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Bright system

Dansky56

Dansky56

New Member
Circa 2002, I bought a used Rotel RC1070 & RB1070, manufactured in 1998. Around that same time I purchased brand new speakers, the Paradigm Reference Studio 100 v2. They have been part of my 2 channel system and I have been loving them. Recently I found the sound stage not as deep and wide as it used to be, and the system seems much brighter than it was a couple months ago. Initially I thought it might be the weather or my ears having dealt with Covid in august. I have noticed in the past when there is a High pressure weather system in our area, the stereo sounds a little brighter than normal. Lately we have been receiving rain due to a low pressure system which usually means optimal listening conditions, but my system still sounds excessively bright.

Does anyone have any ideas where my problem could be or how I could try and determine the faulty device. I know it could still be my hearing as I am 68 years old, but I am wondering if the capacitors in the speakers need replacing, Or are there caps in the power amp that might have failed, I think Rotel uses high end components that should last longer than the typical 20+ years, but maybe that's a delusion.

Side note; I have received some sneers and guffaws from friends, when I mention weather systems affecting the sound. I explain that it affects your ears and use the analogy of listening to ones car audio and then drive up and down 100meter hills and listen to the audio differences. That's when they get that "oh yeah moment".
 
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It could be your hearing is changing. I got tinnitus years ago from over the ear closed back headphones, I started being really careful about protecting my hearing and the tinnitus has been slowly going away. What I noticed at one point was that dinner plates banging together sounded really loud, it is called hyperacusis. And some music with constant high pitches would get irritating, so I learned to skip those songs.

Atmospheric pressure changes can affect your eustachion tubes if they are plugged up, and even if they are not, and that pressure change in the middle ear could affect your inner ear.

If the music is from a CD, try taking it to a hifi store and listening to it on a new system to see if it sounds differently.

I know recently my NAD C 422 tuner started to sound brighter than normal ( a hifi review said it was bright), so I turned treble all the way down and left it that way for a week or more. Then returned treble to normal and hit the tone defeat button, music sounds fine now. I was having some sinus congestion around that time, but am fine now.
 
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The first thing is that you definitely have a decent hi-fi system, otherwise you would:-
1) be unlikely to notice a difference
2) be concerned about it.

So that's a good thing in my book.

As to why. That is more difficult to pin down. I like Rotel amps as they are well designed and built and generally have good temperature compensation. Any furniture been moved?, doors open or closed?, curtains drawn or open?, changes in seating position?, loudspeakers moved, even slightly?. Listening at different volume levels? Comparing the system using different music? something else?
 
I second what Sandman1221 said. I think it might be your hearing. COVID can have some strange long term after effects.
 
Perhaps you could try a known pair of warm sounding speakers - also there is always the possibility of capacitor values changing enough to affect the higher frequencies. You could do a search on those particular Paradigms and find out if this might be an issue.


Beyond that if your hearing has been affected then if you have tone controls sometimes there s a need to tame the brightness - and as you no doubt are aware there are many rather bright recordings or at least mastered to that level unfortunately.


One of the reasons I prefer older KEFs or other " vintage " British speakers for their lack of overly extended tweeters. Hope you find a solution!
 
Dansky56 said:
Circa 2002, I bought a used Rotel RC1070 & RB1070, manufactured in 1998. Around that same time I purchased brand new speakers, the Paradigm Reference Studio 100 v2. They have been part of my 2 channel system and I have been loving them. Recently I found the sound stage not as deep and wide as it used to be, and the system seems much brighter than it was a couple months ago. Initially I thought it might be the weather or my ears having dealt with Covid in august. I have noticed in the past when there is a High pressure weather system in our area, the stereo sounds a little brighter than normal. Lately we have been receiving rain due to a low pressure system which usually means optimal listening conditions, but my system still sounds excessively bright.

Does anyone have any ideas where my problem could be or how I could try and determine the faulty device. I know it could still be my hearing as I am 68 years old, but I am wondering if the capacitors in the speakers need replacing, Or are there caps in the power amp that might have failed, I think Rotel uses high end components that should last longer than the typical 20+ years, but maybe that's a delusion.

Side note; I have received some sneers and guffaws from friends, when I mention weather systems affecting the sound. I explain that it affects your ears and use the analogy of listening to ones car audio and then drive up and down 100meter hills and listen to the audio differences. That's when they get that "oh yeah moment".
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Most folks our age (mid 60s +) can't hear above 12kHz, if that.

So you have to wonder what you are hearing as bright? A trip to an audiologist to rule out it's you?

If you have insurance, it shouldn't cost that much, especially compared to new speakers or amp.
 
I have that problem with one of my systems. Nothing seems wrong. Room is good. Just a bit brighter than I would like. I do wear hearing aids.
Simple fix: Schiit Loki Mini.
 
If it is just noticed the last couple months. This is high allergy season for many around here. Allergies can swell sinuses and keep ears from venting.
Personally, I just have to be outside for a while doing yardwork. And ears can start aching.
 
I appreciate all the replies, thank you for taking the time and trying to help me out. I have considered all the suggestions you have made, and I believe I have tried them all, except for the Schiit Loki Mini. The problem, unfortunately, is pointing to my hearing (my wife agrees) and I think a hearing test is in order. I have one more test and that is to invite my son and son-in-law over to give it a listen. They are both familiar with my system as we have had a few listening sessions in the past.
Again, thanks for all the help
 
And use of ear buds or plugs can interrupt ear wax from naturally working its way out. Effecting your hearing.
 
Dansky56 said:
I appreciate all the replies, thank you for taking the time and trying to help me out. I have considered all the suggestions you have made, and I believe I have tried them all, except for the Schiit Loki Mini. The problem, unfortunately, is pointing to my hearing (my wife agrees) and I think a hearing test is in order. I have one more test and that is to invite my son and son-in-law over to give it a listen. They are both familiar with my system as we have had a few listening sessions in the past.
Again, thanks for all the help
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Before I got tinnitus from headphones, I felt occasional pinpricks inside my ears while using the headphones, but the music sounded so good I ignored them. I now realize that was my ears warning me the headphone volume was too high, your issue could be similar or not.
 
Sandman1221 said:
Before I got tinnitus from headphones, I felt occasional pinpricks inside my ears while using the headphones, but the music sounded so good I ignored them. I now realize that was my ears warning me the headphone volume was too high, your issue could be similar or not.
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I did use headphones and then earbuds when I was in my 20's, but most of my listening is floor standing speakers, usually around 75 - 80 dB . Before retirement I worked in heavy industry until I was 61. We would have hearing tests done annually and mine always had a slight dip at around 8-10 KHz. Now when I run a sweep on my speakers and monitor with a spectrum app, I find I can't hear anything above 14 KHz. I have checked this a bit over the last 5 years or so. I don't have ringing in ears or any of the other symptoms but I am still going to get my ears checked
 
Dansky56 said:
I did use headphones and then earbuds when I was in my 20's, but most of my listening is floor standing speakers, usually around 75 - 80 dB . Before retirement I worked in heavy industry until I was 61. We would have hearing tests done annually and mine always had a slight dip at around 8-10 KHz. Now when I run a sweep on my speakers and monitor with a spectrum app, I find I can't hear anything above 14 KHz. I have checked this a bit over the last 5 years or so. I don't have ringing in ears or any of the other symptoms but I am still going to get my ears checked
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What I meant was the brightness you perceive may be your ears telling you they are irritated by the music. That could be due to too high of a volume, congested sinuses or eustation tubes, or degrading components in your system. When CD players are going, they irritate my ears, that has happened with two different CD players.
 
Along with Sinus and wax problems, Your hearing definitely takes a dive when your blood pressure rises.

It's one of the reasons systems do not sound very good after you have been driving, but improve after you have relaxed for a while.

When I started taking high blood pressure medications I could easily tell that my hearing acuity had improved by a substantial amount.

When I asked my doctor he confirmed that high blood pressure increases tension of the Tympanic membrane.

Very interesting...

On another note I dislike speakers that do not have level controls for the mid and tweeter.

Must have installed over a hundred in the past 35 years. They are a MUST HAVE~!

In the "What is the worst speaker you've ever heard" thread, I've made every hated speaker mentioned sing like a golden throat soprano.

Many times I'd go to the customers home, Listen to a few songs, Add or take away some crossover "Padding" resistance to "Re-Voice" their speakers with a 99% success rate.
 
Dansky56 said:
Circa 2002, I bought a used Rotel RC1070 & RB1070, manufactured in 1998. Recently I found the sound stage not as deep and wide as it used to be, and the system seems much brighter than it was a couple months ago.
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It might be time for a tech to test the unit. It prolly needs new main filter caps and a DC offset adjustment. :idea:
 
Something I don't believe anyone else has touched on.......has anything in your listening area changed ?

Moved / changed furniture ?
Moved speakers ?
Removed or changed carpet / drapes ?
 
20+ year old speakers and amp may need recapping. Speakers typically have large electrolytic caps in the bass portion of the crossover. Amplifiers sometimes operate at elevated temperatures and that plus time are bad for electrolytic caps. Even if the manufacturers used quality parts, electrolytics have rubber seals that age and eventually leak. I'd start with recapping the speakers- it's pretty easy. Usually all you have to do is take out the woofer to get access to the crossover. The component values are usually marked on the parts. Even if that fixes the problem, I'd consider recapping the amplifier, too.

If you can hear changes in your system based on weather, you'll definitely hear changes when you replace the caps.
 
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mrehorst said:
20+ year old speakers and amp may need recapping. Speakers typically have large electrolytic caps in the bass portion of the crossover. Amplifiers sometimes operate at elevated temperatures and that plus time are bad for electrolytic caps. Even if the manufacturers used quality parts, electrolytics have rubber seals that age and eventually leak. I'd start with recapping the speakers- it's pretty easy. Usually all you have to do is take out the woofer to get access to the crossover. The component values are usually marked on the parts. Even if that fixes the problem, I'd consider recapping the amplifier, too.

If you can hear changes in your system based on weather, you'll definitely hear changes when you replace the caps.
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Yes you and Mr. Boochie both have similar replies and this was my initial thinking when the problem first arose. I think i will check my hearing and then maybe do a recap on speakers then maybe the power amp.
Thank you all for the replies
 
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