How to take the edge off a bright setup?

[2xcess]

Thanks All,

I also plan on changing the DacMagic at some point. Some suggest it has bright
characteristics? I had planned on an Audiolab 8200CD but could spend
more (perhaps Naim DAC) to get the right adjustment in sound. I'm guessing that in both cases I'd need to keep the Squeezebox Touch, if I wanted to loose that from the chain would an Olive 4HD work with my current system?

 

[noddy1977]

EDITED BY MODS - no trading, please

 

[Frank Harvey]

Put a single ply of toilet roll over the HF unit

 

[Craig M.]

have you tried the different filter settings on the dm?

i found the dacmagic to have a slightly bright and edgy treble, using the 'min' setting reduced it but never got rid of it - slightly loose bass with this setting, too.

if you're looking at changing the dac, you should try to demo the rega or arcam ones - haven't heard them but can't see them being bright.

if you find that the music starts to change character at a certain volume setting, then it's likely that your amp is starting to struggle - although, having owned the kandy k1 L.lll, i'd be suprised if it happened as early as 10o'clock on the dial, mine used to top out about 12o'clock driving some 4 ohm dynaudios.

if you want to try some different cable, i'd recommend some van damme lc ofc. cheap and good.

 

[Andrew Everard]

FrankHarveyHiFi:Put a single ply of toilet roll over the HF unit

Or a sheet of Izal if you like that kazoo effect.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Smeared memories of school come flooding back....

 

[Andrew Everard]

Far, far too much info...

 

[Frank Harvey]

 

[plastic penguin]

FrankHarveyHiFi:Smeared memories of school come flooding back....

Had the habit of rubbing you up the wrong way.

 

[Superaintit]

Craig M.:
have you tried the different filter settings on the dm?

i found the dacmagic to have a slightly bright and edgy treble, using the 'min' setting reduced it but never got rid of it - slightly loose bass with this setting, too.

if you're looking at changing the dac, you should try to demo the rega or arcam ones - haven't heard them but can't see them being bright.

if you find that the music starts to change character at a certain volume setting, then it's likely that your amp is starting to struggle - although, having owned the kandy k1 L.lll, i'd be suprised if it happened as early as 10o'clock on the dial, mine used to top out about 12o'clock driving some 4 ohm dynaudios.

if you want to try some different cable, i'd recommend some van damme lc ofc. cheap and good.

I'm not sure what the culprit is as `i haven't heard all the components that the Op mentions. However,as an owner of both the Rdac and the van damme lc ofc, here's my 2pence worth.

The van damme ics sound neutral to me- not bright but also not warm. If you want to tame a system with cables Van den Hul would be my first choice.

The Rdac sounds just as described in the review- meaty, confident sound. Never bright. Not sure how it mixes with the roksan though.

If you want to stick with the components you have now, I would try out a Van den Hul cable. Friendly dealers usually give the opportunity to try before you buy; otherwise order from the web and return within 7 days when not happy.

 

[Anonymous]

You can't 'tame' a system with cables, they're not tone controls. If you want to do that, than the much maligned graphic equalizer is the way to go.

 

[Frank Harvey]

You can certainly 'fine tune' a system's tonal balance with cables.

QED vs Van Den Hul.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Grottyash

Yes, a component such as a Professional graphic equalizer is the way to go

Graphic equalizers with spectrum analyzers also look

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Sliced Bread]

Try a pair of Chord Cobraplus interconnects on home demo. I am doing tis myself at the moment to replace a pair of van den hul the name cables. The cobra certainly take the edge off the top (possibly too much for my system). They also add a surprising amount of bass through too which may help balance out a bright system.

Very detailed midrange too.

Definitely less bright than "the name" from van den hul.

 

[2xcess]

Is it worth trying the Arcam rDAC in place of the DacMagic? Sounds like it maybe more to my taste. Worth an audition? Seen them for less than £280 recently.

BTW, given that the system sounds well balanced at low and moderately high volumes, only becoming bright/sibilant/unpleasant at very high volumes, could it just be that is what I should expect from any set-up? Maybe ones ears are more sensitive to those frequencies as the volume increases?

 

[6th.replicant]

If you demo an rDAC, make sure it's been run-in for at least 70 hours - strange but true

 

[rymidd]

Dan Turner:Look at a decent multi-stranded copper cable - Van Damme is excellent value. Also try adjusting the speaker orientation slightly - toe in/out and even try lower the back spikes/raising the front so that they are tilted backwards slightly, so that the tweeters are not pointing directly at you when you're in your main listening position.

my roksan k2 with dac magic and quad 11L were a bit bright but van damme cable cured this. very cheap but sounds great. also i upgrade to the audiolab 8200cd with is more neutrel than the dacmagic but smoother and leaner sounding.

 

[Anonymous]

If there was ever a Nobel prize for the most unfit for purpose product ever...this would surely win!

FrankHarveyHiFi:Smeared memories of school come flooding back....

 

[Frank Harvey]

 

[Anonymous]

the acoustic in your room plays a big factor in the hot treble issue, which i had before, as i have a lot of violin records, though my problem remained even all my walls and corners were treated. In the end i swapped the powercords between my amp and cdp, and had to let go my 400quids worth "analysis plus"(people claim it tames treble for solidstate equip. in hi-fi forum) speaker cable with a pair of cheap pure copper cables i received as free gift from a retailer ages ago, and then the problem's gone.

also i find setting to do with up-sampling makes different, now i actually set my esoteric cdp on non-sampling, just find it more refined, and u don't sacrifice that much detail anyway! good luck

andy

 

[the record spot]

You can certainly 'fine tune' a system's tonal balance with cables.

QED vs Van Den Hul.

Sounded the same to me. Or at least, the music exhibited no additional or less features or characteristics when I used Qunex 2s against The Name. How fine are we talking here? What did the copper in The Name do that the copper in the Qunex 2 didn't?

 

[Anonymous]

IMO the roksan amps are bright.
Changing cables i'am afraid won't make any difference to the brightness.

 

[Anonymous]

You can certainly 'fine tune' a system's tonal balance with cables.

QED vs Van Den Hul.

Sounded the same to me. Or at least, the music exhibited no additional or less features or characteristics when I used Qunex 2s against The Name. How fine are we talking here? What did the copper in The Name do that the copper in the Qunex 2 didn't?

It was extruded humanely therefore sounded happier.

 

[Blackdawn]

It should be fairly easy to rule the various components out.

You just need to borrow or buy some cheap alternatives. e.g. borrow or buy some cheap speakers second hand and if you get the same problem its probably the source or amp. If you don't have the problem with the spare speakers, it must be the speakers giving you the bright sound.

Also, is there a point when turning up the volume that you suddenly get a bright sound or is it fairly even?

I doubt cables will help much but it's worth a try. At least it will be cheaper than changing components. Also try changing the DAC.

 

[jiggyjoe]

Might be worth trying out some solid core twin and earth cable to use as speaker cable.

I had a pair of sony apm 141 speakers back in the 80's as a teenager and the tweeters were one of the first titanium domes on domestic speakers and sounded bloody terrible, very bright and siblant.

This worked a treat and cost peanuts.

Then you could investigate other proper speaker cables maybe DNM.