I previously sought help in another thread and received some extremely helpful advice, for which I was most grateful. See
http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/which-component-is-the-weakest-link-in-my-system#576719
The posters who suggested I would get better value by buying used equipment changed my thinking a bit and I started looking at amplifiers and speakers on Ebay. I soon found myself bidding on a used Roksan Caspian M-Series 1 amplifier and unexpectedly won it.
My first impression on hearing the new amp in my system was that it made an improvement that was clearly audible, but not amazing. The bass was definitely more powerful and perhaps more tuneful. I also noticed greater mid-band clarity and more precise stereo imaging. However, I did find the sound somewhat lacking in sparkle at the top end, as if the increased bass was not matched by greater clarity or liveliness in the treble, leaving the balance a little warm overall. I have had the Roksan it in my system for a month now, but my opinion of the sound produced remains the same - it is too restrained at the top end - and I am wondering why that is and what to do about it.
These are the possibilities that have occurred to me so far:
1 The particular unit that I purchased (a 2004 model) has a fault or is somehow showing its age. (Unlikely, I think, as it sounded fine in the seller's high-end system.)
2 The sound I am getting is typical of the Roksan Caspian and if it's not to my taste, it simply means that it's the wrong amplifier for me. The original What HiFi review of the M-Series 1 did indeed mention that it could sound dull at lower volumes. (I usually have the dial at the 9 o'clock position.)
3 The Roksan is being held back by my 15-year old B&W DM601 speakers or is a poor match for them. A speaker upgrade would bring the treble to life and increase overall clarity.
4 There is nothing wrong that some minor tweaks to my system couldn't fix. (I am using Cable Talk Monitor 2 interconnects and Cable Talk 3 bi-wire speaker cable, both 15 years old. The speakers are positioned 47cm from the rear wall on Atacama SE24 speaker stands. The other components are on a solid Partington hifi rack. The room is 4.55m x 3.65m and carpeted.)
I should add that my expectations of the kind of sound I should be hearing from my speakers may have been influenced by another hifi purchase that I made a few weeks before getting the amplifier: a pair of Grado SR325is headphones. I use them plugged directly into the headphone output socket of my Marantz CD63 CD player and they produce an extremely clear and lively sound, so much so that I sometimes think that vocals lack a little warmth and the treble detail is too prominent. The contrast in presentation when compared to the sound from my speakers is remarkable. No doubt, I should not be expecting my speakers to match that level of clarity and detail, but I do find myself wishing i could hear more of the treble detail that I now know is there in the recordings and the CD player is capable of reproducing.
Have I got the wrong amplifier or the wrong headphones? I wonder.
Advice and opinions welcome, particularly from anyone who knows the Roksan Caspian amplifier well. My intention when I bought the Caspian was to keep an eye on Ebay for suitable speakers to partner it.
http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/which-component-is-the-weakest-link-in-my-system#576719
The posters who suggested I would get better value by buying used equipment changed my thinking a bit and I started looking at amplifiers and speakers on Ebay. I soon found myself bidding on a used Roksan Caspian M-Series 1 amplifier and unexpectedly won it.
My first impression on hearing the new amp in my system was that it made an improvement that was clearly audible, but not amazing. The bass was definitely more powerful and perhaps more tuneful. I also noticed greater mid-band clarity and more precise stereo imaging. However, I did find the sound somewhat lacking in sparkle at the top end, as if the increased bass was not matched by greater clarity or liveliness in the treble, leaving the balance a little warm overall. I have had the Roksan it in my system for a month now, but my opinion of the sound produced remains the same - it is too restrained at the top end - and I am wondering why that is and what to do about it.
These are the possibilities that have occurred to me so far:
1 The particular unit that I purchased (a 2004 model) has a fault or is somehow showing its age. (Unlikely, I think, as it sounded fine in the seller's high-end system.)
2 The sound I am getting is typical of the Roksan Caspian and if it's not to my taste, it simply means that it's the wrong amplifier for me. The original What HiFi review of the M-Series 1 did indeed mention that it could sound dull at lower volumes. (I usually have the dial at the 9 o'clock position.)
3 The Roksan is being held back by my 15-year old B&W DM601 speakers or is a poor match for them. A speaker upgrade would bring the treble to life and increase overall clarity.
4 There is nothing wrong that some minor tweaks to my system couldn't fix. (I am using Cable Talk Monitor 2 interconnects and Cable Talk 3 bi-wire speaker cable, both 15 years old. The speakers are positioned 47cm from the rear wall on Atacama SE24 speaker stands. The other components are on a solid Partington hifi rack. The room is 4.55m x 3.65m and carpeted.)
I should add that my expectations of the kind of sound I should be hearing from my speakers may have been influenced by another hifi purchase that I made a few weeks before getting the amplifier: a pair of Grado SR325is headphones. I use them plugged directly into the headphone output socket of my Marantz CD63 CD player and they produce an extremely clear and lively sound, so much so that I sometimes think that vocals lack a little warmth and the treble detail is too prominent. The contrast in presentation when compared to the sound from my speakers is remarkable. No doubt, I should not be expecting my speakers to match that level of clarity and detail, but I do find myself wishing i could hear more of the treble detail that I now know is there in the recordings and the CD player is capable of reproducing.
Have I got the wrong amplifier or the wrong headphones? I wonder.
Advice and opinions welcome, particularly from anyone who knows the Roksan Caspian amplifier well. My intention when I bought the Caspian was to keep an eye on Ebay for suitable speakers to partner it.