2. amps-preamps
  3. 1144949716

Looking for warmth

Hi,
I need some advice...I am looking for warmth in my system..I have Vandersteen 2ci's biamped with an Adcom 555mk2 for the bass and an Adcom 545 for the mids and high's..source is an Nad cd player running into an NAD 917 preamp. I'm using audioquest interconnects and "Anti-cable" speaker wire...I'm looking to spend about $500
Any suggestions would be appreciated....
tekoakid
macrojack
1,303 posts
 
Stop everything. While I like my suggestion, I have to say that Onhwy61 has made the best suggestion of all. He is also the most experienced audiophile to have responded and I would try his methods first because they cost nothing and could well be the answer. It seems unlikely that a guy who is seeking suggestions for a $500 amp upgrade will be substituting a $2000 preamp instead. The people who have been after this grail the longest are usually the ones who provide the least radical remedies...... and vice versa.
It is true that Adcom is not so bad. It may be a bit sterile but it sure won't make your ears bleed.
The reason I recommend the Onix has to do with value. It will move you quite close to state of the art for a pittance.
saygrr
72 posts
 
The preamp and amp have to go. I strongly suggest a McCormack amp. Try to get one off the gon that already has some level of revision done to it by SMC. Preamp is hard for me to suggest but I have liked Audio Research for years. Please let us know what you did and I hope one of them is a McCormack amp.
newbee
4,817 posts
 
FWIW, although I agree with Onhwy61 in general, your post doesn't really help me in understanding your needs. You ask for more warmth but I have found that when a lot of folks do that they are in fact confusing warmth (as described by Onhwy61) and the need for a reduction in upper mid range glare most often caused by electronics, especially a lot of CDP's, speakers, and room placement and acoustic's.

In looking at your list of components I would rule out the Vandies as being a contributor to your problem - they are not inherently bright or cool speakers. Your amps are not known for being warm - to the contrary, but whether you need new ones or not is yet to be determined. (On that subject, if the amps are a problem, I would highly recommend that you not spend the money for two amps for these speakers, just get a better amp and run them full range).

I can't help you with the NAD stuff - I'm not familar with it. But I'm always suspicious of CD sources aas being a particular source of the problems your post suggests.

If you are trying to eliminate brightness this can also be changed by room placement, toe in, and 1st reflection points. Best to rule out set up as a source of your problem before replacing anything.
mikesinger
572 posts
 
- pair of pse studio v monoblocks or muse mono blocks or quick silver monos (lose the adcoms)
-audible illusions L1 preamp
-muse model 2 dac or marantz cd player
tekoakid OP
1 posts
 
First of all I would like to thank everyone for their suggestions, from the most radical, "start all over" to the best one liner..(the link to stoves)LOL....
I have already taken a persian rug off the wall and placed it on the floor using onhwy61's advice and today I will try using only the 545.
I will start looking for a decent tube preamp, though I am currently stationed overseas...it will cost quite a bit to ship over, hence the lower price range that i can afford right now.
I am a bit hesitant to sell the Adcoms...I like them ! but, If I find a good McCormack at a good price, i'll just give them to my son...
The quest goes on....
More to discover