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System Components are Warm but Synergy is Bright?

Hi everyone,

PLEASE HELP!!! I'm in real need of some advice. I'm going nuts trying to figure this one out!!!

My system components are a Cary 303 second generation player, Plinius 8200 Mk 1 integrated and Soliloquy 6.2 Speakers. The speaker cables are Acoustic Zen Satori and the interconnect is a Straighwire Chorus (ie. weakest link.) Power cords are Shunyata Diamondbacks and power conditioner is a Monster HTS 5100. Each component is characterized as being on the warm side. In fact the Cary replaced a Rega Planet 2000 in the above system and everything was indeed warm. I liked this!

In an effort to retrieve a bit more detail and maintain warmth I went with the Cary CD player. But now the sound is bright and fatiguing. What do you experts think? I bought the Cary used, should I have Cary take a look at it? The previous owner used the unit in a tube system and it sounded wonderful, is there anything that needs to be switched internally in the player now that it is working with Solid State componenets? Can the use of a warm interconnect like the Cardas Cross really make a night and day difference in this instance?

This situation has really got me confused. I thank you and appreciate all of your responses and input in advance.

Thanks!
mdp0430
the_kid's avatar
the_kid
465 posts
 
Hmmm.. I think what you are hearing is more detail from the Cary CDP. I would say that your demon is probably the Straight Wire Interconnect. That stuff is BRIGHT! The Rega is a very warm player so the Straight Wire was probably okay with it as a source. I would personally suggest using the matching interconnect to your speaker wire. Acoustic Zen.

Then give things are serious listen. The Cary should give you more Air, detail and focus over the Rega. Not grain, brightness, or glare as you are describing. Good luck

Chris
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,152 posts
 
Before changing any components you should experiment with the toe-in and vertical tilt axis of your speakers.
nrchy's avatar
nrchy
2,124 posts
 
I hope this is not throwing too many issues at you at once, but have you considered that the room might be the problem? The room is too often overlooked as the source of problems but it is every bit as important as the gear placed within.

What is on the floors, walls and ceiling?
honest1
586 posts
 
Could be the Plinius. I had auditioned a plinius integrated (don't remember which one), and found it very bright in the treble, (not the upper mids) with Quads. The dealer called the Plinius "sparkly".
rbautista
91 posts
 
I'm experiencing the same problem. I used to have an Audiolab pre and amp using a Classe .3 cdp. This had a very warm a smooth sound.

I first switched out the amp with a Belles 150A Hot Rod. Everything still sounded warm and smooth, but more details. The characterics of the Belles that I've read is that is transparent, warm, smooth, and "tube like". I was satisified with this sound, but noticed that the Audiolab was somewhat coloring the sound.

What I did next was replace the Audiolab pre with a Placette passive. Music became more transparent, detailed, and dynamic. Half way through a cd I can notice some listening fatigue or having a "glare".

Not sure if the Placette is revealing the weak link in the system or the synergy is not good because both the Classe and Belles are described as having the same sonic signature (warm, smooth). I know the Placette doesn't add or subtract from my system so I know it can't be that.

I'm not convinced it could be my room causing the brightness, but it might. I'm just trying to avoid having to add room treatment since I know the wife won't go for it.

Since I'm experiencing somewhat the same problem as Mdp0430, my hunch it could be the amp. I've heard the Cary and I can't see that being the issue since I would describe that to be warm and smooth sounding. Very "tube like". Then again, it's probably just not a good match for the Plinius kind of like how my Classe is not that good of a match for my Belles.
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