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Missing the Old Days

I’m new to the higher end audio game. What I don’t know about modern audiophile technology and doctrine could fill a library.

What I do know is how I like to listen to my music, which I’m quite sure would make some crinkle their eyes and squint at me with a look of “my lord son, really?” Kinda look lol.

My first foray into good speakers are my current Goldenear Triton 5’s and my JL D108 Sub. They sound nice....very nice...but they just don’t sound the way I like. So now I’ll soon hook them up to a Parasound Halo A21/P5 which I’m sure will improve the sound.

However, I’m aware that it still may not deliver the goods for me personally. I miss the days of those big, solid, powerful speakers that’d shake the dust off your shelves and make the squirrels living in your my attic fear for their lives. 

I miss my trusty old MTX AAL 2230’s. They weren’t fancy, they certainly weren’t overly detailed, but they kicked ass. They kicked a lot of ass. Where are the speakers that can deliver big sound, driving Bass and clarity without the need to run 1 or 2 Subs? Speakers that are powerhouses without costing 10, 15, 20 thousand or more? There used to be a time when you could go to any number of local Stereo shops and have multiple choices of all ranges of speakers and equipment. I have to drive an hour or more to find any store remotely close to that.

I’ve seen Tyler Acoustics, but I’m Leary. No dealers, only direct sales, very generic specs, and hardly any reviews anywhere. I’d like to hear a few of his models, the cheaper Halo 1’s that closely resemble my beloved MTX’s just look like a white van special Speaker with those shiny black woofers.

Maybe I’m just an old Deadhead stuck in the past, but if there are speakers like this out there that are quality and don’t cost as much as a car, I’d love to hear about them!
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bigjohn9095 OP
47 posts
 
Really good points being made here!

I certainly am not suggesting Ty and his Speakers are sub par, not on the up and up. What feedback I personally was able to find was very positive. When I saw those new Halo 1's for 2600 a pair, I was super excited, the shiny black woofers just struck a memory in me. 

My first experience buying speakers, way back in the early '90's was not good. I bought a pair of those "White Van" specials we all know of from the Brother of a friend. Needless to say within a couple days, after some pretty heated exchanges, I returned them and got my money back. I then bought the MTX AAL 2230's and never looked back. They still sit connected to that old Kenwood 100 watt receiver at my ex wife's house.

After my experience with these Goldenears, I am on the hunt for that bigger natural sound. I dam near bought a pair of the current Cerwin Vega XLS-215's. But after reading numerous reviews, many people say you still need a Sub for them! All show and No Go is how I'd put it. They're dual 15" speakers, designed with no Balls I guess...At any rate, even though these Triton 5's sound nice, it's just not the same. I'm upgrading the Amp ten fold and adding a second JL D-108 Sub. And that'll be that until I find a new pair of Speakers.

I will say, I listened to a pair of PSB Imagine T3's and was very impressed with their sound overall. But at $7500 a pair, I'm much better off spending 3k to 4k or going all in on the Double Impacts / Se's, or giving a higher end Tyler Acoustic Model a try.

The search continues... I have time...gotta pay off the rest of my Amp first! :-)



 
erik_squires
16,006 posts
 
Honestly I have a difficult time recommending subs to the average music lover. The total cost of ownership (TCO) can be quite high, and leave the listener pretty dissatisfied if not very carefully thought out. A lot more work than most want to know about or undertake.

Having said that, a well integrated, physically large and powerful sub is a magical thing indeed. 

Best,


E
mitch2
3,896 posts
 
I recently switched speakers within the same line, from a large'ish (115 lbs + stands) floor-standing, bass reflex (i.e., ported) model with multiple (4) medium sized (7.5 inch) bass drivers per box, to a slightly lower-priced, heavy (105 lbs + stands) stand-mounted model in a sealed box (i.e., acoustic suspension) with dual 9-inch bass drivers and mid/high frequency drivers that are very similar to those in the floor-standing speakers.  I added a second high quality sub (two total) and run the two subs in stereo (i.e., signal from one channel to each sub, not a summed signal).

IMO, the gains include better defined bass above 40 Hz and better bass roll-off above 40 Hz (from the main speakers), which also improved the clarity of the upper frequencies.  The two subs provide better defined and harder hitting low bass below 40 Hz as well as much better control of the bass by adjusting subwoofer placement, cross-over frequency, and volume.  In addition, the two subs each have a remote volume control so I can easily adjust the bass for a given recording without affecting the range above 40 Hz.  IMO, it was a big improvement for a cost increase of around 25% of my total speaker cost, calculated based on retail pricing.
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
I suggest you keep listening to as many speakers as you can. You seem to not know precisely what direction you wish to go. Get thee to a show!
chrisoshea
372 posts
 
Yes...I agree that going to audio shows if possible is a great idea...I also think that if you are near a larger city with a big used audio store you can hear many speakers in a short time.....There are an old pair of Klipsch Heresys (IIs from the 1980s) at the venue where I DJ .....They MAY need a sub for your tastes ...To me, they are transparent, balanced and will play at ear-bleeding sound levels without distortion....They rock hard, esp. with an analog front end.....These can be had for $350-600 used on Craigs list, or garage sales...NOT refined by any means but will rock for sure....JBLs are a possible good option as well.....
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