Looking for speaker recommendations that I can purchase on Amazon.com
Budget: under US$5000 and would prefer a price point of less than $3000/pair. The most expensive speakers I have owned so far are Polk RTi A7's, so this will be a big jump for me.
Purpose: music
Room: I tend to move every few years, so I don't want speakers that
will work best only with very specific room conditions. Currently, I
will be using these in a medium size room of about 22 feet x 18 feet.
The room has carpet and window treatments.
Music sources: CD's,
lossless music files stored on computer and MP3's when that's all I have
available. I don't ahve any SACD's yet, but I plan on purchasing more
high quality music once I have this system set up.
Music styles: acoustic, Indian classical (sitar, srangi, flute), alternative rock (Portugal. The Man, Sleeping with Sirens, etc.), older rock (e.g., Rush).
The speakers should sound good playing the Tanpura (aka Tambura). It is a
classical Indian accompaniment instrument in the "drone" category. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanpura) Example of sound here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7tlqXix_eo With bad equipment that sound is fatiguing to me. Live it is beautiful and relaxing. Hopefully I can find speakers that will do it justice.
Personal Preferences: I am looking for non-fatiguing, warm, musical qualities. In another discussion topic here on this forum, @mtrot and I agreed about "smooth, sweet, soft, silky treble" and "shimmery, airy cymbals" as goals.
Amplifier: Yamaha P5000S
DAC: to be determined, but probably something like the Teac NT-503
Finally, the speakers of choice must be sold on Amazon.com, Bestbuy.com (or possibly some other similar retail website). I have personal reasons for this limitation. It isn't always true that I will need to buy all my speakers or audio gear from one of these sites, but for the moment, it is a requirement. Please don't recommend anything that isn't available on one of these sites. Thanks.
@lowoverdrive - Sorry it's taken me a few days to get back to this. You asked, "Do you have any links to audiophile reviews on these speakers that you think are authoritative?"
I heard the T2s this past September at their Emofest event in a two-channel demo room, and they were amazing. (Two-channel music listening is my thing, so I spent more time in that room than anywhere else.) As different groups of people would come in for a demo session, someone would invariably say, "where's the sub?" and be astonished to find that there was not one, however I will assert that the big bass end is just one of many great things about these speakers - crystal clear with "clean edges" to the sound and beautiful imaging, lots of depth and separation. I have their older XRT 6.2 towers which I love, but have to admit, I am longing for the T2s with their monoblock amps after that listen!
I really would encourage you to reach out to the Emotiva folks and chat, try to audition them in your home. I feel pretty sure you'll be very surprised (if not amazed) at the big bang for the buck! And I feel like the Emotiva staff would work to accommodate your need to purchase through Amazon too. It is a fairly small company, very personal and family-like, with wonderful customer service.
@yyzsantabarbara - Yes, that's another valid point. One will often pay retail or above retail when shopping for certain products on Amazon.
It's absolutely ignorant to say that the independent third party merchants selling on Amazon.com, who often operate local brick and mortar stores, who are authorized dealers, who know their products, and who sell at retail are guilty of all the supposed evils mentioned earlier in this thread.
I don't have an interest in countering all those earlier incorrect or misinformed statements. I'm also not interested in debating the pros and cons of Amazon's business practices on Audiogon. (If I wanted to do that, there are better forums for it. And if I were participating in one of those discussions, it is very unlikely that I would be defending corporate Amazon or their platform.)
However, I'll try to stick to what I'm here for -- learning about speakers. I'm definitely not promoting Amazon.
The title of THIS thread is "Looking for speaker recommendations that I can purchase on Amazon.com". I've been pretty clear about that.
If anyone wishes to start a NEW, separate discussion on the topic of "What's wrong with buying high end audio gear on Amazon?" or "Where is the best place to buy high end audio gear?" maybe that could be useful. However, I didn't ask those questions.
I'm not here to promote Amazon (or BestBuy). I am not suggesting Amazon is an ideal place to buy high end audio gear.
I came here to get answers to a specific question, and I have gotten a lot of good answers. I appreciate all of those. That's going to help me make a more informed purchase on Amazon or BestBuy this time around.
I don't know much about audio gear. But I know relatively much more about Amazon. Having a debate about Amazon (in another thread) could be worthwhile. (I probably won't participate.) But it is unfortunate that many of the people offering opinions about Amazon in this thread clearly don't have their facts straight. A worthwhile debate about the pros and cons of Amazon might be educational and useful. But when people conflate Amazon.com corporate with independent third party merchants, as was done time and again in this thread, all that does is misinform the reader. I'm well past that stage of understanding Amazon, and I am well aware of Amazon's many pitfalls, so all these opinions have no influence on me. I'm here to learn about speakers and other audio gear. Thanks
BTW - people who are stating that Amazon is no place to buy high end gear have not researched what is sold on Amazon. Some of the best speakers in the world are sold there. Take a closer look, but you will pay MSRP.
@clarinetmonster2 Thanks for the info about Elacs and the Sonus faber Venere S. I will look closer at both options. As you know, stuff on Amazon can go out of stock and come back into stock any time, so I'll keep an eye open for the Elac FS407.
I know that these speakers are a REAL value at $49 plus shipping. I am continuing to be amazed at the quality of this design, by Dayton using the Air Motion Transformer (AMT) tweeter, made famous by ESS Heil in the 1970s. Sure, you could spend more on speakers, but you should at least listen to a pair of these before investing 10 times or 100 times more. As editor of "Computer Audiophile on the Cheap", I recommend only products that have been tested by me personally. With such a low price, you could afford a separate subwoofer, as the deep bass notes are not going to put a thump on your chest, but the mids and hi-end will be marvelous. May I also suggest the iFi iOne DAC. It retails for $199 and is also available from Amazon. I am four days into testing, and this Multibit DAC performs beyond my expectations.
1 - if Best Buy and Amazon are the only places you can buy right now, I would postpone your purchase until that changes. They are not the best places to buy high end audio gear
2 - you should be looking at used speakers. Would you rather have $5K speakers that are instantly worth a fraction of that the minute you take delivery, or some used $10K speakers that sound a whole lot better (assuming they are carefully selected - price certainly doesn't always = better sound)
The benefit offered by many online retailers is in-home auditions. It's true that sellers like Amazon and BB have no real knowledge to offer, but the same can be said for 2/3 of the hi-fi dealers in my area. They simply stock the most attractive speakers and gear. I've encountered $50k systems that sound terrible because these dealers are clueless about room/speaker/gear synergy, or they're more focused on home theater applications. When you ask about in-home auditions, they tell you that all sales are final, or they only allow exchange for store credit. The brick and mortar industry is dying because most consumers simply don't care much about sound quality. They want small, unobtrusive, "plug and play" speakers that can relay the news or weather. They're creatures of convenience. Many have no interest in learning how to drive, let alone set up a hi-fi stereo. I don't like it either, but it's the reality of our times.
The OP had already countered suggestions for other retailers prior to your post. I don't think he should have to repeatedly defend his position.
The Elacs on Amazon I would have recommended, (the FS407) seem to be "temporarily out of stock". All the Elacs in the FS line to me are the real Elacs, made in Germany with in-house designed drivers. The Andrew Jones stuff is their China line.
If you want to put a pair of Sonus Faber on your list, the Venere line sounds much better than the Chameleon line, if the looks are ok for you. Either the Venere 2.5 or 3.0 fit into your proposed budget. The Venere S are 5k but are supposedly the only model in the line actually built in Italy vs China.
Some are asking why would somebody buy on Amazon...maybe the OP like myself gets all these Bonus Points for using an Amazon Credit Card. If you pay off your CC Bill every month its Free money so might as well use it on some mid level audio gear/speakers. Other than KEF it doesnt look like any other HIGH END (10K+) Speakers are available so I will have a long wait saving up for those!!
Agree with previous poster regarding the Emotiva Airmotiv T2's. Haven't seen reviews on them yet (relatively new) but there are ample reviews on the T1's. I own the T2's and have been quite pleased. FWIW free shipping and a trial period come with the purchase. The T1's are sold on Amazon
How about the Bowers & Wilkins - CM10 S2 Triple 6-1/2" 3-Way Floor Standing Speaker? Featuring triple 6-1/2" bass cones, a 6" midrange cone and a 1" tweeter, this Bowers & Wilkins CM10 S2 Rosenut floorstanding speaker fills a large room with stunning, true-to-life audio. The tweeter-on-top design ensures studio-grade sound is emitted.
Along with a 6" woven KEVLAR® fiber FST midrange cone deliver deep, powerful lows and crisp midrange tones, filling large rooms with stunningly detailed, realistic sound.
1" free-mounted Decoupled Double Dome aluminum tweeter
Sounds like 1 source rather than several separate sources.
45Hz - 28kHz frequency response (±3dB)
Delivers a wide range of accurately reproduced sound.
90dB sensitivity (2.83V, 1m)
Provides robust audio.
8V nominal impedance (3.1V minimum)
Ensures efficient conduction of power through the speaker.
These speakers are usually $4,000 a pair. Right now, Best Buy has them on sale for $3200 per pair. They are rated by verified buyers at 4.9 stars out of 5, with 74 reviews posted. 100% would recommend this product to a friend.
The thing I like about them is that they aren't as large and imposing as my Paradigm Studio 100 Reference Series speakers, so they would fit in any size room comfortably and with any style décor. I am sure your meditation music would sound great on them, but they will really shine when you play acoustic music, which has more range and depth than what I heard on the YouTube link you posted. You can almost hear the finger pickers finger print easing over the string on guitar.
Alborosie You are spot on. Amazon is best for mass market average at best products not hifi gear. After all Amazon is a Walmart competitor. Having a good relationship with a local dealer is invaluable. You can demo products in your own home and make the choice that suits you. You can also usually trade in your old gear towards upgrades. The Yamaha P5000s works best with Yamaha club series speakers. Great set up for an arena or night club where quanity trumps quality. Return the yahama if your end goal is quality sound. Best Buy Magnolia is ok. Some products are good. The problem is the staff. Not experienced not super knowledgeable and have limited information about products they don’t sell. My first system was from crutchfield, JVC products with infinity speakers. Next stop was an upgrade to carver gear and Cambridge sound works tower 1s. After 10 years I upgraded to all Krell from source to speakers.
@clarinetmonster2 Thanks for those suggestions. In regard to the SF Chameleon, I don't really like the way they look. Personal preference. But I don't think I could have made myself buy them ;-)
The Emotiva's are good. Really good. I have a pair of the T1's and absolutely *love* them. My neighbor went out and bought an identical pair within a few hours of listening to mine.
Emotiva also have a 30 day return no questions asked policy, so if you don't like them you're only out the return postage (which I'll admit might be $100 or so, these speakers are big :-).
I had the same experience as you with LS50 - the W's are better and probably a decent buy at their price but still not my taste. I may get flamed for this opinion but if ever a speaker could sound too polite and slightly sterile at the same time, for me these are it.
I'll add a couple recs I like on Amazon: Dali Opticon 6 or 8 Martin Logan Motion 60xt Alta Audio Rhea
I also like the Tannoy and Elac recs above - I like the real Elacs with the Jet tweeters better than the Andrew Jones lines personally. I would scratch the SF Chameleon off the list - there are much better options in this thread.
I was not extremely impressed with the LS50s I heard and they were powered by the Parasound Int. They were good for certain types of music but sounded bad with rock. Almost everyone I read about says the Ws are on a different level. A_shaw, since you own both can you compare them.
I own both Kef LS 50 in my 2ndy system powered by Parasound Halo HINT. a 2nd pair of LS 50 W purchased from amazon for my home office you just can't go wrong with them for my bedroom I have the Audioengine HD6 totally non fatiguing and inexpensive A/B amp powered speakers !
With so many recommendations for the KEF LS50, it seems like I need to give these a try. I had my mind set on floorstanding speakers initially, but after reading all the recommendations for the LS50 here, I think I will give them a try first.
Even if I still end up buying floorstanding speakers for my music room, I can then put the LS50 in my smaller home theater room to replace my Polk RTi A3’s.
I will call a nearby BestBuy store before buying the LS50 on Amazon. I do NOT plan to get the wireless / powered version. I like the Yamaha P5000S amp quite a bit, so I’ll be keeping that.
Thanks for all the feedback so far. Very educational and interesting.
I will continue looking at floorstanding stpeakers.
The DAC’s that I am most interested in so far include:
Oppo Sonica
Teac NT-503
I also like the Pioneer U-05 but since it is a Japanese domestic model and (as far as I can see) only ships to the US from Japan (which would make returns problematic) I probably won’t buy this one.
Can you order from the magnolia store which is part of best buy? If so get an ma5300 integrated for about 4500. and a pair of harbeth 7es3 from elsewhere. Trust me it will a sweet system!
Since Amazon is apparently willing to cover return shipping of large speakers, you might as well begin some in-home auditions. It's essentially risk free as long as you're careful with handling. I like the LS50s, but they're more competitive in the $2k to $3k range. In your room, you'd want to pair them with a sub or two.
The R900s should negate the need for a sub but give you most, if not all of the midrange goodness the LS50s have to offer.
Keep a journal with listening and placement notes for each pair you audition.
I forgot to mention that Best Buy gave me a 12% discount on KEF LS50 speakers and performance stands. I don't think you will get that on Amazon though.
+1 for KEF LS50 Wireless. I've had mine for about a month now and thoroughly enjoying them. They are definitely better than my $4000 B&W CM10 floor standers that I sold recently. I am very impressed with the built-in amps. I don't have any issues with the built-in DAC but the OP can add a separate DAC in the future.
Best Buy Magnolia (Design Center) carries them, so the OP can always buy them from the store and return them if they do not meet expectations. If a design center is not nearby, the OP can have them shipped and possibly do a direct store return (instead of paying for shipping), provided Best Buy allows it.
there are lots of well reviewed speakers in your price range...some you will like, some not...a review is simply one person's opinion, with different equipment in a different room with often unknown musical preferences....
Purpose Music Vandersteens are way more sophisticated than a Box I heard the brand mentioned above last night again in one room the Vandersteen 3A Sigs another easy choice Vandersteen phase and time correct use propitiatory drivers in a stepped baffle-less muli enclosure to negate unwanted boxiness and reflections that add artificial brightness. All drivers are in sinc with the pulse of the microphone preserving all the music's fundamentals and overtones intact. Unlike other speakers where some drivers in phase and others 180 out. Kavi Alexander used these to master A meeting by the river. Rye Cooder Indian recording artist Hindustani Virtuoso Bhatt playing together won a recording achievement. Vandersteen would want you to have the personal support that you deserve. The promise of making sure performance is delivered with all the details dealt with where mail order clerks just aren’t trained for this Your call on what you deserve. Best JohnnyR Audio Connection Vandersteen dealer 27 years
Selected quotes from reviews of the Dynaudio Excite X34 2-Way Floorstanding Speakers.
What is "upper treble shading"? Is that the opposite of brightness? Could shading be something positive in my case?
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/dynaudio-excite-x34/ "In tonal balance, the X34 is reasonably neutral with the exception of some upper treble shading, and a hint of mid/upper bass ripeness. Strings could be sweeter—they tend to be a little dry, and violin section layering is not quite fully explored."
http://www.highfidelity.pl/@main-458&lang=en "you should combine them with amplification that doesn't add anything from itself to the upper midrange, or maybe even is a bit shy in this area. These speakers aren't really bright sounding, but they are capable of delivering so much information that less expensive amplifiers are not able to deliver. ... I would suggest pairing them up with amps offering a bit warmer sound. Heed, Roksan, Advance Acoustic – you should look among these. Clones Audio should be a nice partner too. Or some tube amplifier."
"Their sound signature is somehow specific so you need more time than usually to discover what this sound is about. To achieve this kind of sound (that many will recognize as the right choice) Danish designers had to make many choices. One of them was a choice of tonality. X34 offer „fresh”, open sound – I've already mentioned that. They deliver a lot of information – we know that already also. To use these features to the maximum a decision was made not to roll off the upper midrange. I'm talking about the range between 2-4 kHz that is powerful and unambiguous."
https://www.whathifi.com/dynaudio/excite-x32/review "We love these Dynaudios. We're keen on the Excite range as a whole, but it's these X32s that shine brightest. So bright in fact, they were triumphant in our 2008 Awards. ... With the arrival of new competitors (namely the Spendor A5s), we are starting to see small chinks in their armour, though. One is that when pushed to very high volumes, they do lose a little clarity and composure. The other is that the treble could do with a bit more sparkle."
http://www.hifi-review.com/153256-dynaudio-excite-x34.html "Excite X34 speaker systems showed smooth, organized sound. The dynamics is emotional, without overkill. Bass is well performed and quite deep and powerful. Musical scene is clear and spacious. A neat upper case fills the scene with naturalness and lightness. Timbre resolution is on top. The smallest details are well seen. Localization of the sound sources is slightly blurred. The sound of cymbals impresses - you feel metal, but not the bounce. The speaker systems manage to transfer the character of composition, the composer's idea. Electro music sounds very good."
https://www.whathifi.com/kef/ls50/review "Given a little space to breathe and mounted on a pair of solid stands these monitors sound terrific. The first thing that strikes us is the quality of the bass performance." "the LS50’s innate transparency means that any flaws in the partnering kit will be apparent. But get it right and you have what is one of the best standmounters below £1000, and easily one of KEF’s most musical efforts in years." "the LS50's high frequencies sounded very clean, with no grain or steeliness. This is a high-quality tweeter. The LS50's treble did sound a little soft at first, compared not only with the DeVore O/96 (reviewed by Art Dudley in this issue), but also with the mellow-balanced Sony SS-AR2 (reviewed by me in October). The ostinato hi-hat cymbal in "The Trader" sounded a little subdued, though cymbals in more recent recordings, such as my own Rendezvous (CD, Stereophile STPH013-2), were reproduced with a natural tonal quality and precise, stable stereo imaging." "Listening to our two sopranos, Julie Adams and Carin Gilfry, and comparing what I was hearing through the KEFs with my memory of what I'd heard live at Bill Schnee Studio, I would go so far as to say that the LS50 is one of the finest speakers at reproducing female voices that I have heard" "Next up was the identically priced but somewhat larger Bowers & Wilkins CM5 (reviewed by Robert J. Reina elsewhere in this issue). The CM5 was noticeably more sensitive than the LS50, and had a lighter, airier balance, but was also slightly laid-back in the treble" https://www.crutchfield.com/S-1UeSj6cbCKX/learn/kef-ls50-home-speakers-review.html https://www.cnet.com/news/the-audiophiliacs-speaker-of-the-year-the-kef-ls50/ "LS50 is one of the best small hi-fi speakers I've heard at any price." http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/kef-ls50-loudspeaker/ "The LS50 is tuned for smaller rooms and is meant to take advantage of the room gain that can give mid- bass response a boost." "The KEF LS50 is one of the most all-around-satisfying little speakers I’ve reviewed in some time." "The mid- and upper-treble range is smooth; the sibilance region is controlled— crisp and clean, but with compliance."
Here are a few quotes from reviews of the KEF R900. Again, I was looking specifically for quotes related to my goal of "smooth, sweet, soft, silky treble" and "shimmery, airy cymbals". Since violins can be a challenge, I also looked for any mention of those.
In particular, if the review mentioned anything negative in this area, I grabbed that quote.
Everything Audio Network: Audiophile Review!KEF R900 3-Way TowerMatched-Pair Loudspeakers“Impressive High-End Sound” http://everythingaudionetwork.blogspot.com/2016/03/audiophile-review-kef-r900-3-way-tower.html measures 44.5-inches tall, 9.4-inches wide and just over 14-inches deep. They weigh a manageable 65 pounds each. The top-end was never hard or edgy; the aluminum-based mid-frequency driver delivered a quick, tonally correct midrange — without exaggeration or hollowness. The drum cymbals and piano tone are spot-on delicious. The metal dome tweeter effectively radiates the top end of those wonderful cymbals, yet no stereotypical edgy or resonances. The speakers don't have that ultra low-end like some of the double driver, tower speakers I have listened to, but they are very good for music. the R900s produced the violin and accompanying orchestra with convincing authority. The balance of the R900s created a clean, immersive tone with lots of violin harmonics getting through. Reminds me of the excellent, metal-dome RBH-loudspeakers I have auditioned in the past. And as with the drum cymbals, the violin’s upper-end energy was not hard sounding. It was, er, just right, to borrow a phrase. The KEF R900 speaker is a well-conceived, three-way tower that performs well above its price point. As a stereo pair, the speakers offers a balanced symmetry with airy highs, a very good midrange and ample low-end with nary any bloominess. If you are into a true, sonic picture of the source audio, especially hi-res music, the R900 is a speaker to consider. You need at least a medium-size room to enjoy its virtues.
6moons audio reviews: KEF R900 http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/kef3/1.html KEF R900 Loudspeaker Review | StereoNET https://www.stereo.net.au/reviews/review-kef-r900-floorstanding-loudspeakers Mids, and especially vocals, are pushed ever so slightly forward in the presentation. Highs are very well extended, but don’t push too far forward into the mix to be overbearing Unlike many loudspeakers, I actually found the R900 to not be overly fussy with speaker positioning. Those who do not have ideal listening conditions or rooms - fear not. The KEF R900 is not a fussy, directional monster.
KEF R900 Loudspeaker | Hi-Fi+ http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/kef-r900-loudspeaker/ they are so dynamically and tonally consistent that they are almost impervious to level, going loud or quiet with equal ease and a totally absence of dynamic collapse or strain. the bass is light on its feet, transparent and tactile, placing notes and giving them shape in a way that you’d normally expect from a far more expensive system and speaker. That clarity and sense of musical purpose extends up the range, embracing a fluid and expressive mid-band before reaching the clean and extended upper frequencies. The Uni-Q’s tweeter might not possess the sheer speed and resolution of Focal’s beryllium units or the almost reticent smoothness of the more affordable diamond drivers, but it more than makes up for that with sheer continuity, providing a natural extension to the midrange that is indistinguishable in cast or character
SoundStage! Access | SoundStageAccess.com (GoodSound.com) | SoundStage! Access | SoundStageAccess.com (GoodSound.com) - KEF R900 Loudspeakers https://www.goodsound.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/456-kef-r900-loudspeakers The R900’s tweeter warrants an ovation and a comment. It took over cleanly and effortlessly from the Uni-Q midrange, giving nary a hint that I was hearing two different drivers. Such unity of sound is found elsewhere, but almost always at higher prices. Furthermore, the tweeter sounded smooth throughout its operating range, without the edge that some metal domes can have. Nor was it smooth in the way of, say, speakers from Sonus Faber, whose characteristic smoothness can obscure a recording’s finest details. Rather, it was smooth in its reproduction of the finest details. In doing so, it helped paint a quite transparent soundstage -- as in James Levine’s performance, as pianist and conductor, of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, with the Chicago Symphony (16/44.1 AIFF, DG Deutsche Grammophon): I heard clean through to the back of the stage, with no haze or ambiguity to muddle through to hear the players. Partial credit is due here to the Hegel H300, whose preamp section is as quiet as its amplifier and DAC are resolving. My comment on KEF’s aluminum tweeter has to do with its ability to play well past 20kHz. Whereas other tweeters' tendency to peter out at or before 20kHz exhibits itself as a relaxed or unobtrusive top end, the KEF sounds as if it remains flat straight on through this threshold of human hearing. From my very first listen to the R900s, I heard a top end with copious extension, but extension that wasn’t exactly laid-back. It wasn’t bright or edgy, but leaned slightly toward that end of the audioband.
Compared to Vivid Audio’s V1.5 two-way speaker ($7500/pair), however, the KEF R900’s overachievement reached a ceiling. The diminutive V1.5 uses the same tweeter (though not the same tube loading) as Vivid’s flagship Giya G1 ($60,000/pair) -- a catenary aluminum dome whose output extends all the way up to 39kHz, ±2dB. While the V1.5’s single 6.2” midrange-woofer couldn’t hope to match the bass reach of the R900’s twin 8” cones, the Vivid was superlative through the mids and highs. The V1.5 produced greater transparency, a more effortless, organic sound, and even greater resolution than the R900.
Premium Performers: KEF R Series Loudspeakers Review | High-Def Digest https://hdgear.highdefdigest.com/34168/kefrseriesloudspeakers.html If you're looking for premium speakers to fill your home theatre and handle a variety of musical genres, you can't do much better than the KEF R Series. Transparent. Well-rounded. Superb rendering and imaging at all volume levels. A powerful-yet-compact subwoofer. Fantastic in pieces, but as a complete sysem your home will sound better than your local movie theatre. There's almost nothing to nitpick, though badly compressed audio might reveal itself, and prepare thyself to declare war on dust.
Amazon.com: KEF R900 Floorstanding Loudspeaker - High Gloss Piano Black (Pair): Home Audio & Theater https://www.amazon.com/KEF-R900-Floorstanding-Loudspeaker-Gloss/dp/B007Q6Z5MO Finally have a set of these after running through pretty much the entire R range. These are the best by a long way. It's not close. Don't listen to anyone telling you the R500s image better. They don't.
I'm passing along some info I have been gathering on these various speakers.
The TANNOY Revolution XT 8F is one of the speakers that was recommended to me here. Below are some quotes I pulled out of reviews. I was looking specifically for critical quotes regarding the higher frequencies.
The first comment below concerns me a little bit, even though most of the reviews are very positive.
https://www.whathifi.com/tannoy/revolution-xt8f/review - "Tonally, these Tannoys aren’t the sweetest sounding performers around. You’ll have to take care not to partner them with anything that sounds overly forward or harsh, because they’ll do little to tone these qualities down."
"We’re pleased with the stereo imaging. These speakers shine when placed well out into our test room and given just a touch of toe-in towards the listening position. Once the Tannoys are positioned with care their sound stage is crisp, nicely layered and pleasingly solid." "give them a larger room to play in and the XT8Fs will shine."
https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews/speaker/floor-standing/tannoy-revolution-xt-8f-floor-standing-sp... "My only sonic critique of note is that the Torus tweeter’s lower treble seemed slightly less delicate and precise than my reference speakers’ ceramic-graphite tweeters. I noticed the difference primarily in the effects in “Welcome to the Machine,” panned between the side surrounds (which use the same ceramic-graphite tweeters) and the front channels. Also, cymbals sparkled but their shimmer didn’t decay quite as cleanly. While the difference was noticeable, it did not detract from the immense enjoyment the XT 8F trio brought me on every piece I played through them." "Often, playing full-throated female vocals loudly will expose a speaker’s crossover points, as the tweeter or (more rarely) the midrange audibly compresses at the bottom of its range. With the XT 8F, there was no sign of overload no matter how hard I pushed." "tape hiss was lightly accentuated by the Tannoy Revolution XT 8F compared to my reference speakers" "Few if any similarly-priced speakers offer the Revolution XT 8F’s heady combination of top-notch full-scale sonic performance, attractive design, and excellent build quality. Highly recommended."
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/tannoy-revolution-xt-8f-loudspeaker/?page=2 "Time and time again, the 8F was able to decisively reveal amplifier differences, a testament to its resolving powers. For the record, it gave its best imaging performance when partnered with tube amps that also happened to flesh out the most convincing spatial impression." "The Tannoy Revolution XT 8F was Robert Harley’s top discovery at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show. His first impression was as follows: “After listening to it and looking at the real wood enclosure, I guessed the price at $7000 to $10,000. The Revolution XT’s price was then revealed to be just $2600 per pair.” "The Tannoy packs a virtuoso midrange that is competitive with speakers approaching $10k retail."
http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/tannoy-revolution-xt-8f-floorstanding-loudspeakers/ "I guess, when it comes down to it, I want my system to entertain, not to impress. I’d like it to do both, of course, but that tends to cost considerably bigger bucks than are being asked for here. Any loudspeaker selling at the price point of the Tannoy, or even considerably more, is going to have some defining compromises, and the temptation for many makers will be to take care not to offend." "In some respects, the Tannoy comes across as the antithesis to something like the, broadly similarly-priced, Monitor Audio Silver 8s that I reviewed a few issues back. The MAs are very good loudspeakers that rarely put a foot far out of line. In comparison, the Tannoys are somewhat more bullish and, perhaps, a little uncouth, but they sure know how to have a good time. If the MAs are a well-trained Labrador, honest, reliable, and solid, then the Tannoys might be a Springer Spaniel, loads of energy, fun, and boundless enthusiasm, but prone to knocking over the occasional vase. Neither speaker has the monopoly on rightness, nor any fatal flaws, but you’d be unlikely to find that both will float your boat equally, and much will depend on personal taste and preference."
A pair of KEF LS50 sound exceptional for their price. Quality stands are required for their proper performance and this additional purchase must be calculated into the purchase cost (got my KEF branded stands off Amazon as well as the extra dampening stand fill). The LS50w self powered is another path to consider and would remove any amplifier issue (return the Yamaha). You would have a system that would not disappoint in its musicality. I have a set of the standard LS50 that when placed into my main system always amaze me with their performance.
KEF LS50s are not bright at all. In fact, I was surprised to find they're warmer than all other speakers I've had in my system. I have Spendor 2/3s (often described as "pipe and slipper" speakers) hooked up to the same Yamaha amp as the LS50s. I can do an A/B comparison with the flick of a switch. The KEFs are no brighter than the Spendors. They're actually a tad warmer.
What you are describing are precisely the benefits of big power. As you Americans say about car engines: there is nothing that beats cubic inches. Just imagine the amount of physical energy produced by a symphony orchestra. The speakers have to reproduce that, with an efficiency of perhaps 1 % (a proper calculation is beyond me at this time of the day). Even with such by audiophile standards relatively massive amplifier power, you can only hope to reproduce such a symphony orchestra at little more than postage stamp size (a domestic room will not allow anything more anyway). As you discovered, watts fortunately do not cost that much anymore. As for thePX3 and PX5 successors of this amp, apparently their fans do not switch off completely, so they are less suitable for domestic use.
@willemj thanks for your reply. Given that I don't need the extra power of the P5000S, is there any advantage to the P3500S? For a couple more weeks, I can still return the one I have and get the P3500S if that would be advantageous. However, I assume from your message that there is no reason to do this.
Also, is there any reason to consider the newer Yamaha PX3 or PX5 power amplifiers instead of the one I have?
In regard to my personal experience with this amp, here is what I wrote over in the thread where the amp was recommended to me:
I have been reading a lot of reviews and thinking about distortion,
clarity, detail, sound stage, etc. To my (somewhat inexperienced) ears,
this setup with the Yamaha power amp and the Polk RTi A7 speakers, lets
me experience a very satisfying level of all the things I have been
reading about that come with the best speakers and the best components.
With my current system, the sound stage is surprisingly expansive. The
detail and clarity are amazing. The harshness in the higher frequencies
is gone. I am beyond happy with this amp.
I'm still shopping for speakers in the price range of $5000/pair. But now I am able to enjoy my current system without any complaints.
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