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Hi- Please help me decide the best bang for the buck upgrade to improve my 2 channel listening. I have between $500 - $800 to spend and am considering between speakers, source, and amp. System strengths are soundstaging and imaging. Weaknesses- can be bright and clinical. Have considered switching source from Sony to a used Rega Planet 2000 or recent CDP (NAD 542, Rotel 1072, etc.). Also considered getting a more relaxed sounding speaker... your recommendations please! Thanks.Speakers Front: Triangle Antal XS and Triangle Center
Speakers Rear: Triangle Titus
SubL HSU VTF-2
Preamp/Processor: Rotel 1066
Amp: 5 channel Rotel 985
CDP: Sony DVP-9000ES (DVD/SACD/CD)
Room Acoustics: Echobusters behind speakers, Corner busters
Power: Monster AVS2000, Quietlines
Interconnects: Siltech MXT New York
Speaker Cable: MIT AVT-1
Follow Ups:
Triangle speakers are notably more assertive and lean than some others and may be a major contributor to what you are objecting to, especially with solid state electronics. Even on some tube amps (Audiomat), they can be on the cool side. Some folks like that sound but you would seem not to be among them. Sony players are not notably bright or clinical but tend toward a slightly laid back or even-handed presentation. If you are in a position to borrow some other different voiced speakers, I'd suggest that. See what others suggest and then email if you'd like some suggestions.
I bought a new wall outlet and had it, my power strip, a new tuner power cord and my speaker cables double cryovaced and conditioned on a cable cooker which smoooothed out all of the sonic anomalies in my system. I also had my tubes cryovaced. My system sounds much more open and realistic with extended highs and lows and great weight and transients. It's much better than I thought I could get.Reasonably priced upgrades without replacing any equipment. I had Alan at audioexcellenceaz do this for me. He's a prince to deal with.
...and require extremely careful system massaging to get them sounding "right". If your Triangles are broken in (500+ hours) and you still find them bright, then I'd recommend changing speakers. Nothing has more impact on a system's sound than loudspeakers. You will spend much more than your budget on new amps, source, wire and tweaks in the effort to get the Triangles sounding more suitable to your preference...not to mention the time invested.It'll be much less expensive, and much more satisfying to change speakers now.
This one is easy, get yourself a Musical Fidelity X10v3 tube buffer and MF PSU to power it. I'd also suggest a Revelation Audio Labs power cable between the buffer and PSU.Buy them both from MusicDirect.com which will give you a 30 day money back guarantee.
Once you hear the difference these pieces make, you only give them up upon death...
and buy more software.
Also besides the source, I have found that the quality of the interconnects, power cords and speaker cable can add to unwanted brightness.It sounds like you have a pretty nice setup, the Triangles definitely are sensitive to the source component. Perhaps the new Rotel CDP would be more at home in your system? I had a similar problem with Musical Fidelity CDP brightness, I added into the chain a Bel-Canto DAC (converting the MF to a transport) and it cleared a bit. When I upgraded the power cords on all components every hint of brightness went away (less noise).
If you are still using the flimsy power cords that came with the components I would look into upgrading them one by one as time goes on. In the immediate future, the Sony has got to go in my opinion, especially if you don't use it for video/sacd.
Again this is just IMHO.
Good luck!
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