HiFi help appreciated

AllthegearNoidea

I’m experiencing a high level of bass boom when listening to vinyl against the same album on cd. 

I was was going to buy an isolation platform or sorbothane feet but I’m questioning my whole setup after a trip to my local dealer for advice.  

I have an arcam A18 amp, arcam a17 cd, project debut carbon turntable with a pair of Monitor Audio RX6 speakers. 

Shop didn’t really concentrate on the vibration but suggested for the rx6 I’d need a more powerful amp to get the best from them at lower volume. Which is where I perceive a problem currently. They’re also a bit sterile to me. Lacking warmth at lower volume. 

So this is moved on to a suggestion for a speaker and amp change to suit my room and preferences and current needs

Suggested amp and speaker setup was a Cyrus one HD with Dali Opticon 2 with floor mounts. 

Room is 6m x 4m log cabin. 

Any hifi gurus ghat can advise. 

Shoo would offer me £350 trade for the speakers and £150 for the amp to soften the blow

Thanks in advanced 

Nikc

go active my Avi's are just awesome

richardhomer

If CD and vinyl sound different, upgrading either your amp or speakers won’t make them sound more similar.

I’d look at how close the deck is to the speakers and try to ensure the deck is on a solid support. Backing off the tracking weight might help with the excess bass.

You may find moving the speakers dramatically influences their presentation.

fandango

Not sure how much credence you give What Hi-fi reviews, but checking out what else is available at your price point might focus the mind (or not).

Matching the speakers to the amp (or vice versa) sounds a really good way to go. Let us know how you get on, and what you actually get.

AllthegearNoidea

richardhomer said:

If CD and vinyl sound different, upgrading either your amp or speakers won’t make them sound more similar.

I’d look at how close the deck is to the speakers and try to ensure the deck is on a solid support. Backing of the tracking weight might help too.

I’m a bit old school. Got my gear in a retro Errol cabinet. It’s a bout two feet away from the speaker. I’ll try the tracking weight. Vinyl sounds better to me just have this boom im attaching to vibration 

AllthegearNoidea

fandango said:

Not sure how much credence you give What Hi-fi reviews, but checking out what else is available at your price point might focus the mind (or not).

Matching the speakers to the amp (or vice versa) sounds a really good way to go. Let us know how you get on, and what you actually get.

Based on what Hi-Fi reviews I was thinking Rega elex r amp but didn’t know if it would suit my speakers. 

AllthegearNoidea

Nikc said:

go active my Avi's are just awesome

What goes between the cd/turntable to the AVI. What model speakers?

fandango

AllthegearNoidea said:

fandango said:

Not sure how much credence you give What Hi-fi reviews, but checking out what else is available at your price point might focus the mind (or not).

Matching the speakers to the amp (or vice versa) sounds a really good way to go. Let us know how you get on, and what you actually get.

Based on what Hi-Fi reviews I was thinking Rega elex r amp but didn’t know if it would suit my speakers. 

May I suggest first setting up the RX6 speakers, and then audition a series of amps against those speakers?

darthed1981

Ermm just to be sure, you have checked your turntable is stable, balanced and correctly set up with a stylus pressure meter?

Proper set up make s an enormous difference with turntables

blobb

is your tracking weight set properly?

darthed1981

blobb said:

is your tracking weight set properly?

Im glad im not the only one thinking that!

sweepy

Sounds like a compliance issue with your cartridge and arm setup, 

AllthegearNoidea

fandango said:

AllthegearNoidea said:

fandango said:

Not sure how much credence you give What Hi-fi reviews, but checking out what else is available at your price point might focus the mind (or not).

Matching the speakers to the amp (or vice versa) sounds a really good way to go. Let us know how you get on, and what you actually get.

Based on what Hi-Fi reviews I was thinking Rega elex r amp but didn’t know if it would suit my speakers. 

May I suggest first setting up the RX6 speakers, and then audition a series of amps against those speakers?

I’m being a bit thick here. How do you mean setting up the rx6. 

AllthegearNoidea

darthed1981 said:

blobb said:

is your tracking weight set properly?

Im glad im not the only one thinking that!

will test in the morning. I’m assuming your implying I’m digging a hole through the vinyl

blobb

darthed1981 said:

blobb said:

is your tracking weight set properly?

Im glad im not the only one thinking that!

Ha! the joys of cross posting. I should also add that proper set up make s an enormous difference with turntables.

AllthegearNoidea

 Any thoughts on the gear in general?

darthed1981

AllthegearNoidea said:

darthed1981 said:

blobb said:

is your tracking weight set properly?

Im glad im not the only one thinking that!

will test in the morning. I’m assuming your implying I’m digging a hole through the vinyl

Or the opposite, it should be set up per your cartridges instructions too much or too little weight makes a huge difference.

Also the turntable should be completely level.

Id sure as hell check it before you start buying amps and speakers at least!

TheMarlin

I bought my niece one of those turntables, it’s not great.  Sounds to me like the stylus is misaligned, or the weight is wrong, arm set too light or heavy. 

You can can print off alignment charts off ‘t-internet’. I can loan you a stylus scale. If you live near M40 J4, i’ll set it up for you. 

Electro_Ham

Does the turntable sit on top of the cabinet too? Some of the biggest changes in sound have been placement of components. My turntables are now bolted to the wall on dedicated TT shelves. It could be better, but I also have to work with what my room is like/made of. 
Get the tracking weight correct. Also, how old is the cartridge +/- stylus.

blobb

AllthegearNoidea said:

Will test in the morning. I’m assuming your implying I’m digging a hole through the vinyl

Lots of interacting variables at play but possible. CD's just read the data, records are physical movements of a suspension arm reacting to the grooves of the record (as you know). Getting the arm to float so it only moves when the 'bump' hits it takes some effort to get right. Also worth remembering that vinyl and cd's are/may be mastered differently, vinyl has to be mastered to overcome the deficiencies of the format. Then you have the phono stage sensitivity to consider. . . . .

Nikc

AllthegearNoidea said:

Nikc said:

go active my Avi's are just awesome

What goes between the cd/turntable to the AVI. What model speakers?

I've got and older pair of Avi 9.1's - you can pick up a used pair for quite a decent price - I take optical out into the on board Dac and use a Music Fidelity phono amp for my lp12. Works a treat