Sibilance has returned. What can I conclude?

[bRnzBzh]

I thought I'd vanquished the sibilance demon but after a crossover re-cap, it's back. Speakers have about 30 hours on them since re-cap.
I'm hearing exaggerated vocal "s" sounds, both male and female.

The only other recent change has been upgrading VooDoo ac cords several months ago from Vision to Dynasty. I did this to achieve better bass response. They are not bright sounding.

I've tried listening:

1) Through main system with speakers: Jay's CDT2MKII / onboard DAC (AKM) in Hegel H390 / Silverline SR17.5 standmounts
2) Through Grado SR225 headphones: Jay's CDT2MKIII / onboard DAC (AKM) in Hegel H390 / Schiit Jotunheim 2 headphone amp
3) Through Grado SR225 headphones direct into Jolida JD100 tubed CDP
4) Listening to YouTube on PC through Pre-Sonos E3.5 speakers

And the sibilance appears to be the same in every case.

What can I safely conclude from this ?

Can I rule out the room?
Can I rule out the speakers?
Is it worth trying a warm rather than neutral integrated?
Is it worth trying a warmer DAC?

Last hearing test was about two years ago. I was told there was nothing that would suggest my hearing was to blame for the sibilance I was experiencing.


Suggestions?

 

[treitz3]

Just an FYI, 30 hours is nowhere near long enough to break in the components of a new crossover unit. What I would suggest is unhook every connection and reseat, making sure that all connections are 100% secure. It doesn't appear that you will need to do this with any of the tubes, as you have some gear that does not utilize tubes, yet the sibilance is still there.

Do you have any room treatments/absorbers?

Tom

 

[bRnzBzh]

Just an FYI, 30 hours is nowhere near long enough to break in the components of a new crossover unit. What I would suggest is unhook every connection and reseat, making sure that all connections are 100% secure. It doesn't appear that you will need to do this with any of the tubes, as you have some gear that does not utilize tubes, yet the sibilance is still there.

Do you have any room treatments/absorbers?

Tom

OK. this is my first experience with speaker re-cap, , so that's good to kn ow. I have system in living room with no treatment. Not optimal, but that's my only option. FYI: with my previous system: Wells Audio Majestic integrated, Moon 260 transport and Aqua DAC, there was zero sibilance.

 

[jadedavid]

You list several listening set ups. All with sibilance.
So you must ask what is common among all of these set ups.
It would appear to be the power cables.

 

[bRnzBzh]

You list several listening set ups. All with sibilance.
So you must ask what is common among all of these set ups.
It would appear to be the power cables.

The power cables are a factor in two of the four scenarios-- not all four. But thanks for your response.

 

[treitz3]

If there is no component utilized in all of the aforementioned listening scenarios, then it could just boil down to two things (maybe at the same time).

One piece of your new kit may not do as good as job filtering out noise as your previous gear, and your speakers haven't broken in yet. You could either wait to see if the new crossover components settle down, or try some A/C filtering/noise thwarting devices.

Two products that might answer the noise on the A/C lines for you would be the Vera-Fi Snubway and Master Class Dynamic A/C line conditioner. All you would need for those are 2 available outlets on the system circuit and $600.

If it isn't the noise on your mains, then they can be returned, but be forewarned, you may really like the end result as to what they do. They both target differing frequencies where noise and hash resides within the incoming A/C lines and work best in a combo. Just food for thought. This is just a quick way to get your answer and please do not think that I am in any way affiliated with Vera-Fi. I am not. I am just trying to help you identify the issue here. FWIW.

Tom

 

[bRnzBzh]

If there is no component utilized in all of the aforementioned listening scenarios, then it could just boil down to two things (maybe at the same time).

One piece of your new kit may not do as good as job filtering out noise as your previous gear, and your speakers haven't broken in yet. You could either wait to see if the new crossover components settle down, or try some A/C filtering/noise thwarting devices.

Two products that might answer the noise on the A/C lines for you would be the Vera-Fi Snubway and Master Class Dynamic A/C line conditioner. All you would need for those are 2 available outlets on the system circuit and $600.

If it isn't the noise on your mains, then they can be returned, but be forewarned, you may really like the end result as to what they do. They both target differing frequencies where noise and hash resides within the incoming A/C lines and work best in a combo. Just food for thought. This is just a quick way to get your answer and please do not think that I am in any way affiliated with Vera-Fi. I am not. I am just trying to help you identify the issue here. FWIW.

Tom

All my components are well broken in. It's entirely possible the new Dayton caps haven't broken in yet, but my online searching hasn't yielded any consensus regarding whether caps can actually cause sibilance during the break-in process. I'm not familiar with the Vera-Fi products. Thanks for your suggestions. I have very limited space behind my components, so I'm not sure how I could utilize such products. I'll have to brainstorm. I've reached out to Vera-fi.

 

[jadedavid]

In your four examples, that you cited, the only two common things that I see (after eliminating the differences in power cables) are the electrical AC from the wall and you.
While breaking in the new crossover’s might help the speakers, You noted that you also used headphones and noted the sibilance.
When the sibilance occurs across all of your examples, you must look for what is common between them all.

 

[ADGold]

I don't have any solutions but can sympathize with what you are describing. Sibilance is incredibly distracting and has a profound negative impact on the listening experience. Hoping you get this resolved!

 

[bRnzBzh]

In your four examples, that you cited, the only two common things that I see (after eliminating the differences in power cables) are the electrical AC from the wall and you.
While breaking in the new crossover’s might help the speakers, You noted that you also used headphones and noted the sibilance.
When the sibilance occurs across all of your examples, you must look for what is common between them all.

Exactly, and lacking the expertise of many here, that commonality has not been clear to me, hence the thread. Thanks for your response. With my previou system, I had no sibilance. We have our own transformer and live about a mile from the sub-station. I don't know enough about the electrical grid or power to guess what could've changed to produce sibilance in my system. And, needless to say, the question of which power conditioning products are effective is, like many others in this hobby, open to debate.

 

[bRnzBzh]

I don't have any solutions but can sympathize with what you are describing. Sibilance is incredibly distracting and has a profound negative impact on the listening experience. Hoping you get this resolved!

Thanks. It's quite frustrating.

 

[Argonaut]

First thought would be a potential Valve / Tube issue …

 

[Balle Clorin]

You list several listening set ups. All with sibilance.
So you must ask what is common among all of these set ups.
It would appear to be the power cables.

Or his ears…and recordings.

 

[Gregm]

As per your description above, this is a very strange situation:
a) sibilance on both headphones & speakers and, b) changed power chords (and new xover caps -- but these do not affect the h-phones).
Have you cleaned the I-C connectors, oxidation can sometimes create a 5-7kHz peak (i.e. sibilance).

 

[bRnzBzh]

As per your description above, this is a very strange situation:
a) sibilance on both headphones & speakers and, b) changed power chords (and new xover caps -- but these do not affect the h-phones).
Have you cleaned the I-C connectors, oxidation can sometimes create a 5-7kHz peak (i.e. sibilance).

No ICs in system, currently, as I'm as I'm using Hegel's internal DAC, having sold my previous Aqua La Voce standalone DAC due to fatigue issues. I can try cleaning digital cable.

 

[treitz3]

First thought would be a potential Valve / Tube issue …

That was one of my thoughts as well, but tubes are not part of the equation in some of the signal paths, where sibilance was heard.

Tom

 

[bRnzBzh]

To Clarify:

1) There was no sibilance until crossover caps were replaced.
2) I was using the same ac cords and there was no sibilance.
3) I'm hearing sibilance on CDs that exhibited no sibilance before recap.

That said, I can find no info online attributing sibilance to new crossover caps. It might be out there, but I haven't found it.

It seems far-fetched to think something else changed in the system right around the same time that caps were replaced but I suppose it's remotely possible. I have no idea what it might be. Some weird change in power grid? Undiagnosed hearing issue reaching some sort of tipping point?

 

[steve59]

Is either the new caps or some hearing sensitivity that’s bothering you. I think treitz called it.

 

[bRnzBzh]

Is either the new caps or some hearing sensitivity that’s bothering you. I think treitz called it.

Well, the caps are the only thing that I can say without a doubt has changed. . . aside from my increased frustration. There seems to be little consensus regarding sibilance and power issues. But then, I guess the same thing could be said for many aspects of audio.

 

[TooCool4]

Could it be your new setup is allowing you to hear what you did not hear before, now that you hear it and you know it’s there you can now not never not notice it.

It’s funny people say, I upgraded my system and I can now hear this, that and the other which I did not hear before. It was always there, but you just didn’t notice it. Once your attention has been drawn to it, game over you will always notice it.

It’s like the puzzle where’s Wally? Once you have found him on the page, you know where he is you will always go straight to him when you are on that page.