2. digital
  3. 1148652453

Mixed Results from My Hifi

Hi all, I'm looking to get a more consistent sound from my system. Some CD's sound great. No complaints, others pretty mediocre. Most Jazz and smaller production CD’s sound wonderful, detailed, airy, all that audiophile stuff. But mass produced pop and rock are almost unlistenable. I call it the “wall of sound” syndrome, compressed, digital, bleah. The latest releases from Sheryl Crow, U2 and Coldplay sound awful (not withstanding anyone’s taste in music).

What can I do to improve the overall sound in my system so I can listen to all of my music? Add tubes, a new DAC?

I’m listening.
hammergjh
gs5556
1,231 posts
 
It's not equipment or room that's the primary problem, IMO, it's the recording. Your classical and jazz cd's that sound great are probably recorded with 15 dB or more of headroom while the pop/rock stuff is probably recorded with only 3 dB of headroom.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,189 posts
 
In the original post 3 specific albums were mentioned and the sound was described as compressed and digital. I own 2 of the 3 albums and no amount of switching equipment or room acoustics will make them sound good. The recordings are not high quality (by audiophile standards). The problem with over compressed CDs cannot be corrected by EQ or even signal expanders. There are things that could be done to his system that might help a little, but only a little. If his happy with other recordings, then why change anything for the few bad ones?
boa2's avatar
boa2
1,551 posts
 
If his happy with other recordings, then why change anything for the few bad ones?
From his initial post: "But mass produced pop and rock are almost unlistenable." I took this to indicate that the three recordings he listed were but a few examples of a problem affecting a wide range of music. Maybe I've interpreted this incorrectly. I've heard all three of these CD's, and have never found them unlistenable from a sonics perspective. The components in his system, however, are highly likely to produce exactly the compressed, digital sound he describes, and only made worse by that room.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
Having speakers close to the back wall will frequently make the sound congested. A couple of feet spacing will help greatly.

Hardwood floors are also not good, though I must admit hardwood is my first choice in flooring for other reasons.
Rugs can help, particularly if placed at the primary reflection point.

Drapes over large windows will also help a great deal.
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
"New Shimmer™ is a floor wax."

"No, it's a desert topping."

"No, it's a floor wax."

"Wait! You're both right! New Shimmer™ is a floor wax and a desert topping!"
More to discover