What am I doing wrong?

[yabaVR]

I have had my 120 for a year and I think I am about to give it up. I have home demoed a Naim Superuniti and enjoyed the music better than during the last year with the 120. I am wondering if this is just a question of taste or whether I have set up the 120 wrongly (though I have changed things about in every way I can think of). I would welcome ideas.

I have a Cyrus Signature transport into the 120 via Chord Signature TA coaxial. Good Tellurium Q cables lead to Spendor D7 speakers. The detail and soundstage are incredible but the system has always sounded forward, 'edgy', and while not sibilant the treble is sometimes uncomfortably sharp.

The Naim doesn't project the music from that lovely black background that the 120 creates. You don't have the fine-etched detail. But the music just seems so much more involving and listenable. 

So, is the 120 and the Spendor a bad match? Is Cyrus not right, though I have tried PC/usb and heard a similar sound? Don't mention speaker position since they have been in every inch of the room at one time or other. I have swapped cables and those I have are the best of numerous tries. Am I missing something? Do I just not 'get' the Devialet sound?

By the way, I set up the Naim for streaming in 5 minutes without the slightest issue. I have never been able to get Air working, couldn't even get the download to open (or uninstall). Streaming is not important for me, but this has not inspired confidence in the 120.

Hey ism,

where do you live? In a big city or countryside? Does the D120 sound the same all the time, meaning does it sound equal during the day vs. at night (1-3am).
Mostly if a Dxxx has this digital signature in its sound it is because of bad power quality in your home.

Second is the surface your audio parts are standing on. Avoid any kind of glas and even marble/granite give a signature to the sound that you won't like. Just try out different surfaces and you'll know what I'm speaking of.

Third, because the Dxxx are more transparent in its circuit concept and sound as e.g. Naim they are prone to induced EM-Fields from all around and a Dxxx doesn't like Jitter in the audio signal. But since your Cyrus Transport and your cables are fine it has to be something with power or/and EM-Fields.

Pull out any SMPS Power Supplies and listen again w/o them even if they are pluged in elsewhere in the room and not plugged into the power stripe of your audio. You'll hear an improvement in sound if you pull them out. It's all about EM-Fields and resonances that contaminates the sound of your audio...and unfortunately the Dxxx are more open to them than other audio.

gui