Broke and still not happy


I like new country and good old rock & roll. My system sounds sterile, flat sounding,not musical and harsh in the highs.I have been playing bass guitar in the same band for 35 years for a living,I think I know what music is suppose to sound like. This is my gear.
Sonic Frontiers Line 1se,Classe Cam 200s,North Star Design Dac&Transport,Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors,Rel sub.Cables are balanced Nirvana SL pre to amps,Nirvana SL to speakers and Nirvana SX from source. Vibrapods under everything but amps. Echo Busters.HELP
gellis1
The reason i say this is because i do listen to a wide range of music, from Aerosmith to mary black and lots in between. I play drums and have been in a few bands, have also done a full length,pro recorded cd in Boston,my point is we don't know what the "air is supposed to be" or the "imaging" etc...I fully agree with Linn's view about home hifi...the easier it is to follow the tune the more njoyable it is. I was there when we did our cd....medium size room,bass player was next to me...1st guitar player was 12 ft away behind a screen...2nd guitar player/vocalist was in a booth...12 feet away,

there was no "image" but when I play it at home there is an "image" pretty much sounds like most other cds...there is alot of mixing, overdubbing etc that goes on in recording. So when somebody says " this system images great" or "has great air" they are pulling at straws....because they were not there.....what I think they are really trying to say is....I like the sound.....and thats fine....but how many people who say " they like the sound" are tweaking and fiddling and in my opinion not really listening to the music....they are listening to the equipment.
I think I'm taking this thread in an unrelated direction, so I'll write to Superhonestben directly.

Good luck, Gellis1, and please post what you decide on.
the whole point of this forum is to share ideas and opinions,we don't have to agree, my opinions on hi end audio are founded from first hand experience...listening to the equipment in my home. I have heard quite a bit of gear in my home, not just the stores. In the last year or so I have had the following in my home to listen to.

Amps.. Mac 252,Mac 402, Mac 501s Mac mc275
Vtl mb125,Vtl 185,Vtl st150 and st85
Goldmund 2.3...a gaggle of Naim. some Mark Levinson
ARC vs55,dynaco st 70 radii set
Pre amps..Vtl 7.5 vtl5.5 vtl 2.5
Linn wakonda,Mac c2200 mac c45
cd players Linn cd12,linn ikemi, linn ghenki,Mark levinson 390s,meridian, ayre,rega and consonance

a gaggle of "hi end " interconnects

What do I own...Khorns,Linn Ninkas and a pair of B&W CM2 bookshelfs...I have a Mac c220,Macmc275 and a Mac 252, a VTL 2.5 and a st85, a restored dynaco st70 a pair of Radii set mono amps, a mac cd player...a Linn Ikemi/wakonda/lk100.

It basically is 3 systems larg, medium and small...oh I use linn and naim speaker wire with basic interconnects.

I listen to all 3 and I like them all, I found the sound to be musical and engaging and fun...the Mac gear simply smokes on the little B&ws and does quite well on the khorns,...Vtl works super on the khorns and the 2.5 is one hell of a bargain in a pre amp...the little radii are nice and only 3 watts(they are not my favorite though) and the dynaco is a gem on the khorns....the ninkas work very well with the linn gear....All I can tell you is what I hear, to the gent that started this post, I feel for you, you simply haven't found what you are looking for....as always trust your ears.