pdefina

I recently purchased 8000's and felt the same way. Way too bright and my ears hurt. After much experimentation, I now love the speakers without any EQ (no true audophile can live with EQ 🙂), Onkyo 709 in pure direct mode. The main issue was an Andover Audio Songbird using it's internal DAC and analog outs (Streaming Tidal and Amazon HD). That thing had smeared highs that were SO harsh, and the 8000's pass every bit of that detail along. Once I removed that and sent it back, I still didn't like my TV toslink connected to my Onkyo, and I really didn't want to spend $600 on the bluesound node and more on an external dac! So I finally connected a Firestick to an HDMI input on the Onkyo and it sounded MUCH better! Third Gen Firestick supports 24bits at 192. I've read that HDMI adds some noise so eventually I'd like to upgrade to a streamer and a dac, but for now the 8000's sound amazing. I have an Adcom GFA-5400 connected to the pre-amp outs on the Onkyo and that was also a little brighter than the built in Onkyo AMP, but once I got rid of the songbird I put the Adcom back and it sounds great. I guess my point is, the Klipsh's sound amazing when they are fed a decent signal, but they will sound horrible if you're passing in garbarge. At this point with just mediocre electronics I am blown away by the precise soundstage and detail I am hearing from these things. Vocals on a good recording are simply amazing. Dynamics, bass, and detailed highs are breath taking. What made me keep going and not send them back is that every review says they sound amazing and never mention harshness, so I assumed it must be my equipment, because reviewers always have a decent setup... PS I'm sure the Songbird sounds much better with an external DAC, or with less revealing speakers! But I sent it back because because Andover made a really BAD decision to limit the optical output to CD quality! So it's useless to an audiophile who wants to pass on the Hi-res signal from Tidal, and the average person just uses their TV's optical output! So what purpose can the songbird serve? Andover, Pass the hi-res signal through and I'll buy another one and get 20 others to buy it for $200.00 or less!