Monitor audio rx6 too bright?

[Vortex160]

Hi there

I just got a pair of monitor audio rx6 which are paired with a denon 791 avr

The highs and vocals are very bright and taxing on the ear.

Its as if theres no body to the vocals , increasing or decreasing the treble tone makes no difference

Things still sound harsh even at low volumes .

What could be the reason behind this ?

Is that the denon doesnt match with the rx6?

Any suggestions

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi Vortex

What's your room acoustics like? is it reflective e.g. hardflooring, no curtains etc etc.? or do you have carpet, sofas, bookcases etc etc?

Did you buy without listening first?

 

[Anonymous]

You can look at my threads from over a year ago. I eventually gave up on it. My suggestion: Call up/Email denon and ask them for speaker recommendations.

 

[scene]

If you're RX6s are new, they will tend to sound a little harsh/bright. This is the one downside of metal tweeters (and the c-cam cones) - they need a good deal or running in. My recommendation is not to do anything hasty, but to try to give them a chance. Put on some mid volume music (or a speaker burn-in cd) and leave it playing - for hours. If you can leave them running all day (if you won't end up annoying the neighbours!) do so.

The "Old school" recommendation for running in speakers was to place them facing each other about 6-8" (15-20cm) from each other, reverse the polarity of one speaker (not forgetting to rectify this later) and leave them playing mid level music for 24 hours. The face-to-face positioning, and the crossed wiring means each speaker pushes as the other pulls, supposedly speeding up the run-in process.

Monitor Audio do a burn-in CD to aid the running in process.

Once you've given them a very good run in, see what they sound like. In my experience, they will open up considerably and sound much warmer and fuller.

 

[john1000000boy]

My RX 6 were a bit on the bright side when i 1st picked them up. The room was bare with wooden floors as the settup was in a renovated room. Like above dont be too hasty with them. I notice a difference after they have been warmed up for a while playing some tunes. They like a good running in 1st though..

 

[Frank Harvey]

Make sure there's no indentations on the HF dome. In certain places, it can make a metal dome tweeter sound harsh and fatiguing.

 

[Cypher]

My advice ; get some Dali speakers. Dali Zensor 5 / Dali Lektor 6 / Dali ikon 5 mk2 are much better speakers with a natural sound and no harsh sounds at all.

I've never liked the RS/RX series from Monitor Audio. The BR/BX series are much better and more listenable.

Just my 2 cents 😉

 

[Anonymous]

Hi there

I just got a pair of monitor audio rx6 which are paired with a denon 791 avr

The highs and vocals are very bright and taxing on the ear.

Its as if theres no body to the vocals , increasing or decreasing the treble tone makes no difference

Things still sound harsh even at low volumes .

What could be the reason behind this ?

Is that the denon doesnt match with the rx6?

Any suggestions

Could be for a variety of reasons. Did you audition the speakers with your amp and like the sound at the time? If not then why did you buy them...?

If yes, then it could be that the speakers need to be run in and/or that you have hard/bright room acoustics. You could try moving the speakers close the rear wall and play around with placement, that will make quite a difference and you can see if that brings out the lower frequencies a bit more.

IMO, no point thinking about changing the speakers until (a) you know what kind of sound you're after and (b) you know why the current setup doesn't provide what you're looking for.

 

[Anonymous]

Cypher; I'd say that's the wrong information to give full stop

Not EVERYONE is expected to like all speakers but the RX6's have a superb following. I certainly dont agree that the BX series is better; having the BX5's now, listened to the BX6's a lot and previously owning the RX6's; the RX6's outclass the BX's fairly easily with abetter overall soundstage and tauter bottem end

As above the OP really does need to let them run in properly; when I had mine it took them a good 100+ hours to sound at their best and they still improved after that

I do however feel that the Denon may not be the best match for the RX6's; if the op has the budget; he could possibly look at a decent 2nd hand power amp such as the Arcam Alpha 10P to drive them in a dedicated stereo set-up but still maintain them for his fronts

 

[Cypher]

That's not wrong information.........you call that an opinion. My opinion in this case.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

Cypher; I'd say that's the wrong information to give full stop

Not EVERYONE is expected to like all speakers but the RX6's have a superb following. I certainly dont agree that the BX series is better; having the BX5's now, listened to the BX6's a lot and previously owning the RX6's; the RX6's outclass the BX's fairly easily with abetter overall soundstage and tauter bottem end

As above the OP really does need to let them run in properly; when I had mine it took them a good 100+ hours to sound at their best and they still improved after that

I do however feel that the Denon may not be the best match for the RX6's; if the op has the budget; he could possibly look at a decent 2nd hand power amp such as the Arcam Alpha 10P to drive them in a dedicated stereo set-up but still maintain them for his fronts

What is a superb following? Well dressed Audiophiles led by some celebrities? Who cares what anyone else thinks, it's the purchaser who has to live with the speakers.

I also doubt changing the amp will make a huge difference, as generally it's the speakers that make the most difference to the sound, in a CD-based system anyway. Changing the amp or source is a bit like throwing the ballast overboard from a ship that is sinking: it'll slow the process down, but it isn't addressing the source of the problem.

Even so, your ears do adjust to the new sound, so I'd wait a while - say 3 weeks or so- before looking elsewhere. However, if you can't stand them now, change them, no point in bashing your ears with something you know you're never going to like.

 

[stevieg330]

Hi,

I recently bought some RX6's and, although second hand, I was told that they had hardly been used and still needed running in.

The amplifier is a Marantz PM7200KI with either Vinyl or CD/SACD as a front end.

I have to say I don't find them harsh in the slightest, very detailed yes and with the right record or disc they can sound absolutely beautiful, even at lower volumes. I listen to many different types of music and I haven't come across any recording where I would say that the sound was harsh.

Maybe your speakers do need some more running in. I'm not familiar with the Denon so I'm assuming that it can drive the speakers correctly. What front end are you using?

Otherwise the problem may be synergy between your amp and the speakers. My thoughts anyway.

Hope this helps

Steve

 

[richardw42]

I really don't get the number of posts criticizing MA speakers sounding bright / harsh.

This is not my experience at all. I love love their detail and accuracy.

As you can see by my sig. I really go for MA, and am very happy with them.

 

[Anonymous]

I really don't get the number of posts criticizing MA speakers sounding bright / harsh. This is not my experience at all. I love love their detail and accuracy. As you can see by my sig. I really go for MA, and am very happy with them.

It happens a lot unfortunately; there seem to be a lot of 'bashers' out there that come out and slate the brand every time it's mentioned. It does happen with other brands; I myself cannot stand Cambridge Audio but try not to slate it too much; just offer a different opinion

Some folks do just come out and say that this brand or that brand is naff so you should change/get rid ASAP but then dont offer alternatives etc...

Just the way it is :doh:

 

[Frank Harvey]

You'll find there's a lot of people that comment on a brand based on hearing one or two of their products. Obviously, a couple of products from a number of ranges (and probably not even hearing certain ranges) isn't really going to give a representative opinion of that brand. With MA, many people base their idea of the MA sound on the old RS series, which was bright, and could be harsh if partnered wrongly. It's the same with KEF, Cyrus, Naim, ProAc etc etc, who have all seen changes to their 'family sound' over the past decade (some over the past few years), but you'll still get people giving their opinion on a brand based on a model they heard 10 years ago at a show somewhere.

This is why demo rooms are important. They may or may not be representative of everyone's living space, but they allow you to hear differences between speaker and electronic brands (away from other speakers), which is the most important thing when auditioning.

 

[Cypher]

Everyone has different ears and different expectations of speakers. ALWAYS audition is my advice.

I heard the RX6 on several occasions and do not like them. That's just an opinion.

Bashing is so immature. The idea of people bashing Monitor Audio just because they do not like the brand........I don't buy that.

 

[plastic penguin]

Everyone has different ears and different expectations of speakers. ALWAYS audition is my advice.

I heard the RX6 on several occasions and do not like them. That's just an opinion.

Bashing is so immature. The idea of people bashing Monitor Audio just because they do not like the brand........I don't buy that.

Yes, of course it is personal opinion... I fully embrace that. There are, on the other hand, an awful lot of people that slaughter the Silver range from MA and I just don't understand why. I've heard a lot of different speakers over a 30 year period and I've yet to hear anything that betters the RS or RX6 ranges for the money (or even comes close).

 

[altruistic.lemon]

I don't think people bash the brand at all, they just have different tastes and say so. I don't like them either, the ones I've heard at least, but, hey, there are plenty who don't like my gear - I mean, I have Naim, after all 🙂

On his forum I'd say there are far more people who like MA than those who don't, and it is they (the likers) who are more vocal than the rest, as you'd expect. I have noticed, however, that mentioning you don't like them is very controversial, whereas no-one seems to mind if you say you don't like Q Acoustics, Kefs and many many other brands. It's a bit like saying you like the Technics SL1200 or Linn LP 12 on a turntable forum :beer:

 

[plastic penguin]

I don't think people bash the brand at all, they just have different tastes and say so. I don't like them either, the ones I've heard at least, but, hey, there are plenty who don't like my gear - I mean, I have Naim, after all 🙂

On his forum I'd say there are far more people who like MA than those who don't, and it is they (the likers) who are more vocal than the rest, as you'd expect. I have noticed, however, that mentioning you don't like them is very controversial, whereas no-one seems to mind if you say you don't like Q Acoustics, Kefs and many many other brands. It's a bit like saying you like the Technics SL1200 or Linn LP 12 on a turntable forum :beer:

Perhaps not. Over the last 4 years (almost) I've been frequenting the forum few have come out in support. In addition, I always loved Arcam stuff (not all) and the combination of Arcam and MA has resulted in a number of snears - they know who they are BTW - and hence why I started this http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/arcam-is-rubbish to create a reaction.

For me, with the right amp and source, little below a thousand pounds beats Monitor Audio speakers.

 

[Cypher]

I even like the Dali Zensor 5 better than the RX6..............a far more natural sound.The Monitor RS1 were some of the worst speakers I've ever had. That tweeter sounded awful........they also got very confused when you played complex music.I am a fan of the BX 2 though............great speakers 😉

 

[Vortex160]

Hi Vortex

What's your room acoustics like? is it reflective e.g. hardflooring, no curtains etc etc.? or do you have carpet, sofas, bookcases etc etc?

Did you buy without listening first?

I did demo them with a cambridge audio

Amp suprisingly the combination didnt sound that

Bright .

My setup is in carpeted basement about 20 by 20 ft

But i have the setup in one half of the room

To get more low end . The only thing that i can

Think of is a part of the ceiling That could be causing reflection.

Ahh what the hell ill just post a pic of the setup

 

[scene]

I suppose before continuing I must declare that I am an Arcam + MA fan - but not all Arcam and not all MA speakers. I didn't find the S6s (the one's after the 8is) that good and the RS range had to be partnered carefully. Arcam have produced some less good amps and have suffered with firmware issues, probably in their eagerness to get product to market (IMO).

It's a common issue with people buying Monitor Audios that when they unpack them and hook them up to their amps they think: "OMG - where is the sweet sounding speaker I heard in the shop demo. I've got some harsh sibillant thing instead". Like all speakers, MAs need running in and due to the stiffness of the metal cone tweeters and the c-cam cones, the thing that gives them their excellent response time and clarity - that running in time is longer than other paper / kevlar / pulp cones. So, yes, run them in - 100 hours run-in sounds about right. Also, make sure you've got decent speaker cables - decent chunky ones. Some people think silver coating can exacerbate brightness, I'm in two minds about that and use QED Silver Anniversary myself. The other thing that MA's tend to need is a bit of room around them - too near a wall and they get a bit boomy, toeing in a little can also help, but that's a bit dependent on room geometry, proximity of side walls,etc. But I digress.

There is the possibility that the RX6 and your Denon aren't the best of matches. Not all speakers and all amps naturally go together. for a variety of reasons. Did you demo the pairing beofre purchase?

 

[Vortex160]

Make sure there's no indentations on the HF dome. In certain places, it can make a metal dome tweeter sound harsh and fatiguing.

I doubt that , the tweeters are protected by built in grille

How can one diffrentiate between a damaged and a overly brigt tweeter?

 

[scene]

Make sure there's no indentations on the HF dome. In certain places, it can make a metal dome tweeter sound harsh and fatiguing.

I doubt that , the tweeters are protected by built in grille

How can one diffrentiate between a damaged and a overly brigt tweeter?

If your MAs are new, from a reputable dealer then, as you say, the grills will have protected them so they won't be damaged.

As for overly bright - see my previous post(s) 🙂

 

[Vortex160]

I suppose before continuing I must declare that I am an Arcam + MA fan - but not all Arcam and not all MA speakers. I didn't find the S6s (the one's after the 8is) that good and the RS range had to be partnered carefully. Arcam have produced some less good amps and have suffered with firmware issues, probably in their eagerness to get product to market (IMO).

It's a common issue with people buying Monitor Audios that when they unpack them and hook them up to their amps they think: "OMG - where is the sweet sounding speaker I heard in the shop demo. I've got some harsh sibillant thing instead". Like all speakers, MAs need running in and due to the stiffness of the metal cone tweeters and the c-cam cones, the thing that gives them their excellent response time and clarity - that running in time is longer than other paper / kevlar / pulp cones. So, yes, run them in - 100 hours run-in sounds about right. Also, make sure you've got decent speaker cables - decent chunky ones. Some people think silver coating can exacerbate brightness, I'm in two minds about that and use QED Silver Anniversary myself. The other thing that MA's tend to need is a bit of room around them - too near a wall and they get a bit boomy, toeing in a little can also help, but that's a bit dependent on room geometry, proximity of side walls,etc. But I digress.

There is the possibility that the RX6 and your Denon aren't the best of matches. Not all speakers and all amps naturally go together. for a variety of reasons. Did you demo the pairing beofre purchase?

Is it possible that i might have damaged them without

Properly breaking them in , max volume would have been around - 2db on a

90 @ 8 ohm amp.

I feel that the denon/ma combo could be the reason.

I was using this denon with my old cantons

And that setup seemed bright too, i am considering

To upgrade my receiver but i certainly dont

Have the buddget for an arcam av receiver

Im looking at nad, would do you think, would the nad

Tame the system down?