Need Help With a Bright System

Wow! So many recommendation, I'm not sure which ones to try first. I know that Best Buy sells some of the Monster power conditioners, so I may be able to try one from there. If it does make a difference and I decide not too overpay, I'll take it back and try for a used one online.

I would like to try swapping out gear with my dad's. However, his source is much better than mine (Marantz SA11). Either way, I'd like to try swapping amps and speakers between the two rooms to hear which is the culprit. I'm pretty confident that matching these speakers with a tube amp will remove most if not all of the harshness.

a quick potential fix. I was trying to use a pair of HT pro silway II (silver and copper)between my CDP (ARC CD-2 going to VTL tube gear then to Dunlavy Athenas) and pre but they had a horrible top end glare while doing a bunch of other things much better than the all copper truth links which didn't have the glare. While experimenting with vibration control to see what i could gain/loose (both did occur depending on what control approach i used) i found that a set of cones/vibropod combo under the CDP took away all the glare while leaving the positives intact. adding some vibropods to your set up may be worth a try along with mass loading. Cheaper than a new pair of speakers

Piezo: Yes, buying new speakers is pretty much out of the question right now. I spent a long time researching and coming up with the decision to buy these speakers, and to be honest I like how clear they sound; I'd rather match other equipment to suit these speakers. I do in fact have a set of cones underneath the CD player. I've tried using them both ways (pointed end up/down). The interconnects i'm using between the cd player and pre and AR silver series, so I may try a pure copper interconnect. I'm also going to try swaping the ARs with the Kimber Timbres that are going between the pre and the monos. For rock music, I can handle having the speakers toed out/facing forward because the loss in imaging doesn't really matter.

Jwglista,

I hear you on researching the speakers but let me share a friends experience. He too purchased the Triangles and I was taken back by how they imaged and the clearness you are explaining, I mean wow!, I heard it. However, I did not like anything else about the speaker. Also, try listening to them for over an hour. Better buy stock in Advil.

God forbid you try and play Rock & Roll on them which is what I (and my friend) listen to the most. I mean who really wants to listen to Patricia Barber and Norah Jones all day because of the recordings. It gets old and tiresome.

You see it is the "clearness" you are talking about that turns into "brightness-hash-glare" with a less than perfect digital recording.

I just set up a different friend with a budget bedroom system which consists of a NAD BBE integrated and a Pair of those inexpensive EPOS ELS-3s. Using a Rotel CD player and entry level AudioQuest, the system sounds fantastic. There is ZERO brightness and the system sounds much better than some bigger rigs I have heard for only $500.00 here on Audiogon used for the whole system.

I would put money on the table that your electronics are really not your problem. Putting vibration devices under equipment and changing cables will result in small changes but are merely band-aid and will not eliminate your problem. Why make sacrafices for the music when it is the most important thing here?

Respectfully,

Chris

"I spent a long time researching and coming up with the decision to buy these speakers"

And when you demo'd them did they have the same edge that now annoys you ? If not what was the partnering equipment in the demo ? Go buy it, or start saving.

If you did not demo them, but bought them on the basis of reviews then I think it's time to accept that you made an unfortunate choice, sell them and move on. You might lose a little money on the deal, but you'll be better off in the long run.

You could sink a whole lot more money and time into power conditioners, cables, outlets, vibration control, and other stuff, that in my experience delivers the last <5% of the sound, but it will not cure a terminally bright system.

If you really like imaging and want to lose the brightness I'd suggest a used pair of Spica Angelus, or Tc-60s, or if you can stretch a pair of GMA Europas.