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Please help - Impotence problem


Okay, forget my impotence problem, I have a more important issue with an impedance problem. Or do I? The latest incarnation of my system sounds truly fantastic and live but only at very high volume. I�ve read somewhere in the past that this may be a sign there�s an impedance mismatch somewhere in the system.

Can someone tell me how to find such a mismatch? I have two Counterpoint NP220 stereo amps bi-amped to a pair of Waveform Mach 13�s with an external crossover. My preamp is a Counterpoint SA-11. I�m assuming the Counterpoints work together so what could the problem be? Currently I�m just running digital (Sony SCD-777es) so I�m not concerned (yet) with my analogue rig.

(the two Counterpoint amps were SA-220's fully upgraded by Elliot with 'low sensitivity' instead of 'high sensitivity' but this is supposed to be the way to go if your preamp can handle it and mike elliot specifically recommends 'low sensitivity' if using with the SA-11 preamp.)

Overall instruments seem unbalanced with too much treble in the forefront, even when adjusting the crossover.

Could it be that the system is simply too bright and that's why i'm feeling the need to turn the volume control up so i can enjoy the midrange? Perhaps the problem is more with cables or a need for power conditioning? oh, god, i'm getting that feeling again. little help?!

Maybe someone out there has a good link for me to read up on this if the answer is too complex.

Thanks in advance.
kublakhan
kublakhan OP
718 posts
 
Dekay, dont be convinced too quickly. i keep speaking too soon. i guess the break-in is still happening because every day one thing gets better but another aspect gets worse. so far, overall the system is doing more things right than other systems i've owned but it's not doing everything better. it's a total trip getting up each day and listening to the changes.

the big issue i have right now is that the system is laid back and i think that's not going to prove a funtion of the cables. i'm not crazy about laid back systems. i like the music more upfront and i guess that's why i was an acoustat junkie for so long. time to start playing with tube rolling. this is about preference now, not a problem in the system. i had a friend over who flipped out and said this was the best my gear ever sounded and another one who said he MUCH preferred my old Acoustat 4 setup. what can you do?

i also have figured out that coincidentally most of the recordings i listened to first with this new setup were recorded out of phase and since i had the sa-11 modified there's no way to switch the phase back. this, combined with the fresh cabling, is what really had me panicking originally.

my tt should arrive soon, then i'll get down to business.

happy listening!
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,676 posts
 
Hi Dennis:

You mentioned RCA 5692's (which are said to be mellow/laid back. I found a pair of Tung-Sol 6SN7GT's (rectangular plates) that might bring things up a bit (use them in combination with the RCA's). I will take them to Armetron first and have them tested to make certain that they are OK.

I noticed that Ed Sawyer has been cleaning out his 6SN7 collection (you might ask him for some suggestions as I assume that he has tried most types).

Oh, and I overheard your two friend's (@ Starbucks), detailing/planning how they were going to "F" with your mind. Now their conversation makes perfect sense.
kublakhan OP
718 posts
 
david, you're too generous. before you bring them to amatron i should make sure that i can get away with two 6sn7's and not 4. the circut has changed in my sa-11 and i can't remember if it's two or four in the output.

and nobody needs to f* with my mind about my system, i've proved an expert at doing it all by myself!
kublakhan OP
718 posts
 
i hope this is my last post here and i have to apologize once again for my ...dumbassness and thank those who took the time to offer all the good advice.

kr4 seems to have hit the nail into my head: the crossover was not connected properly and so only certain recordings were sounding right: live jazz only. most singing sounded constrained and out of phase. add that to the fact that things were getting better with the cable breakin and i was lost as to the problem.

now that i fixed the connection all i have to say is ...holy crap! YEEEHA! (still need to tame the high frequency but ...WHOOOHOOOO!)

when my table arrives i don't know what i'm going to do with myself.

any day i'm probably moving back to nyc. i'm going to do whatever i can to stuff these waveforms into whatever hole i can afford over there...even if i have to do without a bed...and a kitchen...and a bathroom. it's just too good and after soooo long i'm not letting go.

happy listening.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Yes, It sounds cool! It breaks in! OOPS wrong crossover connection or setup!
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