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Need a system for Chamber music--ideas?

My current system does well with larger scale works - orchestral, choral, etc, and also with solo works. Where it struggles is with chamber music. String quartets in partiuclar are a problem. It is essentially impossible to distinguish between the 1st and 2nd violins. Maggies are always going to struggle with this due to the side by side arrangement of the ribbon tweeters with the midrange panels. I could go two ways.
1. A completely distinct system in another room, using monitors. If I go this way, I might like a reccomendation on a tube integrated to pair with the speakers, and the speakers should be able to go close to the wall for flexibility. A concern here would be decent reproduction of piano-- don't want to create a new problem in listening to piano trios etc. I'd probably like to stay under 7K for the amp and speakers new or used.
2. A set of floor standing speakers or monitors to swing into place in my current system for listening to chamber. They should be below 80lbs each to facilitate moving. The maggies are going to stay for large scale works. I'll keep the current system in place, so the floor standers should work well (at least initialy) with high powered SS amps like my Cary 500.1's. Again, 7K-10K, new or used. Accurate timber and coherence, especially with violins, are imperitive. It will not be necessary for them to play above 90dB. Also, the speakers must be able to throw a convincing stage for string quartets. Speaker placement will be along a short wall in a 15.5 x 19 x 8' room. I do like the sound of Sonus Fabers. Might be open to Dali's. Wilsons in this price range are out, and I don't like Dynaudio, Theil, Aerial 7T's. Haven't heard Ref 3A Grand Veenas or Merlins but you hear good things about them. I will not buy speakers unheard, so I'm wanting to generate a list of speakers to audition. When I bought my maggies it was a 2 year process. Your thoughts please?
brownsfan
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
I would suggest obtaining well recorded source material. The danger with this approach is that, it might actually solve the problem.

Your problem seems to be that, you hear 100+ instruments just fine, and you hear one instrument just fine, it's those pesky Trios and Quartets. Does that pass the common sense test?
Cheers
brownsfan OP
1,508 posts
 
Lots of good comments here.
Nonoise-The next round of auditioning will focus on chamber music. When I bought my Maggies, I used orchestral, choral, piano, chamber, every type I have, in order to get the best general purpose speaker. As far as recordings, I have a half a dozen Beethoven cycles, two Mozart cycles, Haydn on a viariety of labels, with numerous repeats on certain pieces, 3 Shostakovich cycles, a good mixture of Brahms, Dvorak, Bartok, Britten, the list goes on--hundreds of recordings on numerous labels by a variety of ensembles. I can't think of a single recording that does what I am looking for.
Charles1dad- I am very interested in the Coincident stuff. I need to hear some of their gear.
Rok2id, large scale works aren't perfect, its just that after extensive auditioning, the Maggies were the best at orchestral stuff at anything close to the price. Im also not surprised they can be quite convincing on a well recorded soloist with a central image. That is a much easier problem. I think Frogmans comments lead me to know where to start. With a live performance, seated center front, with my eyes closed. String quartets are a tough problem both for recording and play back.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,305 posts
 
Of the speakers I have heard I would consider in your case from your description:

- PSB Synchrony
- Totem Mani 2
- OHM Walsh would be something different (omnis) but that might still fit the bill and share many positive attributes of both panel and dynamic designs

Others I have not heard specifically but would consider to start include the REf 3As and Triangle Comete and certain KEF Q series, maybe starting with the new LS50s.
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Here's a completely out-of-the-box thought. Have you considered obtaining a pair of high quality headphones, such as one of the Stax electrostatic models? Aside from the differences in soundstaging and imaging that would obviously result relative to speaker-based approaches, they may very well provide what you are looking for. As well as taking room acoustics out of the equation, along with the smearing of detail that to some degree it will inevitably cause.

Best regards,
-- Al
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,305 posts
 
The headphone idea is a good one!

I have Klipsch Image S4 earbuds and a pair of Stax electrets. The Stax have a lot to offer in terms of musical texture and detail, similar to panel speakers but without teh room acoustics as said. The Klipsch cost a pittance but are very good at just putting the music in your head with very good detail and minimal external acoustic effects to get in the way to help serve as a baseline reference for what is in the recording and what is not.
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