Speakers are the most subjective component in your system. Make an effort to audition speakers at brick and mortar stores, hi-fi shows, friends, etc. Reviews can lead you, but let your ears decide. Hopefully you can get a trial period for testing. My current speakers were under 5K, and punch way above their weight. It would be pointless (mostly braggadocio) to recommend (tell you what I think you should...). With a new, and return to system, I would suggest a reputable dealer that spells out their trade in and trade up policy (customer for life philosophy), and can help with compatibility and setup, which is surprisingly important. For most of the people pursuing quality sound reproduction, perfection in their first (second, third, forever) system is not expected, but an ability to advance is. The stand-mount segment (formerly "Book Shelf" has exploded with technology, innovation and truly amazing performance since you were hear last (btw).
New speakers for a new start?
Hi all, this is my first thread on this forum. I am returning to audio after a 20-year hiatus, and I am planning a new-to-me, music-only, 2-channel system. I'm pretty excited!
Other than my Thorens TD-320 series I, I am (re-)starting from scratch. I plan to focus on speakers, then build the rest of my system around them.
I look forward to hearing folks' feedback and advice during this process.
How I listen: I have a pretty big room, 9' ceilings. I can set speakers in a 10' triangle with about 16' clear behind them and 3' to 6' to the sides. I normally listen around 75 - 85db at 10', but sometimes I like to crank things way up. Also, I can't sit still for extended periods of time so I tend to move around quite a bit.
What I listen to: 30 - 40% blues, 30 - 40% industrial, punk, post-punk, noise, and hip-hop, 10-15% ambient, 10 - 15% various pop styles, 5 to 10% jazz and classical. Nearly all are studio recordings. Source-wise, 75-80% digital streaming, 20% vinyl and (very occasionally) CDs.
Things I like in speakers: A generous amount of fast, tight, well-controlled bass with great extension. Little to no coloration - it can always be added in later through component selection. Fast transient response. Detail. Coherence. Transparency. Great dynamics. I'm OK with "analytical" or "dry" within reason.
Things I don't like: Boominess. Flabiness. Ear-piercing mids.
Here are a few speakers I'm interested to learn more about (in no particular order):
- Thiel CS5
- Dunlavy SC-4, SC-5
- Tyler Acoustics D1x, D10
- Nearfield Pipedreams 21
- Infinity IRS (probably not the Reference behemoths though... realistically)
- I am also intrigued by open baffle designs (Spatial, Jamo R909)
I prefer full-range speakers because I don't love subs with music listening. They're a must in a home theater though.
I love planar speakers for their speed and transparency, but the fact that I can't sit still in their minuscule sweet spot for very long, coupled with their general lack of bass probably makes them a less than ideal choice for me.
I will buy used gear unless something I want happens to be available new at a huge discount. I am more interested in value than in staying within a specific dollar limit and be able to resell at par or at a modest loss if, as time goes by, I find I'm no longer as enamored with them as I once was.
I am interested in your experiences, especially with the speakers I mentioned above, but any and all feedback is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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You have a big room. You need a big room speaker. Most of the recommendations here are for medium sized rooms at best, or way over your #5K limit. I would definitely check out the new SVS Ultra evolution Pinnacles. With 4-8" woofers (2 high front and rear 2 low, front and rear) per cabinet, bass extension, dynamic range, 'speed' and control are assured. The d'Appolito mid-tweet-mid helps control vertical dispersion, a big help in large, high-ceiling rooms that helps soundstage and imaging. And nobody does value better than SVS - at $5000 per pair new, they are one of the great deals in audio. I would also check around and see if you can find a pair of JBL 4349. These are not your father's shrieking, boomy JBLs. These are superbly executed, very high performance loudspeakers of exceptional sound and build quality. New, at $8250/pr, they are beyond you budget, but if you can locate a good used pair, you might be able to pull them into your range. At 91+dB sensitivity, the also need about half the power of most of their competition, but can handle just about any amp you're likely to try. The single 12" woofer has slam. Kick drum and bass are easily among the most accurately rendered I've heard in pitch definition and dynamics. The unique 2-way horn/tweeter has a nominal 90X40 degree pattern, again, helping control unwanted room reflections, and it simply doesn't ever honk or shriek. It's just there - clear and dynamic.
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The Linkwitz LX521s came up in dipole speakers discussions and they look really, really good, but €27000 is far more than in willing to spend at this point. The kit option is interesting, but the lower price is misleading since no electronics are included so, unless you purchase the Linkwitz dedicated electronics, you'll never get the system or sound that Linkwitz intended. Madisound sells the Linkwitz "enclosures" in kdk form for not much money, so that you could theoretically put together a similarly functional system with a dbx DSP unit and a couple of Crown XLSs for oomph. Which, by the way, are NCore-based just like the Linkwitz if I'm not mistaken. I don't know, kits are by and large the surest way to lose money, at least in the short term. But if I were to allow myself to spend $30K on a pair of speakers right now, I would definitely look at these. |
I recently bought the ceramic mini monitors and the BMR monitors from https://philharmonicaudio.com I prefer the minis even though they don’t go as low on bass as the BMR because of the smooth wide distribution of the ceramic tweeter. Both are well made and a great value for the money. Steve Huff raves about the OGY from https://www.closeracoustics.com/post/introducing-ogy-our-first-bookshelf-loudspeaker https://youtu.be/G_xSbQylt50?si=54LFO5qRJ13kzbjA PS audio also has a new monitor https://youtu.be/lVM8oynxy4s?si=1gUnR7jWLAd1bviy Vandersteen are great too, especially if you love bass.
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- 84 posts total