Cambridge Audio 640 C & A - More clarity wanted - WHAT HI FI COMMENTS ALSO PLEASE. THANKS

[admin_exported]

Hi

I have a Cambridge Audio 640C and A with Mission M71 Speakers, Ixos inter connectors, QED Micro cables. The problem is I turn up the bass a little and the treble to maximum and I'm still not finding voices, instruments, etc clear enough. I do like a fair amount of bass which my speakers actually give believe it or not but I like the treble / midrange to also be quite upfront.

I also have a Cambridge Audio Pacific cable and tried that but hat only bad it warmer. I've also tried changing around the direction of the interconnector.The cable has a direction sign on it and if I have the cable direting from the amp to the cd player, the sound is more spacious and much clearer but not quite as much bass.

I purchased the Chord Carnival Silver Screen on a number of your recommendations but unfortunatley wasvery disaapointed. The amount of weight that you get from the cables are impresive. However, I found voices and clarity to be better from the QED micro cable. I also have a pair of Mordant Short 902's but again quite dissapointed. Clarity and bass is better using the Missions, although the 902's are more cohesive.

Can you help at all. Will a cable such as the QED SA XT be brighter and give more midrange to the system.

It would be great to have your feed back

Cheers

 

[Messiah]

I would change the speakers. The way you describe the Missions is pretty much how I find them. Maybe take a look at the Monitor Audio range. They suit me down to the ground and probably will with you too.

Can you demo any at a local dealer??

 

[ear]

I would change the amp.not much bass for the CA's

 

[vinod_david]

mwong_28:
Hi

I have a Cambridge Audio 640C and A with Mission M71 Speakers, Ixos inter connectors, QED Micro cables. The problem is I turn up the bass a little and the treble to maximum and I'm still not finding voices, instruments, etc clear enough. I do like a fair amount of bass which my speakers actually give believe it or not but I like the treble / midrange to also be quite upfront.

I also have a Cambridge Audio Pacific cable and tried that but hat only bad it warmer. I've also tried changing around the direction of the interconnector.The cable has a direction sign on it and if I have the cable direting from the amp to the cd player, the sound is more spacious and much clearer but not quite as much bass.

I purchased the Chord Carnival Silver Screen on a number of your recommendations but unfortunatley wasvery disaapointed. The amount of weight that you get from the cables are impresive. However, I found voices and clarity to be better from the QED micro cable. I also have a pair of Mordant Short 902's but again quite dissapointed. Clarity and bass is better using the Missions, although the 902's are more cohesive.

Can you help at all. Will a cable such as the QED SA XT be brighter and give more midrange to the system.

It would be great to have your feed back

Cheers

Hi there -

I have CA 640A V2 and 640C V2 driving MA RS6. Speaker cables are QED SA XT and IC is QED. I don't find any lacking in treble, midrange, and bass; all in right proportion. It's nearly one year now i had this combo, and everything is very good as it should be.

Now, I assume in your setup the speakers are left to blame (IMO). If you are very much after FS, then you can't go wrong with MA RS6, and for BS you have MA RS1, PSB, Diamond 9.1/9.2, etc. Get QED SA XT and you are done.

PS - Have a demo of RS6 with your CA setup, and let us know your result.

 

[Anonymous]

You must have awesome hearing if you can pick out differences in simply turning the interconnect the other way. Could you tell these differences blind?

 

[newaudio]

hello to ya...

i have CA740A+C with Azur Interconnects driving Monitor Audio RS8s. bass and clarity great in my opinion. speakers breaking in beautifull! try MAs maybe?

 

[newaudio]

also have pureflow silver biwirable cable from monitor audio....

 

[matthewpiano]

In my experience the jump up from the 640 to the 740 series components is pretty vast. I had the 740A and 740C with the pair of MS 914i floorstanders and, although I found them a bit clinical, they certainly provide the clarity and detail across the frequency range you seem to be looking for. I feel that you have probably hit the end stop of what the 640A, in particular, can do and I would suggest trying to get hold of a 740A. The 640C is perfectly capable for the time being. An upgrade of speakers would be the next thing, followed by the addition of a DAC Magic which would effectively give you pretty much what the 740C can do but without the cost of replacing your whole CD player.

 

[d_a_n1979]

I totally agree with MP.

I feel that an upgrade of your speakers 1st would be a good route then if your still not satisfied then look tp change/upgrade your amp.

IMO the C/A separates can be clinical and a bit too forward at times; more so if partnered with the wrong speakers.

Have you considered looking at standmount speakers such as B&W, Monitor Audio, Tannoy and Wharfedale?

I think quite a bit of demoing may be in order to find where the main weakness is in your system but also to find what the right sound is for you.

 

[Anonymous]

d_a_n1979:I totally agree with MP.

I feel that an upgrade of your speakers 1st would be a good route then if your still not satisfied then look tp change/upgrade your amp.

IMO the C/A separates can be clinical and a bit too forward at times; more so if partnered with the wrong speakers.

Have you considered looking at standmount speakers such as B&W, Monitor Audio, Tannoy and Wharfedale?

I think quite a bit of demoing may be in order to find where the main weakness is in your system but also to find what the right sound is for you.

He's looking for more clarity, me personally I wouldn't recommend him B&W and Wharfedale speakers, because tonally they might not be what he's looking for.

Try some Monitor Audio speakers, the RS1's or RS6's, or have a look at the Focal Chorus 714/716/816 range.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi mwong my brother has your speakers to so I can fully understand what you are saying, they are very good speakers but are lacking a bit in clarity which is why I would recommend the Monitor Audio BR2 speakers as they have tremendous punch and slam as well as being very detailed. However I would caution that neither of these speakers will sound anywhere near their best if they are not already on speaker stands.

 

[matthewpiano]

I don't think clarity is a strength of the BR2s. They are great speakers in many ways but their lack of clarity is one reason why I'm currently listening to my 902is instead.

 

[Anonymous]

I found a suprising quikc fix for the lack of bass. If you use speaker port B on the amp, the bass is much heavier than using A . Strange but I found out by accicdent.

Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

Hey David

The MA RS6 CA combo sounds quite good, although I previously had a NAD 320BEE amplier which had a much clearer mid range using the Missions which is why I feel they are lacking a bit in that department. I'll certainly consider the MA at a later stage but do you think the QED SA XT would help?

Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

I really do. It's actually quite annoying. lol I hear every little change in detail.

Looks like I have some demoing to do. However, in the meantime, what speaker cable would you guys recommend to make my system a bit clearer like it was with my NAD320 BEE. The only thing with the NAD I found was that it completedly lacked bass.

Cheers

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the comments guys!

I have Soundstyle Z2 speaker stands.

 

[Anonymous]

Matt, the BR2's have far more clarity than the mentioned M71's, I agree that it is not their greatest strength but all round they are excellent well balanced speakers and at the budget end of the market, are a great buy.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey David

Do you think QED SA XT would help my setup and clear things up a bit over the Micro's / Chord Silverscreen cables to start things off? Do you also find your set up driving the RS6's powerfully?

Thanks

 

[vinod_david]

mwong_28:
Hey David

Do you think QED SA XT would help my setup and clear things up a bit over the Micro's / Chord Silverscreen cables to start things off? Do you also find your set up driving the RS6's powerfully?

Thanks

Hi:

Yes QED SA XT is better than what you're using now. Many like it, many dislike it, but it's doing great for me though. Well RS6 would definitely sing better if partnered with 740 or 840, but currently i can drive RS6 only with 640 as it's my first setup. In future sure 640A will be replaced, may be will keep 640C.

 

[Anonymous]

Based on exerience of many speakers in our listening room the problem here is definitely your speakers. If you are near a Richer store I can arrange for you to take a pair of MS902i's or Mezzo 2's home to try, both will make a significant difference. I think the Mezzo's will surprise you if you can stretch to them.

 

[chebby]

Cambridge Audio CEO:Based on exerience of many speakers in our listening room the problem here is definitely your speakers. If you are near a Richer store I can arrange for you to take a pair of MS902i's or Mezzo 2's home to try, both will make a significant difference. I think the Mezzo's will surprise you if you can stretch to them.

I guess you did not see the Original Poster say... "I also have a pair of Mordant Short 902's but again quite dissapointed. Clarity and bass is better using the Missions"

Secondly, is it correct under WHF forum rules for senior staff from one 'Audio Partnership' brand to come on here and promote products from another 'Audio Partnership' brand?

Is it also ethical to suggest buying from Richer Sounds given that AP have such close ties with them? (Julian Richer owns a large share of 'Audio Partnership').

 

[Anonymous]

Oops, sorry. Take your point. Only trying to help solve a problem and convey what I had heard personally. Unlike others in the trade I do not hide my status and thought it was well known that we also own MS and that JR holds shares in AP albeit is not involved in the business day to day.

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:Cambridge Audio CEO:Based on exerience of many speakers in our listening room the problem here is definitely your speakers. If you are near a Richer store I can arrange for you to take a pair of MS902i's or Mezzo 2's home to try, both will make a significant difference. I think the Mezzo's will surprise you if you can stretch to them. I guess you did not see the Original Poster say... "I also have a pair of Mordant Short 902's but again quite dissapointed. Clarity and bass is better using the Missions" Secondly, is it correct under WHF forum rules for senior staff from one 'Audio Partnership' brand to come on here and promote products from another 'Audio Partnership' brand? Is it also ethical to suggest buying from Richer Sounds given that AP have such close ties with them? (Julian Richer owns a large share of 'Audio Partnership').

Internet forumming - serious business!

To be fair, he does clearly state his affiliation

 

[chebby]

Thats ok

I will forgive you if you can get Douglas Self to come in here and join the occasional discussion on the directionality of 'audiophile' cables!

That would be fun.

Also a printed or website guide (for Windows and Mac users) for your DacMagic on the subject of optimum settings for their OS and iTunes/WMP etc.

Some other DAC manufacturers do this but I could not find anything from CA on the subject either in my friend's DacMagic instructions or on your website.

(We ended up using those published by Benchmark instead.)

Sorry to go off-topic. Just wanted to ask whilst you were here.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Appreciate the intention, but rather over-zealous there, Chebby!

No rules broken, everything cool....