Problem: The sound balance is too warm, too much low frequencies
Possible solution: 1) Acoustic (over)damped rooms or long loudspeaker-to-listener distances can cause higher frequencies to dampen more than lower ones. Set the tweeter level higher with the jumpers. 2) Place your listening position closer to the loudspeakers. 3) Place the loudspeakers further from the wall 4) Zero-feedback tube amplifiers are not suitable for reflex loaded loudspeaker systems. Stefano Bianchini in his 2025 article explains clearly: "With .. reflex loads, the lack of feedback almost always leads to a disorderly sound: boomy bass, poor precision, and difficulty reproducing complex musical passages, which end up turning into confusion."
Problem: There is audible distortion
Possible solution: 1) Check if the loudspeaker connections are loose. Also older cables can cause harmonic and other distortion. 2) Check if your cable or the connection is not oxidized or polluted. 3) In case of tube amplifiers: check if any or all of the tubes need to be replaced. Tubes have a limited lifespan. 4) Zero-feedback tube amplifiers are not suitable for reflex loaded loudspeaker systems. Stefano Bianchini in his 2025 article explains clearly: "With ..... reflex loads, the lack of feedback almost always leads to a disorderly sound: boomy bass, poor precision, and difficulty reproducing complex musical passages, which end up turning into confusion."
Problem: The bass response level is low
Possible solution: 1) Check the polarity of the cables. A single reverse polarity will cancel out whole frequency groups 2) Put the loudspeakers and/or listening position closer to the wall
Problem: The bass response level is too high
Possible solution: 1) Put the loudspeakers and/or listening position further from the wall. 2) Check the bass and/or loudness adjustment levels on your amplifier. Set them in the neutral position. 3) Set the tweeter level higher with the jumpers. Additional jumpers for an even higher level are also available on request. 4) Check if your cable or the connection is not oxidized or polluted. 5) In case of tube amplifiers: check if any or all of the tubes need to be replaced. Tubes have a limited lifespan. 6) Many Zero-feedback tube amplifiers with extremely low damping factor are not suitable for reflex loaded loudspeaker systems. Replace the amplifier 7) If the above does not work a small internal damping modification by Jem may solve the situation.
Problem: The sound level is very low
Possible solution: 1) Check if there is no short circuit anywhere. 2) Check if the loudspeaker or signal connections are loose. 3) What you are hearing is crosstalk. Check if the right source is selected. Before doing that put the volume button on a low setting!!
Problem: poor or reduced stereo imaging
Possible solution: 1) Check the polarity of the cables. A single reverse polarity will cancel out whole frequency groups. 2) Place the loudspeakers further from the (side)wall. 3) Use a seperate Digital to Analog Converter (DAC). External DAC's usually perform much better in regard of stereo imaging and transparency compared to the internal DAC's of mediaplayers, amplifiers or CD-players.
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