2. cables
  3. 136860-111696

Need cable to soften brightness just a little?

Would appreciate some hand holding on solving a small problem. I think a different cable interconnect might be what I need. Right now I am using Blue Jeans interconnects.

Have three new variables in our TV Stereo system.
New Oppo UDP-205
Musical Fidelity A3cr Preamp
Pioneer SX-1050 Stereo Receiver (bypassing it’s preamp)

Still in use is the Arcam SR250 AV Receiver.
Speakers are floor standing Spendor FL-6.

I am an opera lover and classical music devotee and like really good audio. The Arcam SR250 is just perfect for ordinary tv watching, but I soon found out it can’t equal the musicality of a good stereo receiver, so I rigged up a way of using my Audiomat Arpege tube amp for musical program listening.   But  I just found a better use for the Arpege and decided to replace it with the Musical Fidelity Preamp and the Pioneer Receiver.   The Oppo is just a few days old as well, replacing an Oppo BDP-83SE.

There is a big improvement in clarity of spoken dialogue.
Everything sounds brighter and clearer and there is an unmistakable sense of power from the much more powerful Pioneer.
Musically it is harder to evaluate. At first there was a feeling of “wow, major improvement”, but on further listening it feels a little bright. Might be the sort of brightness that causes music fatigue.

How do I take just a little of the edge off the brightness without losing the wonderful clarity I’m getting?

And how to go about figuring out which of the three is causing that little bit of edginess.


128x128echolane
auxinput
1,538 posts
 

A digital cable that is too short is actually bad.  What happens is that the digital pulses received by the target will be reflected back to the source.  These reflections can cancel out additional pulses from the source and you have errors.  The minimum recommended is generally 1.5 meters / 4.5 feet, but I always go 6 feet just to be sure.

This problem really doesn't occur with analog cables, so they can be very short.

rwwear
2,692 posts
 
But are they angled in enough echolane?
echolane's avatar
echolane OP
52 posts
 
Just want to add a follow up thank you to all who contributed to this thread and from which I have learned so much!  

As I start to write I am on a much needed break from the boring task of ripping CDs.   I am on my second listening of a SACD recording on the Oppo 205, partnered by the  Pioneer SX-1050 and the Musical Fidelity A3cr.   I am honestly thrilled.  And quite content!  Not only is the new Oppo a serious upgrade from my old Oppo 83SE, but there is no longer any sense of  listener fatigue.  It must be well on its way to being broken in.    I am pretty sure  there are many ways in which I could make my system sound even better, but honestly, I’ve lost all sense of urgency, I’m almost content to leave it all “as is”.  

Almost. I am much inspired by this thread to play around with some variables when time and money permit.  

- I’ve got  PS Audio receptacles in my online cart, which I’m actually surprised no one has mentioned.

-  I want to test out a power conditioning system for my primary audio system in the living room which is centered around my Quad ESL-63 speakers.  An audio friend of mine insists it  made a much more noticeable  improvement in his system than any other thing he did, and he  keeps pressing me to try it out.  If it really makes that much of a difference then I’m sure I won’t be able to resist adding it to my TV system too.    

-   I won’t be able to resist trying out various interconnects.

 - I’m pretty sure my speakers are toed in at just the right angle.

-  All my digital cables will definitely be 6’ long!
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