Warm and Wet cables?

used XLO signature would be excellent Interconnects especially at their going used prices see my review here on audiogon it directly compared harmonic technology magic with the XLO. for speaker cables XLO TYPE 5A are excellent et used prices also, these have 90% the performance of the double price signature speaker cables.

I have harmonic Tech cables and also acoustic zen which sound much the same as the harmonic tech's. They are both very neutral cables, not sure they would tame a hot treble.

Acoustic zen matrix reference ics

Hi, Nik:

Thanks for the list of your components. IMO, I think the "problem" you describe may not, infact, be a "problem" since your system is doing what it should. Let me explain.

As it turns out, you and I have some similar components in our system (my system is listed -- see link below my name). The Bryston amp and the Alpha-Core speaker cables are the common factor between our systems, and based on that (and listening that I have done to several Sim Audio components), I think that our systems both provide a fairly accurate picture of the recordings being played. Unfortunately, I have no direct experience with your speakers, which obviously constitute the greatest single variable in yours (or anyone's) system.

If you try to achieve a "warmer, wetter" sound (we'll leave the obvious allusions alone...) by changing cables, I think you will simply change the entire presentation of your system, and the qualities you currently like (and want to preserve) will be altered.

Alpha-Core Python cables are essentially a twisted configuration of the MI2 cables, which I am currently using. I have found this cable to have all of the properties you want -- excellent bass, and balanced mids and highs. Further, the Bryston 3B-ST is essentially neutral, and is good enough to reveal the transparency and detail provided by your Sim Audio preamp (much as my Bryston SP-1 does). Sim Audio and Bryston preamps have very similar tonal qualities, and I think both fall in the neutral to very-slightly-warm range. This leads me to think that the high-frequency "edginess" you are hearing on some recordings is because your system is accurate and is passing along the audio signal with genuine fidelity -- exactly what you want your system to do.

All good high-end systems involve compromises, and they come with a "good news" and "bad news" feature: they reveal both the best and the worst on recordings. If the system simply made all recordings "pleasant" (i.e., homogenized), then the system is not accurate.

There are several things you could try that may or may not yield the result you are seeking: try a different interconnect such as the excellent Alpha-Core Goertz TQ2's or Kimber Hero's, and you might try them with RCA rather than XLR jacks (in some systems, RCA terminations may sound a bit more "laid back" than XLR's).

I realize that my comments may not be what you wanted to hear, but I reiterate that if you essentially like the sound of your system EXCEPT ON SOME RECORDINGS, then the issue is really with the recordings, not your system. Assuming that you intend to keep your current speakers, there are only two "sure fire" solutions that I can think of to solve the problem you describe:
1. don't play the recordings that bother you (something I began doing some years ago);
OR
2. get a preamp that has tone controls that allow you to roll off the high frequencies on those recordings that bother you.

Hope you get some other responses that will provide advice that may not have occurred to me.

Best regards, and good listening.

Thanks for the responses.

I'll take a look at Sonoran, XLO, and acoustic zen as well as Harmonic Technology.

Nice system SD. I think that you are right in saying that my system is fairly neurtal and it may be the accurate picture which I'm not happy with on some recordings. I didn't want to use the word 'bright' (like older adcom of NHT stuff) because that is not the problem. I've listened to bright systems and they usually sound that way on all recordings. I am focusing on the treble since on lesser recordings with poor bass I am not bothered, but sizzling hi hats makes me want to change cds.

I am actually starting to consider an EQ or tone controls, which is a big step since I'm kind of a minimalist guy when it comes to audio. Something in the tape loop would allow me to only adjust things when needed. Ideas?

I like accuracy, otherwise I wouldn't have the system that I do. Just feel like I'd be happier with things a bit more forgiving so I can enjoy more of my music collection. I guess trading off on my top 10% of recordings for the bottom 50% is what I'm getting at.

Cheers