What do you prize more, the speakers, or the electronics?
I still feel investigating some other cable integrations will help. And there are indeed some room issues which likely need addressing.
I don’t know a lot about a lot, but I do know a system needs matching. Just because all the electronics are expensive doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be synergistic.
As important as I’ve found cables to be, I’ve also seen from many of the posters here the amp + speaker combo is as or more important. I don’t feel that XA 100.5 is the right amp, if all the preamps in the house when mated to it, yield the untoward results you mention here.
One has to consider the common denominators, right?
IMO, your tube preamp appears the weakest link aside from possibly the 100.5 Pass amp…. with those speakers. There is no mention of rolling tubes in that tube preamp. Done that yet? Try some RCA or Telefunkens.
I’ve yet to hear Wilson speakers that weren’t powered up well. Big SS Monos usually…. Despite the reputed ease of driving the Wilson numbers claim their speakers are .
Another thing is owning a too revealing rig. Too much of a good thing? Is just too much of a good thing. Been there and done that too. The listenable recording list gets a whole lot shorter. That’s a clue about the system… and/or the room.
Draping that screen from bass chunk to bass chunk will be more than a subtle move. I’ve got a 106 inch wide, 116 WS on wall screen for my projector. Opened up for HT all is well, BUT with music the sound is sharper. Noticeably.
The type of drapery is important too. More pleating helps by breaking up reflections with some absorption and of course there’s the esthetics of a dressed wall versus a plain one. If motorized, you’ll add to the wow effect too.
I’d start with a 2:1 ratio and move up from there to suit. You want to be able to breathe thru them but not extremely easily… not like speaker grill cloth. I use moderately light drapes to cover the screen, and at the opposite end of the room, quite heavy ones, close to thermal density drapes.
I don’t move my speakers either. If I thought I needed to do that I’d think about on wall or in wall speakers for HT and leave my mains set for 2ch.
Personally, I’ll exhaust every avenue I can think of and those other’s folks here will or may mention, if financially do-able, before I think of switching speakers. Repositioning them even if I think they’re right anyhow, wires, tubes, etc. Even a gear change, like the preamp or amp.
I mean if you can afford to get new speakers on the level of your Sophia IIs, or greater, then why not experiment or re-experiement with these other, far, far, far, far less expensive paths? In the end if new units are the case, you’re going to be that much further along.
VTL makes some tube amps I’d bet will drive those Wilsons… Spectron has some accounts which indicate some of their amps if outfitted well meet or exdceed the performance of the Sigfrieds. Lots less $$$$$$$$$ too.
