Fatigue Help please - Rotel + Polk R700s

[spence city34]

Hi All, I'm working with my first setup, got the RB1582, Polk R700s, and node x. Overall, it sounds great, but I get ear pain/fatigue even at low volumes after just a few minutes. I moved the speakers several different ways, 3' from walls, close to walls, toe in and out, re arranged furniture. Still occurring. I have a large rug and couch and even bought 4 GIK panels for reflection points, not helping much.

I have turned down the treble in Node X EQ. As well as tried to burn the speakers in for a few days. I am at a crossroads. I just bought the UBR62 Elacs which come in next week to audition, I was able to try those in store and was impressed at how warm they were. I was hoping this Rotel and Polk combo would be warm, but I seem to be incorrect. Albiet, most reviews only almost all say both of these items are neutral and hardly mention fatigue. Perhaps I am just the exception.

I am considering buying the Marantz 7025 to audition, people say they are Warm? Perhaps I should try a NAD? Can anyone offer any hardware advice please? Since I have tried positioning every which way, im rather confident that this combo just is not for me. My ears don't lie..? I read that speakers should be changed out before Amps. The rotel is an impressive amp with great sound, but perhaps it's too detailed and precise for me? Any suggestions are very much appreciated as I am new here. I have posted a frequency curve below.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

Hello and welcome to ASR. Please don't take this the wrong way, but have you had a hearing test or do you have Tinnitus? The pain may not necessarily be equipment related - a wider frequency response may be causing an ear resonance that your hearing is not normally exposed to.

 

[Sokel]

Hello and welcome to ASR. Please don't take this the wrong way, but have you had a hearing test or do you have Tinnitus? The pain may not necessarily be equipment related - a wider frequency response may be causing an ear resonance that your hearing is not normally exposed to.

Agreed,but also look this 2-5Khz area of the top plot,it's painful only to look at.
And that cannot be fixed with EQ or "curves" easily.

 

[Mart68]

Agreed,but also look this 2-5Khz area of the top plot,it's painful only to look at.
And that cannot be fixed with EQ or "curves" easily.

The speakers have a flat response so that's not coming from them, which leaves the room to blame I suppose.

Polk Reserve R700 Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review

In our in-depth review of Polk Audio's Reserve R700 tower speakers, we look at just how much of the performance of the stellar Legend series has trickled down to the more affordable Reserve series.

www.audioholics.com

 

[spence city34]

The speakers have a flat response so that's not coming from them, which leaves the room to blame I suppose.

Polk Reserve R700 Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review

In our in-depth review of Polk Audio's Reserve R700 tower speakers, we look at just how much of the performance of the stellar Legend series has trickled down to the more affordable Reserve series.

www.audioholics.com

Ok thank you. I will try to get some more acoustic panels asap

 

[spence city34]

Hello and welcome to ASR. Please don't take this the wrong way, but have you had a hearing test or do you have Tinnitus? The pain may not necessarily be equipment related - a wider frequency response may be causing an ear resonance that your hearing is not normally exposed to.

That’s actually a good point. I’m not listening for 2 days to let my ears recover. I’m young, but it’s my first system so I’m likely adjusting. But I’ll be surprised if the pain just stops. The speakers do not sound harsh, but still hurt. Strange.

 

[ZolaIII]

A check your hearing,
B get a measurement microphone and do proper measurments,
C try to get highs as close to desired target especially uper highs from 5 KHz up so that there is no - 7 dB hole as its now. Try with placement and if need be removing acoustic panels that you already have.
Then EQ the bass and additionally slope the highs response with PEQ filters. On the lucky side it appears that you don't exhibit much room modes the high bass 250 Hz possibly being one but not very pronounced and on the nice spot.
Afterwards post the REW measurements (FR, waterfal, RT60 decay times, clarity) so we could talk what else can be future improved.
Don't forget to have fun doing it.

 

[Mart68]

That’s actually a good point. I’m not listening for 2 days to let my ears recover. I’m young, but it’s my first system so I’m likely adjusting. But I’ll be surprised if the pain just stops. The speakers do not sound harsh, but still hurt. Strange.

post up some pics of your room, there's probably a lot you can do without buying more dedicated panels.

 

[spence city34]

A check your hearing,
B get a measurement microphone and do proper measurments,
C try to get highs as close to desired target especially uper highs from 5 KHz up so that there is no - 7 dB hole as its now. Try with placement and if need be removing acoustic panels that you already have.
Then EQ the bass and auditionaly slope the highs response with PEQ filters. On the lucky side it appears that you don't exhibit much room modes the high bass 250 Hz possibly being one but not very pronounced and on the nice spot.
Afterwards post the REW measurements (FR, waterfal, RT60 decay times, clarity) so we could talk what else can be future improved.
Don't forget to have fun doing it.

Thanks. So I need a minidsp correct?

 

[ZolaIII]

Thanks. So I need a minidsp correct?

Well that whose only a suggestion and in the end you probably will go with something like that. That doesn't mean you can't try out for free what it would bring in with someone like EQ-APO and PC as a source. JRiver can apply full DSP chain (- loudness) to DLNA streamed content and you can try it for a month free. I don't know what and if any EQ capacities had the node what you own have. Regarding MiniDSP check out the new Flex HT as stand alone DSP (ADC - DSP - DAC & preamp).