Dear friends,
After re-reading all your recommendations above I've made a final decision.
First I checked the connection of the speaker's phase and alas, they were correctly connected, so that's not it.
In the end I don't have the guts to buy a subwoofer. I'm afraid it wouldn't really fit in the system and then I have 2 expensive devices that don't give what I hoped for...
Then, I listened to a CD with Beethoven sonata's (Pathétique, Waldstein, Appasionata) that I play myself (no, not on the CD...) and I was really disappointed about what I heard.
I am the lucky owner of a Steinway O grand piano and on my old Arcam that great sound was reasonably well reproduced with tone control: Bass +2, Treble 0. No extreme settings.
But on the Cambridge the high tones were too sharp on the highest notes (hadn't mentioned that before with other CDs) and the lack of bass was intolerable. It made me really sad. Repairing that with a subwoofer couldn't solve that problem...
Some of you suggested to return to Arcam. That made me search for... an Arcam A85 like I had (that idea was mentioned above too). And I found one.
So that's it. I have decided that the Cambridge Audio CXA81 mkII and Dali Oberon 5 are no good combination for me. And I fly back to what I really loved. I can turn in the Cambridge to the (Dutch) store where I bought it and get my money back.
I am really thankful for all your comments!
It made me replace my speakers totally and that makes them produce better sounds.
I learned a lot and that made it easier to decide what to do. And whenever this new old Arcam comes to it's end, I know a lot better now what to consider when buying a new amplifier.
Cheers from The Netherlands,
Lion
After re-reading all your recommendations above I've made a final decision.
First I checked the connection of the speaker's phase and alas, they were correctly connected, so that's not it.
In the end I don't have the guts to buy a subwoofer. I'm afraid it wouldn't really fit in the system and then I have 2 expensive devices that don't give what I hoped for...
Then, I listened to a CD with Beethoven sonata's (Pathétique, Waldstein, Appasionata) that I play myself (no, not on the CD...) and I was really disappointed about what I heard.
I am the lucky owner of a Steinway O grand piano and on my old Arcam that great sound was reasonably well reproduced with tone control: Bass +2, Treble 0. No extreme settings.
But on the Cambridge the high tones were too sharp on the highest notes (hadn't mentioned that before with other CDs) and the lack of bass was intolerable. It made me really sad. Repairing that with a subwoofer couldn't solve that problem...
Some of you suggested to return to Arcam. That made me search for... an Arcam A85 like I had (that idea was mentioned above too). And I found one.
So that's it. I have decided that the Cambridge Audio CXA81 mkII and Dali Oberon 5 are no good combination for me. And I fly back to what I really loved. I can turn in the Cambridge to the (Dutch) store where I bought it and get my money back.
I am really thankful for all your comments!
It made me replace my speakers totally and that makes them produce better sounds.
I learned a lot and that made it easier to decide what to do. And whenever this new old Arcam comes to it's end, I know a lot better now what to consider when buying a new amplifier.
Cheers from The Netherlands,
Lion
gasolin
Well-known member
Hifiman
Well-known member
I see you have made your decision but am surprised no one has asked more about what is upstream of your amp (unless I missed it). Do any of your sources, such as a streamer, have built in EQ? My old speakers are a little bass-light but I am able to compensate for this, either from the streaming software or, as I usually do, by using a Mojo 2 DAC’s lossless EQ fed from an unaltered digital source.
I realise your amp already has digital inputs and so the DAC route may be less appealing but EQing before the amp by any means may be another option.
RoA
Well-known member
Give the thing back and get something you actually like.
If it sounds 'too Hifi' it sounds too hifi. Ever noticed how enjoyable and musical something like a few little Sonos speakers sound?
As you like Arcam why not stick with the brand? Forget about youtube vloggers and mags/publications. They mostly serve their paymasters.
If it sounds 'too Hifi' it sounds too hifi. Ever noticed how enjoyable and musical something like a few little Sonos speakers sound?
As you like Arcam why not stick with the brand? Forget about youtube vloggers and mags/publications. They mostly serve their paymasters.
RoA
Well-known member
If it helps, I have an Arcam SA20. That's an old model now but the new ones will likely be better still. Class G, powerful and a full, warm bass. I also use a Cyrus ONE Cast ... same thing and an Audiolab 6000A, almost the same thing but it shines elsewhere more. All have good bass. I did have a Hegel H95 too but eventually sold that one on as it was inferior in some aspects, bass included.
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Deliriumbassist
Well-known member
On the checking phase aspect - do NOT just go off of visual + to +, - to -. Actually switch one set around. In extremely rare cases, the cabling or the internal works of an amp or speaker may actually be done incorrectly - trust the ears, not the eyes.
@gasolin Keeping my Dali Oberon 5's, because they are great with the Arcam A85.
@Hifiman I only've got 2 'upstreamers': Arcam CD72 (21 years old, still shining) and a Bluesound Node 2i-6F3F. Both don't have any EQ-possibilities (if I haven't overseen this in the Node).
@RoA I'll go and get my new Arcam A85 occasion tomorrow. With that, I'm back at what I had and with what I was perfectly satisfied. With substantial, but fluently flexible basses once again. And although I know now by the Cambridge that the precision can even be better than on this Arcam, I'm sure I'll be perfectly content once more
.
@Deliriumbassist That was an unexpected idea and I immediately checked it. But no, it's a pity, it's not that. I am even surprised that the basses do not seem to get worse - it doesn't even seem to matter if I change the plugs!?
@Hifiman I only've got 2 'upstreamers': Arcam CD72 (21 years old, still shining) and a Bluesound Node 2i-6F3F. Both don't have any EQ-possibilities (if I haven't overseen this in the Node).
@RoA I'll go and get my new Arcam A85 occasion tomorrow. With that, I'm back at what I had and with what I was perfectly satisfied. With substantial, but fluently flexible basses once again. And although I know now by the Cambridge that the precision can even be better than on this Arcam, I'm sure I'll be perfectly content once more
.@Deliriumbassist That was an unexpected idea and I immediately checked it. But no, it's a pity, it's not that. I am even surprised that the basses do not seem to get worse - it doesn't even seem to matter if I change the plugs!?
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gasolin
Well-known member
Remco77
Well-known member
Hello Steinway,
I think the position of your Oberon 5 loudspeakers can make a big difference.
You can try placing them closer to the back wall and/or corner,
Because the speakers have a rear-port they should produce more bass moving them towards the back wall/corner.
I'm not a huge fan of using tone-controls a lot.
To me this is a sign that the amp/speakers are a bad match and/or the room has bad acoustics.
Hope this will help you out.
With kind regards,
Remco
I think the position of your Oberon 5 loudspeakers can make a big difference.
You can try placing them closer to the back wall and/or corner,
Because the speakers have a rear-port they should produce more bass moving them towards the back wall/corner.
I'm not a huge fan of using tone-controls a lot.
To me this is a sign that the amp/speakers are a bad match and/or the room has bad acoustics.
Hope this will help you out.
With kind regards,
Remco
@Remco77 Thank you for your suggestion. I understand this thread is getting a long one. Somewhere up there I've already written that I tried several new places for the speakers and found out what is the best position. However, it did not do the job...
Also I wrote that the tone control I used was a little: bass +2, treble 0. So it's not just the tone control, but the whole system setup. The issue is that the CXA81 and my Dali Oberon 5's just make a match that is extremely detailed and clear, but really lacks bass, whatever position I place the speakers in.
Also I wrote that the tone control I used was a little: bass +2, treble 0. So it's not just the tone control, but the whole system setup. The issue is that the CXA81 and my Dali Oberon 5's just make a match that is extremely detailed and clear, but really lacks bass, whatever position I place the speakers in.
Remco77
Well-known member
Thanks for your reply,I understand you still lack bass in your system.
Spikes could be helpfull but I don't think this will solve everything.
Plus 2 tone control for bass isn't really extreme.
In my opinion this combination is not really your taste what concerns the amount of bass punch.
Every amp has it's pros and cons.
It cannot be the source you are using?
With kind regards Remco
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