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Did I damage my speakers?

Group,
Need your expertise: I own a pair of Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grand SE's.

I recently paired them with a new-to-me set of Bel Canto REF600M monos, which replace a Bel Canto REF500S dual mono stereo amp. My preamp is a Bel Canto Pre3VB with the battery power unit.

This weekend the tweeters and upper mids, vocals (mostly female), piano,  sound hazy, at times somewhat distorted, grainy. My listening level is typically between 60-75db. I don't push these speakers hard, but I'm also getting acquainted with an amp now giving 100wpc more than I'm used to. Recently I may have pushed these speakers a bit too hard, getting up into the 80db range a few times. Could I have over-driven the tweeters with this more powerful amplifier?

I've owned the REF600M's for about two months; until this weekend, never heard this kind of distortion/congestion at the top end. Doesn't happen on everything I play (mostly CD's). Before this weekend the sound has been wonderful.

I've had these speakers for almost 7 years and have never noticed something like this before.

Wondering how to troubleshoot this.

Thanks in advance for your insight/perspective.

J


arcamguy
rocray's avatar
rocray
1,448 posts
 
Good suggestion with the preamp. Before you swap out the pre,check all connections. Speaker,red to red,black to black. I always try to trouble shoot the simplest things first. 
corelli
966 posts
 
J, keep in mind a more powerful amp is LESS likely to damage your speakers (by making clipping less likely).  So when you "pushed" the speakers into the 80db range you were only drawing one watt or so of power, regardless of which amp was used.  So as the others have stated, the problem is not the speakers.  Let us know what you find.
erik_squires
16,004 posts
 
Leave those amps on 24/7.  If you are listening cold, that would be a lot but it could be why.  Certain Class D amps really sound like crap until they've been left to warm up for 2-4 days.
cd318
2,636 posts
 
@arcamguy ,
Check connections and volume switches in case they’re getting glitchy.


I’d check all the connections and especially the volume switches.

Rotary ones can certainly get glitchy and affect the sound.

If all else fails, how about getting back to an Arcam amp.





millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
My listening level is typically between 60-75db. I don't push these speakers hard,

The understatement of the year. 60dB is not listening level, that is elevator background level. Tom Petty last night, now that was listening level! And guess what? No damage! You got other problems.

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