2. amps-preamps
  3. 168833-156447

What is wrong with my system?

Hi everyone -

I’m posting here because individually I think my components are all good, but together my system is not making music, rather is is making bright bass less noise. Honestly, I’m thinking it’s no one component, but the matching of components that is causing this issue. I would like to get everyone’s opinion as to what I’m hearing. My components are as follows:

B&W 802D (first generation diamond)
Audioquest bi-wired Indigo speaker cables

Classe CAM-200 monoblock amplifiers
Audioquest Water XLR interconnect

Bryston BP26 preamp
Audioquest Water XLR interconnect

Mark Levinson 5100 cd player (PCM slow minimum phase)

thanks in advance.

Mark Levinson 5100 CD player


onehorsepony
invalid
1,246 posts
 
the importance of room placement.


I doubt room placement is going to fix this problem, it will help a little, but it’s still going to be bright and analytical. I had the same problem as the OP a few years ago, a krell amp and a solid state preamp it wasn’t even listenable. I have a dedicated room and placement didn’t help much. I inserted a tube preamp in the chain and it’s very musical now, I actually think I’ve gained some detail without that bright sound etching at the ears.
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,764 posts
 
I hate to burst your bubble but any B&W that I have listened to are bright. Any change that you decide to make you will still have the problem till the cows come home!
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
i agree with @yogiboy

I hate to burst your bubble but any B&W that I have listened to are bright.


given the words of fairly extreme frustration expressed by the op on the sound he is hearing, maybe the best bet would be to get a set of warmer, more tonally balanced speakers like harbeths or spendors or vandersteens

...of course, after confirming his speaker set up and room are ok...
joenies's avatar
joenies
258 posts
 
Your equipment seems to be ok as you noted.
Try changing your cables. I’ve had good sound with my 801’s using Kimber cable in my second system.

russ69's avatar
russ69
3,535 posts
 
A tube preamp is the economic choice for you system. You have nice stuff, it just isn’t working together. No need to dump it all or the expensive pieces, a nice warm tube preamp will do the job. personally I would not go with Audio Research for your system, more like a Cary SLP-98.
More to discover