Brightness update

[ogs]

Is there nothing I can do in the configurator ......there is something there in time and can use a slide thing to affect the table frequencies .....or am I barking up the wrong tree ?

The Devialet tone controls are classic bass and treble controls with the twist that you can set a "turn over" frequency in configurator. I believe you have tried to tame the brightness with the treble control, but ended up loosing too much detail in the high treble. You'd need a parametric equaliser to limit correction to an area like the lower treble as Rodney suggests. Configurator can not do this.
If you have JRiver installed, it's DSP Studio has very good parametric EQ. You'd be able to check if lowering the 2 to 5kHz range helps. I'd suggest 1-1.5 dB down centered at 3kHz with a Bandwith (Q) of 1. 1 is quite wide while, say, 11 is very narrow.
The sound quality from Melco will be better of course, but you will be able to check if it helps.

[bitsnbob]

Your brightness is in the 2-5k hz region ...
room treatments and some soft furnishings will reduce this , but you throw the baby out with the bathwater as you will lose "air" too
The answer is a parametric eq (like a miniDSP product) or full freq correction so you can tame and tune the offending freqs.. will also do wonders for your bass

Can i not do something in the Devialet configurator about this 2-5hz region?

Hi, try this:

In the online configurator set your treble tone control to around 3 or 4kHz.  It's easy to do, and you can swap around to get an adjustment that suits best.  That will give you a + or - 18db adjustment around 3 or 4kHz.  I don't know the exact adjustment that Devialet makes but it probably shapes an octave or so.  I would tweak the treble down by, say 3db, but you can always do some more.  I did this to my system and it worked pretty well.  The main thing is that it's quick, easy, and costs nothing.  It's also very easy to undo.

Another option is to apply a low pass filter setting, again in the online configurator, but I'd avoid that.

[completeluxury]

i wholeheartedly disagree that the DSP is the first port of call.

Firstly, theres a HUGE assumption about the actual range in frequency where the problem is!! 2 - 5khz? says so? theres no measurements whatsoever of this room. Add to that - actual scientific measurements of these speakers frequency response show that they are much "brighter" in the higher frequency range - ie 10khz +

Ask any any any professional. you tame the room first - then you MIGHT look at DSP.

[Antoine]

Did I miss establishing the issue lies in the 2-5kHz region?

A perhaps crazy sounding tweak/test could be surrounding the tweeters of the 23 with a layer of foam. So simply cut out a hole the size of the diapfragm from a square piece of foam and stick it to the speaker. It's a bit like Wilson does, it'll focus the highs more towards the listener.

[completeluxury]

i also disagree that some good acoustic treatment ruins the room.

what it does do is stop the first reflection points from bouncing sound back at you and decreasing intelligibility.

Covering those points at the minimum really does wonders!

[Womaz]

Some great replies guys so thank you very much.
Please dont argue though as I am willing to hear everyones opinion  

I have already sent off information to an acoustic treatment company so i will see what they come back with. My Hifi is in my living room so i do have to like what I look at every day, so it will have to be within reason.

I will try the treble correction in the configurator as its easy to change back so thanks for that. We dont know if thats the issue but I can see if this helps

Antoine thank you for the very detailed reply, you obviously know your stuff so i have read and re read with interest.

Your bit about the PMC speakers also could be correct. I think they are brutally honest. Before the addition of the Melco the brightness was there, but now its actually got to the point where some tracks I just cant listen to as its dreadful. I think maybe the Melco with the Devialet is excellent as on well recorded music it reaches a new level for me, however maybe the combination needs a more forgiving speaker. I love the detail the PMC gives me but it has to be enjoyable too and right now with a lot of my music its not. I want to stick with the Melco/Dev combination though as I can hear what it could be capable of.
The lad who helped me with this wants me to try some different speaker cable and I will consider it, I am just not convinced that will do what I need it to do.

So my thoughts right now are consider some room correction. I will consider some acoustic panels if thats what they come back with. I sit listening with a wall a foot behind me. My gut feeling is this is where the main issue could be. I may even consider a rug.
The problem with all of these solutions is they are a gamble. i cant audition. Whereas speakers I can.

Which brings me to the next option which was a change of speaker. Maybe the 23s are not to my taste now with the Melco/Dev combination. The only issue with this is I saved up for the speakers this year and ended up having to pay out to get a reliable source ( thank you Devialet for the mis-advertising of AIR ). I then upgraded the headphone amp amd headphones so the kitty is close to empty right now.

When I first heard the Dev it was with some Usher Mini Diamond 2 speakers. At the time I liked a lot of what I heard but missed the detail of the PMCs. I now know i need a home demo....up in the NE of England that limits my choice of speaker options considerably.

Once again thanks to all who have contributed, your help is very much appreciated

[rwjr44]

Just remember that poorly produced music is poorly produced music. You can't make a silk purse from a pigs ear. Sometimes you love the music but hate the production. Tweak the treble, grin and bear it.

[baddog]

I concur with the recommendation to consider treating the room first. I had issues for a time with a previous system which was based on tube pre amps and amps and high efficiency speakers. This "should' have been a warm sounding system but I had issues with the treble/ brightness. It was a room issue, not a system issue. Addressed with a variety of items, rugs, speaker positioning, adjustment of seating position and treatment of the back and front walls.

That system is gone, but replacing it with a Devialet 400 and Vivd Audio speakers, I suffer none of this issues because of two factors, the room and the equipment.

FWIW, music via either an Auralic Mini or Mac Mini with Regen to Devialet. All streamed either from Tidal or my NAS.

Also as someone mentioned, judicious tuning/adjustment of the tone controls on the Devialet can help as well.

[brit]

"A perhaps crazy sounding tweak/test could be surrounding the tweeters of the 23 with a layer of foam. So simply cut out a hole the size of the diapfragm from a square piece of foam and stick it to the speaker. It's a bit like Wilson does, it'll focus the highs more towards the listener."

Re Antoine's suggestion above.

Russ Andrews actually markets, what he calls Focus Rings to achieve the same result - at a cost of course  . See here:  http://www.russandrews.com/focus-rings/.

I have not tried them myself, but they seem to be well reviewed. A relatively small outlay to try perhaps.
David

[Womaz]

"A perhaps crazy sounding tweak/test could be surrounding the tweeters of the 23 with a layer of foam. So simply cut out a hole the size of the diapfragm from a square piece of foam and stick it to the speaker. It's a bit like Wilson does, it'll focus the highs more towards the listener."

Re Antoine's suggestion above.

Russ Andrews actually markets, what he calls Focus Rings to achieve the same result - at a cost of course  . See here:  http://www.russandrews.com/focus-rings/.

I have not tried them myself, but they seem to be well reviewed. A relatively small outlay to try perhaps.
David

Surely not
However at the cost it may be worth a look. Will spoil the look of the speaker though. I have contacted an acoustic company too so looking at what they come back with