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Help. System sounds thin and bright or harsh

Hope this isn't redundant tried to post in Tech Talk

Just moved my system to a new home/sound room and it still sounds harsh and a bit thin despite supposedly "warm" sounding Harbeth 30.1 speakers. This issue is not new and I had put the blame on the old listening room.  Can't figure out what the problem is. I listen loud at 80dcbl or higher and sit nearfield about 8 feet from the speaker plane. (sound is thin and bright from afar as well) I have experimented in both homes with speaker placement, toe-in and the like. Speakers are placed a lil over 3 feet from the rear wall and about two and a half feet from side walls.  I feel something is off. Perhaps a component or two that is known to be tipped up in the highs and a lil bass shy?? Also, I leave all solid state components fully powered up 24/7. (not the tubes)

System:

Modwright/Oppo BDP 105 disc player  (all mods with tubed power supply and pricey NOS tube upgrades throughout)  Looking to replace once the harshness/bright issue is nailed down.

Parasound JC2 Preamp

Pass Labs X250.5 Amp

Harbeth 30.1 stand mount speakers

Puritan Labs PSM 156 power conditioner. (less "edgy" sound with it in system)

System is run all balanced with fairly costly Cardas interconnects.

All input is welcome. Thanks in advance.

Happy listening.

 

 

cymivka
cymivka OP
46 posts
 

Hey all    really do wanna get back to much more toe in as Im' missing notes that used to jump out but I can't do it yet..vocals get too in your face at higher volumes. (wasn't quite as bad an issue in the old listening room)

Mismatch in outputs could explain a lot. The Oppo does have variable volume that I  currently have set at 86 out of 100. I believe Modwright recomends full 100 for more "oomph".  Probably CAN try the Oppo as a pre amp. Never have but now I have a good reason.

Tomcar asked how Im' measuring speakers from the rear wall....from the rear of the speaker not the front. Now at 2 feet two inches. Trying that for awhile along with seat position moved forward a bit. Probably gonna throw some extra toe-in to see what that does...as suggested.

Using cloth at first deflection points on side walls now til I order the real deal down the road.  Still think it could be a source issue as very good recordings sound pretty good/engaging. To me the system sounds very anemic off axis.  

cymivka OP
46 posts
 

no coiled or ribbon cables...FYI  And I have suspected the Oppo being modded. Never heard it on its own...shipped it straight to Modwright for all the bells and whistles.. Have not been impressed with claims that tubes will last thousands of hours. Changed out an identical set once just for fun and couldnt believe the difference the new ones made. Old ones were not even a thousand hours old. Who knows, maybe a bad batch.   I'm itchin for a new front end..dac and MAYBE transport.

cymivka OP
46 posts
 

As for the Oppo settings. They are pretty straight forward punched up on a tv screen. .Gone through them many times. Of course once settings are confirmed, I turn tv off and hit the "pure audio" button

ps
763 posts
 

@cymivka "I'm itchin for a new front end..dac and MAYBE transport."

That could be the ticket.

cymivka OP
46 posts
 

Very interesting. Sound from the system in a test last night dropped out to there was no meat on the bones of the sound.  so bad I quickly changed tubes for the oppo output...still very anemic and brittle sound.  Decided to power the whole system down overnight. Nothing even on stand Transformer going hay wire capacitors overloaded.  Anyone experience this before???

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