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Need cable to soften brightness just a little?

Would appreciate some hand holding on solving a small problem. I think a different cable interconnect might be what I need. Right now I am using Blue Jeans interconnects.

Have three new variables in our TV Stereo system.
New Oppo UDP-205
Musical Fidelity A3cr Preamp
Pioneer SX-1050 Stereo Receiver (bypassing it’s preamp)

Still in use is the Arcam SR250 AV Receiver.
Speakers are floor standing Spendor FL-6.

I am an opera lover and classical music devotee and like really good audio. The Arcam SR250 is just perfect for ordinary tv watching, but I soon found out it can’t equal the musicality of a good stereo receiver, so I rigged up a way of using my Audiomat Arpege tube amp for musical program listening.   But  I just found a better use for the Arpege and decided to replace it with the Musical Fidelity Preamp and the Pioneer Receiver.   The Oppo is just a few days old as well, replacing an Oppo BDP-83SE.

There is a big improvement in clarity of spoken dialogue.
Everything sounds brighter and clearer and there is an unmistakable sense of power from the much more powerful Pioneer.
Musically it is harder to evaluate. At first there was a feeling of “wow, major improvement”, but on further listening it feels a little bright. Might be the sort of brightness that causes music fatigue.

How do I take just a little of the edge off the brightness without losing the wonderful clarity I’m getting?

And how to go about figuring out which of the three is causing that little bit of edginess.


128x128echolane
echolane's avatar
echolane OP
110 posts
 
I must agree. My system setup is confusing!

Just to turn things on I have to follow this routine. All but the last two steps have their own remote control to pick up and put down.  I’ve wanted to invest in a Neeo for some time.

  • Turn on TV
  • Turn on Arcam
  • Turn on DISH DVR.

If I prefer to bypass the Arcam for audio (which so far I do)
  • Turn on Musical Fidelity
  • Turn on Pioneer
  • Mute Arcam

In the background are these sources.
Arcam can switch between all of them, mostly via HDMI
All sources (except Roku) have RCA Audio interconnects to Musical Fidelity Preamp
  • Oppo DVD UDP-205
  • DISH DVR
  • ROKU Ultra
  • Pioneer Laser Disc CLD-99
  • Panasonic VHS/DVD

echolane's avatar
echolane OP
110 posts
 
I think it’s time to just listen for awhile.  A couple of weeks at least.  Become more familiar with how  the new components are sounding and let them settle in.  

Just last night, listening to the music of Tosca via satellite TV I felt the extra brightness had gone.  I also felt there was considerably less difference between the Arcam and the Pioneer.  That suggests the Oppo was responsible for the brightness.  But I need to listen more.

Eventually, I could bring the older Oppo back for comparison. 
Eventually, I could bring back my tube amp, the Audiomat Arpege, for comparison.

Then, and only then, should I consider making any changes in cable, or speaker wire or conditioners, etc.




hegelsjh
16 posts
 
That's a sensible approach, but I was just trying to pinpoint where the digital-analog conversion process was taking place in your various watching/listening scenarios.  Since there doesn't seem to be a standalone DAC, the sound is likely to change depending upon which piece of equipment is being used to convert the digital signal. 
echolane's avatar
echolane OP
110 posts
 
Hegelsjh, you are addressing my weakest area. I’ve almost no experience with a stand-alone DAC. Let’s see if I see your point: which I think is that if all digital audio passed through a common DAC it would all sound much more similar. Is that right? I confess, if I had one, I. wouldn’t know even how to use it in my TV system.

I do own one standalone DAC, an Audio Alchemy DDP-1 that I’m using for my computer audio system via SPDIF instead of USB. In buying it, I discovered an extremely complicated world that taxes my aging brain considerably! I need a second one for my living room system and I absolutely dread the prospect of choosing one. I must say that I don’t feel at all prepared to think about one for the complicated TV system!


hegelsjh
16 posts
 
On the contrary,my weakest link is anything having to do with audio. I've made any number of ill-advised purchases over the years, detrimental to friendships, bank accounts, and most importantly, my ears, so take everything I say with the usual caveats.

Because of my sensitivity issues to brightness, I've auditioned about a 10-12 DACS in the last year, so I don't recommend this painful chore for anyone.   But I do think you are on the right track in trying to assess where your system is making the digital conversion when you switch between your preferred components.  Since I know nothing about A/V systems, I'm wondering whether you might have a couple different options in your existing setup(s) to convert the digital signal without even buying any new cables, etc.   I know there's a DAC chip in your Arcam, and I know that there's a DAC chip in your Oppo, though don't think there's one in your pre-amp.  So are you using both the MF pre-amp and the Arcam for switching duties at the same time?     
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