Help on making my Maggies sound smouth

[Belga]

Currently I'm using a Bryston Preamp (balanced) to drive 2 solid state power amps to feed my Maggies. The dynamics and taught base are impressive but the mids and highs are harsh when playing cd's. Vinyl and tuner are fairly musical and smooth.
I replaced the Bryston with a Chinese build AMC tube preamp (unbalanced). The sound became smoother and warm but it lacked the dynamics, the dry base became sloppy, the lowest octaves disappeard. I did some tube swapping but couldn't match the dynamics of the balanced Bryston. I'm sure that the lack of base and dynamics is a result of the poor AMC design...
Maybe I should try a Conrad-Johnson or Sonic Frontiers tube preamp. Or maybe I should toss my cd-player for a tube-cd-player.
I'am an audiophile on a budget and can not spend more than $700 on a used item.

Some Preamps in my price range ...
Conrad-Johnson PV11 - Sonic Frontiers SLF-1

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

[MiNe 109]

In article >,
Belga > wrote:

> Currently I'm using a Bryston Preamp (balanced) to drive 2 solid state
> power amps to feed my Maggies. The dynamics and taught base are
> impressive but the mids and highs are harsh when playing cd's. Vinyl
> and tuner are fairly musical and smooth.
> I replaced the Bryston with a Chinese build AMC tube preamp
> (unbalanced). The sound became smoother and warm but it lacked the
> dynamics, the dry base became sloppy, the lowest octaves disappeard. I
> did some tube swapping but couldn't match the dynamics of the balanced
> Bryston. I'm sure that the lack of base and dynamics is a result of the
> poor AMC design...
> Maybe I should try a Conrad-Johnson or Sonic Frontiers tube preamp. Or
> maybe I should toss my cd-player for a tube-cd-player.
> I'am an audiophile on a budget and can not spend more than $700 on a
> used item.
>
> Some Preamps in my price range ...
> Conrad-Johnson PV11 - Sonic Frontiers SLF-1

ARC should be on that list, too, if you want to try another preamp.

What cd player are you using? You should also consider the cds
themselves. Do some cds sound good?

Stephen

[shlibotnik]

Get rid of the Bryston gear. It's bright and can be harsh. I've owned
both one of their preamps and their amps (ST and NRB). I own Classe
and am happy with it; Parasound is similiar sonically and fairly cheap.
Check it out with your Maggies and forget about tubes if you want much
in the way of dynamics. Good luck.

[[email protected]]

Belga wrote:
> Currently I'm using a Bryston Preamp (balanced) to drive 2 solid state
> power amps to feed my Maggies. The dynamics and taught base are
> impressive but the mids and highs are harsh when playing cd's. Vinyl
> and tuner are fairly musical and smooth.
> I replaced the Bryston with a Chinese build AMC tube preamp
> (unbalanced). The sound became smoother and warm but it lacked the
> dynamics, the dry base became sloppy, the lowest octaves disappeard. I
> did some tube swapping but couldn't match the dynamics of the balanced
> Bryston. I'm sure that the lack of base and dynamics is a result of the
> poor AMC design...
> Maybe I should try a Conrad-Johnson or Sonic Frontiers tube preamp. Or
> maybe I should toss my cd-player for a tube-cd-player.
> I'am an audiophile on a budget and can not spend more than $700 on a
> used item.
>
> Some Preamps in my price range ...
> Conrad-Johnson PV11 - Sonic Frontiers SLF-1
>
> Any suggestions are welcome.
>

I can't find in your post some of the two most important
considerations; what model Magneplanar are using? and what make *and*
model are the "2 solid state power amps" which are causing your
unknown model of Maggie to sound harsh? (I asume you are aware of the
facts that Magneplanar includes resistors to pad their tweeters in
"bright" reflective rooms and that the inventor of the Maggie uses
Bryston amps to drive his own speakers at home and on the road in
demos.) I use Bryston amps, 4B SST and 7ST, for Tympani IVa's and 3.6R.
Bryston and Maggies are regarded as a match made in heaven, comparable
to the mating of ARC electronics with the early 8 ohm Maggies. IMO
swapping components, preamps and power amps, assuming the latter is up
to the task is not a satisfactory solution to a harsh sounding audio
system. Perhaps you should try the Tice Clock ;-)
Norman
> Thanks

> --
> Belga

[Sander deWaal]

said:


>I can't find in your post some of the two most important
>considerations; what model Magneplanar are using? and what make *and*
>model are the "2 solid state power amps" which are causing your
>unknown model of Maggie to sound harsh? (I asume you are aware of the
>facts that Magneplanar includes resistors to pad their tweeters in
>"bright" reflective rooms and that the inventor of the Maggie uses
>Bryston amps to drive his own speakers at home and on the road in
>demos.) I use Bryston amps, 4B SST and 7ST, for Tympani IVa's and 3.6R.
>Bryston and Maggies are regarded as a match made in heaven, comparable
>to the mating of ARC electronics with the early 8 ohm Maggies. IMO
>swapping components, preamps and power amps, assuming the latter is up
>to the task is not a satisfactory solution to a harsh sounding audio
>system. Perhaps you should try the Tice Clock ;-)


I drive 2 pairs of MG1 improved with two amps, one hybrid MOSFET class
A amp, and one tube amp, KT88 PP in triode, both DIY.

No commercial amp comes even close (unless SPL is counted, but that's
not my objective).

The SMGA-s can IMO be easily driven with small class A solid state
amps like a MF A1 or even 2a3 PP.


Smooth enough? ;-)

--
"Due knot trussed yore spell chequer two fined awl miss steaks."

[Powell]

"MiNe 109" wrote

>> Some Preamps in my price range ...
>> Conrad-Johnson PV11 - Sonic Frontiers SLF-1
>
> ARC should be on that list, too, if you want to try
> another preamp.
>
Yes, ARC LS2 (tube) or LS3 (SS) at that price
point.

[Norman M. Schwartz]

"Powell" > wrote in message
...
>
> "MiNe 109" wrote
>
>>> Some Preamps in my price range ...
>>> Conrad-Johnson PV11 - Sonic Frontiers SLF-1
>>
>> ARC should be on that list, too, if you want to try
>> another preamp.
>>
> Yes, ARC LS2 (tube) or LS3 (SS) at that price
> point.
>

If your Maggies don't sound "smooth" this isn't any way to attack the
problem. Many thousands of Maggie owners are happy with their sound and many
of them don't use tube (or SS) pre-amps. If a tube pre-amp makes them sound
smooth, (and I very much doubt they it will in any significant way), you're
just adding a distortion to a pre-existing distortion (or room acoustic
problem).
>
>
>

[Powell]

"Norman M. Schwartz" wrote

>>>> Some Preamps in my price range ...
>>>> Conrad-Johnson PV11 - Sonic Frontiers SLF-1
>>>
>>> ARC should be on that list, too, if you want to try
>>> another preamp.
>>>
>> Yes, ARC LS2 (tube) or LS3 (SS) at that price
>> point.
>>
> If your Maggies don't sound "smooth" this isn't any way to attack the
> problem.
>
The OP didn't say that. He wrote "Vinyl and
tuner are fairly musical and smooth. ...mids
and highs are harsh when playing cd's."


> Many thousands of Maggie owners are happy with their sound
> and many of them don't use tube (or SS)
> pre-amps.
Nonsequitur. No, they all employ one or another
or both. There are no other electronic configurations
(ss/tube) of circuitry design.


> If a tube pre-amp makes them sound smooth, (and I very much
> doubt they it will in any significant way),
>
How would you know?


> you're just adding a distortion to a pre-existing distortion (or room
> acoustic problem).
>
"adding a distortion"... how so?

A "room acoustic problem" only pertaining to CD
playback. How do you account for this?

[MiNe 109]

In article >,
"Norman M. Schwartz" > wrote:

> "Powell" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "MiNe 109" wrote
> >
> >>> Some Preamps in my price range ...
> >>> Conrad-Johnson PV11 - Sonic Frontiers SLF-1
> >>
> >> ARC should be on that list, too, if you want to try
> >> another preamp.
> >>
> > Yes, ARC LS2 (tube) or LS3 (SS) at that price
> > point.
> >
>
> If your Maggies don't sound "smooth" this isn't any way to attack the
> problem. Many thousands of Maggie owners are happy with their sound and many
> of them don't use tube (or SS) pre-amps. If a tube pre-amp makes them sound
> smooth, (and I very much doubt they it will in any significant way), you're
> just adding a distortion to a pre-existing distortion (or room acoustic
> problem).

ARC isn't generally euphonic tube-flavored. I addressed the problem you
mention in my original reply to the poster, querying him about which of
his cds sound harsh. As he said his other sources sound good, one might
speculate he has a bad or broken player or unrealistic expectations of
bad recordings.

Stephen

[Norman M. Schwartz]

"MiNe 109" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Norman M. Schwartz" > wrote:
>
>> "Powell" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > "MiNe 109" wrote
>> >
>> >>> Some Preamps in my price range ...
>> >>> Conrad-Johnson PV11 - Sonic Frontiers SLF-1
>> >>
>> >> ARC should be on that list, too, if you want to try
>> >> another preamp.
>> >>
>> > Yes, ARC LS2 (tube) or LS3 (SS) at that price
>> > point.
>> >
>>
>> If your Maggies don't sound "smooth" this isn't any way to attack the
>> problem. Many thousands of Maggie owners are happy with their sound and
>> many
>> of them don't use tube (or SS) pre-amps. If a tube pre-amp makes them
>> sound
>> smooth, (and I very much doubt they it will in any significant way),
>> you're
>> just adding a distortion to a pre-existing distortion (or room acoustic
>> problem).
>
> ARC isn't generally euphonic tube-flavored. I addressed the problem you
> mention in my original reply to the poster, querying him about which of
> his cds sound harsh. As he said his other sources sound good, one might
> speculate he has a bad or broken player or unrealistic expectations of
> bad recordings.
>
All true. Perhaps just a troll. I wonder how many years experience he has
with Maggies, LPs and CDs and _which_ Maggie is making _which_ CDs sound
harsh and what's the refrerence smooth sounding cartridge/stylus phono
pre-amp. More likely than not he's listening to CDs when listening to his
tuner, because that's what they are playing. Decent FM reception from a FM
station airing CDs is just like listening to CDs of one's own. Perhaps his
FM is rolled off in the same manner as are his LPs and that's what's smooth
about them.
Can Magnepan be as successful as they are if their product is so afflicted?
They will all sound fine with all program sources and pre-amps and using any
of all those amplifiers up to the task of driving them to the levels he
wants to hear.

> Stephen