Processor just to bright!

[krishen]

i have jus setup my new system monitor audio RS6 av and pass labs x5 power amp with a tag mclaren av32r proccessor and i find the processor jus to bright. i hav jus linked my power amp upto my old marantz sr5400 and i find i can cope with the sound not as bright. the performance in terms of detail, tight bass, soundstage were better in the tag but the sound just to bright. so i am in a dilema in wat to do whether to sell the proccessor and get another one less bright, or to suffer and stick with this one. i have spent alot on all of this equipment and dont want to lose any more money, how much do u think the tag would sell for. and can you reccomend me any other proccessors which are less bright. however i have to say im am very impressed with the power amp even though i havent really seen wat it can do yet.

[ralphmalph]

If this is a brand new power amp the sound may mellow with use. My new power amps sounded good when I first turned them on, but they sounded fantastic after 48 hours use and the sound still improves now 2 months after purchase.

So see if you can use them for a while.

The TAG is not known to be a bright processor. A cheap solution to try and see if you can mellow the sound is to use a tube buffer MF X-10d would be worth a try you can pick them up for under 200gbp.

[krishen]

the power amp is 5 years old so its not the power amp. lots of ppl on the forums have sed that the processor is bright, but i only found this out after i bought the processor. my speakers can be bright also so the pairing isnt to gd. however on the sr5400 the sound was much less bright but everything else that the tag did well wasnt there with the marantz.

[Andywilliams]

Speaker cables and interconnects can also make for bright sound use copper speaker cable and interconnects such as the van dun hul c5 hybrid.
Andy

[krishen]

tru but i dont think speaker cable and interconnects can change a bright sound to a warm one.

[sdb123]

Originally Posted by krishen

tru but i dont think speaker cable and interconnects can change a bright sound to a warm one.

I won't open up a cable debate as this isn't the place. IME the cables can have an influence on the sound.

What interconnects/speaker cable are you using at the moment?

Krishen,

I think you'll find that the speakers are the main culprit here. I had an AV32R and would not have described it as being particularly bright at all.

If the speakers are brand new, then they may just calm down as they run in. Otherwise I would definitely take the advice given here regarding the use of copper only cables (i.e. not silver plated or silver based).

In the meantime pay attention to your listening room. If you have hard wood floors, buy a rug. The more soft furnishing you have, the better the treble will be tamed.

Have a look at the room acoustics forum here for more ideas.

[krishen]

i have chord carnival silver biwire with a digital interconnect (ixos xhd 608) connecting cdp to processor. i might try and use analog i/c through the tape or aux output would this work? i have carpeted floor with pictures on the wall so the room is well decorated.

No need to change the digital interconnect. This cable cannot be a source of brightness.

Chord carnival Silver plus is however renowned as being a bright speaker cable (I use it for my surround speakers).


If you can I'd put these up for trade in the classifieds and go for something purely copper based.

As I mentioned also look at your room furnishings.

Hope you get this one sorted.

[spiver]

Originally Posted by krishen

ican you reccomend me any other proccessors which are less bright. however i have to say im am very impressed with the power amp even though i havent really seen wat it can do yet.

Its the processor (dont the Tags have a reputaion for this?). My Myryad MDP500 works perfect with the X5. Cables can make a huge difference though and can be an expensive case of trial and error. What lengths of cable are you using to your front speakers?

[krishen]

they are different lengths( this wasnt done by me) but they are relitively short. i also think the brightness is due to the processor because i then put my old reciever bak up and much less brightness/harshness.

[ralphmalph]

I would go into your local AV shop and ask for some loan speaker cables for a home demo. then you can make your own mind up. explain to them that you want to mellow thsound and see what they recommend.

[spiver]

What about your pre to power interconnects. Its best to use some quality cables for the main L/R and centre at the very least.

[slingshot]

Hi Krishen, as suggested it may be worth trying some different speaker cable (why not just try some standard mains 2 core mains as a cheap quick test).

To be honest i had an AV32r for about a year and always found it too harsh (I got it cheap when TAG went bust so never auditioned it) to listen to for music through Rega Jura and PMC OB1's, pretty much as you described. Whilst better overall than the Rotel processor it replaced I would rather listen to the rotel for music because it was simply more relaxing.

In the end I found a 2nd hand Bryston SP1.7 which I have been more that happy with and cleared up all my problems, I guess the only thing you can try is to audition other stuff until you find something you like.

Hope this helps

Slingshot

[krishen]

i agree with u slingshot, because when i changed bak to the marantz it was listenable in fact fine. i will try some copper cable tmoz as i hav some. the interconnects to pre and power are ixos xha 203 cheap ones atm. which rotel processor did u hav i have seen a 1066 is this any gd? if i could sell the tag at the same price i bought it then i will be able to sell the tag i only bought it a couple of months ago.