My stereo isn't doing it for me. Need advice


I have been trying to get a great sounding room for a while now and it still doesn't sound great or even good. I have a Prinaluna Dialogue 5 power amp and a Primaluna Prologue preamp. All with stock tubes so far. A Marantz c6005 CD player. Morrow mc3 interconnects and Kimber 8tc speaker cable. My speakers are Dynaudio x12's which sound the best in my room. I also have Dynaudio x32 speakers and a pair of KEF LS50 speakers. Also a REL T-5 subwoofer. My room is my office and is 9 x 11 with 8 Foot ceilings. Some acoustic stuff sounds great but the louder stuff not so much. I find I listen to music that sounds good rather than music I want to hear. Any suggestions on what I can change. I also bought a Class D Audio 200 watt per channel amplifier that makes everything sound even worse.
128x128dylanfan
My experience mirrors Shakey's advise. If this room is dedicated to audio you might try a nearfield set up (for example a 6' triangle) where the speakers are well out into the room. At moderate levels this could sound quite nice.

The alternative I chose when I faced your problem was to use quality headphones and a dedicated headphone amplifier. Then you can get a recliner, close the door, and literally shut out the world! :-)
Unlike most of the other posters, I do not know what your problem is. But I do know how to fix it.

I agree do not change anything until you have optimized what you have.

I have a 12X12 sunroom with cathedral ceilings that is my acoustically challenged room. My gear sounds fantastic in my other rooms larger and similar size, but that one was always a tough challenge acoustically. Its small but very lively with windows on 3 sides and reflective tile floors over a vibration prone modern suspended plywood floor.

I finally solved it and have it sounding spot on with small monitors positioned just a few inches off the floor with slight upward tilt using short and inexpensive Isoacoustic brand stands available on Amazon.

There was always too much or too little bass in this room not matter what I tried. Floorstanders, monitors on stands at ear level mostly.

The Isoacoustic stands were the key. They enable bass reinforcment from the floor from teh smaller Triangle Titus monitors but keep it clean by isolating the speakers from interacting with teh floor rather than coupling to it, as is usually the case with most floorstanders or monitors on stands.

Now that room is one of my best with perfect full articulate bass and all the rest in spades.

The key was getting the bass under control by isolating teh speakers from interacting with the floor using teh Isoacoustic stands.

OPs case may be similar or different, don't know. But thought there enough similarity to throw this seldom discussed and relatively inexpensive tweak option out there.
Tough room. D/C the sub. Then experiment with speaker position. Some panel treatment will help with high frequencies but very difficult to control room modes. I've had a small room in the past. I would rather have good headphones than wrestle with it again.
I will echo the advice from Sebrof. I was forced to move in to a 12X12 room and after a few months of God awful sound I found the Decware paper Sebrof mentioned. The results were revelatory and I now have wonderful sound with a three dimensional soundstage to die for. Still can't go too loud. That ain't happening in a small room no matter how well treated it is.
You have some very fine equipment in a challenging room. The preponderance of advice from the forum has been to address that room. You decide to change your cdp or speakers, WTF?