Trying to sharpen the vocals...EQ related question


Hi,

Looking for some clarity on the following:

-Current Setup-
Technics 1200mk2
Sonus Blue Gold Cartridge/Needle
Yaqin MS-12B MM Tube Amp (Stock tubes)
Marantz SR-8000 Receiver
Bose Acoustimass 6 Series III SS Speakers

Really enjoying listening to vinyl, this setup produces great sound for the money. Highs and lows are crisp and clear, but the vocals often seem somewhat muted or flat. They lack the same crispness and clarity.

If I wanted to try to pull the vocals out a bit more, would running a 10-band graphic equalizer between the pre-amp and the receiver enable me to do this? Or does the pre-amps' hard-coded equalization curve already adjust the signal such that the additional eq would be redundant and ineffective?

Thanks for your help.
greenr
Check your DSP settings on the Marantz - perhaps it is doing some processing that is messing things up....
This is a very unusual system but, it seems to me, the likely culprit is the Bose system. You may appreciate some things about it but, clearly, the lack of midrange presentation says otherwise. I have yet to hear an AcoustiMass system that has a decent midrange, despite the common criticism of its highs and lows.

Kal
Boy, I haven't heard a Sonus cart in years, but I happen to remember trying one in my Technics SP1200 back in the 80's and it was horrible. No life. As I recall, I really liked the Denon 103D in that arm. Change that cartridge, IMO.
That's a satellite system with separate bass module, right?

Often high bass levels tend to obscure mid-range detail, which is where most vocals occur.

If applicable, try lowering bass levels by moving bass module out from walls and away from any corner and see what that does. If it helps, then you might tweak location further to obtain the best possible balance between low end weight and midrange detail.