Input/Output line level transformers for digital glare

If these are Jim Thiel era- Thiels, then I'm quite sure what the problem is. Your hearing is far too good for your age. You either have to get an excessively warm/mellow DAC's like the ARC DAC 8, more neutral speakers like modern Monitor Audio, or a digital EQ to tone down the treble.  For YOU and YOUR symptoms, stay away from B&W/Golden Ear or Triangle.  I'm not sure how much of the Thiel sound is on-axis. With some speakers reducing toe-in can realy diminish the top octave glare.

A good inexpensive compromise if you absolutely love your speakers on vinyl is the $170 miniDSP nano. It will sit before your DAC and let you apply very subtle and versatile EQ.

https://www.minidsp.com/products/minidsp-in-a-box/nanodigi-2x8-b

Another approach is to add more room treatment which will reduce the treble output, if you don't already have it. This is always a good choice, contact GIK Acoustics, as the acoustic treatments will outlast your gear. :)

Best,


Erik

My "test " is a Rush song called " Red Barschetta" that I found great on a lp in the treble & cymbals, but streaming or cd, nope!

It may not be the fault of the digital gear that this sounds bad. It might just be a poor transfer. If other recordings sound OK (against the LP in particular) then I would not use this as a reference.

Guys:

I have Amarra and have Dirac room correction, so covered the tone down the Jim Thiel "Thiels"
The Red Barshetta note is true on source quality!!!!!   Big differences especially since going to Tidal and hearing differences

Other Nasty recordings in the " screaming edge" frequencies that my stupid hearing magnifies are:  Foo Fighters The Pretender & Bob Dylan Like a rolling stone & CCR Commotion

Ive heard the music on lots of systems and compared some to the vinyl ( great turntables(
vinyl is always, always clear and clean with no " fuzzy hiss" that I hear
stupid hearing and it's accents

The only exception is. Full Bricasti system with Tidal speakers;  So far

I must be doomed, until I give up on Digital or run across $100k fun money

jeff

Sounds like you need some room treatments.. you won't fix it with hardware.