Looking to improve my system


I have been a member for a while and check the forum listings daily. My first posting. Looking for some advice on tweaking / improving my system which I started a couple of years ago

Before this I had a Denon amp, CD player and some JBL 4412 speakers inherited from my father-in-law, RIP.

My current system is


Primaluna EVO 400 and  Arcam A49

Q-Acoustic Concept 500 speakers

LKS MH-DA004 DAC

Bluesound Node 2i

Pro-ject Carbon Espirt SB turntable


QED XT40 speaker cables.

Blue Jean coax and RCA

Audioquest Yukon XLR

Signal Power Cable on the amp (can't remember which one but cost about $100)

The other components are using original power cables.  

Furman PL-Plus-C

GIK acoustic panels (bass traps in back corners. 7 other panels in the room)


The room is 12 X 19. 8 foot high ceilings. I sit on the long wall so I’m about 8 feet from the speakers. The speakers are an equal distance from the side walls. Today they are about 7.5 feet apart and toed in slightly. 15 inches from the wall


Mostly listen to the Bluesound either streaming through Amazon or Neil Young Archives and a hard drive or Network drive which contains my many CDs ripped to FLAC files through EAC. Very little vinyl.

My musical tastes vary

Classic jazz - MIles Davis, Art Blakey, Bill Evans but also Joshua Redman and Diana Krall

Classic and Grunge Rock - Stones, Beatles, Pink FLoyd, Led Zeppelin, Talking Heads, DIre Straits, Pearl Jam, Alixce in Chains

Acoustic music - David Grisman / Jerry Garcia Bob Dylan, Bluegrass, Neil Young.

Indie Music - Ryan Adams, Bon Iver, Lord Huron


So what is the problem? Not really sure. There are moments that are really good, but to be honest it seems never as good as a live performance.  (Not sure if you can really  reproduce the live experience and I have been to poor sounding live shows )  I would  say it does depend on the recording. Talking Heads -Stop Making Sense Psycho KIller and David Grisman / Jerry Garcia The Thrill is gone recordings are great. Miles Davis- Kinda Blue and BIll Evans -Sunday and the VIllage Vanguard are really good. But much of the rock music and indie stuff (except maybe for Bon Iver) can be lacking.


What is the problem? Not always sure but maybe a separation of instruments, or that some instruments get lost and others are too prominent. In the Miles Davis song “So What” I  love to listen to the bass, drums and piano in the background while the sax and trumpet are playing. Sometimes, even in that song, those background instruments get lost, especially the drums. Rock music is worse, Seems like no separation. Just generalizing here.  I would almost rather listen to this music in my car.

Also some music can sound harsh, at times. What I want is to not be thinking about the system but just enjoy the music and feel like I’m being enveloped by the sound. To not just hear the sound but feel it.


I feel I am set with my amps. I want the Concept 500 speakers to work but also looking at the Klipsch Forte III. (I think the Cornwall IV are too big?) Or maybe something else? Also not sure if I would change the DAC or streamer. Have looked at the Furman Elite15 PC but not sure if I want to go that way. I plan on adding a dedicated 20 amp circuit. Not sure about adding higher end cables. I don’t want to re-ignite a battle. While I can’t wrap my head around some of those cable upgrades it is more from lack of experience. I wish I could compare speaker wire, connectors and power cables, just not sure how. There was a suggestion from GIK to add some additional panels to the ceiling and more bass traps high on the back wall .


Sorry for the long post, I know there are a lot of you out there with so much experience and knowledge and I will take all suggestions openly. If there is anything I have taken from reading the posts in this forum, it's that people are passionate about their music.



stalajkowski
I have a dedicated 2 channel hi-fi room with the speakers on the long wall as you do. L= 12'3" x W= 11'7" Main ceiling is nearly 11' with a recessed tray ceiling going an additional foot up.  The front of each speaker is 30.5" from the back wall & they are about 56" apart (inside edge of each), 3' from the side walls.
I have a 12" subwoofer in the right front corner of the room.  Mono Block amps and a fine preamp as well. To say that they image well would be a colossal understatement.   That is true for vinyl and digital audio...which for me is limited to either my custom made silent high definition audio PC with a phenomenal sound card or streaming from my android.
Try experimenting with bringing the speakers closer together and probably closer to the back wall.... in small increments and abort the toe-in as you do.  You should achieve near perfection when you are in the center of the triangle formed by the loudspeakers.  You will probably have to move your listening position closer than it is now.
If you still feel that you can't achieve the results that you desire...upgrading may be your path.  I have never regretted spending $ on good electronics mated to the proper speakers.
Connectors are best treated with Stabilant 22A formerly known as Tweak (from DW Electrochemicals).
Best of luck
Consider lowering the noise floor and power conditioning.  I've become a huge fan of High Fidelity Cables stuff.  Huge air, depth, clarity, soundstage, and reduction of noise.  Stunning results.
Millercarbon's got the right idea, but just start by going as goofy as you can afford on a really good, well reviewed AC cable for your power amp. No DIY. I'll bet you're thinking of spending a pile on this, and you  might, so what's a couple hundred on a wire? It will make a difference, and you will learn a big lesson about the importance of one silly wire.
You can experience one entire episode of wonderful, low-noise that some think is placebo effect. It generally is even more pronounced if you buy wires on the used market. They're cheaper, broken-in'er, and many times easier to research.