how to get silky and soft treble

[dazzdax]

Hi folks, I have a pair of monoamps with ICEpower ASP1000 modules inside. The sound is quite balanced but there is a bit emphasized treble that makes violin sounds slightly shrill and aggressive. Do you know if it is possible to make the treble sound soft, airy and silky? I've attached a picture of the inside of the amp. The manufacturer also added the Jensen foil inductor at the speaker output. I haven't seen this done before by other manufacturers who use the ASP1000 modules in their amps. Thank you in advance.

Chris

[raintalk]

checkout IK's ARC system:
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/Main.html?arc/index.php

Or a strictly hardware system would be a Behringer DEQ2496 with one of their measurement mics.

Or it could be a simple as turning down the treble on your preamp.

[dazzdax]

No, I don't want to apply equalizer or room correction. It's about alternating the amplifier's characteristics (if that is possible).

Chris

[marconist]

Problem is mostly due to the tweeter that u use in your loudspeaker system.
Sometimes it is caused by the source (CD-player?) and (not to forget!) the recording itself.

[dazzdax]

Marconist, it's not the tweeter. I've heard some amplifers that sound softer in the treble with more resolution, so it should be the circuitry or amplifier design that is responsible for that. I'm going to sell my Acoustic Realities and will replace them with the CSE II from a German manufacturer called Gruensch. Btw, they have a very interesting amplifier design, using MOSFETS without a driver stage. Just visit their site.

Chris

[marconist]

Very interesting amplifier! Hope this one solves your problem.
It will certainly change your powerbill compared to a class D.

Success,
Art

[dazzdax]

Dank je wel Art. According to some audiophiles I know well the Gruensch is quite musical. I don't think the Acoustic Realities are bad, they are just not refined enough. I have Soundlab speakers (full range electrostatics) so they are very revealing of upstream electronics. Power amplifiers are crucial for the final "shape" of the sound (of course they have to match well with the speakers).

Chris

[BWRX]

It looks like that air core foil inductor in series with the output is just additional filtering. You could try removing it to see if that improves the sound, but you should ask the manufacturer if it would be ok to remove that inductor before doing so.

[dazzdax]

Yes, I think you're right Brian. In the standard version of this amplifier (the eAR REF1001, picture attached) there is no additional coil or filtering. I thought the sound of the non modded version is a bit softer but more diffuse (in the treble). Can such a filtering alter the frequency behaviour of an amplifier? Thank you.

Chris

[BWRX]

That extra inductor does affect the frequency response of the amp but it is supposed to filter higher (above audible) frequencies only. However, since it is an air coil and is so close to the circuit it may be affected by the circuit and vice versa. The easiest way to test that is to just remove the inductor and listen for yourself.