Hodge Podge System Not working for Me!

[sfseay]

i have the following in my main two channel system:
McIntosh C48 Preamplifier
(2) Auralic Merak Mono block amplifiers
Sony HAPZ1ES digital audio player
Auralic Vega DAC
Oppo BDP103 CD/blue-ray player
Wilson Audio Sophia Series 2 speakers

I like my Auralic Vega and Sony HAP, but taken as a whole, not so much. I really like the sound from My KEF LS50s and Martin Logan Aerius i's, but they aren't hooked up. Not that impressed with the Sophias...

I can't keep spending money on used equipment and not getting my nirvana moment. This hobby is expensive, frustrating, and bedeviling.

 

[4-2-7]

Can you take some photos of your room, system and seating for us?

 

[sfseay]

Will remove the loveseat and recliner and put in a couple theater seats. The room is 11.5' wide and 15' deep with 9' ceilings.

 

[4-2-7]

McIntosh C48 Preamplifier
Sony HAPZ1ES digital audio player
Auralic Vega DAC
Oppo BDP103 CD/blue-ray player

Ok your full blow digital and all these components have built in DAC as does the Preamp your controlling them with. Can you explain how you have each component hooked up, are you using just one DAC?

 

[sfseay]

Ok your full blow digital and all these components have built in DAC as does the Preamp your controlling them with. Can you explain how you have each component hooked up, are you using just one DAC?

The Sony HAP is hooked to the Auralic Vega via USB, the Oppo is hooked to the Vega via Coax with balanced outputs to the C48. Cable box hooked to the TV via HDMI and TV connected to the Vega via TOSLINK.

Not using the Sony's or the C48's DAC

 

[4-2-7]

View attachment 923609 View attachment 923610
Will remove the loveseat and recliner and put in a couple theater seats. The room is 11.5' wide and 15' deep with 9' ceilings.

I can tell you have a Wife Will have to work with that....

Honey can we move the speakers away from the wall at least 20" and apart the same distance we sit from them. What you want is the magic triangle with the speakers, your sweet spot is the same distance from your L&R speaker and your speakers are that same distance apart as your seating position.


So unless your sitting 4 feet from the speakers they need to move apart.

 

[4-2-7]

Not using C48's DAC

Have you ever used it, do you not like the DAC in the C48?

 

[sfseay]

I can tell you have a Wife Will have to work with that....

Honey can we move the speakers away from the wall at least 20" and apart the same distance we sit from them. What you want is the magic triangle with the speakers, your sweet spot is the same distance from your L&R speaker and your speakers are that same distance apart as your seating position.
View attachment 923615

So unless your sitting 4 feet from the speakers they need to move apart.

I'm fortunate I can do whatever I want with the room. I'm about 10' from the speakers right now. I moved them closer to the wall as they wee lacking bass. The C48 has a five band equalizer and I have the first knob (30hz) turned up all the way and the second knob (125hz) almost all the way up. Still feel I'm lacking bass. Probably taking the sub out of the signal path has deprived me of "boom"!

 

[sfseay]

The C48 DAC won't play DSD from the Sony. I have a few hundred DSD files. The C48 requires you to output via PC or Mac via Jriver or some other computer based program. Very strange. Also, I believe The Auralic's DAC is superior to the ones in the Sony or C48. Getting rid of the loveseat will allow me to move the left speaker towards the wall and also at that time will move the right speaker too.

 

[4-2-7]

Still feel I'm lacking bass. Probably taking the sub out of the signal path has deprived me of "boom"!

Well I would start with separating the speaker 10 feet apart from each other and then each speaker needs to be 10 feet from your head to make the triangle. Try them off the wall a bit too, and maybe you should add a power sub even if it's a little one. It will also make your movies more dynamic. I take it that your not using any AVR surround processor for audio/video and thats cool as I don't either.

 

[sfseay]

I have a 15" sub sitting in the room that isn't connected. I wanted to see how much bass the Sophias would put out. Not much. I agree with the speaker placement. The Wilson audio manual goes into many, many pages about proper speaker setup. I avoided moving them for now so the loveseat wouldn't block the sound from the left speaker. I will move them tomorrow and move my chair closer. The room is only 11.5' wide and I know they should be away from sidewalks by about 15-20".

I think the Sophias may be too much speaker for the space.

 

[4-2-7]

The C48 DAC won't play DSD from the Sony. I have a few hundred DSD files. The C48 requires you to output via PC or Mac via Jriver or some other computer based program. Very strange. Also, I believe The Auralic's DAC is superior to the ones in the Sony or C48. Getting rid of the loveseat will allow me to move the left speaker towards the wall and also at that time will move the right speaker too.

My main concern with all the digital you have was if you where stacking DAC and going though more than one of them before converting into analog. As long as each component is using a digital output to the best DAC and then onto the C48 via XLR it's all good.

You might have been better off getting the McIntosh D150 digital preamp since your all digital. But anyway you have good components it's really making it sound good with the room you have. Play with the speakers, Sub and some room treatment would all be the best to do. They make wall panels that look like prints and paintings also.

Question, do your speakers have long thin spikes that can be used to poke though the carpet and couple the wood floors? This will add bass as well by transferring it to the flooring.

 

[sfseay]

The speakers are on casters temporarily. They weigh 160 pounds a piece so need to wait before putting the spikes on. I moved them about 9' apart, moved my chair forward and connected the sub...better...

 

[4-2-7]

I think the Sophias may be too much speaker for the space.

I don't, I think with some moving things around, add a slight low frequency with a sub you'll be in heaven

 

[4-2-7]

The speakers are on casters temporarily. They weigh 160 pounds a piece so need to wait before putting the spikes on. I moved them about 9' apart, moved my chair forward and connected the sub...better...

Oh good,

yeah use the spikes when you have placement all figured out.

 

[4-2-7]

Oh I should ask what speaker taps are you using on the amps 4 ohms or 8 ohms?

I would try both and you might get better results with the 8 ohm taps.

 

[sfseay]

Oh I should ask what speaker taps are you using on the amps 4 ohms or 8 ohms?

I would try both and you might get better results with the 8 ohm taps.

Only one speaker tap on each amp. The speakers are rated at 4 ohms, and the amps are rated at 400 watts per channel into a 4 ohm load

 

[4-2-7]

Only one speaker tap on each amp. The speakers are rated at 4 ohms, and the amps are rated at 400 watts per channel into a 4 ohm load

Well I'll read more on the amps but what i did read they have different specs for 4 or 8 ohm loads. Don't know how the amp decides on what your using without some kind of switch or different tap.

 

[sfseay]

I know some McIntosh and other amps have different taps for 2, 4 or 8 ohm speakers, however many amps do not.

 

[4-2-7]

I know some McIntosh and other amps have different taps for 2, 4 or 8 ohm speakers, however many amps do not.

BTW.
I think like you stated that you have a lot of $$$ in the system. But the small things and working with the components in the room is where the fun in making it sound good comes in.

Did you just buy the speakers? sometimes we need to acclimate to them a while, and they never sound like they did in a show room.