What to do when speakers are bright?

KrazyMofo24
KrazyMofo24 Posts: 1,210
edited July 2006 in Speakers
Since its going to be a long time before I can buy new speakers right now I have Rti10's. I'm going to do research on room acoustics, but I was just wondering if there is any things I can do to lessen the brightness in terms on room acoustics, speaker placement, or even amps that are better suited.
Setup:

2 Channel: Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand, T+A P 1230R, Primare SPA21, Oppo BDP-105
PC: Vienna Acoustics Haydn Grand, Cambridge Azure 650A v2 , Peachtree iDAC, Denon DVD-3800BDCI

Post edited by KrazyMofo24 on
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Comments

  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,546
    edited July 2006
    Treat reflective surfaces, and use less toe-in--point them straight ahead if necessary.

    What equipment? What's your room like? carpet, tile?
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Source: Rotel CD14MkII CD Player - Speakers: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited July 2006
    turn the treble down.
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 29,549
    edited July 2006
    Get new speakers.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • MattN03
    MattN03 Posts: 558
    edited July 2006
    I turned the treble down on my RTi8's and that seemed to help. I also went from a H/K 635 (90 watts stereo) to a Rotel 985 amp (100 watts) and that seemed to help slightly. (I don't think the power difference is what changed things, but maybe how the amp sends the signal to the speakers?) What I'm really interested in finding out is when I bi-amp the Rotel to the RTi8's. I'm waiting on some I/C's to do this, but will report back how 200 watts affect the sound of the RTi8's.
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  • KrazyMofo24
    KrazyMofo24 Posts: 1,210
    edited July 2006
    Its in a small room right now...wooden floors and powered by a h/k 335.
    Setup:

    2 Channel: Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand, T+A P 1230R, Primare SPA21, Oppo BDP-105
    PC: Vienna Acoustics Haydn Grand, Cambridge Azure 650A v2 , Peachtree iDAC, Denon DVD-3800BDCI

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  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited July 2006
    Just wondering but has anyone attempted any crossover mods on the RTi's if they are sounding too bright?

    Mike
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
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  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited July 2006
    if you're keeping the speakers, then I suggest you buy warm-sounding, tube-like equipment to offset the brightness. Worked for me.
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
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  • KrazyMofo24
    KrazyMofo24 Posts: 1,210
    edited July 2006
    Yeah maybe its just an issue of my Rti10's not getting have enough power...I was just wondering if room acoustics could change/help it any.
    Setup:

    2 Channel: Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand, T+A P 1230R, Primare SPA21, Oppo BDP-105
    PC: Vienna Acoustics Haydn Grand, Cambridge Azure 650A v2 , Peachtree iDAC, Denon DVD-3800BDCI

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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited July 2006
    Musical fidelity will kill the brightness big time. But they will most likely sound alot less detailed. The brightness creates the impression of detail. When I hooked up Rti70's to my musical fidelity integrated they sounded pretty bad with music.
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  • ESavinon
    ESavinon Posts: 3,067
    edited July 2006
    put a throw rug in front of them a few feet ahead. If they're located near a window,put thick heavy curtains on windows.that should help with high frequency absorbtion a bit.
    SRT For Life; SDA Forever!

    The SRT SEISMIC System:
    Four main satellite speakers, six powered subs, two dedicated for LFE channel, two center speakers for over/under screen placement and three Control Centers. Amaze your friends, terrorize your neighbors, seize the audio bragging rights for your state. Go ahead, buy it; you only go around once.
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  • Refefer
    Refefer Posts: 1,280
    edited July 2006
    If you open the speaker and throw in some sound absorbant directly behind the speaker, sometimes that will also help tame the treble a bit. Sometimes.

    And it's cheap and reversable.
    Lovin that music year after year.

    Main 2 Channel System

    Polk SDA-1B,
    Promitheus Audio TVC SE,
    Rotel RB-980BX,
    OPPO DV-970HD,
    Lite Audio DAC AH,
    IXOS XHA305 Interconnects

    Computer Rig

    Polk SDA CRS+,
    Creek Audio 5350 SE,
    Morrow Audio MA1 Interconnect,
    HRT Music Streamer II
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 29,549
    edited July 2006
    The RTi line was bright generation 1..

    And its bright generation 5 or 6.

    Its their personality...

    I recomend you get some calmer speakers...
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • marcd51
    marcd51 Posts: 12
    edited July 2006
    Everybody has said allot here but one big thing no one has seemed to mention change your interconnects to a more natural set of cables. Go down to your local dealer and see if they can lend you some cables to try out on your system that are not silver platted of cause.:)
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  • wallstreet
    wallstreet Posts: 1,405
    edited July 2006
    what type of music are you listening to? some music is just brighter than others.
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  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited July 2006
    marcd51 wrote:
    Everybody has said allot here but one big thing no one has seemed to mention change your interconnects to a more natural set of cables. Go down to your local dealer and see if they can lend you some cables to try out on your system that are not silver platted of cause.:)

    Great suggestion. Cables can made a large difference. I tried a set of Audioquest AudioTruth Opal X3 that basically came with a used Consonance cd player that I purchased and they really decreased the treble, and some of the edginess when compared to the Apature silvers I use. I don't use the Opals because I have the opposite problem in my system. I need to increase the treble and would also like more resolution.

    You anti-cable guys....don't even start!

    Mike
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
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  • FicmanS
    FicmanS Posts: 134
    edited July 2006
    Couple of throw rugs made all the difference in the world in my room, I'd call it a major difference in my setup...

    Wooden floors are great to look at, but a **** for sound (IMO)...
    Rockin' In My House :D


    Pioneer 50 inch Plasma TV
    Denon AVR-3806
    Denon DVD-1930ci
    Polk Montor 70's
    Polk PSW-12
    Polk CS2
    Polk Monitor 40's
    Sirius Satellite Radio, Monster 3500MKII
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  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,618
    edited July 2006
    Tube gear and acoustic treatments. My $.02
    HT Speakers: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * RSL Speedwoofer 12S
    HT: Samsung 75QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra * APC H10

    2-Channel Audio: Von Schweikert VR-2 * Musical Fidelity M2si * WiiM Ultra * FiiO K11 R2R DAC
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited July 2006
    Tube gear and different interconnects as mentioned above would make a big difference but I'm assuming you don't want to spend a fortune, otherwise you could just buy different speakers. Possibly this would be a good place to try an equalizer?
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • wallstreet
    wallstreet Posts: 1,405
    edited July 2006
    Midnite Mick wrote:
    Great suggestion. Cables can made a large difference. I tried a set of Audioquest AudioTruth Opal X3 that basically came with a used Consonance cd player that I purchased and they really decreased the treble, and some of the edginess when compared to the Apature silvers I use. I don't use the Opals because I have the opposite problem in my system. I need to increase the treble and would also like more resolution.

    You anti-cable guys....don't even start!

    Mike
    If cables make the sound "less bright" aren't they dropping some of the sound?
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited July 2006
    wallstreet wrote:
    If cables make the sound "less bright" aren't they dropping some of the sound?


    nope. they help smooth it out... some cables are just to much of a good thing.. i used to use solid silver cables.. extremly bright sounding.. i don't recommend them at all really.

    Good well made sounding cables can smooth things out... i replaced all the SL2000 tweeters in my SRS's.. with the RD-0 replacement tweeter.. but it sounded to bright.. let the tweeters burn in for a several weeks.. still to bright.

    Played around with different brands of interconnects and in different places within my system. finally went with Cobalt Cable ultimate interconnect and it smoothed out the brightness in the speakers. but where i used that interconnet was crucial. When placed between the CDP and pre amp.. it didn't make any difference. but once i hooked it up between the pre amp and amp.. wham! smoothness was there and the brightness was tamed.

    I'm a big believer in finding the right interconnect for the right application. One cable is not correct for every place in your system. ;)
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited July 2006
    It really comes down to system synergy. In my system I like the silvers for the reason of adding some of the edge back that is lost with tube gear. Another reason for me is the Vifa tweet in my lsi's probably aren't the greatest match for my tube gear. Therefore, those systems that can be too smooth and lack treble like mine would greatly benefit from silver cables.

    Mike
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited July 2006
    Midnite Mick wrote:
    It really comes down to system synergy. In my system I like the silvers for the reason of adding some of the edge back that is lost with tube gear. Another reason for me is the Vifa tweet in my lsi's probably aren't the greatest match for my tube gear. Therefore, those systems that can be too smooth and lack treble like mine would greatly benefit from silver cables.

    Mike


    agreed. i'm not saying silver cables are bad by any means. they are very revealing.. and sometimes to bright when used with solid state gear.. or certainly can be to much of a good thing. Price also factors in.. silver cables are more expensive.

    I currently use silver tinned cables.. basically copper with a silver coating. not as harsh as pure silver, but still retains alot of the benefits of silver without the brightness.

    :p
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • marcd51
    marcd51 Posts: 12
    edited July 2006
    Hi I agree with Danger boy, I used to use a cable by a company called QED over here in the UK and they have some of the best cables available and this also goes for there interconnects, but what I do agree with Danger Boy is silver cable can be good on one system very revelling and can be very fast in sound but can become very bright on another. On my system that was to much apparent so I tried another cable company that my local dealer uses called Atlas is the company name and they make all there cables to a high standard but they do not use silver platted cables so this gives a more natural effect which I much prefer , but to my knowledge I do not lose any of the information that I am aware of .

    They have also been given very good Wright ups here in the UK on all of the major hi-fi mags .

    So that is why I said do not bother changing or even dismantling your speakers or filling them up just try some other cables and this may cure the problem .

    If it does not them go out and buy a rug just like the other gentleman did on the other thread .:D
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