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Can "Dark"Sounding Speakers Be "Brightened"UP???

One of my buds has a pair of the original Sonus Faber Concertino speakers(bi-wireable)partnered with a Peachtree Audio Decco,driven by a HP Laptop & cabled with all Audioquest copper cables(usb,power & speaker).While listening to my new Toy Monitors & Peachtree Audio MusicBox driven by an Asus Laptop recently he commented that he was able to hear treble frequencies(especially cymbals)on my system much better than on his & wondered if anything short of changing speakers could be done.
I have read that Silver Plated Copper cables tend to sound a touch brighter than all copper & was wondering if you folks think switching to all Silver Plated Copper(i'm thinking Nordost or DH Labs)cables might bring the treble up a bit in his system?
Thanks for your input,take care...
freediver
mlsstl
1,450 posts
 

Starting at $149 you can buy a Schiit Loki Mini+ four band equalizer which will allow you to experiment with different settings to your heart's content. For $300, their Lokius expands this to a six band EQ. (They also have a still fancier unit for $1,500....)

I've always found it interesting that many audiophiles are so willing to adjust the tone quality of their system with wires, amps or preamps that offer only one change in the frequency balance of their system but won't consider a device that lets them quickly adjust the tone as needed by different recordings.

Just a thought....

deep_333
1,653 posts
 

@mlsstl , One should only spend as much on cables for max detail retrieval/preservation. Unfortunately, many dumb dudes spend on cables for tonal changes. Well...if every forum dude had enough noodle in his noggin to secure a engineering PhD, it would be an utopian society indeed. But, the stoopid tends to be larger in numbers always ( in comparison to the brighter ones). So, don’t bother....lol

yyzsantabarbara
4,986 posts
 

@freediver Try the Benchmark stack on it, AHB2 amp | LA4 preamp | DAC3B dac. You can always try this on a home trial or take a chance and buy used.

With warm speakers this stack would open up the sound. Doesn't the Decco have a tube in it. Warm speakers with a tube is not my type of system.

A cheaper option is a Class D like the PeachTree GAN400. I am putting my up for sale on USAM.

Put a streamer into the path instead of going direct via USB from the laptop. Not so much for your issue but to improve everything in the sound.

I have not heard the Decco but owned the PeachTree Nova 150. That is terrible compared to the new Peachtree gear such as the GAN400 and better yet, the GAN1 (but should modded it by tweakaudio). I replaced $15K of gear wit the $1200 GAN1 + $600 mods. However, that unit can ONLY stream via SPDIF, no analogue sources allowed. I used ROON to both stream to that and control volume. I replaced my Benchmark stack with the GAN1 since it was similar for lower cost, though eventually the lack of analogue inputs made me sideline the GAN1 only for headphones.

 

cdc
1,855 posts
 

Just a thought but can you make the cabinet "bigger"? Maybe take out some of the stuffing?

I once made a speaker with a cabinet that was too big (like 2x too big) and the sound was bright. Filling it up with blocks of wood, the sound became darker. Actually too dark now, so I am taking some blocks back out.

rolox
181 posts
 

@deep_333 well, I just did it: I replaced my previous speaker cables (silver plated copper + teflon) with some Duelund DCA cable, and it has shifted the tonality of the system, towards a darker, more laidback presentation. Just what I was hoping it would do.

It can be done the other way around too.

I vastly prefer to fine tune my system using cables than insert another active stage creating phase shifts / distortion.

But, you do you!

 

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