[justinloving]

Alright, I have the M3S broken in and placed so they basically disappear. I’m struggling a little in the upper midrange. I listen to a lot of modern rock, distorted guitars, screaming vocals and there is a lot of energy in that band(est, 2Khz - 5Khz). What can I replace my Bryston 4B NRB and/or PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC MKII with that will help fix this issue? LTA is not an option. Anyone else experienced this?

[Tyson]

Pass Labs.  They will be a great match for those speakers.

For a DAC, try something with tubes.  I like the iFi iDSD Pro.

[rajacat]

Check out the Musical Paradise MP-2 MK3 Deluxe tube DAC.
https://www.musicalparadise.ca/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=61&product_id=97
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/musical-paradise-m2-d2-ak4490-balanced-dac-reviews.802557/

[JackD]

+1 on the Musical Paradise as you can roll in 6/7 and 12 volt input tubes plus different rectifiers to modify the end result.  I would stay with the AKM chipsets though.  What preamp are you using between the Bryston and the Perfect Wave?

[sarora9]

Before changing electronics please make sure room acoustics have been addressed. GIK acoustics suggested putting their 4" diffuser/absorber behind my X3s which indeed helped a lot.

Before I had the diffuser, the only way to listen to them nicely was to have the X3s pulled way out into the room and listen near-field.

[justinloving]

Pass Labs.  They will be a great match for those speakers.

For a DAC, try something with tubes.  I like the iFi iDSD Pro.

Pass Labs was on my list, thanks ill begin the search.

[justinloving]

Check out the Musical Paradise MP-2 MK3 Deluxe tube DAC.
https://www.musicalparadise.ca/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=61&product_id=97
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/musical-paradise-m2-d2-ak4490-balanced-dac-reviews.802557/

I will give this a try, I’ve heard good things about it.

[justinloving]

Before changing electronics please make sure room acoustics have been addressed. GIK acoustics suggested putting their 4" diffuser/absorber behind my X3s which indeed helped a lot.

Before I had the diffuser, the only way to listen to them nicely was to have the X3s pulled way out into the room and listen near-field.

I should have mentioned this in my original post. I have multple GIK panels. First  and second reflection points, bass traps along the back wall etc. Once I get placement perfect, I’ll even install a cloud.

[Audiosaurusrex]

Before changing electronics please make sure room acoustics have been addressed. GIK acoustics suggested putting their 4" diffuser/absorber behind my X3s which indeed helped a lot.

Before I had the diffuser, the only way to listen to them nicely was to have the X3s pulled way out into the room and listen near-field.

I agree. I have the M3’s and did diffusers and absorbers in my room. Before the mid-Highs were very harsh Very different listening experience after room treatments and even some cabling changes. I wouldn’t be so quick with electronics unless you must have. Also the break-in on the M3’s is substantial.

[justinloving]

I agree. I have the M3’s and did diffusers and absorbers in my room. Before the mid-Highs were very harsh Very different listening experience after room treatments and even some cabling changes. I wouldn’t be so quick with electronics unless you must have. Also the break-in on the M3’s is substantial.

It looks like you have ISO Acoustic feet...did they change the angle/tilt at which the speakers sit? I’ve had multiple speakers with these electronics and have had the same issue time and again, so I’m wondering if the source/amp is the problem. I’m trying a McIntosh MA5200 tomorrow.

[Audiosaurusrex]

It looks like you have ISO Acoustic feet...did they change the angle/tilt at which the speakers sit? I’ve had multiple speakers with these electronics and have had the same issue time and again, so I’m wondering if the source/amp is the problem. I’m trying a McIntosh MA5200 tomorrow.

Yes Justin, I have the ISO -Gaias and no change in the tilt. They made a huge difference for me. I looked at the MAC too. Nice!

[sarora9]

Same here: Gaia feet for X3s were v. beneficial. Wood suspension floor.

[JackD]

Here's another really good sounding DAC option for half price using the AKM 4497 chipset.  I picked one up to use with an Auralic Aries at our Summer house.  You are buying it through Walmart but is ships directly from the US distributor.  I was already familiar with the DAC section as I have had the NT-505 streamer/DAC for about 18 months.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Teac-UD-505-USB-DAC-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/228930579?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101008548&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42423897272&wl4=aud-834279575966:pla-51320962143&wl5=9011573&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=144960224&wl11=online&wl12=228930579&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQjwirz3BRD_ARIsAImf7LM_B6OYXA6A1gypaZxT8sYYaDHu__xamujEzlHg1QAhqJg2uFT2cdAaAtH8EALw_wcB

For a power alternative look at the newly released version of the Kinki EX-M1 integrated for $2398.  Provides 200/400 wpc channel and is slightly on the warmer side of neutral. Works great with the M3TM's and several other speakers in house like the Fritz Carrera Be's.

https://www.kinki-studio.com/product-page/ex-m1-1

[justinloving]

I got the MA5200..I like the Mac sound. It didn’t solve the problem lol But starting over with my room treatments has almost solved it. I decided to put my back against the wall and slide around the room. I found the offending frequencies very very very prominent about 10 degrees off the front baffle. So, I placed my GIK acoustic bass traps along the walls, installed a cloud and on the floor in front of me. Sound stage improved dramatically, the 2-5K harsheness is nearly gone and the speakers are almost entirely disappearing depending on the recording. I have the MA252 on the way to compare to the MA5200, I may keep one of them. I have also ordered the Musical Paradise DAC with all the upgrades to try. Can’t wait to be able to sit down and just enjoy music.

[sockpit]

Can you send photos of treatments?  I’ve been dealing with similar issues on high end.

[sarora9]

My GIk panels are about as high as X3s and are freestanding 1 foot behind the X3s, which themselves are 4 ft from front wall.
https://www.gikacoustics.com/product-category/alpha-series/

 This was a recommendation by GIK acoustics advisor based upon photos and layout of my room. (Open floor plan; the walls behind the X3s are only 5 ft high so he felt that wall mount would not help much.)

[justinloving]

Can you send photos of treatments?  I’ve been dealing with similar issues on high end.

This room is very much still in flux, I’m breaking out REW today to try to correct some bass issues. But the side, ceiling and floor panels in this position fixed the brightness issue. For my room, extending the side panels nearly to the ceiling is what corrected most of the issues.

[justinloving]

Side note: I have very strong negative feelings towards the lack of innovation in forum technology. Why are my photos upside down? I didn’t take them upside down lol

[sockpit]

Thanks.  Wow, am hoping I can tame the highs with tubes.  My room is about that size, but must hold books and other things, so I can’t make it into a dedicated padded cell 😉

My general experience so far with M5s is that on excellent recordings they sound amazing, on mediocre recordings, they sound bright and fatiguing, on bad recordings, forget it.  Bass is excellent, as one might expect.

My best chance of room taming is to put some sort of diffuser behind them.  A very thick wool rug hangs on the back wall behind me.  On the front wall, from which the speakers are placed about 3.5 feet, there is large window between the speakers with a not very absorbent curtain.  Perhaps that need addressing.  Suggestions welcome.

[Jean-Paul]

To be honest, I think the TurboS is "hot" in that upper-mids/lower highs area. They're even more forward in this area than Lipinski L-707's, which I've always found exaggeratedly close. You're probably going to need tubes to "tame" this. Any solid-state amp is going to sound too assertive with modern pop recordings because they're almost always mixed bright.