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Frustrated with the sound of my system

Here is my system:
Rotel RCD-965BX CD Player as transport
MSB Link 2 DAC
Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 Signature preamp
Classe 10 amplifier
North Creek Audio Borealis speakers (Custom built kit speaker...something close to a Proac Response 2.5 design)
M&K V-75 sub
Kimber and Cardas interconnects
Kimber 4TC/8TC bi-wire speaker cables.

Here is my frustration:
The sound, regardless of music, sounds stringent, hard, really lacks air, and is anything but relaxed. It is fatigueing. I can listen to my Grado 60 headphones on an iPod and the sound is frustratingly more relaxed and has what I would call air.

I don't think that my system is that outstanding, but it really seems like I should be more pleased with what I am hearing.

I would be interested in your thoughts on where the most likely opportunity is. I really like the individual components of the system (OK the Rotel/MSB set up is old and just OK), but all together they seem to be underwhelming. I am thinking it is either in improving the digital front end (new player or DAC) or moving to a planar speaker to get the sound I desire. I have thought about new player like an OPPO 93 or 95, perhaps a tube based player or DAC, or else looking at something like a used pair of Maggie 12's or 1.6's. I have always enjoyed the Maggie sound.

In either case I am thinking that $2k is the absolute max I would want to spend on any solution. Thanks in advance. If there are other questions I would be glad to supply details.
stuartbmw3
bradluke0
163 posts
 
Hi all ! Sounds to me as you probably should spend some effort treating the room . You can spend a whole lot of money and get no improvement if the room is bad . How do I know this ? Been there done that .
mechans
3,048 posts
 
I was in a similar situation and I simply started replacing elements of the system. This is simply reality, the way most of us do it. I doubt few were able to buy complete systems all at once. It took several years but eventually ended up with a really great system. I did belong to an audio club and got many ideas by listening to their systems. My guess is that you will end up wanting the sound of tube power amps, will change your source, and speakers. Some final tweaks to your cables and you will be all set. Don't rush and with time you will be able to afford more.
gcdm01
9 posts
 
Chayro,

I read both of your posts and while you may have had a rough and confusing time in the past, things in the future will get a lot easier for you. The preamp is probably the most overlooked component in the chain. While there is no guarantee for success, now that you have a real understanding of how important it is component matching will be much easier. Simply put, you will be far less likely to play the tube, cables and accessors game. For example, I used to buy cables to offset things I did not like in my system; now I only need them to transfer the signal. I know it sounds very boring but I offset the boredom by listening to music. Unfortunately for the OP if this thread, I had the same exact preamp and it is an excellent piece. Unless it is broken in some way, I can't see that as the problem.
inna
7,865 posts
 
The room might contribute, but I don't think it is the main issue here. I would probably keep the preamp, sell the rest and build a new system.
I have the Grado that you use. You say that they actually sound more satisfying than your stereo, that means that the stereo is really bad.
Get yourself hi-fi.
stuartbmw3 OP
91 posts
 
Thanks for the input so far....I really appreciate it. My room is 18 X 18 with 9 foot ceiling. Double french doors on on wall (usually open), triple windows with blinds on another wall, and a sofa, chair and desk in the room. THe floor is carpeted and there are several pictures on the walls.The speakers are somewhat off center, almost placed across a corner and less than two feet off the wall. They are about 5 feet apart. Listening position is either about 12 feet from the speakers, or off axis to the right at my desk. I know the speaker placement is probably not ideal, but I do have some constraints based on room layout and aesthetics.

I do have a little of a hard time believing that placement could be the primary culprit, but I have been wrong before. I do appreciate the advice of not blindly buy a respected/well reviewed, but somehwat random product and think it would solve my frustration. I apprciate the wisdom. At the end of the day the only piece that I would really hesitate in replacing is the SFL-1 Signature preamp.
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