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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2016 23:51:50 GMT
That's a good looking CD player It is isn't it, bought it from some dodgy bloke on a forum
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Post by MartinT on Jan 25, 2016 8:19:08 GMT
Well dodgy!!
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Post by MikeMusic on Jan 25, 2016 8:22:41 GMT
Very good looking though !
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2016 9:13:52 GMT
Yes it's a handsome player
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2016 15:56:58 GMT
Very good looking though ! Lol can't comment on that
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2016 11:58:38 GMT
Hmm - so your opinions would be really helpful here please;
You may have seen one of my other post with regards to concern that I had damaged the hifi by accidentally leaving the volume high and turning the system on. On this note, I got in touch with Focal and Exposure and both advised that they were sure nothing was wrong but to set my mind at rest I should use a test album (I have a Stereophile test CD), and if the ranges (it goes from very deep to high pitched) sounded ok, then there was nothing wrong - this was absolutely fine, no vibrations, no woolliness, nothing untoward.
Anyway - when I did the above, it coincided with me changing / upgrading my stand from an old Alphason which was falling apart to an Audiophile BASE StarBase stand. Additionally, I replaced the dual plug on the wall for a non-switched one that I got from Wicks.
Ever since this, the sound is improved from a detail and control perspective but there is something around the high frequencies on vocals that I don't particularly like… this isn't on all tracks or all albums, it is an issue on screechy voices, such as Phil Collins or Paloma Faith and sounds to me a little scratchy at certain frequencies, making the overall enjoyment of the system less so.
Initially I thought it might be that I have changed the position of the components on the stand - moving the Surround Sound amp down a level (with a bigger gap) and below the Power Amp and therefore raised the Power Amp up a level and nearer to the Pre Amp… I haven't tested this yet, by moving them around but am I talking rubbish? - would it make that much difference?
Could it be related to the Non-Switched socket? - could it be that it was only Wicks' basic one and I need something better quality like an MK?
Or is it that I have completely unbalanced my system? - remember, I upgraded the speakers from Epos ES14 to Focal Electra 1028 Be speakers last year which is a mammoth jump up, is it that the amps are no longer up to the job?, I understand though that the Epos were a hard load whereas the Focal's should be easier… and the difference in dB is remarkable, with the Epos being in the early 80's whereby the Focal's being 97Db - could this be related?
Or could it be that I also changed the speaker cable to Naim NAC A5 from Cable Talk, Talk III?
I have asked my wife to listen and she just says it sounds the same and my father listened and said it sounded fine, but I still find myself struggling… I guess finally, could it just all be in my head?
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Post by MartinT on May 3, 2016 12:20:09 GMT
Too many changes there, I'm afraid. If you could put it back as it was, that would be ideal. Switch the surround sound off, switch to mono and listen to one speaker at a time. They will sound different because of their location. Now swap them around. Listening to one speaker at a time in mono can be very revealing and may highlight the problem.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2016 12:20:54 GMT
I really doubt it's anything to do with the stand or placement. It's also unlikely to be your sources. Unless your amps have developed some unusual fault, it's not something I recognise from Exposure amps.
I don't know Focal speakers at all, so I can't say for sure, but it could be a simple mismatch. Personally I have always found NACA5 to be scratchy, hard and overrated. The cheapest and easiest way to rule it in or out is to revert to your old cable or blag a loan off one of us. That would be my first port of call.
if borrowing cable, NVA LS2 or Linn K20 would be my first thoughts. For something altogether more capable but also more "brightly lit", the Cable Chris found and recommended is definitely worth a go IMO.
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Post by MikeMusic on May 3, 2016 16:04:17 GMT
I always like to change one thing at a time, test then onto the next.
I find the varying differences and what they do very interesting. Just when you know what the sound will do as you upgrade you can get a surprise. So mixing a load of changes up doesn't tell you what worked - or worse if one cancelled another out !
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Post by John on May 3, 2016 17:05:58 GMT
It can take time to sort out what is causing the issue Do you have a friend near by that could come round and prehaps swap some of the gear around I am off the view when your system becomes more open it also shows up any faults more clearly. You have to systematic in finding out the cause. Just do not make the same mistake of throwing money to sort it out, it can be a expensive journey
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2016 23:30:15 GMT
Yes I probably didn't make life easier by that explanation now did I…
Effectively the system was sounding fine right up to the point I introduced the Audiophile BASE StarBase stand and replaced the switched two way socket with an un-switched one. It is at this point that things went down hill from my perspective, the Naim Cable happened at the same time I bought the speakers.
Unfortunately, I no longer have either the previous cable or stand as I gave away the cable with my previous speakers and the stand was damaged beyond repair so I disposed of it.
I think I'll change back the socket at the weekend and reconfigure the stand and see if that makes any difference… maybe I'll reconfigure the stand first, although I rang Exposure today and they suspected it wouldn't make any difference if I changed the positioning of the amplifiers our sources.
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Post by John on May 4, 2016 4:57:38 GMT
Yes that be my first change
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2016 16:01:35 GMT
Fixed it! Don't have any idea how this has worked (so might need you technical guys to explain) but when I upgraded the stand and changed the socket, I plugged the surround sound amp into the 6 way TCI power extension which has the hifi components. Usually I have it plugged into another 6 way block which the TV and ancillaries use, but as part of the change over of stand I thought I'd connect it to the one with the hifi equipment. Anyway, I have taken it out of the TCI and connected it to the TV 6 way block and the sound has returned to how I like it, no scratchy sound that was driving me potty. So how on earth could this have made that much difference? P.S. Thanks for everyone's advice
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2016 18:14:38 GMT
To confirm, I have listened to all of the 'troublesome' tracks that were causing me issues and it is sounding so great right now.
I swapped back the surround sound amp power cable just to make sure I wasn't completely nuts and the instant I put it back into the system I that horrid sound came back, so I have returned it to the TV 6 way block and again back to the sound I like again!!! rather puzzled by this one to be fair!
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Post by MartinT on May 7, 2016 3:25:40 GMT
Any filter has some impedance associated with it, a tiny bit of current limiting. If the AV amp is plugged it, it's causing a further load possibly even when switched off. It may have a switched mode power supply throwing noise back into the other components, too. That will affect every other component plugged in to the same filter. Best always to isolate these things. Keep AV stuff (like Sky box) away from pure hi-fi.
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2016 16:21:41 GMT
Any filter has some impedance associated with it, a tiny bit of current limiting. If the AV amp is plugged it, it's causing a further load possibly even when switched off. It may have a switched mode power supply throwing noise back into the other components, too. That will affect every other component plugged in to the same filter. Best always to isolate these things. Keep AV stuff (like Sky box) away from pure hi-fi. Aha so I wasn't imagining it... Makes me feel better, thanks Martin. The AV amp is now plugged into the same 6 way block that the TV ancillaries use and I can assure you it's going to remain there. Just have the two amps, CD Player and Streamer connected into the TCI 6 way now.
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Post by MikeMusic on May 7, 2016 16:23:57 GMT
I have the T shirt for this sort of thing
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Post by MartinT on May 7, 2016 17:10:06 GMT
Good fix!
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Post by dsjr on May 8, 2016 11:23:28 GMT
Every time I come to this thread, all I can hear in my mind are Focal speakers! Try to forget sockets, plugs, gear-racks and minor details and have a careful look at the speakers themselves and their reaction in your room.
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2016 20:06:21 GMT
Every time I come to this thread, all I can hear in my mind are Focal speakers! Try to forget sockets, plugs, gear-racks and minor details and have a careful look at the speakers themselves and their reaction in your room. Hi Dave, Focal speakers can be bright and the model mine replaced (1027 Be) had a bit if a reputation but the 1028 Be are considered to be a lot more balanced. I wanted a speaker that was brighter than the Epos ES14 I had previously as I started to find them a little dull in the treble so the Focal's were a great upgrade as they had all the good qualities of the Epos but with a lot more detail and brighter. The room could be an issue though to be fair as they are a much larger speaker than the ES14 and I was warned about them being a little big. My room is 15x11 feet although I find they work really well, maybe a little over heavy in the bass department but I don't find that a problem. The brightness of the speakers is compensated by the warmth of my Exposure amps which also balances the sound out well. The issue I've had recently though I generally don't think had anything to do with the speakers, it was as described earlier to do with the AV amp and interferance. The Exposure's are susceptible to Radio interferance and the AV amp is full of mains born nasties so was undoubtedly caused a roblem. Paul.
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