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Looking for speaker choice advice.....

I'm looking for some direction/help in selecting some new speaks for my recently completed dedicated listening room. The room itself is built over my garage and measures 16' wide x 30' long. Side walls are 4' tall where the rafter slope occurs with the main flat ceiling about 8' wide at 8'-4" high running the length of the room.

My existing components include a 250/wpc Threshold S500 controlled by a Conrad Johnson PV11. I was previously running B&W CDM7s but this room was a little too large for those so I sold them to finance an upgrade. I'm looking for a very musical speaker w/good bass extension, natural mids and an accurate high end.

My musical taste center around progressive rock (60%) , (think Yes, Genesis and some newer stuff along the same lines), modern jazz guitar (10%) and classical strings (30%). I'm looking for a full range floor stander to cover all the bases. Size isn't an issue since the room is all mine and right now I'm setting my max budget at $3.5k.

Unfortunately, I'm in a somewhat audio depraved location and there isn't a lot of places to demo gear although I may take a trip to NY in the spring just to do some demos if I can't decide but I don't mind "buy to try" if I can turn them around w/o loss. I was originally thinking of sticking w/B&Ws, going with M802S3s or N803s but have recently found interest in the Coincident Super Eclipse, Soliloquy 6.3, and Maggie 1.6 and 3.3s.

So... Any comments or suggestions? I'm dying to get some nice speakers in this room since I sold my B&Ws my interims have been old DCM TF600s (which still sound pretty good considering their age and $75 price tag).
b2sc
brulee
564 posts
 
Hi B2sc, The larger Vandersteens, Maggies 3.6 are excellent speakers. Both should do fine in your room. IMO, the maggies seem to do their best with big amps. I have owned the Coincident SE and the TE. If you can find a deal on the TE, I think it will be more to your likeing than the SE. It is IMO, a speaker that should have no problem fitting in and filling your room much better than the SE. All the speakers mentioned, except the VMPS and Avantgarde, which I have not heard, are great speakers. One reason I mention the Total Eclipse is because it should have enough bass to satisfy you and your room. It also is very easy to drive.
Maybe Garfish will see this thread and give some of his thoughts on the Vandersteen's.
Hope you find the one that makes you happy.
If you are interested, I will be more than happy to give my opinions on the SE vs TE. Good hunting.
b2sc OP
17 posts
 
Wow, thanks for all the responses. Please keep them coming. My intended budget is for used speakers. I obviously need to check out the 3.6s, even if I have to drive 3-4 hours to find some to listen to.

I've heard a lot of great things about the Vandy 3A Sigs but man, that's a face only a mother could love. Sorry, but sometimes I like to listen with the lights on :-) (no offense meant to 3A Sig owners)

I assume nobody commenting on my amp is a good thing since I don't want any problems driving whatever I end up buying.
I won't mnd upgrading it someday but it won't be anytime soon after the speaker purchase... :-)

And Brulee, those SE/TEs are still at the top of my list so I'd very much like to hear your opinions between the 2. Feel free to post here or email me privately if that's more appropriate.

Brian
esoxhntr
196 posts
 
Vandersteen 3A are an excellent all round speaker, but make sure you also check out a pair of Aerial 10T. Lots available in your price range and truly a speaker that does almost nothing wrong. I can't imagine why they were discontinued....
tok20000's avatar
tok20000
608 posts
 
Maggies have a few flaws:

1 - Their bass is not good. Forget anything belo 35hz with the 3.6's. And this is if you have world class bass amplification.

2 - They lack dynamics of a good box speaker. Especially if you run them with a typical 100wpc-200wpc amp.

3 - It takes a lot of power to drive Maggies well. I had the 3.6's for 3 years and I ended up driving them with 2 Plinius SA 100 mk3 amps (665wpc into the Maggies). This combo was the best I had ever heard driving the Maggie (especially for dynamics, Maggies get more dynamic when fed with more current).

Everything else about the Maggies is world class. I love them as speakers, but they ultimately do not have the dynamics to produce live sound. Switching from Maggies to the Viennea Acoustic Mahlers was a good transition. I did not initially enjoy the sound of the Mahlers than the Maggies (INITIALLY); however, my system when I first got the Mahlers was designed around the Maggie 3.6's. A year later, after my system has evolved around the Mahlers, I can safely say that I am getting better sound (that I like) out of the Mahlers than I ever did from the 3.6's.

You can see my system at this link:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vopin&1043544749&openusid&zzTok20000&4&5#Tok20000

Enjoy!

KF

PS You might want to look at Vienna Acoustic Speakers. They may not be the absolute best in every category at their price points; however, they are very solid in all categories at their price points.
phasecorrect's avatar
phasecorrect
2,013 posts
 
Still...with your dedicated room...I would be hard pressed not to give the Maggies a shot...any yes...you have enough room for 3.3s...although the 1.6s would work great too...and are the better value...good luck
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