How to fix my detailed, accurate but BRIGHT system

Sdrenslow, I do have a large room. This room incorporates my living room, dining room, kitchen and loft above the kitchen. The ceiling is 17'.3" tall and flat, so this adds even more volume to the space. Not only that, the entry and the hallway are also open to this room which I didn't add to the footage stated. My seat is pretty close to the speakers at about 9' and the speakers are about 8' apart. I can't change rooms as I don't have another room to put the system in. I do have a 20'x30' out building that i've been thinking about turning into a guest house, cabana, audio room. This may end up happening sooner than later if I can't solve my problem. Thank you for your post.

A PEQ will do the trick if you can't stomach acoustic treatments.

Shadorne, I did read your post and have thought of that option before. I am limited with space in my rack and was trying to avoid adding another componant. I'm sure a peq would allow me to change the sound to my liking.

Thanks,

TVAD:On the other hand, we can also not exclude the possibility that he is right. In the acknowledgments section of his book, Harley thanks several experts in specific fields of audio who provided technical review of his manuscript. I am going to take the viewpoint that they know their fields, and that therefore the information provided in the book has been determined to be correct.

TVAD,

Let's try an example, because I suspect that there is some misunderstanding somewhere in the path from what Harley meant to say, to the words he used, to your interpretation of his words, and to my interpretation of your words.

We have a speaker that is 4 ohms in the bass, 8 ohms in the treble, and an amplifier that we are assuming has an output impedance which is negligible in relation to 4 ohms, and which can put out 250 watts into 8 ohms. And we are assuming that the speaker, like most speakers (especially enclosed box type speakers) is designed based on voltage paradigm principles.

Let's say the amplifier is putting out a treble tone of amplitude 8.94 volts, which is 10 watts into the 8 ohm speaker impedance in the treble region. The corresponding current that will flow at that frequency is 10/8.94 = 1.12 amps.

Let's then say that the system is also called upon to put out an equal volume bass tone (either simultaneously or at a different time; it doesn't matter for purposes of this example).

My first contention is that the amplifier will then put out a bass tone which is also 8.94 volts in amplitude, which will correspond to a power delivery, into the 4 ohm impedance which the speaker has in the bass region, of 20 watts, and a current flow of 2.24 amps.

My second contention is that, everything else being equal, an amplifier that can provide 250 watts into 8 ohms but cannot double its maximum power into 4 ohms will handle that situation no differently than an amplifier that can provide 250 watts into 8 ohms but can double its maximum power into 4 ohms.

And my interpretation of your original post, based on your interpretation of Harley's book, is that in this situation you and/or he claim that the amplifier which can double its maximum power into 4 ohms will deliver the 20 watts, while the amplifier which cannot double its maximum power into 4 ohms will deliver something less than the 20 watts, thereby resulting in excessive brightness. Which I contend is wrong.

So am I correct in thinking that there is a misinterpretation somewhere, or do you in fact disagree with any of my contentions above?

Best,
-- Al

I have found the stock Wadia 170i to stock a little bit on the bright side for me. Granted, there are numerous listeners who like detailed sound. Ignoring all other components, the wadia may be part of your problem. Upgrading the Wadia or using a DIP to reclock and runing it into a smooth sounding Dac such as the Scott Nixon Tube DAC or a TADAC should help. Assuming it doesn't become too smooth sounding then.