system sounds bad - what to do?

[Macca]

At my wits end with this. I've hardly listened to the damn thing since I came back from holiday in February. Thing is, nothing has been changed in the system and a part from a lack of bass weight (understandable given I am using IB speakers in free space in a large room) it used to sound really good.

I first started noticing it back in December and figured it was the CD player on the way out so swapped it out but I am sure things have still got steadily worse. Some recordings show it up more than others. I used to have a really sweet and open sound, now it is a little bit rough, even verging on shouty and tinny-sounding (like a poor transistor radio).

As I say no components have changed so I am at a loss. If I am to rule out the sources that leaves the power amp and speakers as posible culprits. Is it possible that one or the other has degraded somehow?

I wouldn't have said the amp because it is only a little over 2 years old but when Alan came round with his OTL power amp I thought that the sound was very good and swapping back to my amp it was noticeably not as good.

Or could it be the speakers? They are 40 odd years old but for the first 12 months I had them the sound was excellent. Could the crossovers have deteriorated in that time? They have had a lot of use with a powerful amp at fairly high levels.

I've tried swapping in the other speakers I own (Studio Spares Classic monitors, JBL Control One, KEF Calindas) but they are so different from a 4-way 6 driver infinite baffle that it isimpossible to tell anyhting from this.

All cables are the same as I've always used.

Any suggestions welcome

[Ali Tait]

Dismantle the whole system and clean all connections.

[Gazjam]

Give it to me.

[Barry]

I think you need to be very systematic here Martin.

Does your system sound poor regardless of the source used?

You say your system sounded better when Alan's amplifier was used. Was the preamp changed when using Alan's amp?

Do none of your substitute speakers sound any better? They may sound different to your current speakers.

When you were away on holiday, was the heating left on (at a lower than normal setting)?

[Macca]

Hi Barry

Yes, system not as good as it was with both LP and CD

Same pre-amp (NVA passive P90SA) was used with both power amps. Since it is a passive I'm discounting that as a source of the problem.

Substitute speakers are a)not as good as the Akais and B) totally different in presentation

I dontl have any heating apart from a little electric radiator. That was off while I was on hols but the problem started before that, before Xmas, actually.

[struth]

Amp may be the culprit then. also the fact youve been away from it for a while might have changed your opinion on its sound.
One other thing might be that the 2 long distance flights may have altered your hearing due to pressurisation .... maybe you need to go listen to others systems and see if you find any you used to think smashing and are still that way.

[Barry]

Well do what Ali suggests; remove all the connecting leads, clean the contacts and reconnect. That ought to help a little.

[Macca]

I'll clean the contacts. Worth a go.

Not sure about the hearing thing, as I said it wasn't sounding so good before I went away.

I have other power amps I could substitute in. Might try that. No-one think it might be the xovers in the speakers? I don't want it to be since that will be the most hassle to sort.

[Ali Tait]

I have had similar in the past, cleaning all the connections sorted it.

[Stratmangler]

Do things sound any better when you use the preamp section of the XTZ (ie use the amp as an integrated)?