2. amps-preamps
  3. 1043613580

I'm depressed, my system hurts my ears.Please help

I've been enjoying my stereo for quite some time now, but my latest component addition is hurting my ears. My system is as follows:

Music Hall CD25 CD player
McIntosh MC2105 amp (30 year old amp)
Joseph Audio RM22si signatures
Signal Cable Analog 2 interconnects
Kimber 4TC biwired speaker cable
Denon AVR1700 HT receiver as preamp

With the Denon the system sounded pretty good, but it was the obvious weak link, and was actually performing its own unnecessary A to D to A conversion). I swapped the Denon for a Creek OBH12 passive. I added the Creek because in my careful, volume leveled comparisons of the Denon compared to no pre at all, no pre was much cleaner and more natural (I an use no pre because amp has volume knobs).

So I put in the Creek passive to keep that clarity along with switching and an easy volume control, but now I can't sit in the sweet spot of my speakers and listen, because my ears start to hurt at volume levels that used to be just fine. Is this clipping due to an impedance matching problem? Is this just me receiving the full spectrum of the sound and my ears can't handle it? I remember having a similar problem with a very nice car stereo I installed, it sounded very good but always hurt my ears compared to my worse sounding older car stereo.

I almost wish I had never started down the audiophile path, this is depressing. It's tough to do swapping style comparisons because once my ears start hurting, any music will make them hurt until they have a chance to recover. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
matt8268
jadem6's avatar
jadem6
1,074 posts
 
Why not go back to no pre-amp? If this was pleasing before, it seems to be the cheapest solution. If you want to begin spending money to upgrade, then thyou have alot to work on. I know your McIntosh amp quite well as a buddy of mine had the same one. I would start with that, cables next and finish with the cd player. By the time you got to this point the Creek will sound fine.
I do not hear you wanting to go this route, so again I would go back to no pre-amp and enjoy the music.
6chac
235 posts
 
Maybe lower the volume a bit help? Let you mind comes to the music, instead of the sound jumps at you. Good listening...
jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,217 posts
 
iF you want to keep the creek,you will need some cable
that are not bright, the 4tc is on the bright side,
maybe cardas cables will help tame that problem, MIT
it might work but the resolution might disappear.You
know all audiophile are looking for the improvement.
My principles now if it works, dont touch it. My experience
in audio is that, you replace one cable, or equipment,
sometimes we got lucky, if not we will stop listening to
our system. But it takes money,time, skills,experience
to be able able to get knock out system.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
kimber is too fast for fast josephs.
the suggestion for MIT is right on.
you might also try AQ Midnight.
wire creek to mac with MIT-s as well.

your amp/passive pre- combination is near-perfect with high input sencitivity, low feedback and high input impedance of your poweramp.
also you might not have enough power to swing RM22 and I would suggest to get another same Mac(plenty on ebay to fight for) to use them as monos.
platsolos
90 posts
 
I had issues with a bright system in the past and banged my head on what it was.......turns out my kimber 8tc and 4tc biwire was the culprit. Went to synergistic research alph x series biwire and WOW! It is amazing. And they only cost about $160 used!
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