2. amps-preamps
  3. 1050798009

what's my problem?

here's my scoop:

I have a pair of NHT 2.5i's
rotel rcd 971 transport
MSB link DACIII
Unison Research Unico

I'm not getting the clarity or the air i was hoping for. I picked up the integrated last week, and i figured I'd give it warm up time and some break-in. Not sure what's going on. It HAS started sounding better...smoother...but it just isn't giving me the extension that i want, nor is it giving me the midrange clarity that i expected...

What do you guys think my weak spot is? I'm starting to think it might be the speakers. Perhaps i've simply outgrown the NHT sound. Further, my speakers are a little large for my room which translates to a fairly boomy sound. (The setup sounded better with the smaller NHT 1.3a's that i owned up until recently)

I have heard nothing but good things concerning the Unico, so i'm fairly certain it is not the problem. My front end is decent too (I've heard it in various setups and always sounded good).

Speaker cable is Audioquest type 4 (crap) and interconnects are Monster interlink 400 (also crap). The monster could be one of the causes of the problem.

Also, i have the stock tubes in the unit. Would a change of tubes reap an astonishing change?

HEELLLLPP!!! i'm going crazy!!!

thanks guys,

Steve
loose
rsbeck
887 posts
 
Having said all that --

Also -- give your stuff a chance to break in. I've
seen stuff sound great right out of the box and then
go into a rough period where the bass disappears,
the highs are edgy, the speakers lose their coherency
and then, after awhile, almost by the hour, the stuff
starts to sound better and better until it sounds great.

Don't underestimate the need for a break-in period.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
I 100% agree with Rob conserning cable costs or moving onto detachable powercord kinda hussle that only can suck your budget for the small micro-yota change.

Wire improvements and upgrades are needed for already perfect system to get small amounts of so-called "extentions".

Many engineers manufacturers and designers would realy say so and realy none would say that their speakers or other components will sound poor with RadioShack wires.

Moreover I can say that if the equipment is too sencitive for wires than it's not properly designed(i.e. designed without calculating a wire influence).

For the small room I'd realy recommend Totem speakers that would give you sufficient volumes crispiness and clarity. If you want a floorstanding speaker than Arro is probably the toughest one to drive. The larger floorstanders are driven much easier. You'll certainly have a chance to hear how small gets big.
loose OP
239 posts
 
Rsbeck,

thanks for your advice regarding cables etc. I, too, believe that the cable issue (while not completely irrelevant and without merit) is somewhat overrated.
don't get me wrong...i believe cables are important...but I really don't think they can change the fundamentals of my system.

I will try different tubes, though...that's for sure. I understand that they can make a REAL difference in the sound by opening up the midrange, adding clarity, more extended highs and tighter bass...I'm just not sure if it's as minor a change as , say, cables are.

Now , regarding NHT's...I've been a fan of NHT since they first came out. I believe they can sound fantastic in the proper setup. I'm not convinced that the 2.5i's are the greatest of NHT's acheivements, though. And i'm not convinced that the Unico is the best of matches for them (not discrediting the unico in any way)

So, where does that leave me? I believe it leaves me looking for new speakers...

you know, i would really hate the audio game if i didn't love it so much...

steve
mtbrider
150 posts
 
Like I said above, I find the combination of the Unico and Meadowlark Swift's to be quite good. The Swift's fit your budget and are visually(not sonically) "small" in a room.
rsbeck
887 posts
 
Loose --

Excellent points. I think we are on the same page.

There are some pitfalls to the whole hifi audiofile
"thing" -- but then there is the music that is so intoxicating when you get your system together.

Which lasts for awhile.

Then, you you have to feed the monster. :-)

Rob
More to discover