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In Reply to: RE: Finding the right configuration... posted by bartc on June 27, 2007 at 11:11:19
IME, sharp is not exactly how I would describe the SWO-XXX's top end (I have no direct experience of the Ultimo version, only the original version), however I do find the SWO-XXX's treble energy to be high, so if placed in a particular system, on a particular component, and/or for a particular listener's wants/needs, that high energy treble could come off as sounding sharp. I also find the SWO-XXX to be very sensitive to what AC plug it's connected to. Mating it with a warmer sounding gold plated Oyaide P-079 is a special thing, and I feel that it's almost a required configuration in order to get the most out of the SWO-XXX. Even so, if a vivid top end is not desired, the SWO-XXX is not likely to please a listener no matter what. For use in my bedroom system, I find an XXX/079 combo to be an excellent thing and in no way "sharp sounding" or even "too energetic" since that system seems to like a sonic push in the top end. Again, I think it all boils down to being a component/system/listener dependant issue, much the same as the choice of cabling is.
Follow Ups:
Can't find the right words to express it. Not "bright", not "etched". Someone said "spotlighted" and that may be closer, at least in the early break in period.
Here's what I hear (and it's probably HF determined): bigger soundstage in both directions, sense of air, sense of greater clarity, not clinical but white daylight vs. soft yellow light (were this a picture), imaging and separation improved. There's certainly no loss of dynamics, but no appreciable gain either. No loss of LF, but bass does seem tight. No loss of vocal character. If a recording is too digital (piano tells the tale), that's still the case, but it's not emphasized. If the details weren't as distinct they now are.
I think you have a pretty good handle on how the SWO-XXX sounds, bartc. The next step after the Ultimo sees more burn-in time is to dial in your AC plugs. Also, perhaps a new vibration control method or setup might be worth exploring. I place tonewood plinths under most of my gear (with various footers placed on top of the plinths) to not only improve overall listening cues, it's also a good way to reduce the sterile "electronic sonic signature" that audio gear tends to have (to my ear) -- imparting an organic quality to an electronic component in such a way that can tilt it's sonic signature towards being that of a "musical instrument" in a manner of speaking (rather than just damping the heck out of a component in order to try to eliminate all resonances, as if it were a scientific testing device or such...). There's a lot to read on the web about the tonalities of various woods and their use for resonance tuning purposes...
Duster, I use more sterile but not completely sterile vibe controls.
True, the metal to metal roller bearings are definitely not tuneful in the sense wood would be, nor do the seismic sink symp clone shelves nor the norsorex bearings add tone that's detectable.
I do use hardwood half spheres and a thin layer of Herbie's between my speaker cabs and the tile plate they sit on. That is a version of what you're suggesting.
Given the purist tendency toward "neutral" that I've been following with the rest of this bunch, you're certainly suggesting an alternate route.
Tone control denotes a boost or cut in gain within specific frequency bands. Although specific frequency bands may be affected in one way or another, resonance tuning is an entirely different matter. I would rather call resonance tuning, "tonality control", since it affects the entire frequency spectrum; the entire soundstage takes on a particular sonic signature characteristic not unlike how a particular audio system might change it's presentation if moved from one room to another -- perhaps one room sounding better than another due to it's dimensions, what kind of floor, walls, furniture, acoustic panels, etc., which affect how a listener hears the presentation directly via the loudspeakers, how the sound interacts with the room, and how the direct and reflected sound forms a "sonic mix" of both which is then perceived by the ear/brain...
:-D
....is one of the best ideas yet, tuning each piece of gear to your ear and listening tastes. Most of us, whether for lack of time or knowledge, wish for instant plug-and-play, and are disappointed when new goodies don't perform as anticipated (or wished for). That you take the time to do all this benefits all of us. Bravo.
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