Can a new amplifier affect speaker placement?

If there is one component I still kick myself in the ass for selling, it was my 5350SE. Sure my Ayre V5's are a little better, but the Creek was just the most fun and useful audio component I think I've ever had. In all fairness to your NAD, it probably does need some time to break in. Also, with a new amp, its possible you may have to move your speakers a little to compensate for differences there are between the 2 amps and how they effecr your speakers.

03-08-13: Mezmo

Could be that it is more capable, and that what you're hearing less of is actually a product of better control and more accuracy.

This has been my experience with more powerful amps with good bass control

There is a feature on the amp called a
"5 Position Digital Impedance Compensation Filter"

Have you used this and what if any effect did it have on the speaker's bass performance?

Hi all,

I'll start with the last first:

Foster: Early on, I did use the compensation filter - to great effect. Bringing it down from the default 8 ohms (and my speakers are mostly an 8-ohm speaker) to 5 ohms (which the Paradigms run at in the higher frequency range, according to John Atkinson's tests in Stereophile's coverage of the speakers) definitely made for better sound. NAD claims, in the manual, that using the filter achieves measurable - but inaudible - results. I completely disagree - results were definitely audible. All that said, making the adjustment did not affect bass performance (insofar as I could tell).

Hasse and Mezmo: I think I agree - at least partially. The bass is somehow cleaner, more textured. Bass instruments are more easily defined (though I don't think the Creek was a slouch in this area).

Zd: Yep, the Creek's a great little integrated. I may find a way to press it into service elsewhere, rather than selling it. Between the solid headphone amp, its passive pre, and its amplification section, this thing's been a winner for me all the way.

On with the show:
Over the weekend, I did some tinkering with speaker placement. After moving the speakers a full foot back, the bass snapped right into place! Tracks that I knew to have robust bass lines sounded how I knew they should, without sounding wooly or bloated. Imaging seemed to be unaffected.

It's worth saying that I had a helluva time getting the bass right in my little room with the Creek. My assumption at the time was that the Paradigms were a little too much speaker for my 16'x12'x8'h room (never gave you my room size, Philjolet - there it is), but I resolved to make it work. I had the fronts of my speakers 53" from the rear wall. Now they're 41" - a more "normal" distance. I'm sure I'll tweak their positions some more (I've lost my transients somewhat), but I think I'm pretty close. The treble is still sparkly, imaging is still excellent (possibly improved?), midrange is rich and detailed.

For giggles, I threw in an orchestral work the other night. I'd forgotten this was one of the reasons I bought the amp: dynamic swings with the Creek were just never quite what I thought they should be. Good golly! With HUGE dynamics like this, I could get into this whole classical thing!

Long & short of it: thanks all. I'm a bit dismayed that an amplifier change would require such a big change in speaker position, but there you have it. I'm now well on my way to being a very, very happy camper with my new M2.

"With HUGE dynamics like this, I could get into this whole classical thing!"

Funny how that works! Dynamics is a big part of how classical music impacts us. When it is not there as it should be, things suffer.