Considering complete change

Rega Hal - one of their older pre-amps. I think it's a blatant reference to HAL from 2001, i.e. a control centre. Hopefully it won't start to dictate what music you listen to - 'I'm afraid I can't play that'
I'm assuming, however, that the Exon monoblocks won't run aground and spill oil over any nearby wildlife!
I agree about the Rega synergy, if it gives the sound you're looking for (bags of fun) then whole systems work very well.
I don't know what you're doing next weekend, but if things work out I might be able to bring over the stands and slabs you wanted and my Totems as well, so you could have a listen to how those sounded on the front of your system - another reference point?
Simon

 

I can wholeheartedly second the recommendation for trying different speaker positions, though I wouldn't limit myself to major changes - small tweaks can make all the difference! Certainly with my ATC Active 20s, the smallest changes in toe-in or proximity to the wall have made really surprising changes to the sound. I've also found that moving the listening position forward/backward in relation to the rear wall can make a huge difference too - in my case to bass performance. Finally, a tweak I've found that has made a really big difference is tilting the speakers back a bit ("pitch" in aircraft pilot speak...), accomplished by shoving textbooks under the fronts of the stands. You have to be careful it doesn't make the stands/speakers unstable, but it's worth a shot - with my system just a few degrees of pitch makes a really surprising difference.

Of course, the downside of all this is that unless you're a proper tweak-maniac, you'll get fed up with trying different positions after a while... which might not be ideal if you're already fed up with how your system sounds!

Dunc

 

MO, i agree with that
I do think that is becoming a big part of the problem.

Simon, ive no idea yet what i will be doing next weekend, but it sounds like a fine idea

 

I,ll be in wycombe next week,if you could meet me there your welcome to borrow my KSA50 for a couple of days....if for no other reason than give you an insight into what an old but very
grunty Class A amp could give you.......this amp would just about be in your budget when you sell Rotel, if you dont like it you will always get yourmoney back......it is only RCA though, not sure that cables you have......

K

 

Now there's some advice I can relate to :lol:

Nice one MO :beer:

 

Didn't you cut the whole tv up though?

 

penance i have had the same sort of experience as yourself and no doubt others. and it does get very frustrating and expensive.



ive done a fair bit of changing trying differant kit had limited demoes and what might sound ok at dems , you purchase and after a few days at home with kit you are not so pleased .

so you find yourself going round in cicles, play less cds etc do not enjoy any but the better recordings even if there not your particular taste , they just sound better on what you have. and just get fedup with the whole issue which is were i am at the moment..

i did have cdm21nts found them detailed, would go in a local shop playing something through bog standard minisystems tuner and found the sound in general more friendly, and felt that singalong facter .

i just changed to dyn62 but they still are very detailed and a bit clinical sounding to myself i would like a warmer sound , but am using with an av amp which is not helping matters.


just finding kit amp / speakers that you like is not that easy.

if i could start from scratch would still not be sure what to try

 

Penance.........

My recommendation (which has probably already been offered), but I caught the start of this thread and then as if by magic it was on page 6, and I can't read the rest of the replies as the boss is hovering!!

However as a starter for 10 stop reading this.............and all others like them.................as they tend to harbour dis-satisfaction, and promote psycological distress.

How many forum forum threads begin, "my system is fantastic I'm so happy, I'm not going to upgrade any of it ever..............".

I apologise for the sweeping nature of the statement, as forums are very good for advice if you are forced to buy blind, or may prevent you from making mistakes others have made or indeed source the kit you want at an affordable price. But there is more than a portion of people unhappy with their kit looking for an upgrade - a terrible pocket emptying cycle of doom.

So my krank (and probably repeated prescription.........)

1) Stop reading forums

2) For a couple of weeks only listen to tapes, in a car, which have been recorded on a ghetto blaster. If your'e not mobile buy a £5 walkman and do the same, which will hopefully get you back in to the music, rather than how it is reproduced.......

3) Dismantle your seperates, clean and polish all of the contacts (even the brass mains plugs) in an obsessive hi-fi manner

4) Drink a bottle of wine and play your all time favourite albums end to end, not just the tracks that your'e favourite, play the lot and you never know there may be some brand new music in there.

Bye

s

 

So you want detail but warm and musical rather than cold and clinical.

Simple, Castle Conway 3

 

Penance, stop pissing around.

Get some naim.

 

gary
i want something that doesnt strip the paint of my walls

 

Cute.

I'm not side grading all the time though

 

we all gotta learn somewhere aint we
you gunna buy the naim kit for me at those outrageous prices?

 

The way I see it, you have paid 800 quid for a PA.

For that you could get a 72/140 and flog your pre amp as well.

Job done.

 

Been away for a while but back now, what fun I have missed.

Some really great replies, audio fatigue, had it myself, definately a recognised malaise

great post Bub on summing up hifi questions, very pointed.

As to the £3k thing, its back to sheer technological perfection vs older fashioned character. More fun with the older stuff, new glam does not satisfy, witness our ever getting richer yet less satisfaction with it....

Well lots of replies all telling you what to do...well I am going to tell you now, too

I think the system is too technical myself, the amp. is perfection incarnate, vanishingly low distortion, really hi tech circuit,
the speakers are too, more for 'purity' and technical excellence than actual involvement.

I have finally found my amp, the Wad 300b pse, after ages searching, it really is by far and away the finest amp I have ever heard. It totally blew away all other valve amps I have, not that they are poor by any means, just this is so good...the valves are fairly normal, run of the mill ecc82s, and 6au6,
it has copper foil caps, and black gates, but I know there is more
to it than that

I think you need a rest from 'worrying' about it, relax for a bit, listen, and let the ideas come as to what to do.

My gut instinct would be to go for something totally different. I would dump the speakers, and the amp.

I f I really had to say, I would say get a 300b Wad, I know you didn't like it but it really has been such a revelation, I would urge you to try it again in your house one way or the other....
....and get some speakers to suit, I have really never been this happy with my kit, currently speakers I have a harbeth compact 7s and they are better than proacs, jamo concert 8s, too, the best box speaker I have heard to date.

try to find something sensitive, say impulses or kelly kt2s, c7s are 86dbs and they are fine, tho' I think a total change would do you good.

Or as Garyi says, Naim, they don't paper strip IMHO, the speakers, yes, the power amp is very valve like in its musicality, the pres I think give the drive and a bit more brightness, you really need something musical now, whatever that is, something completely different, somethingwith some kind of character, and I would suggest valves of some kind.

Musical fidelity a1000, a fine fine amp, but it does clip into dodgy loads so easy speakers...
Or maybe atc actives, scm20s? a bit technical maybe but not unenjoyable I found..

 

Works exceptionaly well with the rega CPD as well.

 

garyi, you seem to be the only person who views it as a PA, is that just because its not naim ?

mr Data, some good points mad. I think at the moment i will try and calm down. Maybe demo some different stuff. But ill try to remain calm and somewhat more collected this time.

 

Big old power amp, wacking out the watts, but ultimatly dissapointing.

PA.

 

as it seems to have rave reviews and quite well regarded, maybe theres something else amiss!

 

I don't know, but I think unless you've got ridiculously insensitive speakers (Apogee anyone?), it's possible to have too much power, as it'll 'sit' on top of the music - too much control I suppose.
Simon