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Performer-in-Room Quality with Speakers?

I need advice regarding what kind of speakers might help provide what I'm looking for. (For some time now I've been a tube guy for amplication, and that will not change; source components and media vary.)  I want an illusion of the performer (acoustic instrument music, vocals, classical, and combo jazz,) actually being in the room, realism so convincing that it is potentially startling. The only time I've had that sensation is when I use my Stax Ear Speakers. Concerns are sensitivity to room placement, cost, and of course spouse approval factor. Soundstage, imaging, dynamics, deeeeep bass, can take a back seat if necessary. 

Any ideas?  Single-point drivers?  Crossoverless units? Open baffle?  Vertical arrays?  Electrostatrics or planars? 
(For the record I've owned Maggies, Shahinian Obelisks, mid-fi traditional boxes and so on.)

Thanks for your ideas,

OGOgre
ogogre
rodge827's avatar
rodge827
619 posts
 
Hi Michael,
The Charney Audio Maestro will fit your needs perfectly. They are a single driver full range rear loaded horn based on the tractrix theory. I know you mentioned earlier in the thread that you aren't interested in this type of speaker, but the Maestro sounds nothing like other horns you may have listened to. With a decent SET amp the Maestros are very engaging with detail that isn't ear splitting but full and with bass that is deep and articulate.
There are minimal room treatments needed since the rear loaded design couples with the room and there are 0 room nodes!
 Build quality is off the charts since they are made from a C&C machine that Charney owns. Everything is made in house!
 It would be worth your while to make an appointment with Charney for a listen. They are located in Somerset NJ about an hour from NY an 1.5 hours from Philadelphia off exit 9 of the NJ Turnpike.

R
 
ogogre OP
14 posts
 
The suggestions that mention speakers that are dipole or omni-pole in dispersion prompted me to purchase a pair of the smaller Ohm Walsh type speakers.  They didn't cost much, and if they sound as good as a lot of folks report, they will find some place in my home, whether they produce an illusion of live, unrecorded performance or not.

After they arrive and I set them up, I'll report back here.

OGOgre
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 

As with many things in audiophilia and the attempt to create a high end system, it's not a simple matter of the realism being there or not, it's a matter of degrees. Literally hundreds of systems and combinations of thousands of components are capable of varying degrees of the characteristics sought to convince the mind that one is hearing "real" performance.

Obviously, it's very difficult to attain an extremely high degree of that realism, and the vast majority of systems fall short of it, which should be expected.

wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
Having had a vocalist in my lap I can vouch for the efficacy of that as a reasonable goal.
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
I have it with my Sanders Stats.  
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