New speakers - masses of boomy bass

[Macca]

Speakers right in the corners, get them out a bit. The dog knows what he is doing taking those socks out. You don't need the speakers so far apart, 6 foot will do and that looks like a lot more, although could be the perspective or my brain.

[Mikeandvan]

Speakers right in the corners, get them out a bit. The dog knows what he is doing taking those socks out. You don't need the speakers so far apart, 6 foot will do and that looks like a lot more, although could be the perspective or my brain.

From cone to cone the speakers are 6.5 ft apart.

[Macca]

Get them in another 4 inches each and get them a couple of inches more out into the room. Is what I would try, anyway. A few inches can make a difference.

[Mikeandvan]

Get them in another 4 inches each and get them a couple of inches more out into the room. Is what I would try, anyway. A few inches can make a difference.

Just tried that , not much difference except sound is a bit more 'in your face', need it more laid back, the treble is quite screechy, mind you I do listen mostly 60s/70s rock/pop. Worth trying paving slabs, speakers aren't that solid, or exactly level. Though to be honest the socks do tame the boominess a bit. Since upgrading to my NAS TT the sound is better overall, but still has a boxiness to it, I'd like a more natural flowing sound, not so forced.

[Macca]

You need to have a total rethink then Mike. Boomy bass is one thing but if the sound is screechy and in your face then it won't be the speakers - unless they are broken. And don't fall into the trap of thinking it is the recordings. You have good speakers and you should be able to get away with them in that space from the bass side of things. I'd look at cables and interconnects and if that doesn't work, consider that there might be an issue with amp or sources.

[Mikeandvan]

You need to have a total rethink then Mike. Boomy bass is one thing but if the sound is screechy and in your face then it won't be the speakers - unless they are broken. And don't fall into the trap of thinking it is the recordings. You have good speakers and you should be able to get away with them in that space from the bass side of things. I'd look at cables and interconnects and if that doesn't work, consider that there might be an issue with amp or sources.

Well, I've recently changed TTs since I started this thread so can't be that. Recently went from a standard Naim nap 140 (power amp) to one with an Avondale minicap - done by a pro, so that must rule that out. All thats left is the pre amp - Naim nac 72, that was serviced 2 / 3 years ago at Class A. Cables? who knows what could be up with those! I was gonna try a totally new amp set up when money was flowing a bit easier, gonna try an old integrated Sony 700 es or similar, just to see what difference that makes, not too much outlay. One thing I did turn my pre amp volume control way past its stopping point, thinking I was undoing the screw to get the cover of the volume control off, nope, still works, but don't know whether that could adversely affect the sound. Some musical genres are better to listen to than others, on my current system, its my favourites like the stones and kinks, Beatles, which become a bit screechy and unbearable, and rather boxed in sound.

[Macca]

Well, I've recently changed TTs since I started this thread so can't be that. Recently went from a standard Naim nap 140 (power amp) to one with an Avondale minicap - done by a pro, so that must rule that out. All thats left is the pre amp - Naim nac 72, that was serviced 2 / 3 years ago at Class A. Cables? who knows what could be up with those! I was gonna try a totally new amp set up when money was flowing a bit easier, gonna try an old integrated Sony 700 es or similar, just to see what difference that makes, not too much outlay. One thing I did turn my pre amp volume control way past its stopping point, thinking I was undoing the screw to get the cover of the volume control off, nope, still works, but don't know whether that could adversely affect the sound. Some musical genres are better to listen to than others, on my current system, its my favourites like the stones and kinks, Beatles, which become a bit screechy and unbearable, and rather boxed in sound.

Do you have a digital source you can use? That would at least rule out the turntable. Okay you changed TT but there is still the condition of the needle, the set up, loads of variables.

Cables and interconnects, what are you using? Some do sound the same but some can affect the sound depending on what they are connecting. If you are using something fancy for speaker cable or interconnects consider changing that.

Primitive recordings like early Kinks or Beatles are going to sound 'primitive' but they don't, or shouldn't, sound unpleasant. So you do have an issue somewhere.

[Mikeandvan]

Do you have a digital source you can use? That would at least rule out the turntable. Okay you changed TT but there is still the condition of the needle, the set up, loads of variables.

Cables and interconnects, what are you using? Some do sound the same but some can affect the sound depending on what they are connecting. If you are using something fancy for speaker cable or interconnects consider changing that.

Primitive recordings like early Kinks or Beatles are going to sound 'primitive' but they don't, or shouldn't, sound unpleasant. So you do have an issue somewhere.

I use Naim A4 speaker cable, its very long, much more than I need, its quite a jumble of cables behind my ikea shelves which you see in pic, which equipment is on. The needle is also new. The interconnects used are all Flashback ones (they do cheaper Naim snaic cables, among others). I mean the sound isn't awful, just not as I'd like it, sort of tinny, boxed in. With other music its quite good, but even earlier I was playing Stevie WOnder 70s lps, and it still didn;t sound as natural or flowing as it should. Suppose I should try to get out to some bake offs - see what others systems sound like. I do listen to my system alot, so its definitely worth getting it right. I do have a good CDP - the Pioneer PD 8700 - which knocks spots off the Sony 715 it replaced. That sounds well like cd, but still has the forced sound to it, and the boominess is I think worse. I should get some of the lps I have on vinyl on cd as well, so I can compare them.

[Lerxst]

Sounds like you have tried everything. I am convinced certain equipment matches can cause this effect. I had a boomy system - Modaunt Short floorstanders and a NAD power amp that could blow them up if it wanted too. Then I changed speakers to my present QAcoustics which go way lower than the MS speakers. I was scared things would be worse - but - it got better! Everything else was the same - speaker placement etc.

It had to be a better match of amp/cable/crossovers - something like that.

A few people have said you should change something - source, amp, cable, whatever - that is what I'd advise too, purely on my own weird experience.

Chris

[fatmarley]

I definitely try a different amp. For a cheap experiment, a Cambridge Audio AM1 can be had for peanuts and sounds surprisingly good for a budget amp (No sonic nasties). Or a quad 303 (assuming easy load), 306, or 909 and a passive preamp will sound very different to your Naim, and the sound you describe.