What's wrong with my system?

[chris9]

Hello guys,


This is the first time I post in this forum. I would be very appreciative if someone could give me some suggestions.


I bumped into this system (Kenwood K-R711 integrated CD player and amp, paired with Bose 125 speakers) in an electric shop the other day. I was very impressed as it was very clear, detailed, and charming while I tried it with some pop songs. The whole system costs around $800. I was absolutely sure, at that moment, that it could beat most of the other systems on the market within the same price range.


A few weeks later, I got both of them home by ordering them on the internet(Integrated CD player and amp new whereas speakers second hand). Now, I have been listening to them for over 30 hours and I get nothing but disappointment, though at the very least, the system gets a pass on both clarity and detail on mid tone.


Why? Because the sound that I get doesn't sound like music. It's just like the singer is speaking instead of singing as you listen to it. It gets a bit better when you listen to something very musical, but still, the whole thing you get isnt' music, but something quite dull and plain and I have never experienced something like that . Even my cheap portable mp3 player worth less than $100 , while playing the same songs as I have been playing on the new system, can give me something that sounds like music.


Does anyone have any experience with any of these components? Which part do you think may go wrong?


Many thanks


Chris

[Hyfi]

Well for one thing, the Kenwood puts out 10% distortion which is pretty high.

Amplifier Output details 30 Watt - 6 Ohm - at 1 kHz - THD 10% - 2 channel(s) (main)

The 125 speakers appear to be Westboro sold in Japan same as receiver. I doubt many here will have experience with either.

Google Image Result for http://audio-heritage.jp/BOSE/speaker/125westborough(5).jpg

[blackraven]

Chris, there could be something wrong with the system or it could be thats just how it sounds. I hate to say this but for $800 you could have put together much better system, especially if you went the used route.

[chris9]

Chris, there could be something wrong with the system or it could be thats just how it sounds. I hate to say this but for $800 you could have put together much better system, especially if you went the used route.

Thanks for reply Blackraven,

Yeah...I have been thinking the same these couple of days....But why does it sound so dull, plain, and non-musical whilst it has very high definition and detail... I have never in my life come across with such a combination(ie. high definition and dullness). Which part do you think may have gone wrong?

Cheers
Chris

[chris9]

Well for one thing, the Kenwood puts out 10% distortion which is pretty high.

Amplifier Output details 30 Watt - 6 Ohm - at 1 kHz - THD 10% - 2 channel(s) (main)

The 125 speakers appear to be Westboro sold in Japan same as receiver. I doubt many here will have experience with either.

Google Image Result for http://audio-heritage.jp/BOSE/speaker/125westborough(5).jpg

Yes, you're right. THe speakers are sold in Japan because I am living in Japan. That's why I got this system because here in Japan, things work quite different from other countries and the gears available on the market are quite different models too. Without actually seeing and trying a stuff myself, I wouldn't make any decision to purchase anything, Hifi gears included.

[blackraven]

The amp may not have the power to be dynamic and the speakers and amp may not put out much bass. I bet the built in CD player is not very good as well.

Here is some info on the speaker that can be converted to English from Japanese

BOSE ƒXƒs�[ƒJ�[ƒVƒXƒeƒ€125 WestBorough‚ÌŽd—l ƒ{�[ƒY

[chris9]

The amp may not have the power to be dynamic and the speakers and amp may not put out much bass. I bet the built in CD player is not very good as well.

Here is some info on the speaker that can be converted to English from Japanese

BOSE ƒXƒs�[ƒJ�[ƒVƒXƒeƒ€125 WestBorough‚ÌŽd—l ƒ{�[ƒY

Hello,

Thank you for giving me more opinions.

Basically, sound appears dull and diluted no matter it plays dynamic or non-dynamic music. And dullness isn't only confined to musical instruments, but also human voice! I have been trying to play around with the equilizer and deep base control and I can get it quite dynamic and with the amount of bass that I am quite satisfied, still, what I get is a diluted kind of music. You would want to turn it off after only hearing one track of it if you know what I mean.

[Smokey]

You would want to turn it off after only hearing one track of it if you know what I mean.

That is called listening fatigue caused by amp's low power and high distortion

May be if you play around with speaker's location you get better sound results.