Naim CDX2 with SPENDOR D7s - hard sounding upper mid strings & brass.

Posted by: MikeSpoor on 07 September 2018

Recently bought Spendor D7s thinking I had now reached Nirvana for my system. They replace my B&W704s so I have to get used to the bigger punch and clarity especially upper mid range. However I have a PROBLEM listening to orchestral sounds of intense strings ( as in Sibelius) and brass ( Rachmaninov) for example. The sound is very 'solid' and misses the feel of violin's (etc) gut on wood, that warm sweetness that is evident in live concerts. Sound is softer with DAB radio source and DVD player with lower grade interconnects.

the relevant parts of my system are:

CDX2 - Audioquest Diamond coax interconnect to - Naim Dac - Preamp 282 (with Supercap) - 250 - superlumina speaker cables to Spendor D7 speakers. ( I'm testing Audioquest's Wel signature interconnect from my local hifi dealer. its much better but still has that solidness in the upper mid range strings and brass that I don't like)

Other inputs that to me sound less forward in that upper range are:

DAB/DVD/TV various lower grade audioquest such as coffee, to the DAC and onwards to preamp etc.

Anyone with Suggestions?

Mike

Posted on: 07 September 2018 by Simon-in-Suffolk

For the CDX2 to sound it’s best with flow and a smooth top end and authoritive sound with punch and PRaT I found it really needed a well setup full Fraim shelf.. helped further with Hiline interconnects. Listening to mine now with a Louis Jordan CD into my 552, and it’s really rocking.. I found on Fraim and higher end NACs it really doesn’t need an extra PSU... in the early days when I had a 282 and before I had Fraim, I found it needed an XPS2 to sound irs best whilst sitting on sorbothane pads ... but a NAC upgrade and proper Fraim meant a huge performance boost and I no longer needed my XPS2.. and I sold it....

Posted on: 07 September 2018 by Peder

Or a Mana-shelf ????.

/Peder????