Guidance needed to achieve that special SQ

[Arjunsadasevam]

Hi folks

My current set up is Denon DRA 800H + KEF 300 + MARANTZ CD Player + Rhythmik L12

Am just not content with the SQ, moreover the Spotify sounds very ordinary and Tidal at times reminds that it's a basic HiFi setup....

I had been following the group for some time and am convinced that advice from here would help me reconstruct my set up afresh based on experience with the equipage the FM's own already

My source is and will be Spotify, Tidal, YT premium and CD's

I have a budget of 3 lakhs to spare for the new mix

Please advice which of existing equipment I can retain and add new / better ones for that special SQ

TIA

 

[sud98]

Hi folks

My current set up is Denon DRA 800H + KEF 300 + MARANTZ CD Player + Rhythmik L12

Am just not content with the SQ, moreover the Spotify sounds very ordinary and Tidal at times reminds that it's a basic HiFi setup....

I had been following the group for some time and am convinced that advice from here would help me reconstruct my set up afresh based on experience with the equipage the FM's own already

My source is and will be Spotify, Tidal, YT premium and CD's

I have a budget of 3 lakhs to spare for the new mix

Please advice which of existing equipment I can retain and add new / better ones for that special SQ

TIA

Maybe its not the equipments but other factors. Can you share the room dimensions, the type of music you hear as well as actual pics of your room with your equipment and your listening position.

 

[firearm12]

With tidal and spotify, its never going to sound extraordinary. Seeing your equipment, first thing to get is a good stereo amplifier.

 

[Arjunsadasevam]

Maybe its not the equipments but other factors. Can you share the room dimensions, the type of music you hear as well as actual pics of your room with your equipment and your listening position.

Room size is 20 x 16, I listen to mixed genre, with a bit of preference tilted towards folk pop, classical country, 90's slow rock and a bit of Carnatic too

 

[Arjunsadasevam]

Room size is 20 x 16, I listen to mixed genre, with a bit of preference tilted towards folk pop, classical country, 90's slow rock and a bit of Carnatic too

 

[Arjunsadasevam]

Room size is 20x16 and layout of the room is attached

 

[Arjunsadasevam]

 

[Arjunsadasevam]

With tidal and spotify, its never going to sound extraordinary. Seeing your equipment, first thing to get is a good stereo amplifier.

Would I be able to integrate the amp you suggest in the current setup? If so, which amp? Stand alone DAC? Or do I part with this set up and buy everything afresh??

 

[jai1611]

View attachment 50588

Before experimenting with gear, please experiment with different speaker placements. Ideally, they should be on stands and away from the wall. If that is not possible, at the bare minmum put sort of isolation between the speakers and the shelves

 

[arj]

Before experimenting with gear, please experiment with different speaker placements. Ideally, they should be on stands and away from the wall. If that is not possible, at the bare minmum put sort of isolation between the speakers and the shelves

+ 1 to this. so many people make the mistake in buying more expensive ( not. better equipment ) to upgrade sound and remain in that loop for a long time

You do not need to spend lots of money to get good sound, but it does need something which are very premium..Space - to setup the speaker and Time ..to research and set it up

You can read up enough on this but in the end the speaker needs a very sound platform to rest on and enough space behind it to sound good and no matter what speaker you buy, without it you will have the same issue.

 

[Arjunsadasevam]

Before experimenting with gear, please experiment with different speaker placements. Ideally, they should be on stands and away from the wall. If that is not possible, at the bare minmum put sort of isolation between the speakers and the shelves

I have ordered for stands, meanwhile I did a audition with stands too, there wasn't any comprehensible difference....the SQ with this set up is below par....would adding up a amp help in anyway??

 

[firearm12]

Do add a stand, keep speakers away from walls, and a good stereo amp for your speakers. Btw what qualifies good sound for you. What are you missing

 

[Arjunsadasevam]

Do add a stand, keep speakers away from walls, and a good stereo amp for your speakers. Btw what qualifies good sound for you. What are you missing

Simple....clarity and separation is what I miss bigtime....

 

[jai1611]

I have ordered for stands, meanwhile I did a audition with stands too, there wasn't any comprehensible difference....the SQ with this set up is below par....would adding up a amp help in anyway??

The Denon is an all in one. Usually in such products the DAC is the weakest point. Borrow a DAC / streamer to try out.

The Kefs are supposed to be good on the clarity / separation side.

Have your heard any setups which meet your standard of good sound? If yes, what was the chain?

 

[spirovious]

Simple....clarity and separation is what I miss bigtime....

There can be 2 main issues

1) Size of room. Usually system sounds fuller when it gets good room support. In larger room, weight in sound is lost.

2)Placement of speakers as other suggested can give better imaging and sepeeation in sound.

 

[Arjunsadasevam]

The Denon is an all in one. Usually in such products the DAC is the weakest point. Borrow a DAC / streamer to try out.

The Kefs are supposed to be good on the clarity / separation side.

Have your heard any setups which meet your standard of good sound? If yes, what was the chain?

Checking for SQ with a external dac appears to be a valid option, KEF's did sound amazing in the showroom paired with Yam 803...

I happened to listen in one of my friends friend place, it was like Peachtree audio Nova 300 + Revel 105....only that much I could see, there was an Arcam IRDAC too....

He was a bygone, so I had my limitation to check out the rig

That was awesome to hear...

 

[Arjunsadasevam]

There can be 2 main issues

1) Size of room. Usually system sounds fuller when it gets good room support. In larger room, weight in sound is lost.

2)Placement of speakers as other suggested can give better imaging and sepeeation in sound.

May be I got to try auditioning in my other smaller rooms....wanted to double check if there is any thing wrong with the choice of the setup before going for another round of switch...

 

[fLUX]

Hi folks

My current set up is Denon DRA 800H + KEF 300 + MARANTZ CD Player + Rhythmik L12

Am just not content with the SQ, moreover the Spotify sounds very ordinary and Tidal at times reminds that it's a basic HiFi setup....

I had been following the group for some time and am convinced that advice from here would help me reconstruct my set up afresh based on experience with the equipage the FM's own already

My source is and will be Spotify, Tidal, YT premium and CD's

I have a budget of 3 lakhs to spare for the new mix

Please advice which of existing equipment I can retain and add new / better ones for that special SQ

TIA

Is this the KEF R300 or the Q300 ? I have auditioned both the R & Q series and in no way was the sound signature average in any aspect.

 

[Arjunsadasevam]

Is this the KEF R300 or the Q300 ? I have auditioned both the R & Q series and in no way was the sound signature average in any aspect.

It's the R 300, the hitch is not all the recordings are bad, but my source happens to be from Spotify, Tidal and YT premium most of the time, so to improve that laxity is what am looking for with some kind of an additional equipment ( DAC) or something thatr the experts here would suggest to get that clean imaging and separation of Hifi SQ that is missing...

 

[fLUX]

@raghupb has the exact same speakers and has a really good chain too. He can probably guide you well here , while a chain upgrade would certainly help but as suggested above do experiment first with speaker positioning and stands as you will be able to evaluate and appreciate the changes better.

Unless most of the recordings you listen to have been mastered badly Tidal does a more than decent job, i believe either you do not like the speaker presentation or your overall chain + positioning is the culprit here. I have listened to the R3 over spotify+ Denon X4500H during a showroom audition and found them to be good even in this setup.