Pioneer VSX 47-TX...too bright?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by GP, Sep 6, 2003.

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  1. GP

    GP Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lynbrook, NY
    I've owned one of these for about 3 months. I can't figure out for the life of me why I'm getting such a bright sound. Just about every CD is kinda tough to listen to. I've changed my speaker resistors from 1.2 to 1.8, and while it's calmed the harshness down a bit, the mids still seem to be overextended--it's a very unnatural sound. Anyone have any suggestions or familiarity with this receiver? Thanks.
     
  2. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    http://hardwarecentral.dealtime.com/xPO-Pioneer_VSX_47TX

    Reviews for this unit are on the net, but similar to the above: Positive. Which speakers are you using?

    Wicked Dumb Question Of The Night: Did you check the polarity of how you put in your speaker interconnects? You didn't hook things up reversed? Out of phase? That will make things sound like a drab cold tin can.
     
  3. downhill

    downhill Senior Member

    Location:
    Idaho
    I own a 47 TX....and bright isn't something I notice....I thought it clear and warm...compared to my last receiver....which I did think was a bit bright.
     
  4. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff

    Location:
    Toronto
    Or are the tweeters hooked up wrong (reversed)?

    No offense or anything, but I did that once.....
     
  5. GP

    GP Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lynbrook, NY
    I've been known to do dumb things, so I'm not offended at all by your question, but yes, red to red, black to black--I checked it out. The guy who built my speakers asked me the same thing. His name is Ed Frias, and the model is the EFE T-36. Here are some reviews on it. My cables are not exactly high end, but I didn't think that would cause such an unnatural sound. Maybe I should swap them out? I'm in a stereo configuration for the moment, with the fronts set to large and the others switched off. Ed's on the west coast so he'd never be able to hear what I'm talking about, and neither will you. This sucks.
     
  6. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    Try reversing them anyway. See what happens. Put your speakers OOP. If the sound's better, like Gary says, although you're trying to do things right, you may not know somethings' reversed.

    Do it one side at a time. See if things get less tiny soundwize. Really!
     
  7. GP

    GP Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lynbrook, NY
    No offense taken. I appreciate the response. The titanium tweeters are actually easy to remove and install--the positive terminals and clips are larger, so it's mostly idiot proof, at least for this idiot.
     
  8. Taurus

    Taurus Senior Member

    Location:
    Houston, Texas
    Quite a few metal tweeters still sound rather "tizzy"--have you ever tried these speakers with a different receiver to rule out this possiblity? And from personal experience, Pioneer's equipment--compared to other Japanese receivers--to me is on the warm side (I've owned one of their receivers, and two of their CD players).

    [T]
     
  9. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    Moby, I'd agree with Taurus and Sckott on this one. There is always a possibilty that it could be cable related, but I honestly doubt it. I sure hope that you just didn't end up with the one Lemon or something.
     
  10. GP

    GP Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lynbrook, NY
    That's actually what I'm worried about, and that would be just my luck. Perhaps I'm just quddling about mere subtleties, but I'm not really used to this. When I was playing music on my old dud equipment, I could always count on having to compensate for some very dull sound with an equalizer. Now I might need one just to cut down a bit. I also don't think I've ever tried to set up a system in such a "live" room before. If I clap my hands or close a CD case loudly at the sitting position, I get a rapid delay-like effect that seems to last for over a second. Certain songs on certain CDs sound better than others, but most of them sound unnatural to me. I think I might have heard a slight improvement when I disconnected a set of cables from each channel ( they were bi-amped to the receiver). Then again, I may have just been going deaf at that point.

    I wonder if a Pioneer service center could check to see if this unit is operating at the proper spec?
     
  11. -=Rudy=-

    -=Rudy=- ♪♫♪♫♫♪♪♫♪♪ Staff

    Location:
    US
    Maybe the combination of new equipment (brighter speakers) and new room (more "live") just sounds too bright. Perhaps some kind of room treatments are in order, to deaden it somewhat?

    Do you have another known good receiver to substitute temporarily?
     
  12. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    Ahh, the plot thickens...Rudy's got the right idea I believe, as this would have a HUGE effect on the brightness factor. Put up some near-floor length curtains if you have them for a quick inexpensive hand or if you're not financially shy, room treatments.
     
  13. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff

    Location:
    Toronto
    If you don't have curtains, sheets can be used in a pinch.

    It is starting to sound like a "too bright" listening room problem.
     
  14. GP

    GP Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Lynbrook, NY
    Thank you for the kind suggestions. How much of this do you think involves the old "break in" factor? I know some enthusiasts will crank up the volume and leave the system on continous play until they get home from work, when they get new stuff. I just listen when I feel like it. :)

    Thanks again,
    Greg
     
  15. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    Gary could be on to something. Hard wood floors and smooth "glossy" walls as well as room acoustics play a really important part in how things around 1K translate to the ear, sometimes unpleasantly.
     
  16. -=Rudy=-

    -=Rudy=- ♪♫♪♫♫♪♪♫♪♪ Staff

    Location:
    US
    A large quilt hung on one wall, or even a good-sized area rug would help if you have a hard floor. After that nightclub incident in Rhode Island, I'd never even think of putting ANY kind of acoustic foam on the walls. Even if they do say they are fire retardant. :sigh:
     
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