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Can't get Acoustic Zen Adagios to sound smooth

I have owned a pair of Acoustic Zen Adagios speakers for over 4 years. They can sound very good, BUT also have a HARD AND UNSMOOTH sound when playing certain CD's. I have changed electronics from separates to an integrated amp, and recently purchased a Ayre CX-7e to replace a Rega Apollo. The Ayre easily highlights the limitations of the Rega player and outperforms it.

Nevertheless, the hard and unsmooth sound seems to prevail. It can also sound like an acoustic overtone, and (I think )the music looses its bloom or musicality. The current living space is well damped with maps,and rug hangings on the walls. I also have two 6 ft tall bookcases that contain only 70% less books than my previous apartment These shelves are in the corner, perpendicular to the speaker on each side of the room.

I encountered this problem before in a different and smaller living space.

I also recently changed speakers cables from a 4 year old pair of Audio Art SC-5 to a brand new pair of Grover Huffman which seemed to be slowly breaking in and are more detailed than the AA cable. I also replaced the standard wimpy power cord of the Ayre player with Panagea's new 14SE MKII power cord designed for just components, not amps. The Panagea PC is excellent, and has dropped the noise floor allowing for more detail to emerge. I drive the Adagios with the Rogue Sphinx hybrid integrated amp (100RMS)whose PC was replaced by an Acoustic Zen Tsumani Plus power cord.

I am beginning to wonder if there is another speaker that might provide a smoother top end performance and still have the taut bass, and detailed mids of the Adagios. Will appreciate all and any advice, even new speaker recommendations. Thank you
sunnyjim
shakeydeal
979 posts
 
"I get that you have it out personally for Richard Vandersteen because he wasn't friendly to a buddy of yours or maybe it was to you."

Oh Please! To suggest that I "have it out for Richard Vandersteen" would suggest that I give a good s&*t at all. Which is really not the case. Just because they aren't my cuppa doesn't mean that I have a vendetta against Vandersteen and am conspiring to keep anyone from purchasing his speakers. The OP, and you for that matter, are free to buy and listen to any loudspeaker you wish. I am not "out" for anyone.....

Shakey
jl35
4,017 posts
 
Sometimes it seems Vandersteen owners and dealers cannot accept that others don't like or don't prefer Vandersteen speakers. It's always poor set up, wrong electronics, bad room, never that they just don't like Vandersteens, or merely prefer other brands.
jl35
4,017 posts
 
The Vandersteen 5 is one of my favorite speakers. Do not particularly like the 2 or 3 series. All Vandersteens I have heard were set up by very good dealers.
sunnyjim OP
927 posts
 
To Johnny R,
Well if it makes you feel better that the famous one page "blue sheet" of instructions included in the IC speaker cartons was to build speaker stands....Fine...but, I did not find a owners manual you claim. But too often rabid devotion tends to exclude the facts of reality. , if you want to look like an ass to the membership that is your business. At least, we "officially" know you are Vandersteen dealer "tried and true"

Next time, I run into John Atkinson, I will mention that you qualified his so-called "brilliance" at my expense.
That is usually the knee-jerk reaction of a person who has gone from "admirer" to "worshipper" in the cause of product.

*********************************************************

To Shakeydeal....Good come to Ctsooner's comment about your unpleasant experience with RV, though I honestly believe that Ctsooner provides good points based on his experience in high-end audio, and not offering us another lecture. I am sorry you got dragged into this pissing contest by sharing your own thoughts on RV's personality. Nevertheless, there are plenty of members who have offered good advice, but I am beginning to feel this is becoming a game of one-upmanship.

Let me point out that it was Audioconnection's JohhnyR who got his back up when I claimed that the Vandersteen 1C was/is a nice speaker, but....etc.etc (Ironically, I recommended the model to a few friends after I had sold my pair) However, that being said, I will take the positive advice from those members who offered it, and try a few changes. But it is time,(at least for me) to close down this thread.
audioconnection
1,271 posts
 
Sunnyjim
I just got a response from RV and he asked me to
post this, Hope this helps to some closure.
Best JohnnyR

There is never a good reason to not be polite to a customer but I am human. One can download the owners manual or ask the dealer. Margins are based on the fact that the dealer does the interface with the consumer. If only 10% of our customers needed help from the manufacture the price of the product would have to go up a lot or the dealer margin would need to go down. It can't work both ways. In many other industries people have to pay for customer tech services especially when the customer bought the product used. Anyway 38 years of service and I still try to help everybody myself in a friendly but efficient way.
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