Im a newcomer and need help to spot the weak link in my system

[pyrrhon]

Hi everyone,

Im very interested in improving my sound quality while maintaining some components. My music tastes are in the likes of The Field, Fink, Radiohead, Alt-J with some period of more accoustical like Bar Kokbha and sometimes metal too like Vektor or Sikth.

From source to speeaker here is what I have at the moment:

Apple tv 3 with icloud (I use the hdmi out)

marantz nr1403

Pair of paradigm monitor studio 9

Im not pleased, cant figure out whats the problem but it just does not sound involving. I started the same song on my iphone and on the apple tv and switched back and forth between the two sources for a while. When played through the iphone mic the sound was compact and really came from the speakers and when switched to apple tv it was airy, vast and detailed. My concern is that I felt more musicality in the compact and blurred iphone mic source. Is it that I prefer lo-fi? Another thing is the bass, It lacks definition. This time the apple tv seemed to flatten the bass a bit more then the iphone source.

So I would appreciate some advice to improve music and identify the weak link. Keeping the apple tv and the speakers would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for trying to figure out what im saying and reading this. (I speak french so please forgive my mistakes)

 

[JohnKK]

What format are you playing: mp3, flac, alac,...? And what is the usual bitrate?

Besides this I would say that driving 4-way floorstander with slimline AVR with 50w and modest power supply can give you only modest results, especially regarding bass definition and extention.

I had nr1602 and I have only played with bookshelfs and I could easily heard difference btw easy and heavily load speakers.

If you want to keep speakers think to add a power amp as I think your AVR has pre-outs (check!).

 

[pyrrhon]

Hi,

I listen with iTune match and it has in my opinion correct bitrate. I think mp3 256 kbs or m4a. In my headphone the music is more detailed then with speakers so I think the files are ok.

My amp has pre out yes! Its already 50 watt so do I need more then 50 or rather a better 50 watt amp? I Also wonder If I should use the optical out of my Apple TV to a dac?

Watt kind of amp and price would get me there?

thanks!

 

[JohnKK]

I don’t think that adding a standalone DAC will significantly improve SQ, but you can try it for yourself.

Regarding power amp, first suggestion is - don’t buy anything without hearing it first. There is a lot or variables here: quality of preamp stage of AVR, amp-speakers match, influence of 256kbps mp3 which is not that high quality,...

I think that nobody can tell you exactly what to buy, just try few power amps in your system that you can finance and can get for demo and make you decision. I would look at second hand, but question is can you get a demo of S/N amps in your system.

I know what you can expect from amps with bigger power supply (watts are not that important), but never heard Paradigm speakers, so cannot comment on that.

 

[richardw42]

You might want to try using the optical connection between your atv3 and amp. But tbh I wouldn't expect any significant difference (if any).

You might find your amp performs better with standmounts + sub, rather than such a big speaker. You could take the amp along to demo some smaller speakers. Maybe not even to buy, but it might at least give you some help identifying what might need doing.

I wouldn't bother with another DAC. The one in the amp will be pretty capable as it is, and I can't see spending a few hundred here would do anything much.

 

[pyrrhon]

Hi,

Thanks for your advices. I think I will go step by step and try to have a better ampli connected at the pre-out. Then I will search for a DAC if Im not pleased. I just need a seller willing to let me demo at home!

 

[pyrrhon]

I wanted to add that I have contacted paradigm and the monitor 9 will show better results at 100+ watt:

Hello!

The Monitor 9’s will work great off a wide variety of amplifiers but the more clean power you give them, the better they’ll sound.

100 – 200 watts of clean power will provide the best results.

Cheers!

Thanks again replyers !