions? EQ? Room treatments?
I have tried different dacs, tube buffers and they did not cut it.
Look at it this way: I think I hear the sound exactly as it enters the mics. I think i would prefer the sound as you get it as a listener sitting at a live performance.
martyhk0
Purchase a phonic paa-3 ($400) on ebay and measure your speaker / room interaction. Email me the results and I will be happy make some suggestions.

I believe your problems can be resolved with improved speaker placement.

Best Regards,

Jonathan Tinn
Blue Light Audio
(http://www.warrengregoire.com/hifi-stereo-sony-sacd-mod.htm) Pay particular attention to the paragraph regarding the OP amps Sony uses, and the TIM they generate. Intermodulation Distortion is a major cause of listener fatigue. Further info: (http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue6/stock.htm)
Martyhk0 said: "The sound is extremely accurate and revealing. Its so accurate I find it fatiguing to listen to."

Think about that sentence for a minute. You indicate that your reference is live music.

Do you find listening to live music fatiguing? If live is your reference you can't get much more "accurate" than the live performance.

(However, all bets are off if you're talking non-acoustic music since what is often found on recordings doesn't actually exist "live.")

Assuming that live music does not fatigue you, that means there is something decidedly not accurate in your current setup.

You've got some good suggestions above. Another one is I find many "audiophile" systems far too bright in comparison to live music. A bit of extra "oomph" in the upper range can make a system sound more detailed. This in turn is easily confused for "accuracy" when in reality it is different from the live performance.

I'd recommend that you borrow or buy a real time analyzer and get a good picture of your in-room response. It might surprise you. You've got enough invested in your system that it is certainly worth checking out.

Just one more option to add to your list.
First measure the problem with something like http://www.etfacoustic.com/index.html. Then ask RealTraps for an opinion. Provide them pictures and a diagram and see what they recommend. In the mean time check out this other free software http://www.hometheatershack.com/roomeq/ Tweak, Tweak, and more Tweak.
Do the Snell speakers have metal drivers for the midrange? (I could not find them)

Also - is there anything crowding the speakers - any sharp surfaces nearby or a glass table in front of the listener?