April Snow Posted November 7, 2019 Posted November 7, 2019 I am just looking for an explanation or thoughts on the use of Sound Source feature. I have a Marantz Amp and B&W 707S Bookshelf speakers (no sub - this is more than enough) as I live in a townhouse anyway. Prior to that I was running a sound bar and Sub & using my Blu Ray to play the occasional CD and was mostly streaming via Blutooth, but one day it dawned on me how much I missed my music & how horrible streaming really is so upgraded and added a Turntable in the mix too. Very happy with the choices I have made but wondering about Sound Source. From my understanding to turn on the sound source setting means the music plays closer to how it was originally recorded? Is that correct? I had a technician come and set up the system and he turned the sound source to OFF and put the bass on to 2+ and the treble up slightly as well, and I have to admit that it sounded richer. But I didn't know what Sound Source was either............and just let him do what he thought as that is his job I am on the Gold Coast so we have lots of heat here, so we have sparse furnishings, no drapes etc - tiled floors and my living area is lightly furnished and quite open. I have been comparing the sound with sound source set to on and off - and have noticed that with it set to "off" the speakers have more bass and the vocals are louder - but when "on" the vocals are pushed back a little (if that makes sense) and the base is softer (not as boomy). I also have been told that B&Ws do need a little run in time as they do get better - but I am confused if I should have sound source on or off - particularly when playing vinyl? I have noticed that when playing CDs with the sound source off sometimes it is a little bright ............I will have to test that out with the sound source set to on to see if I like that better. I am just wondering what some others experiences have been with sound source? Maybe I just need to get used to it? I think as I had the stupid sound bar and sub for so long I got used to the boomy bass - but I do want to hear music as it should be too. On a side note- new to vinyl (well since playing it as a little kid on my mum's record player) - so interesting .......................I brought myself Prince's Sign of the Times on Vinyl and compared the song Adore on both CD and Vinyl back to back - wow - so different. Vinyl picked out details I had not noticed before to the CD - cannot believe that they sounded so different. Just hope I can get the static under control - having issues there - ordered the Milty gun so fingers crossed that will help. Anyway, thank you for helping out a newbie
audiofeline Posted November 7, 2019 Posted November 7, 2019 Which device does the " Sound Source feature" belong to? Have you looked in the device's manual? " I had a technician come and set up the system and he turned the sound source to OFF and put the bass on to 2+ and the treble up slightly as well". The "smiley-face" eq does initially sound richer, but I would set the bass+treble to zero, it would probably be better in the longer term. You describe the room to be acoustically "bright" with tiles and no drapes/furnishing to absorb the sound, so you definitely don't need treble boost (going by your description).
April Snow Posted November 7, 2019 Author Posted November 7, 2019 6 hours ago, audiofeline said: Which device does the " Sound Source feature" belong to? Have you looked in the device's manual? " I had a technician come and set up the system and he turned the sound source to OFF and put the bass on to 2+ and the treble up slightly as well". The "smiley-face" eq does initially sound richer, but I would set the bass+treble to zero, it would probably be better in the longer term. You describe the room to be acoustically "bright" with tiles and no drapes/furnishing to absorb the sound, so you definitely don't need treble boost (going by your description). Thank you very much for your reply. The sound source is on the Marantz Amplifier. The manual does not really say to use it or not to use it, but just that sound source brings you back to the original sound of the recording. I have done as suggested and set both the bass and treble back to flat (Zero) - and then I turned the sound source on and off with that those settings at zero and the sound source on only made a very slight difference, so sounds like you are on the right track. I wondered about the treble too if my room was what would consider "bright" so you have helped me there too. I spent some time last night reading up on the bass and treble settings and what they do, to try and understand it more. I did notice that with the Sound Source set to "on" it does remove some of the sibilance a little that I noticed with the new speakers (mainly with dear Freddie Mercury - with his "Essssessssss") - so I think I am on the right track too. It is just getting used to the different setup with a new system to how I had been listening to music before. Thank you xx 1
eman Posted November 7, 2019 Posted November 7, 2019 What you're doing is what I call 'fine tuning' your system. Try this, try that, listen again. It's the invisible bit of getting the sound you prefer. Remember that some CDs and records will sound sharper or brighter. Freddie Mercury vocals are well known for it.
April Snow Posted November 8, 2019 Author Posted November 8, 2019 1 hour ago, eman said: What you're doing is what I call 'fine tuning' your system. Try this, try that, listen again. It's the invisible bit of getting the sound you prefer. Remember that some CDs and records will sound sharper or brighter. Freddie Mercury vocals are well known for it. Yes I wish I never looked up what the word Sibilance meant (after someone on another forum mentioned it ) because now I hear it when I have never noticed it ever in my life !!! Now I am trying to fine tune my ears to ignore it (hahahahaha) 1
audiofeline Posted November 8, 2019 Posted November 8, 2019 Yes, but fine-tuning your ears will enable you to fine-tune your system. They will also be able to help you make good future purchases of audio equipment.
April Snow Posted November 8, 2019 Author Posted November 8, 2019 4 minutes ago, audiofeline said: Yes, but fine-tuning your ears will enable you to fine-tune your system. They will also be able to help you make good future purchases of audio equipment. Maybe but nothing shabby about B&W speakers and marantz Amps Very happy with those - but an upgrade of a T/T maybe down the track......... 1
H.E. Pennypacker Posted November 8, 2019 Posted November 8, 2019 (edited) There’s no right or wrong. It sounds like your ‘sound source’ just bypasses the tone controls (perhaps balance etc). Even if they are all neutral, it’s still running through the circuitry and it has a small effect on the sound. Adjusting bass and treble obviously changes the sound too. Sound source/line direct/bypass etc. just sets it sou your amplifier amplified the signal coming in. It’s rare I deviate from direct... I prefer it. My opinion is that if I want more bass or treble, I’ll play a track/album with more bass or treble in it because ‘that’s the song’. I have a mate who presets eq mods to tracks because to him it sounds better, and he’s happy to ‘remaster’ to his own taste. You might also have a bass/treble sucking/emphasising room to compensate for. There’s some philosophical arguments, technological arguments and preference arguments... ...Do what sounds best, leave it set permanently, use direct on some and use the tone controls on others, use one or the other for fun. Edited November 8, 2019 by furtherpale
April Snow Posted November 8, 2019 Author Posted November 8, 2019 21 minutes ago, furtherpale said: There’s no right or wrong. It sounds like your ‘sound source’ just bypasses the tone controls (perhaps balance etc). Even if they are all neutral, it’s still running through the circuitry and it has a small effect on the sound. Adjusting bass and treble obviously changes the sound too. Sound source/line direct/bypass etc. just sets it sou your amplifier amplified the signal coming in. It’s rare I deviate from direct... I prefer it. My opinion is that if I want more bass or treble, I’ll play a track/album with more bass or treble in it because ‘that’s the song’. I have a mate who presents eq mods to tracks because to him it sounds better, and he’s happy to ‘remaster’ to his own taste. You might also have a bass/treble sucking/emphasising room to compensate for. There’s some philosophical arguments, technological arguments and preference arguments... ...Do what sounds best, leave it set permanently, use direct on some and use the tone controls on others, use one or the other for fun. I noticed that if I run sound source to "on" it plays with the treble and bass at Zero and if I turn sound source to Off - it returns to the settings that the tech put on which was with the bass and treble slightly increased. It is doing as it should by the looks of my internet research and after downloading the full manual. I read up on it last night too and it was suggested that SS on is the best way as the albums have been mastered already with the bass and treble as it was intended. I just thought something was wrong when I could hear more bass and treble with the SS off (as they had been increased by the tech) but when I turned put the bass and treble back to Zero with the SS off and then tested with it ON it sounded pretty much the same - so I think all is good. It is all about experimenting I guess and I think now - there is more clarity (?) with SS on and less boomy bass......... Thank you though, I was just trying to work out what SS was and how to use it and why it is preferred by most people. xxx 2
bob_m_54 Posted November 8, 2019 Posted November 8, 2019 Which model Marantz Amplifier do you have? The term "Sound Source" seems a little strange in the context you have used it. "Sound Source" usually refers to the input selector ie CD, Phono, etc.
April Snow Posted November 8, 2019 Author Posted November 8, 2019 2 minutes ago, bob_m_54 said: Which model Marantz Amplifier do you have? The term "Sound Source" seems a little strange in the context you have used it. "Sound Source" usually refers to the input selector ie CD, Phono, etc. That is the term used on the marantz. You can scroll through these options: bass, treble, balance (and adjust those to plus or minus) and the final option is called "sound source" (which overrides the other settings from what I can tell).
April Snow Posted November 8, 2019 Author Posted November 8, 2019 2 hours ago, bob_m_54 said: Which Model is it? Marantz CR412
bob_m_54 Posted November 9, 2019 Posted November 9, 2019 (edited) From the manual: Adjusting the tone 1 Press DBB/TONE to select the tone parameter to beadjusted. 2 Use Up or Down to adjust “DBB (Dynamic Bass Boost)”,“Bass”, “Treble”, “Balance” or “Source Direct”. Source direct bypasses tone controls and processing. As others have said, use it or not, depending on your preferences. Edited November 9, 2019 by bob_m_54
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