Mcintosh MQ112

The brightness might depend on the source material.  I usually find that good recordings do not sound bright at all.   What preamp do you have ?  On perceived bright recordings, maybe, just adjust the preamp tone controls ?  ie.  one or two clicks down on the treble and one or two clicks up on the bass.  

@glennewdick Wrote:

If using an EQ makes your listening more enjoyable then use one.

I agree!

@onehorsepony Wrote:

Before tossing them aside, what do you feel about adding a Mcintosh MQ112 equalizer after my preamplifier?

I would say good idea,  I use a White Instrument 4100 EQ ten bands per channel.

Mike

The B&W 800 series are not excessively bright, and certainly not crap. In general, they are a tad bright... which is why they are often paired with MacIntosh equipment which tends to lack detail and is strong in midrange and bass. If they seem excessively bright, then it is a question of electronics and setup. I own five 805 Matrix... they sound great. Equalization should be reserved for very inexpensive systems or extraordinary setup problems. It is symptomatic relief, best fix the problem. 

To really help. We will need to know the rest of your components and setup. There is a place to put photos and ID equipment under your user ID; Virtual Systems. With this we could probably bring specific recommendations. 

Most likely source of excessive treble. Trebly electronics, speakers pointed directly at you... so toeing out the speakers can help. 

@jetter Wrote:

The old advice about sound degradation using EQs is just that, by and large an old wives tale.  Without an EQ you are locked into what the designers thought was the sound you like.  Adding an EQ to slightly tweak your sound to your preference is both fun and satisfying.  

I agree! 

See paragraph below from the designers of my speakers about EQ.

''RAMIFICATIONS OF THE NEW DESIGN APPROACH 1. The room curve will be fIatter; equalization will be more accurate Studio monitors are generally equalized as a matter of course. Control rooms are rarely as smooth at low frequencies as may be desired, and mounting conditions for the monitors are not always _ideal. Further, the user's concept of monitor equalization balance may not agree with that of the manufacturer. Even though we believe that constant coverage monitors will require less equalization than previous designs, the need for equalization may still exist,'' See full article here. 

Mike