Speaker placement for brightness control.


I've been involved in several threads involving, among other subjects, my near preoccupation with controlling shrill sounds. I have a hearing issue called hyperacusis which makes me very sensitive to certain frequencies and dB levels. I've tried many things such as changing speakers, amplifiers, interconnects, speaker wires and added DACs and experimented with speaker toe in.

These changes did not solve my problem in any a way noticeable except for a tube DAC between the two CD players and the amp.

THEN, we remodeled the listening room ( living room) adding a large area rug over the wooden floor which I think helped a little. I was also forced to raise the bookshelf speaker pedestals about 10" in order for the speakers to fire over some newly placed furniture. Although this places them well above what I've seen is recommended, the improvement is quite noticeable even for me.

This may seem like an unorthodox approach to reducing brightness and in this case it was accidental and I possibly compromised some other aspect of listening. However, I'm leaving it this way.

One thought that comes to mind is that the tweeters are now directed about a foot above my ears and not directly in line with them. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone else and am not even entirely sure that some of this is not just in my head. Any responses / opinions will be appreciated.
128x128broadstone
some have used felt around tweeters to tone them down a bit

I have done this myself and it worked, though a bit too much for my tastes

something to consider for cheap
Broadstone.... I feel for you since I too have Hyperacusis. I'm very happy with the sound of my system, but my tower speakers have metal tweeters and sometimes can cause some killer pain from high frequencies.
I can only suggest what I've tried and it's been very successful, but there will always be certain CDs that I can't play. (LPs are much more kind).

I tried many different speaker cables (as you probably have) and am using 2 different cables in a double-run configuration. Cardas for highs, which sound smoother and rolled-off. But the biggest improvement was to use a lot of room treatments for standing wave absorption. Acoustic panels on side and rear wall and a tapestry hung behind my listening position.

Raising the speakers sounds like a good idea, but what is your room treatment situation?
Why don't you try a single-driver Fostex speaker? Many companies make them. Removing the tweeter might help your situation considerably. They work best with simpler acoustic music, which may or may not suit your taste, but that's another story. I have a pair that Fritz did for me with the 4" drivers and they really sound nice.
These responses are very much appreciated and I will attempt to explain further what I have done. To begin with, my present setup consists of a Shanling S100 solid state CD player, California Audio Labs tube DAC, Rogue Audio Shinx hybrid amp, and two pairs of permanently A/B'd speakers. For many years I have used the Martin Logan Odyssey hybrids and, recently, added a pair of Jamo Concert 8's on a permanent A/B switch between the two.

Both pairs of speakers are very good and I recently added the Jamo's because they are more efficient than the Odysseys allowing me to listen at lower volumes while maintaining detail and tight bass. This particular model by Jamo, btw, is incredible in almost every way.

Probably the biggest single improvement came with the addition of the tube DAC but close behind was increasing the speaker elevation. As a matter of fact, of the things I've tried, these two changes were the only ones that I could detect any resultant improvement. Between these two things, I'm enjoying my system more, although I know I'll never get back what I've lost over the years to compromised hearing.

As far as room treatment goes, because my listening room is also our living room, my options are limited. The room is 15' by 21' with the entertainment center placed against one of the short walls. Furnishings include a large area rug over wood floors, 18' of curtains on one long wall and a lot of upholstered furniture. Even when the floors were all wood, before my hearing became so messed up, this treatment, though a compromise, worked well for me.

Lowrider, I'm especially glad to hear from someone also afflicted with hyperacusis because at least someone out there understands the effect that this condition has on critical listening and, to a lesser extent, every day function. Mine is accompanied by very loud ringing at more than one frequency somewhere between 5 and 7,000Hz, according to the audiologist. It seems that tinnitus and hyperacusis often go together. I've found a couple of hyperacusis forums but never one associated with HiFi listening; if you know of anything like that, please let me know.
Hang in there, Broadstone, and I also have tinnitus...didn't know about that relationship. My tinnitus is very mild, however (I've been tested). I haven't looked for any forums, but after seeing the ENT and Audiologist, I'm now going to a migraine center for treatment...my diagnosis is called "Atypical Migraine" which includes the symptoms we have without the headache. The hyperacusis pain comes from the same area of the brain as a migraine.

I hope you're getting some type of therapy. The ENT had nothing for me, so I now see a neurologist specializing in head pain.

Also, there are devices sold to treat tinnitus; google it (but ask a doc about it since they might just be selling snake oil).

And it really does suck when you're grooving to a song and some loud trumpet starts in and I have to shut it down.