Speaker question - becomes harsh at high volume

[Alobar]

how old are yer ears?

Bingo! I was going to mention this as it is a very oft ignored problem with any system.
I know for a fact that I can no longer listen at anywhere near the volume I once did. No way am I getting anywhere near clipping either. Not saying the op is not clipping, but it could be his ear/brain simply can't handle 95+ db like it once did.

 

[tubed]

^^^^^^^^^
Especially a year and three months later.

 

[sqlsavior]

Last year or this one, there would be an alternate explanation for lots of folks who aren't cranking it enough to clip their amp, and that is one of reflections.

As the ratio of reflected sound to direct sound rises, harshness sometimes seems to accompany it.

 

[savatage1973]

As the ratio of reflected sound to direct sound rises, harshness sometimes seems to accompany it.

This is why (in my initial post to this thread) that I recommended swapping the speakers from side to side, to determine if the "issue" was indeed an issue with the speaker/drivers, or simply a matter of placement/reflections. Poor speaker placement conditions can result in some really "bad" audible artifacts. If the "issue" follows the speaker, there may be problems with the drivers or crossover in that speaker, but if it remains on the same side of the room (even after the swap), it may just be a matter of placement.

 

[Apolek]

First though is that maybe the mids and tweeters are ready for rebuild, but I'm really not familiar with ADS speakers, so I can't say. What exactly are the symptoms of ADS mids/tweeters needing a rebuild? Seems like every time someone buys a set of vintage ADS speakers, the mids and tweeters are off to RSE for a $200 plus rebuild. Have to admit that has always made me hesitate when considering ADS speakers.

 

[darkblue94]

First though is that maybe the mids and tweeters are ready for rebuild, but I'm really not familiar with ADS speakers, so I can't say. What exactly are the symptoms of ADS mids/tweeters needing a rebuild? Seems like every time someone buys a set of vintage ADS speakers, the mids and tweeters are off to RSE for a $200 plus rebuild. Have to admit that has always made me hesitate when considering ADS speakers.

This thread was originally about ADS speakers when it was active nearly two years ago but the focus was changed to Polk Audio Monitor 7 speakers when it was revived by from its coma status and hi-jacked yesterday.

 

[Apolek]

This thread was originally about ADS speakers when it was active nearly two years ago but the focus was changed to Polk Audio Monitor 7 speakers when it was revived by from its coma status and hi-jacked yesterday.

It's a tweeter thing, I guess. At least we're not talking about changing the oxygen in the speaker cables, or recipes for creme brulee.

 

[dc270]

If it were me, and is, I finally found an amplifier/ preamp combination that I am comfortable with at high volume, what little need I have for that. Find an amp, like a NAD with better than average "head room" Typically speaking most of their amps have generous +2~3 headroom to offer. This headroom allows plenty of rook for the dynamics found in most music. Their are other amps as well capable of high headroom like the NAD. Back in the early 1990's NAD offered a modest 20 wpc integrate amp- but could could cover high trasiant music that most 150 wpc could not touch!

Another really good idea was NAD's " soft clipping", so if you started pushing the NAD to far beyond it's thermal limits, the soft clipping kept smoothed it out. I think you probably do not have that much of an amp/ speaker issue, but a head room/ dynamics capability issue. Find an amp with more current capacity like a vintage NAD, Adcom, etc.
DC