Rega Brio not providing ample low end bass

[mark_in_gr]

Also . . . can anyone recommend a good A/B switch I can use w/the Brio? I want to basically have the option of having two sets of speakers connected to the Brio, but only one set on at any given time. Of course, I need something which will not degrade the sound quality at all.

 

[TLS Guy]

Actually the bass is anything but lumpy(as I understand the term in the context of sound reproduction), but rather very tight and refined. But in certain cases, rock music in particular, I have noticed that the bass guitar is quite pronounced on some notes of a scale, and then appears to be gone altogether, almost like someone unplugged the bassist from the mix for those certain notes.

Maybe it's just my delicate ear, I don't know. I am beginning to warm up the the round of the R3s, however. The mids and highs are some of the best I have ever heard from a speaker their size.

I was not referring to the bass being lumpy, but the midrange. There has to be a lot of driver interaction with that layout, with peaks and nulls.

Subjectively a good speaker that rolls off at 60 Hz does not sound bass deficient. Lack of bass in a speaker actually correlates with speakers weak in the wind between 80 and 250 Hz. When that happens you have a thin sound. Thw other thing is that any frequency aberration in the midband destroys perspective and collapses the stereo image.

I recently heard a $50,000 speaker system that was awful. It did not throw up a big sound stage at all, and there seemed to me to be a peak in the 12,00 to 2000Hz range. That evening I went on the NET and an independent measurement had shown a highly significant peak at 1500 Hz.

I would carefully audition the Monitor Audio range at your dealer. Take your wife along, I have found the female ear to be very discerning of frequency response aberration, especially in the midband.

Unless a speaker has a very flat midband and an off axis response that accurately mirrors the on axis response, the speaker will never cut it, no matter what other attributes it has.

Try and make a list of speakers to audition that have reliable independent measurements. Sunbjective reviews from the non engineering looney set of journalists will steer you wrong every time.

If you can, try and audition B & W speakers. They all have a reasonably accurate mid band. If you can listen to any of their 800 range, then I can vouch they are tonally accurate across the mid band.

If there happens to be a Sendor dealer near you, then have an audition. They are not that big most of them and they throw a huge sound stage. They are a little pricier than the Ragas, but I thought from the sound I was hearing, they represented excellent value for money.

 

[Davemcc]

As TLS Guy suggested, I would look closely at the Monitor Audio. Some of the other brands in your list also have solid reputations. I think you should listen to as many of those speakers as you can until you find one that has all the characteristics you are looking for.

 

[mark_in_gr]

As TLS Guy suggested, I would look closely at the Monitor Audio. Some of the other brands in your list also have solid reputations. I think you should listen to as many of those speakers as you can until you find one that has all the characteristics you are looking for.

I think I am going to stick w/the R3s. They are starting to really grow on me, and positioning them differently has produced a dramatically different affect. The bass is tight, clean and well articulated.

So what about a good A/B switch option? Is there anything I can use since the Brio does not have an a/b built in? I naturally want something that will not impede the sound quality.

 

[bandphan]

I think I am going to stick w/the R3s. They are starting to really grow on me, and positioning them differently has produced a dramatically different affect. The bass is tight, clean and well articulated.

So what about a good A/B switch option? Is there anything I can use since the Brio does not have an a/b built in? I naturally want something that will not impede the sound quality.

I would look at a niles speaker selector w/o vc. IMHO for critical listening I wouldnt want two sets of mains in the same setup in close procsimity

 

[Lordoftherings]

I would look at a niles speaker selector w/o vc. IMHO for critical listening I wouldnt want two sets of mains in the same setup in close procsimity

Yes, and "proximity" with an "x", not a "c".

* By the way Mark, you're absolutely right about properly positioning your R3 speakers, they will sound more bass efficient closer to a wall.

 

[mark_in_gr]

I would look at a niles speaker selector w/o vc. IMHO for critical listening I wouldnt want two sets of mains in the same setup in close procsimity

Thank you so much! I will check that out. I will only have one set of speakers active at one point. Someone told me that would be difficult, as most a/b setups allow you to have only the additional set on when the main set is on(which doesn't make sense to me).

 

[mark_in_gr]

Yes, and "proximity" with an "x", not a "c".

* By the way Mark, you're absolutely right about properly positioning your R3 speakers, they will sound more bass efficient closer to a wall.

I have them about 4-5 inches out from the wall, about 7 feet apart. The woofers are pointed inward(haven't tried them outward yet). They really sound good now.

 

[Lordoftherings]

I have them about 4-5 inches out from the wall, about 7 feet apart. The woofers are pointed inward(haven't tried them outward yet). They really sound good now.

Good morning Mark,

I'm really glad to hear that, it starts the day on a very good note.

Bob