My system is bright? I need help. thanks

Scientist73,
Why wouldn't you consider replacing the KW 500 amplifier with one that mates better with your speakers? You mentioned the MC402, which happens to be in the same price range as you could expect to get for your KW 500. You could then either stick with the same CDP and use a pair of attentuators, or get a CDP that has an internal volume control (RA Opus 21, Wadia, Audio Aero Capitole, etc...) at least until you possibly decided to try out some preamps. The brightness would be gone, and you wouldn't be out any additional money.

FWIW, I've heard the a pair of Von Schweikert VR4Sr's with three different amp/CDP combinations. Only with the MF combo that you have did it sound exactly as you have described.

Just something to think about as you tango with your Andras. :-)

it might be worth a shot to try an equalizer to achieve a presentation that you are comfortable with. you might observe the adjustments you make to determine where the peaks are. this will not tell you the source of the problem but may be a way to eliminate the frequency imbalance.

you could instead use a good quality spectral analyzer, with the microphone at the listener positionto uncover frequency imbalnces and then decide how to get rid of them.
an equalizer is one of several solutions to your problem.

Great news
Last night i pulled the rack out, i pulled the amp out of the panamax and plugged it into the 20 amp circuit directly. i have never done that before.

I have never listened to my system before untill this moment. about 80 % of the brightness is gone. I knew there is something exraordinarly wrong. The sound became so smoooooooooooooooth and warm. the highs went back, way back and i got a balanced sound.

then i tried to plug it to 15 amp monster avs 2000 i use for my home theater . i got the same good result but the details and the bass were dowm, i could tell the difference.
i added the monster hts 5100 surge protector to the avs 2000 the brightness showed again.
the power is the main porblem the amp is not doing well with all the surge protectors i have
the problem with wall outlet there is is slight shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh i can hear when the music is silent and when ther is no music and i turn the volume up i hear a very clear and loud shhhhhhhhhhhh. i do not hear that with any of the three surge protectors or power generators.
is it safe to keep an expensive amp hooked directly to the outlet.?
i tried positioning the speakers again it is a different story now. i can play loud, i went to half the volume my ears were fine. this amp is so musical i could hear little tunes between the other tones i originally could hear in the other set up, such surfacing tunes and details made it so musical. i got the balance i want. even most of the SSSSSSSSS disappeared except for patricia barber and some nat kin cole songs,.i can live with that

now how on earth can such a switch make such a difference in the quality of sound, i am talking about a rebirth of an amp. i am not an expert but i know it is all about power after all.but to that extent!!!!!!!!!
i am now between a choice of unsafe, happy listening with unclean power or compromised listening with surge protcetion.

the ultimate is to get a superb 20 amp surge protector or conditioner.

thanks a gain and sorry to confuse you

Historical note - The Quad of England preamps used to have an elaborate set of adjustable tone controls with one of the effects available being to select a shelf-like uniform decrease in the high frequency range: ------------------__________________
Although this was not a true equalizer,
it was very useful in the original heyday of the vinyl LP to help make the high frequency range in recordings uniformly less aggressive.
With the advent of CD "perfect sound forever" the use of such a circuit became virtually extinct in home high end stereo preamplifiers.
This would still represent a quick and useful temporary solution for many systems, although it could not be considered ideal. The modern preamp designers might be able to resuscitate this type of defeatable, shelf-like, tone control. The perception of high frequency brightness, or glare, is definitely a prominent topic of discussion on Audiogon.
During the sometimes lengthy process of trying to achieve ideal high frequency reproduction, why not allow the listener an option to "fake it 'til you make it"?

try Shunyata Hydra2. only plug your amp there. But the wall outlet should not be hissing. There's something wrong going on.