could you guys give me some suggestions on my setup?

[marcng]

I started coming to CA daily since last year and I appreciate all the info here.

I mainly go for the blogs and reviews here.

 

Below is my setup right now:

 

mac pro (2009) -> lifatec toslink -> PS audio digital link lll -> XLR -> adam a5x (on black granite + Mopad on eye level)

 

Using itunes + amarra plugin playing mostly ripped wav / aiff

 

Right now, I think the system is quite pleasing.

But I found two problems.

 

First, the bass can get very boomy. After a bit of research on the net, I decided to add the granite hoping that could solve the boomy-bass issue. But it didn't, though it helped a bit.

 

This happened the first time when I was listening to Metallica's S&M album, during Master of Puppets, the bass got blurry and it fatigued my ears. Even though this only happens in maybe two or three songs out of all of my music, I would still like to fix it.

 

Second, please let me know if my thinking is correct.

It's recommended to keep the volume on max throughout the system and control the it on the power amp, which in my case on the a5x's, is that right?

I'm playing with volume maxed in OSX and have to dial the a5x to the lowest to enjoy the music. Because my gf and I work in different rooms, from time to time, I need to turn down the volume so that we could talk.

But the problem is, balancing the volume on the two monitors is a bit hard so I would like to end this once and for all by adding a pre-amp to the chain.

 

Does this make sense to you guys? If so, which pre-amp, or even Dac/pre-amp combo would you suggest? I could sell the DLlll and get something else. My budget would likely be around $700 US.

 

What would be my logical next step?

Thank you for your help!!

 

[Daren F]

It sounds like the audio is clipping. Try turning down the osx volume to about 75% and increase the volume on your a5x. Or you could also try setting the volume on the a5x at about 75% and then control the volume with the osx. The 2nd option would eliminate the need to balance the monitors.

 

I'm not familiar with Amarra but check to see if there is a setting for clip protection and enable it.

 

You may also want to try playing with the iTunes equalizer to reduce the low frequency causing the boom. With iTunes, you can save a specific EQ setting for each song so that you can adjust only the few songs you want to fix. I find with rock music that the EQ set in a "V" formation with about 2 db between each frequency sounds the best.

 

A well priced preamp/dac that caught my attention is the Emotiva XDA-1. Check it out at http://www.emotiva.com/xda1.shtm.

 

Hope this helps.

 

[wgb113]

Take that $700 budget and buy/build some acoustic treatments after you experiment with speaker and listener placement and measure just exactly what's going on in your room.

 

Bill

 

 

[marcng]

Daren,

 

I have played with the equalizer a bit and found that lowering the 125 and 64 by 4db helps more.

Also checked for clip protection and there's none.

 

Thanks for the tip on Emotiva, will look into it!!

 

[marcng]

wgb113,

 

What treatments are you talking about exactly?

Something like sound proofing and foams?

 

I think my listener placement is ok, the two speakers are about 3~4 feet apart and i'm 3~4 feet from both of them.

 

[AudioDoctor]

Have you tried taking the speakers off the Mopad pads? I remember reading, either here or somewhere else, that they caused a similar problem for someone else. Removing them helped significantly.

 

[wgb113]

You don't want to "sound proof" your room to try and get rid of booming bass inside the room.

 

Foam acoustic products don't work for bass either.

 

You need to investigate some bass traps after you measure. Find out exactly where your problems are and then tackle them.

 

And as for volume, you should only use one volume control, all others should be set to MAX or you will encounter problems. Which one you use and works best in your setup you'll have to decide on through experimentation.

 

Good Luck!

 

Bill

 

 

[marcng]

Thanks for all your help so far.

 

I have done a bit of research and found that adam AX series suffers from "port noise", as discussed here:

 

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/475807-new-ax-series-adam-28.html#post6019328

 

I THINK this is what I'm experiencing so I will ask Adam for a replacement.

posting this for anyone who's experiencing similar problem.

 

I'm still looking for a good dac/pre-amp combo.

Right now I'm looking at the CA DacMagic Plus, which from early reviews, it's neutral on the warm side. I didn't like the DacMagic because it sounds quite clinical, even on the lush Adams.