Valve amps, great with Jazz, shit with everything else.

[Lawrence001]

I have struggled with some Tannoys in the past (the cheaper plastic ones like in the 6 series rather than the better paper ones) in the same frequency range as you, and lots of people seem to like them. I think it's just a matter of sensitivity of our hearing in certain ranges or preferences (I like a slight V shaped response if anything).

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[Mikeandvan]

Forgive me if I've missed it but what is wrong with the room in which you listen?

I use a Series 500 in my humble system and it plays great with rock and jazz. Bags of fun.

Well, I've had issues with stridency using a few different systems, so I figured room was making things difficult.

[Mikeandvan]

Aha, I think we may be getting closer to the issue you are experiencing.

If you would advise me of a pieces of music that you experience this, specific Artists and Tracks and I will have a listen, don't tell me what or where it is you hear any issues, it would be best if it is on CD or digital and then I can source it, but you never know I may have a copy on LP anyway. I will listen very carefully on my system and try and be as analytical and critical as possible, and see if I find any issues, I know it is a bit subjective but at least you would have a view, if I hear distortion or harshness of any sorts I will honestly report it to you. My Wilson Benesch speaker are very revealing of dodgy recordings or mixes, I have a few that I find annoying.

Just for info I looked up the frequency ranges of wind instruments:- see https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/...119164746.app2

The AN J's employ a 8" driver that does the mid-range and bass, I believe it is generally considered quite a hard ask for such a driver to cope with both low-mid and upper mid at the same time. I believe the tweeters will be dealing with much higher frequencies. Most reviews actually say that the mid-range from AN J's is pretty good, so it would be interesting to know exactly what and when you experience the harshness you describe. Certain instruments are notoriously difficult to reproduce accurately so maybe that has something to do with it.

Thinking about it, it could be that you could have golden ears, in other words you detect pitch and its accuracy very naturally so anything reproduced slightly off becomes annoying or dissonant to you, it is not unknown. Some people and musicians have what is called natural pitch perception, that is they instinctively know when something is in tune or slightly out of tune, others have to develop this ability with time singing, playing instruments and listening to others.

Cheers

Adrian]

I find it hard to imagine anyone else not being irritated by the aspects of my hifi which irritate me, my girlfriend certainly complains about it! Once my TT is set up I'll see whether its any better with vinyl. I changed my room around today, what a relief, hifi now much easier to access, speakers tidy in the corners, fair bit of space around them. I may get rid of those drawers to create more space around the hifi as I've yet to fit the TT shelf, and don't want it too close to the speaker. Much neater than before though and sounding a bit better, a cleaner sound, with slightly better resolution.

Tracks which cause issues? John colranes favourite things can grate at times, at the highest notes, Parts of Cape verdean blues (H Silver) sound a bit strident, not the first track though. Our man in Paris - That fantastic lp by Dexter Gordon - a few tracks off that. Some 70s jazz which is more dissonant anyway like Cannonball Adderly - Pyramid, and especially Eddie hendricks - Sunburst, Donald Byrd - street lady, these might be difficult one's to get sounding right on any system on CD anyway, I don't know.


IMG_20201021_220047128 by IMG_20201021_220107099 by IMG_20201021_220024489 by IMG_20201021_220035415 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/145505522@N02/

[Macca]

A lot of hard surfaces but I don't think that's causing your issue.

Not a purist approach but I reckon some EQ would solve your problem. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Klark-Tek...4AAOSwv~dd1GDn

Just dial back the mids by 1 or 2 db,

[AJSki2fly]

Mike, a difficult room!

Try moving the speakers out so that you get the front as near to 85cm from the wall behind them.

I realise you are very limited having them further from the side walls, with them close to the side walls the upper mid frequencies and above will be re-enforce and cause weird distortions at higher volumes ( stridency ). So a possible solution to try out, get two reasonably thick towels and hang them immediately on the walls next to each speaker, this will dampen the reflection affect, I would be surprised if this does not have a dramatic impact, hopefully for the better.

If it works you can get some wall hangings, tapestry, Turkish carpet etc.

If you find after doing the above you find the bass reduced then move the speakers back towards the wall behind only 1-2cm at a time, and re-listen, I would suggest something like Miles Davis - kind of blue, just bass, drums, piano and trumpet so easier to pick out changes to sound. Ensure that you keep the towels at the side of the speakers if you move them back.

I think the above should help. All the best, Adrian

[Pharos]

My immediate reaction to your setup from your pictures, is that your speakers are too close to the side walls. Even with the central layout you have you could move them in a little, and more particularly toe them in to avoid reflections from the side walls.

If your bass is weak and thus you are placing them in the corners, this will increase bass - 3dB for every surface but this will be a trade-off with side wall reflections of mid and top.

I appreciate, being in a similar position myself, that having speakers against the back wall is really necessary in order not to disrupt one's living, and personally I do not find it problematical, and never have, and this will give some bass boost.

[Mikeandvan]

Thanks all, the room is slightly wider than it appears in the photo, anyway I think I am going to have to get rid of that chest of drawers, shame I didn't want just a bare hifi look to my room, but may'be get a smaller drawers. I'll then have more room to move speakers away from the wall. As it is they are toed in slightly, may'be hard to see from pic. I have a little room to play about with anyway as it is.


Just moved speakers so that the front are 65cm away from back wall and have moved them away slightly from side walls, will see how it sounds now.


IMG_20201022_112314590 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/145505522@N02/

[Macca]

Audionote UK speakers are supposed to be in the corners - all the Audionote dems I have been to have them in the corners. It's a terrible idea but that's how they are supposed to be used.

In any case it won't matter what where you put them it won't cure strident mid-range, neither will room treatment. It's a distortion issue, whether from amp, source or speakers. Probably not the speakers.

I'd sack the lot off personally and start again but failing that I'd start with the source, get rid of the Mission CD and get something smoother - a Yamaha might do it, they're pretty mellow house sound.

[walpurgis]

In any case it won't matter what where you put them it won't cure strident mid-range, neither will room treatment

I think so too. You could take them out in the garden and the mid/top will still sound much the same.

[walpurgis]

I'm wondering if it's just the natural stridency of some instruments that is the issue. Not much that can be done about that as it's on the recording.