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Good speakers for Gaincard under $1500?

Hello,

I have the Silverline SR11 and borrowed a friend's ProAc Tab 50 Sig.

To make a long story short, I am listening to my old NHT SuperOne. SR11 sounds too recessed, and Tab50 sounds too hyper to me. I find the SuperOne more natural sounding than both ProAc and Silverline. Sad day for me indeed...

So, what are some good speakers around $1000 give or take a few Gs to match with the Gaincard? A few speakers that I got my eyes on and can afford and haven't listend to are:

Audio Physics Spark-avaialable used on Agon
Von Schweikert VR-1
Audio Physics Yara
Dunlavy SC1/AV or SC2/AV
HorneShoppe's The Horn
Moth Cicada
NHT 1.5, ST-4 or SB-3

Some speakers I'd love to hear but can't afford:

Rethm entire line
Konus Essence
Silverline Sonatina
Audio Physics Virgo
Dunlavy SC-iii
Von Schweikert VR-4 SE
*crying*

Rest of my system:
Meridian 500
Channel Island VDA-1 and VAC-1
Gaincard
All Bogdan cables except a Virtual Dynamic Audition Power on the transport

Please share your opinions with me. Thanks.
viggen
viggen OP
838 posts
 
Well, I just placed an order for the JTM speakers. Now I just have to wait 3 weeks for it to be built and shipped to me. I ordered it with extra long speaker cables directly connected to the driver, so there will be no connection issues to deal with.

Also, I ordered the black finish. Carolina speakers only comes in black, white or no finish. And, since Carolina speakers are made with MDF, staining the speakers to look similar to Konus like the one in the enjoythemusic.com link would be difficult.

Dekay, I did come across the Reynauds Twin, and they are actually very good looking. I got the Twin mixed up with the other Reynaud speaker with the top mounted tweeter.
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,593 posts
 
Viggen, and the top mounted tweeters were (let me guess:-) staring @ you? LOL!

I do not care for top mounted tweeters due to our free range cats (such a design is an accident waiting to happen in our household).

The drivers on the Gallo speakers (mentioned above) remind me of big nipples, but I can see how they would look like eyes to some.

If you find the new speakers to be good for the for the long haul you can always have them veneered @ some point.

I will be very interested in your feedback once the drivers have 200-300 hours on them (baby them @ first).
viggen OP
838 posts
 
Dekay,

I think we need to start a new thread. Speakers and Psychodynamics.

Perhaps I have insecurities unknown to me and want to be away from prying eyes thus I saw eyeballs.

You saw nipples because... lets not go there haha.

I will let you know how the pseudo-konus sounds and away with this pseudo psychoanalysis.

But seriously, what do you think of the magnet cables that Ronnie uses in his speakers. I think it is a CAT 5? Or, rather, should I send him my own cables? The Bogdans I am using are inexpensive and are the best speaker cables I've used so far.
dekay's avatar
dekay
5,593 posts
 
Hi Viggen:

Not certain about the cable.

I have listened to DIY speaker cables made from CAT 5 before, but the design was a complex one that killed the music compared to the simplistic speaker cable that I am used to (did not pay much attention to the Belden cable itself).

How is Ronnie using the CAT 5?
viggen OP
838 posts
 
Dekay,

I think he is using 3 cables and braided. I am not certain. When he first spoke of the CAT cable, I was like HUH? So what he said about the cable after that went over my head. At first, I thought he meant the CAT that makes those preamps.

But I think I will send him 10ft pair of Bogdan to install.

Also, I understand you use OTA cables? Tell me, how do you use their speakercables? Single run each for hot and ground and bare-wire? So, if I want a 10ft pair, I will need 40 ft of OTA? Or, do you use braided multi-conductor thus needing more than 40ft for a 10 ft cable pair ?

Also, I just perused the OTA thread, there seems to be a degredation in sound quality when the OTA cable length is over 2M?
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