too much detail?

lcrim · « **on:** 23 Jun 2004, 03:45 pm »

I am looking for a little help.
I recently added an (AES) AE-3 pre between my sources and my Decware Select (driving Parker 95 MK II's.) I have a fairly stock Tosh 3950 as my CD player. The sound is quite detailed and extended.
The other side of the coin, is that after a short time I switch to analog searching for something more relaxed and that also feels somehow almost relentless. Directv music channels, maybe because they have been compressed is somehow kinder than the other sources.
Hopefully, someone can offer some insight.
The Toshiba could be modded w/ improvement but would an inexpensive outboard DAC like Scott Nixon's Chibi Saru (@ $250) be a better solution.
Does anyone know what the ceramic fuse replacement designation is for the Toshiba, that might help.
Rereading this I can see I'm rambling but tube and cable rolling haven't provided a way to retain the detail and discard the harshness so I was hoping for guidance.

Carlman · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 Jun 2004, 03:58 pm »

For me, tube amplification killed harshness and retained details in my system. I don't know if that's the issue for you but, it worked for me.

I'm having my solid state upgraded to provide the smoothness I want with the punch of solid state. We'll see how it goes when it's all back together.

A tubed CD player or DAC would be a good option for you... The SN Dac is very nice and may be the solution to your digital source harshness.

Also consider speaker placement changes and room treatments. Is the harshness apparent at all volume levels?

lcrim · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 Jun 2004, 04:25 pm »

Carl:
Interesting that you should mention volume settings because there is usually a point late at night, when I drop the volume and the great bulk of the detail is still there but sometimes the dynamics are a bit off. I have in fact noted that the knob is way below half probably around a third most of the time.
The SN tube dac as well as the Njoe Tjoeb both seem very attractive but the tube dac reverses polarity and I don't know what that means in real world terms. Do I have to reverse leads on my speakers when I use it or is it a non issue? Is his bottom of the line Chibi (which doesn't reverse polarity) any good?

hmen · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Jun 2004, 04:34 pm »

One thing I noticed about the AE-3 when I had it in my system was the large amount of microphonics coming out of the tubes. I switched over to NOS 6SN7's and it improved a little. I bought a pair of Hal-O tube dampers http://herbiesaudiolab.home.att.net/ and the improvement was very noticeable.

Carlman · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Jun 2004, 05:59 pm »

hmen makes a valid point... Have you tried different tubes and still found the sound fatiguing?

I only have experience with the SN tube DAC. But, yes, you are supposed to reverse the leads on your speakers when you use it. I didn't hear much difference when I did this, though.

The Tjoeb is one I'd like to hear but I don't know anyone that owns one.

Good luck,
Carl

lcrim · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 Jun 2004, 06:57 pm »

Thanks for the suggestions.
The 6SN7's in the AE-3 are the ones it shipped with from Cary and there doesn't seem to be any microphonic issues. The filaments don't make any noise like the Ruby rectifier that came in my Zen.
Tube rolling the AE-3 will probably change the tonal character some, I don't think the 6SN7 is a particularly cheap tube but its a damn sight cheaper than a new DAC.
The AE-3 uses solid state rectifcation and I don't think that contributes but the Decware amps are noted for being quite revealing of upstream components. Now that I have decent tube electronics I may have to spend a bit for better sources.
This particular system also has a cheap 22" LCD TV that really cried out for a DVD player so when Rosconey started posting about the Toshiba, it was a great fit.
I was actually thinking of selling my present HT system (all digital, 5.1) for a 2 channel, SET based system because I am so completely captivated by the life this brings to things.

hmen · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 Jun 2004, 05:45 pm »

The AE-3 is phase inverting so you're supposed to reverse the polarity of your speaker wires. If you add another phase inverting device then you shouldn't reverse your speaker wires. Also, even though you're not hearing noises directly from the filaments it doesn't mean you don't have a microphonics problem. Tap the tubes very lightly and if you hear it through the speakers then microphonics are affecting your system.

lcrim · « **Reply #7 on:** 25 Jun 2004, 03:49 am »

hmen:
I can't cause any noise when I tap on any tube anywhere in the system. I think thats a good thing.
I swapped speaker cable leads around and at first I wasn't sure that I heard any difference.
The more I listened, the more coherent details seemed to become and the wider the sound stage seemed to become. Power of suggestion?
Anyway, I see that you traded up to the DJH version. This is my first good system but I imagine the DJH sounds a lot more refined.

Edit: The more I listen the better things sound when the speakers are in phase. Damn, this system doesn't sound bad at all. Thanks for the help.