2. speakers
  3. 1333654605

My system's high frequencies hurt my ears

Well, to be perfectly clear it doesn't always hurt my ears but I've been getting a little fatigued at times and I'm trying to diagnose the problem. A few nights ago I was listening to a new 24/96 The Doors first album release and had to stop playback. I switched over to The Eagles Greatest Hits, 16/44, and found some happiness there but I wasn't completely satisfied. Perhaps some of this is psychological, maybe I was feeling a little extra sensitive, but I'm sure I've had some issues with high frequencies in the past.

Here's my setup:

Serving all music, ripped to WAV by Exact Audio Copy or downloaded via high rez sites, via Windows 7 computer running J River set to WASAPI output. Sending signal via USB to Audiophilleo USB/SPDIF converter to PS Audio Digital Link III DAC. From DAC using Nordost Baldur unbalanced RCA interconnects to PS Audio C-100 Control Amp. Speaker wires are Nordost Blue Heaven. Power cables are PS Audio Lab Cable from wall to PS Audio Duet Power Conditioner. From there I use another Lab Cable for the amp and a PS Jewel cable for the DAC. The wall plug is on its own circuit with nothing else connected. Speakers are my old but good Mirage 1090i's.

Aside from perhaps the age of the speakers do you guys see anything that stands out? I spoke to a technician from Mirage and he suggested I'm doing too much signal processing which could be a cause of uncomfortable high frequencies.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
robpriore
needfreestuff's avatar
needfreestuff
386 posts
 
Total agreement with Photon46. Good Luck
jdoris
852 posts
 
IMO, if your speakers have metal domes, they stand a very good chance of being the culprit. As ears age, they can become more sensitive to edgy highs; if you've had the speakers for a while, it could be you getting older, and not the kit, that explains your changed perception of the system.

I've got this issue, and a good many speakers lots of people like are ear bleeders for me. Two reasonably priced (by hobbyist standards) monitors that are not are Fritz Carbon 7 and Selah Veritas, for a bit more are the North Creeks (probably not currently available), and for a bit more than that, various of the Montana line. All are silk dome. I'd stay away from metal, which is IMO a far more likely culprit than "signal processing."

John
robpriore OP
35 posts
 
Just based on the comments it really seems like this is a speaker issue. I'm planning to audition some new equipment and I was going to start with a DAC, possibly the Hegel HD20. However, it seems the right thing to do is start with some modern speakers in the $2500 range or so and basically listen. Of course I would like to spend less, the Kef q900's seem to have gotten some pretty good reviews. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
mapman's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
mapman
15,679 posts
 
Rob,

Before changing anything, it may be easy to at least attempt a different speaker setup where tweets are not direct firing at you. Try aiming tweets just to the outside e of your ears at your main listening position as an experiment and see if that helps.
timlub
1,649 posts
 
If you have had the Mirage's for along time and this has not been bothering you, then you have to look elsewhere...
First, I have no idea how old you are, but it isn't abnormal that as we age, Our high frequency rolls off and we become more sensitive to peaks in the 3k to 8k range.
I disagree with the thought of too much in the chain, unless, ONE of those items is causing the problem. What has changed in your system. Have you always had a problem with peaks or has it come with a few changes? Time to borrow or exchange borrow with a friend and try to find out where the culprit is and it could certainly still be your speakers, IF you have recently added the complete digital front end as a source and have just never heard real detail from your speakers, so if thats the case, it could be your speakers.... Hopefully this isn't confusing....
More to discover