Powercord to tame brightness and add musicality

I'm trying, Ken....got to remain teachable..

Actually, I believe it's pretty much a guarantee that Nick has a problem with vibration contamination. Since everybody else does too. Vibration problems are kinda' like dirty AC and dirty underwear. Everybody's got 'em. :)

A system where vibration contamination has not been addressed or improperly addressed typically leaves a mushy and dulled residue that renders a performance somewhat lifeless where it becomes difficult to make the distinction between a strike at the high-hat cymbals or a rim shot. This effect is generally the opposite of what one would consider bright.

As far as I know, the only way perceived brightness will occur is when the vibrations have been properly addressed using the coupling methodology as opposed to the decoupling methodology.

Though the coupling vibration control methodology provides essentially the same sonic benefits across the frequency spectrum, there can be a perceived increase in 'brightness' due to the fact that most systems are at least somewhat bass deficient.

Therefore, since the presentation is already improperly weighted toward the highss, any further enhancements would simply give the illusion that the scales have been tipped even further toward the higher frequencies.

Properly addressing the bottom end thru proper amplification, speakers, and/or cabling would be the far better way to address this so-called 'brightness' if it were in fact deemed to be the result of vibrations.

-IMO (Disclaimer: For I too am a rack manufacturer.)

Why not try out some power conditioners? Every one I've tried softened the highs. It wasn't my preference, but if I was running SS, I wouldn't be without it.

Room treatment also tamed the highs for me, IMHE.

Nick,
I agree with Ajahu. The Reymo line conditioner is designed to make more elegant, refined, less edgy sound. I have heard it in a friends system. He has used it in and out of his system and has decieded to keep it in, for the problems you stated.

I think that brightness & edginess are 2 separate qualities that are often lumped together when they should not. For example, Wilson speakers are edgy in my experience as an owner, but not bright. Some Aerial speakers (one owned 10ts) can be bright, but are anything but edgy. I once tried some Nordost Valhalla ICs on my Accuphase 75V, & they were so bright & forward they drove me against the wall, but at the same time they were smooth.
Brightness is more tizziness, glare, forwardness, or screech.
Edginess is a kind of etched, brittle, scraping, hash-like, rough sound especially noticible in vocals and piano notes.

While both are bad, edginess is far more annoying to me, because it seems more intrinsically part of each instrument or voice, making each sound artificial. Brightness be sometimes be listened through, like clicks & pops from vinyl.

The opposite of bright is dark, and I have heard a system sound dark while still being edgy.

Just my 2-cents on this subject.

For what it's worth, in trying to avoid edginess, I like Shunyata Anaconda Alphas in the high-price range, TG 688s or SLVRs at the modest-price end.