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Depth of sound stage--I need help

I have a 14x18 listening room with Audio Physic Tempo EXs on the short wall set up per Cardas speaker placement guidelines. I am running Quicksilver Silver 60 mono amps(older version) with a VTL 2.5 preamp, and a Sony SACD 333ES changer. I have Silver Audio interconnects an DH-Labs Q-10 speaker cable. On the power end I am using a Monster Cable HTS1000 surge protector and Synergystic Research AC Master couplers on the amps and preamp. I have a very wide sound stage and for the most part the system (albiet modest) sounds pretty good. What I am missing is that 3D sense of the artist being right there with you. It is not nearly as "lifelike" as some of the systems I have heard (Most notably SET Cary gear). Where do I look for improvement--My room, the source, amp, preamp, cables? Or is the bottom line that I have just fallen for what people call the Cary "majik"? Please advise.

Thanks,

Greg
gcarbone
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kirk930's avatar
kirk930
285 posts
 
buy some sound labs,and sit nearfield and watch the soundstage drop back.
chelillingworth
309 posts
 
I own the 333es which is a good enough unit but really does lack the resolution to presnt the ambient cues to give you a 3D soundstage. When compared with a bel canto dac I had it most notably lacked depth. I have since sold my bel canto and had Dan Wright of ModWright modify 333es for $350. It was an amazing transformation and on redbook beats the bel canto or PT combo and is unbelievable on sacd. I can recommend this as the most cost effective solution to your problem. You are suffering forom a lack of resolution, the AP speakers can throw an amazing soundstage( I have the Virgos) and the quicksilver tube gear should be great.
check out www.modwright.com
perfectimage
406 posts
 
I have found that MIT cables create a very deep and wide soundstage with great imaging.
ehider
286 posts
 
I agree with Chelillingworth, your 333es can definately be improved. I have repeatedly stated for some time now about how Sony (and virtually all other Japanese cd players) use very meager sounding output devices. We are talking about cheap op amps here! THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS KIND OF OVERSIGHT IN A HIGH END AUDIO APPLICATION! Everyone that has a Japanese player should have this oversight fixed first, BEFORE they spend needless thousands of dollars on those high priced cables and isolation systems. Shouldn't we correct those big design oversights first which seriously limit the overall sonic performance, and then tweak our systems? How can you extract great sound with those expensive tweaky items if there is a serious sonic limitation at the source? Another modder to consider other than Dan Wright is Stan Warren. Both have received high acclaim at Audiogon forums.
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