Sibillance in Azur

Hello All!
Just wondering if anyone else has experienced a bad case of sibillance with Cambridge Azur 840 E/W pre/power amp set ups. Ive just changed from Bryston amps and am running Shanling CDT100 and PMC FB1 speakers with vdh interconnects and speaker cables. I am finding that it is wonderfully detailed but some CDs are horrible to listen to (Ricky Martin, Celin Dion - to name just a few) and many have their bad moments as the sibillance is just too much. Even the tone control on the pre can not control it. When I put the Bryston 1.7 pre back in and use the tube output from the shanling - problem solved and it actually sounds awesome - tight, detailed, controlled and driving at both ends of the sprectrum. Have I just got a duff Azur pre, should I take it back - any thoughts out there??

 

Hi and welcome. Sounds like you've answered your own question. If the bryston is awesome then take the Azure back.

 

I might be tempted to try the matching Cambridge 840C CD player. Just a hunch, but the sibilance can be from revealing the (perhaps?) lacking solid state output of the Shanling.

This happened to me once. I had active PMCs (the AML1), got a new pre-amp and suddenly it sounded hard and a bit sibilant. Turned out it was the DAC that was not good enough, not that the pre-amp was bad. So the DAC got upgraded.

 

Certainly worth considering. I'm hoping to audition the new DAC Magic at the weekend to see if that makes a difference.

 

I'm with you there brother

I'd have to agree with Jimbo. If the Bryston sounds awesome, dump the Azur

 

or does the valve output just add a wooly warmth to otherwise cheap sounding cd's ?

 

its the van de hul inter connects ...I've heard this before ...try changing them to almost anything else ....even wet string !

I think its the carbon fibre in them ....but who knows [or cares]

I'd have thought the azurs were a big step down from the well respected bryson ?

 

I don't like VdH cables!

 

Quote:

Six Moons

The CDT-100C had a way of making previously unlistenable recordings more acceptable. A favorite recording is Brahms' 4th Symphony with the Greta Garbo ("I vant to be alone") of conductors, the late Carlos Kleiber. It has been recently re-released on a single disc coupled with Schubert's 8th Symphony and excerpts from Tristan und Isolde [DG 477 5324]. While a terrific interpretation, the sound quality unfortunately is typical of Deutsche Grammophon for this period; no bass, thin, and a little brittle on top. With the Shanling, the lackluster recording did not bother me as much. I was able to enjoy the performance and was not too concerned with the sonic imperfections

http://6moons.com/audioreviews/shanling4/t100c.html

If Previously Unlistenable recordings are given a lift into the acceptable does the enhancement reveal the truth or just disguise it, but then, what happens to quality recordings..how are they enhanced. Mutton dressed as lamb ?

 

Thanks Chaps

Thanks for all the comments - The CA pre amp is going back! - It seems too bright when used with the PMCs at higher volumes. Cheers

 

Spend your cash on your Shanling with this mod (bottom of page)
http://www.chevronaudio.co.uk/html/upgrades.htm
And a review
http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/chevin_cdmods2_e.html