2. misc-audio
  3. 182012-159065

Interesting situation! Do we need this....

  I had a very interesting and unsettling experience that brings this hobby all together...or rips it apart. Recently,  I bought a pair of Fluence SX6 speakers, on sale at Amazon for $120 pair. A small, black, two way bookshelf speaker. Highly-positively reviewed. My plan was to pull the drivers to use in another project. I couldn't buy drivers and crossovers like this for $120(More on this later)...Anyways, I was listening to my new kit amplifier, AKITIKA Z4 that I recently built...Streaming Quobuz...The Fluance speakers were set up next to the KEF LS50 Metas as I had used them previously to test yet another kit amplifier, Nelson Pass' ACA Mini.....For six hours I was simply amazed at how great the AKITIKA kit amp sounded. Massive sound stage, tight, well defined bass, some of the best vocals I've heard, the "AIR" around jazz instruments was fantastic!.....a system to behold...playing through my KEF LS50 Metas....Six hours later, after all types of music, it was time to call it a night (or early morning)....As I go to shut down the system, I realize that all night I was listening to the Fluance speakers!!! They were placed side by side with the KEFs. Do we really need any of this high end equipment to really enjoy the music!

rbertalotto
moonwatcher
465 posts
 

All this may say something about the relative quality of the Fluance speakers and the drivers they use. I've never heard them...wasn't a fan of the yellow drivers just based on looks. Good luck with your project if you intend to finish it. 

rbertalotto OP
138 posts
 

It will be interesting to see what his experience is with the intended combination, but he never said that the “lower expectation” speaker was better.

 

I did connect the KEF LS50 Metas to the Akitika Z4 amplifier, and gave a it a good listen. It is quite obvious that the Fluance speakers are simply no match for the KEFs......The KEF create a sound stage like no other speaker I've auditioned in my living room....on some recordings you'd swear there were two more speakers on the sides of you....It's actually spooky. The Fluance speakers have a rise in the 70hz and down range which gives the impression of deeper bass, but in reality it is just more bass. In my room it is rather plesant. The KEF's are an amazing speaker.....In 50 years of selling, installing, designing systems, only a couple other speakers ever impressed me like the LS50 Metas. (Any Magnepans, Dahlquest DQ10s, B&O Red Line series, and in the right room, Klipsch Forte)......But I'm here to tell ya, for $120 a pair, the Fluance speakers are remarkable....or maybe it is just my room and my ears that they have "synergy"...

rbertalotto OP
138 posts
 

wasn't a fan of the yellow drivers just based on looks. 

No YELLOW drivers..... Basic Black....I see the price has gone up $30!

 

 

jl35
4,007 posts
 

I think Amazon read this discussion and realized a new market about to emerge...

jetter
3,033 posts
 

I hate to tell this story. Years ago living in Huntington Beach, CA, my old stomping (and surfing) grounds. Had modded monoblock amps, tube pre, Museatex Meitner CDD transport and DAC, Triangle Antal speakers. Never a word when people would come and visit.

Monoblocks went down, so in the meantime packed it up and set up a Cambridge Soundworks by Henry Koss set of two small one way speakers with subwoofer, something like this

Picture 1 of 3

 

Hung those little squares up one on each side of the corner wall about two feet apart. Played one of those little darling Radio Shack DVD players that were all the rage through them.

Everyone who came in, all non audio people, comment how great it sounded. Funny thing is it was just a little bit incredible. However it happened, it was like the complete walls they were hung on disappeared, everything disappeared but the music.  Just one of those funny little things that happens when you least expect it.

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