Suddenly, things are sounding awful...


So I hooked my system back up after about a 6 month absence (though the speakers were seeing constant use in another system for much of that time). 6 months ago, the tonality was fantastic. Things sounded rich and detailed. Now, the system sounds extremely bright (especially on top), very grainy, and much of the detail is gone.

I did indeed change the system's position in the room. But Everything has been repositioned very carefully, and I don't see why there would be any major acoustical problems.

The equipment is as follows:
Silverline SR15 monitors.
Audio Refinement CD Alpha
Audio Aero Prima series 1 integrated
Analysis Plus cabling

The only thing I can think of is that perhaps my NOS tube in the Prima is dying. But could that cause brightness and graininess? Those aren't the symptoms I would normally associate with a failing tube.

Suggestions, comments?

Thanks!
lousyreeds1
It really is amazing how many times I've been told about room acoustics and how many times it has failed to sink in! I'll keep all this in mind and not freak out too much about tubes. Thanks guys.
Lousyreeds1, we are just about all guilty of the same offense.

We focus on the glamour stuff, when the room is the most important component. The coupling of the room and speaker is directly responsible for a larger share of the sonics than any other component. Just try the same speakers, or ANY other piece of equipment, in two different rooms and it becomes instantly clear. Still, despite these words, like the cable folks and the myriad of snake oil salesmen in our hobby, be wary of those who want to charge lots of money to apply common sense solutions to one's room.

Take what I say with a grain of salt, the information being no better than the source. It has taken me a couple of years of living in a shouty, bright room to realize that I need to quiet the upper midrange and treble regions down to put the music into the proper balance. But, I have now purchased the material - burlap, long hair carded wool (need to buy some Mothguard), and am ready to fix my issues...
My system which I'm very happy with sat idle while I listened to my headphones because I moved to a new place and the brightness made it unlistenable. Seriously, now tell me what's improtant?

BUT, I can't hardly blame people for not knowing what to do with the acoustics. Acoustics aren't that complex, but all these companies that charge a premium will make it seem like it is something only experts can understand, and you have to pay $500-$1,000 for a panel that is just condensed fiber glass with a pretty fabric (I realize it's a little more complex but...). So, a lot of audiophiles go back to what's easy... upgrading components.
So I've had to move things around again, hopefully for the last time. Now I'm really clueless about what to do acoustically. I have everything shoved into half of the room, with one speaker about 18" from a wall. Yikes! My system is under 'getting started' and it's called 'the blue room'. There are pictures posted. Does anyone have ideas for me? I have more foam lying about.

Thanks!

Move the listening chair away from the back wall.
Try to position your ears in an equalateral triangle with the speakers with more toe in.