ART Stiletto 6 - burn in or just harsh

Recieved a pair of ART stiletto 6 speakers today. Am auditioning them and they sound harsh and lacking in body.

Rest of my kit is Cyrus CD8x Cdp with PSX-R and a Pathos TT (hybrid amp, valve pre, ss output)

Have been listening for a few hours now - out of the box these sound harsh to the point of being unlistenable. Very detailed but also lacking body or substance - thin sounding.

Could this just be attributed to burn in or does the speaker just not partner well with my kit? In the shop sounded great with a DK Designs amp (I took my Cdp along)

Anyone with any experinece of this speaker - I'd appreciate your views

 

if they are new burn em in.

 

I have the stiletto rather than the V6 version, I can't comment from new as I purchased second hand. Using a modest DVD player and pioneer AV amp I don't have any significant harshness.

Brendan

 

I've heard the (non V6) Stiletto recently, certainly not harsh - is it both sides equally?

 

Much less harsh with the 8vs amp. Burning in now. Will see if it loosens up

 

Interesting, Pathos was warmer with the MA and Cyrus with the Art? Bit odd!

 

Very odd I'd say. But after playing them through the Pathos all afternoon and evening yesterday, I tried them from the Cyrus first thing after I came home from work today. If I was going to burn themin for a lengthy period didn't want to cook my valves.

IMO Cyrus kit with ART speakers would make quite a nice system acually.

Just need to find the right speaker for the Pathos amp now Looking forward to tomorrow at SOM

 

Give them a quick go with the Pathos before you head off tomorrow, in case they just broke in. Usually I have heard amps that sound sharp, sound sharp no matter what speaker you use. And a sweet sounding amp will sound sweeter than the sharp one no matter the speaker.... seems odd they would kind of swap character depending on the speaker. Neither speakers are a tough load.

When I first got my MA GR10s they took a couple of days to warm up. Overnight they just came alive (even though I had not played anything). I think the tweeter physically had to warm through all its metal work from being kept in the very cold UPS storage rooms during transit.

 

Too late for that - all packed and ready to go - can always listen to them at SOM though. Am planning to get there for 10 so early start

 

you are going about this the wrong way IMO. My advice would be to find a speaker you like that goes well in your room and then choose an amp that drives them properly. Not the other way round.

 

Well some interesting speakers on the way now anyway so I hear

Robbo, I think thats just how it went. Got an amp, then thought of upgrading speakers.

 

Speakers can take as long as 200/300 hours to burn in so take things slowly and let the stereo play as long as possible.

An alternative would be to buy an ex-demo pair.

 

is that a wooden floor ?

do you have plenty of soft furnishings/rugs/carpets?

Perhaps you are getting room interaction which is more noticeable with one speaker than another.

 

I've given up on the ART Stiletto's
Decided to go for a pair to Lumley Lampross 200/S2
There was just no comparison even with a burnt in pair of ARTs that I used to compare them.

 

Thinking about it the Lumley is probably a very good choice for your room since it has a wooden floor. The vertical midrange tweeter midrange arrangement will limit vertical dispersion so you will get less floor and ceiling reflections. Not always a good thing but in this case it probably is. I think that tweeter is the same one as in Titian's speakers Very good indeed!

I always find the tonality a tad strange with the Lumley speakers but it is like that throughout the range so it must be a conscious decision when tuning them. Kinda seems like there is a little hole in the midrange. Apart from that though, those speakers are very good! They are actually a sensible design, unlike some of the bigger models