Sound quality on my MCR603 and BX2's

Hi,

I bought a Marantz MCR603 and some Monitor Audio BX2 speakers which are mounted on Atacama Nexus speaker stands (filled with Atacama Atabites and have the additional Mass loading plates), connected with Audioquest FLX-Slip 14/4 speaker cable with decent quality banana plugs to the amp and spades to the speakers (not bi-wired as What HIFI recommend for the BX2’s) all of which get 5 star reviews and excellent reviews off everyone that seems to have this system.

These are to replace my aging (1999) TEAC Reference 600 and Kef Q35.2 system while also saving some space.

However, the sound quality seems to be no-where near the sound from my aging Teac/Kef system and closer to an old Sony £200 quid job in the spare bedroom!!

Any ideas???

Cheers

Chris

Hi Chris, and welcome.

Can you try to say in what way the sq is 'no way near'?

Distorted, bright, glaring, harsh, muffled, boomy, opaque?  The descriptive words are endless!

If I guess it sounds a bit harsh and glary would I be right?  If so, then remember that these speakers in particular need a lot of running in according to the mag.  Some say that is bunk.  But try putting something on continuously, as loud as you can leave, and go out for the day.  Then tell us what it sounds like when you come back.

I'm assuming you haven't got something electrical causing gremlins, like a router nearby, or homeplugs pumping garbage into the mains?

Hi Chris, I have the BX2s as well, and something I've noticed - they like the volume pumped up a bit. On my lowly Arcam system - a 1db volume difference is all there is between merely average and excellent audio. But therein lies the rub as well - they seem to be bass fiends and after a while I get a headache. They're undoubtedly good speakers, but maybe audition the Boston Acoustics A26? WHF seems to think it goes well with your Marantz.

Hi Nopiano,

No theres nothing electrical interfering.

The system just seems to lack clarity, quite muddy and the bass boomy if it continues I may try out some kef Q100's. I just don't understand it because everyone (what HI FI and users) seem to say the BX2's have excellent clarity and the MCR603 produces excellent sound too.

Chris 

mcr 603 is a stunning sounding system it works well with warfadale dimound speakers 

Not much more I can suggest, but manicm mentions the bass too.  Might be something that would improve with trial and error in positioning speakers - further away from walls, for example.  And toed-in towards your seat, to be sure you are getting everything from the tweeter. 

Good luck!

Sorry if I'm stating the obvious here, but did you try your set-up in another room as well? E.g. in a room with laminate if your current room is carpeted or vice versa. Or maybe it's just run-in which the BX2 require?

cheers.

oops double post.

They are in the same room and same place as my previous Teac/Kef system but don't have anywhere near the sound quality I had whith that system. Some instruments seem to have vanished from some music completely?

I'll give the BX2's a couple of weeks to see if the running in really does make a difference although I don't see how it can make as much difference as is currently needed.

i dont find the bx2 musical at all.

There is obviously something badly wrong if whole instuments appear to have AWOL.

Take it all back whilst you still can and get a refund or an exchange for a system you like and that works properly.

Running in speakers won't make missing instruments come back.

I know it sounds daft but you have wired up the speakers correctly; havent you?! It's an easy mistake to make!

I havr the CFR603 with MA RX2's and the sound is astonishing! The BX2's are good speakers and stand well within their grouping and gel very well with the CR603 so it seems weird that the music isnt sounding good at all with the way you've got it set up

Have you played around with the settings (i.e. bass, treble, loudness, balance etc...) Does that make any difference at all?

Yes the speakers are definitely wired up correctly.  

When I firsrt got my Teac/Kef system, whole instruments suddenly appeared (or certainly seemed to stand out a lot more)in music I had listened to for years....well now they have disappeared/degraded again. Nothing wrong with the sytem it probably sounds good to others. I just thought it would at least equal my old system with advances in technology and speaker development, coupled with the reviews....but sadly so far its not even close.

Might hook up my Kef q35.2's and see how it sounds with them. If they make a big difference then I'll have took at alternatives.

Was going to say, why don't you try it woth your old KEFs if they're still working.

I'd put my money on it just being the speakers that aren't suiting your taste/expectations/room accoustics/etc. I don't think there'll be such a massive performance difference with the electronics, it must be the speakers.

I tend to agree with you. On the surface they appear to do everything right - clarity, bass, speed, decently transparent - but they don't seem very musical. Maybe I should give them more run-in time.