I don't like the sound of my system. Help please.


Thanks to all in advance for all the help.

ARC SP-14, ARC 150.2, Naim CD 3.5, also a Conrad Johnson PV-10, Vandersteen 2c Sig Mk II, REL Strata III

The sound is thin and voices sound strained. No depth or warmth.

I like to spend about $1200 give or take on any new components.

Suggestions?
mendota9811
BEFORE anyone can recommend anything, they would have to know this: Are you into GEAR or MUSIC?

If into GEAR; Then change something. Anything. It does not matter, because you will eventually change it all many times over. I would start with the little jumper thingys. That one, is one of my favorites. :)

If into MUSIC: Sell all that stuff and use the money to upgrade to some well made so-called mid-fi stuff. I recommend POLK, Marantz, Blue Jeans and Harman Kardon. I can assure you, it will not sound 'thin'. Then use the moeny you have saved to buy some music and a good comfortable listening chair. There is so much music out there, you cannot hear it all in a lifetime. So stop wasting time.
Cheers
I would start auditioning amps.A good ss amp that will double it's power into 4ohms will wake up your system.If you go with a used unit,read many reviews first.You can always resell and move on.If you buy new,just make sure you can return it in 30 days.I'm sure you'll get many brands recommended to you in this thread to give you a starting point for research.I can't really recommend my monoblocks[Hibachi] since their creator passed away and if you ever needed service you'd be up that creek.But they are powerful,detailed,and smooth.Best of luck to you,and that's a very nice system!
agreed with the focus on speaker and IC cabling AND power cords.

the key points:

(1) review and assess ALL three cable types together. The wrong cables in your system can be fatal.

(2) one size does NOT fit all. Certain cables (speaker/ICs/power) -- individually and collectively-- work better with certain gear; and conversely do NOT work well with others. Trial and error experimentation -- after getting mfg and dealer recommendations as a first step -- is regrettabbly the path to follow. There is no magic bullet solution for this ...this is a journey and not a destination exercise.

A review of these is a first step before you start throwing more money at new gear. The improvements can be huge with the right cables. Good luck.
Did you EVER like the sound of your system?
What has changed, since then?

(your health, your ears, the furniture in your room,
floor and wall treatment in your room,
your listening position, the temperature/humidity of the room,
the load of lighting and other electrical devices on the same circuit,
or nearby...)

The list can go on and on, and we haven't even talked about
any equipment, yet, let alone dollars.

Could there be an analogy to an online conversation with a
relationship counselor, when they hear "I don't like X about
my partner!" What kinds of responses are you looking for,
with the limited information you are offering, and the multitude
of variables that can be addressed in any given response?
Have u treated the room with any acoustic treatment? This just might be the ticket and not the gear at all.