Warm Sounding Preamp Suggestions

A tube preamp will definitely not be as bright. Brightness is often not a frequency response error as it is caused by trace amounts of higher ordered harmonics. 0.005% can be too much! Tubes tend to make less of the higher ordered harmonics and so sound smoother/not as bright.

The room itself can make a big difference too. If its a lively room or if you have slap echo (clap your hands in the middle of the room and you'll hear it if its there), it might be difficult to tame the brightness without treating the room.

Thanks for the input from all.  I also posted this issue in the "speakers" forum.  The purchase and installation of an Anodyne bass alignment filter fixed most of the issue for me.  It filled out a lot of the bottom end with more extension, vastly more articulation, and cleaned up most of the mud.  I now hear a much more even sounding, fuller speaker.  What a difference that box made.

I also need to get them off the floor and spike the stands.  This should help as well. 

Dastro

What a difference that box made.

It’s a great design, and was far ahead of its time allowing for full range, and in rooms that do not support it.

You are basically turning the 801 matrix’ massive woofer box into an EQ’ed subwoofer with one setting ...a factory designed one ..... settings on the BAF being different for each particular 800 - 805 matrix model.

The additional and maybe even greater benefit imo, is that the EQ boost allows the ohms requirement to remain in the 6 ohms range on 100 hz and less ..... not as taxing on an amplifier.

Did the unit improve on the mids/highs glare as well?

ct0517,

That makes sense.  I sometimes used a Velodyne DD-10 with a pair of 802 S2 and thought the 801's after the BAF installed reminded me of that sub's slam, extension, and grip, but with 2 of them,  producing a tremendous soundstage and depth.