Gradually I'm finding ways to improve the sound from my Ascend speakers. Moving the center forward and tilting it up helped with movie soundtracks.

Now I've listened to unprocessed stereo CDs, as Dave suggested, and my concern is, once again, hard to explain. When I listen to a singer, I think I'm hearing their voice as it's modified by their microphone. So it's not the pure voice, but the voice with electronics getting in the way and making it a bit....what should I call it....reedy, papery, something like that.

I don't have a problem with the treble or bass, but the mid-tones seem to be the issue.

My theory now is that, maybe my old speakers muffled the voices enough that, in retrospect, I remember them as "richer" than they are through the Sierras. The old ones were floor-standing speakers but not high-end at all, so I can't believe they actually did a better job.

Any thoughts? I really want to love these speakers as much as other owners do, and I'm starting to wonder if I'm just imagining things!