Happy new Cornwall owner, seeking advice

[alboy1975]

Hi guys. I am burning in a pair of Cornwall IVs (roughly 90 hours in). This is my first time living with horns and I really do think these are a special pair of speakers (may die with em). I have them paired with a Gato Amp 150, metrum acoustic onyx dac and mac streamer (audivrana (non-studio version):




I am truly loving them, but have noticed something of which I will appreciate some advice? As I increase volume, they appear to become brighter ('right' level, no brightness, 'too high' and they start to become bright). I suspect that this is not fault of gear, but rather my room (reflective surfaces etc). Am I right in my suspicion, and if so, what affordable hacks might I employ to start conditioning my room? I plan to get rug for in front of speakers, as a starter, and have read that hanging a rug behind each speaker may help.

Cheers in advance.

A

 

[DomT]

I thought that you were Prince William for a second. Anyway it’s about some great speakers. Ok carry on!

 

[alboy1975]

I thought that you were Prince William for a second. Anyway it’s about some great speakers. Ok carry on!

Took me a sec...lol

 

[DomT]

Unfortunately I have no experience with your speakers or the rest of your kit. It all seems top notch. But I can give some generic advice.

I put together a system with some explicit sounding ATC speakers. I tried different speaker cables and amps and even a rug on the floor in front of the speakers. I had to try a number of combinations until Ingot it right. But then when I brought it all to my other home but swapped the ATCs for Harbeth P3s listening nearfield the power amp was too punchy and so I put in a more relaxed sounding one. I really wasn’t expecting that at all. And I had to swap out the speaker cables for a warmer sounding pair. Sometimes small tweaks make a difference and sometimes it’s the room and sometimes it’s a mis-match in the kit itself.

A few questions:

1. Did the same happen with the previous speakers using the same kit?

2. Have you tried alternative speaker cables?

3. Have you tried a rug in front of the speakers? If you don’t have a rug do you have a duvet or some blankets you can put there just as a test?

4. Do you have another amp that you can try?

Have you tried repositioning the speakers. If you experiment with toe-in it can help.

Have a go at some of these ideas and report back.

 

[alboy1975]

Unfortunately I have no experience with your speakers or the rest of your kit. It all seems top notch. But I can give some generic advice.

I put together a system with some explicit sounding ATC speakers. I tried different speaker cables and amps and even a rug on the floor in front of the speakers. I had to try a number of combinations until Ingot it right. But then when I brought it all to my other home but swapped the ATCs for Harbeth P3s listening nearfield the power amp was too punchy and so I put in a more relaxed sounding one. I really wasn’t expecting that at all. And I had to swap out the speaker cables for a warmer sounding pair. Sometimes small tweaks make a difference and sometimes it’s the room and sometimes it’s a mis-match in the kit itself.

A few questions:

1. Did the same happen with the previous speakers using the same kit?

2. Have you tried alternative speaker cables?

3. Have you tried a rug in front of the speakers? If you don’t have a rug do you have a duvet or some blankets you can put there just as a test?

4. Do you have another amp that you can try?

Have you tried repositioning the speakers. If you experiment with toe-in it can help.

Have a go at some of these ideas and report back.

1. No, did not happen with previous speakers (ProAc D20R)

2. I do not have alternative speaker wire, but my cable has been swapped out while trying a number of speakers. I have swapped from Chord epic (which was bright) to Hidiamond 7 cables (v nice and definitely warmer.).

3. I do not yet have a rug, but can possibly try duvet (as test)

4. I have a very old jvc as-3 (caps probably ****ed and speaker terminals are bare wire (no way am I messing with my current speaker wire)

The guys who installed positioned for imaging. Might tweak a month or two down line, but want to live with them a while before tinkering.

 

[hifinutt]

all good replies . wondering about speaker cables . some nice van damme 6mm copper might help a bit

https://www.markgrantcables.co.uk/u...-6mm-hi-fi-speaker-cable-up-lcofc-terminated/

 

[alboy1975]

all good replies . wondering about speaker cables ? what is in use . ?

see above, cross-typing, lol

 

[hifinutt]

you might get some tips here too .

https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/a-moment-of-speaker-weakness.272425/

 

[alboy1975]

all good replies . wondering about speaker cables . some nice van damme 6mm copper might help a bit

https://www.markgrantcables.co.uk/u...-6mm-hi-fi-speaker-cable-up-lcofc-terminated/

Thanks, but happy with speaker wire. Really do think it is my room, more than anything. Current wire is definitely not bright, the chord stuff was.

 

[hifinutt]

thats good . I did change from chord oddy to van damme 6mm with my horns and it made quite a difference

would next try the duvets that dom has suggested

 

[hearhere]

Hi guys. I am burning in a pair of Cornwall IVs (roughly 90 hours in). This is my first time living with horns and I really do think these are a special pair of speakers (may die with em). I have them paired with a Gato Amp 150, metrum acoustic onyx dac and mac streamer (audivrana (non-studio version):




I am truly loving them, but have noticed something of which I will appreciate some advice? As I increase volume, they appear to become brighter ('right' level, no brightness, 'too high' and they start to become bright). I suspect that this is not fault of gear, but rather my room (reflective surfaces etc). Am I right in my suspicion, and if so, what affordable hacks might I employ to start conditioning my room? I plan to get rug for in front of speakers, as a starter, and have read that hanging a rug behind each speaker may help.

Cheers in advance.

A

Certainly a big rug,(not under the speakers but in front and wide enough to extend the width of the speakers and as far forwards as your listening chair) should make a big improvement. By "mac" I hope you don't mean there's a Mac computer in your system! Is it a MacIntosh streamer?

I use horns myself but not Klipsch. I have Avantgardes. They need very careful setting up and time and effort needs to be put into getting any speakers, but perhaps specially horn speakers, to sound their best. I'm sure I wouldn't like Klipsch speakers myself, but properly set up, they may sound great. Feet will make a difference too, particularly the bass. May I suggest you're electronics are rather a mish-mass of various brands that may not be entirely happy with the neighbours! I've moved away from a multi-box system as the one-box alternative is designed to work well as a unit because the streamer, DAC, amp, etc has been chosen to work in harmony. You save the cost of all those lovely boxes, multiple power supplies and most importantly all those dreaded cables! Perhaps consider an all-in-one. I don't think you'll have volume-variations, although I can't suggest how you have them in your system.

With careful speakers set-up, the rug and maybe curtains if you don't have them and some soft furnishings, you probably won't need artificial room treatment. Speaker cables may need looking at too. Good luck. Peter

 

[alboy1975]

Certainly a big rug,(not under the speakers but in front and wide enough to extend the width of the speakers and as far forwards as your listening chair) should make a big improvement. By "mac" I hope you don't mean there's a Mac computer in your system! Is it a MacIntosh streamer?

I use horns myself but not Klipsch. I have Avantgardes. They need very careful setting up and time and effort needs to be put into getting any speakers, but perhaps specially horn speakers, to sound their best. I'm sure I wouldn't like Klipsch speakers but properly set up, they may sound great. Feet will make a difference too, particularly the bass. May I suggest you're electronics are rather a miiss mass of various brands that may not be entirely happy with the neighbours! I've moved away from a multi-box system as the one-box alternative is designed to work well as a unit because the streamer, DAC, amp, etc has been chosen to work in harmony. You save the cost of all those lovely boxes, powr supplies and most importantly all those dreaded cables. Perhaps consider an all-in-one. I don't think you'll have volume-variations, although I can't suggest how you have them in your system.

With careful speakers set-up, the rug and maybe curtains if you don't have them and some soft furnishings, you probably won't need artificial room treatment. Speaker cables may need looking at too. Good luck. Peter

Hi. Just to stress, I love the sound, I've only noticed that they can sometime be a little brighter at higher volumes. Listening now (avg 80db) lovely and warm. I was more looking for room conditioning advice, but do appreciate your thoughts.

 

[hearhere]

thats good . I did change from chord oddy to van damme 6mm with my horns and it made quite a difference

would next try the duvets that dom has suggested

That's interesting. I've tried several cables with my Avantgarde horns, but have just switched to Duelund DCA 12 gauge, largely on Jim Smith's recommendation (he used to be Avantgarde's US distributor and now a consultant system tuner) and many others. I'm not a cable fan, but these seem as good as any and better than most. Certainly rather nicer than the Cabledyne Reference (solid) Silver ones I'd been using earlier. Peter

 

[karlsushi]

Treble brightness at higher volumes is a curse and can be a result of so many things.

Often, it is something that becomes apparent with a speaker upgrade because a more revealing/transparent speaker can highlight issues further down the chain.

If I had to guess, I would say that the digital end is most likely the main culprit. If you are using a pc/laptop as a source I can thoroughly recommend a USB to Spdif converter as a relatively inexpensive thing to try (nowadays called a USB bridge or interface). Laptops can introduce electronic noise and USB is renowned as a noisy connection for audio and this presents itself audibly exactly as you describe.

I would try something using the latest XMOS USB interface chip as a good budget option. I use a SingXer SU-2 and rate it very highly for the money. Their F-1 is almost as good.

Not a guarantee, but you may be surprised.

 

[savvypaul]

I own Klipsch Heresys and I have had Cornwalls at home on loan.

Your room looks fairly lively at the speaker end. You'll get a big benefit by fixing that, whatever system you run.

The other issue I think you have is that a 250 watt class D amp is one of the last things in the world that I would put with Klipsch. The latter need to be fed warmth. Try a single ended triode amp, eg 300B... And, vinyl.

 

[alboy1975]

Treble brightness at higher volumes is a curse and can be a result of so many things.

Often, it is something that becomes apparent with a speaker upgrade because a more revealing/transparent speaker can highlight issues further down the chain.

If I had to guess, I would say that the digital end is most likely the main culprit. If you are using a pc/laptop as a source I can thoroughly recommend a USB to Spdif converter as a relatively inexpensive thing to try (nowadays called a USB bridge or interface). Laptops can introduce electronic noise and USB is renowned as a noisy connection for audio and this presents itself audibly exactly as you describe.

I would try something using the latest XMOS USB interface chip as a good budget option. I use a SingXer SU-2 and rate it very highly for the money. Their F-1 is almost as good.

Not a guarantee, but you may be surprised.

I'm using a hiface2 usb to coax with a hidiamond ref digi rca. I've basically sorted, truly loving. The issue has been what I like to call 'becoming reacquainted with my knob'. Always the case when getting new gear, trying to find the point where, on average, I get to the tickly stage. Found it, now pulling funny faces.

 

[alboy1975]

I own Klipsch Heresys and I have had Cornwalls at home on loan.

Your room looks fairly lively at the speaker end. You'll get a big benefit by fixing that, whatever system you run.

The other issue I think you have is that a 250 watt class D amp is one of the last things in the world that I would put with Klipsch. The latter need to be fed warmth. Try a single ended triode amp, eg 300B... And, vinyl.

The Amp 150 is A/B. Class A, long term goal, when funds allow

 

[Strider]

Before you spend any dollar why not try experimenting with moving them around a bit, try toeing in/out, moving back/forward to the rear wall and even try packing up the front a little to change the height the upper frequency changes according to positioning in regards to your listening position?
The only cost is a little of your time versus reaching for your wallet...

 

[savvypaul]

The Amp 150 is A/B. Class A, long term goal, when funds allow

Something between 2 and 10 watts will be plenty for the Cornwalls. Great speakers.

 

[karlsushi]

I'm using a hiface2 usb to coax with a hidiamond ref digi rca. I've basically sorted, truly loving. The issue has been what I like to call 'becoming reacquainted with my knob'. Always the case when getting new gear, trying to find the point where, on average, I get to the tickly stage. Found it, now pulling funny faces.

Again, I may be barking up the wrong tree, but I used to own a Hiface Two and the newer converters using the latest XMOS chips are a different league in terms of cleaning up noisy laptops.

Of course ditching the laptop and using a dedicated streamer would be the other way around it.