Spatial Audio open baffle speakers, who has them? Worthwhile change from Maggies?

That "older" Spatial X2 design is no where near as good as the latest cheaper ones.   That speaker has a passive 15 and a wave guided AMT.  The new X3 has a powered 15, a passive custom 12 inch mid and the same AMT tweet as the older one.....and it is more sensitive, way easier to drive and $2500 cheaper.  He is still selling the X2 overseas so he has to keep listing it.  The latest Spatial speakers are soooo good, along with the open baffle GR Research, the big Tektons and the 98db Lii full range speakers from China (dirt cheap).  The Tri-Arts look good but are way weird looking.....of course, the big Tektons (even better when modded)...are just big ape coffins....he he.

I'm the proud owner of a pair of x3s and I couldn't be happier. Not sure how they would compare to the x2, but I'm good for a while.

Oz

Speaking of open baffle speakers, not only are the Spatials wonderful - heard them @ RMAF 2(?) yrs ago - but I also became interested in Eric Alexander’s Tekton Design Sigma OB (open baffle "hybrid" design). Almost on a whim I ordered a pair of the Sigmas when he offered them at an irresistible price.

I had spent the previous 15 yrs with Apogee Duetta Signatures (driven by a dBX BX1 monster amp because those Duettas demanded real power). I loved them dearly but after having the bass panels re-tensioned 3 times in their lives it became too much of a hassle to keep them "tuned". Apogee folded with the death of its founder and I felt it was time to move on.

I had come to love dipoles though & I was intrigued by the Sigma’s design. Well, they’re still in my system with Hsu Research subs & I am quite pleased! I think the Spatials might well better them though and they may be next on my list!

My Spatials have really opened up over last couple days.
But yesterday I made a small change in my room that has reaped huge rewards.
I bought a new listening chair.
It's a reclining glider and it's so comfortable I could sleep in it.
However the point is that it has raised me approx 3 inch and what a difference!
Soundstage is enormous and deep. Details are everywhere and talk about bass. It felt like cannon shots last night on one particular album I was streaming.

Pretty much in heaven right now.

I just received my X5 speakers this past Friday and have put about ten hours on them so far so I know they will sound even better with breakin.

But I have to agree with others that these speakers are really special.  They have a very large soundstage which is deep and they are very dynamic, effortless and coherent.  They really nail female vocals and the tweeters are very smooth yet detailed.

I have them about 8 feet apart toed in so they point about a half foot outside my seating position which is ten feet from the speakers.  I'll experiment with a little more toe in to see what sounds best.

I've had several green mountain audio speakers in the past fifteen years which were also very transparent and delivered a huge soundstage but these are definitely a level higher and more dynamic and involving even at lower volumes. The Green mountains were one of my favorites up until these surpassed them.

I have two rel storm subs which I'm not even using at the moment as I feel I do not need them with the X5s.  But after they've broken in a bit I'll turn on the rels and decide.  I have the sub level on the X5's at about the 9/10 position and the bass is excellent so not sure what the rels will add but will try them a little later.

I'm driving them with a pathos twin towers 30 watts/channel hybrid class A integrated and at a little over half volume on the indicator it is more than loud and dynamic enough.  The combo of this amp with these speakers and RCA blackplate input tubes is very addictive.  I'm also using audience au 24sx interconnects, ven haus chela speaker cables and a metrum onyx DAC and use a modified wyred for sound sonos connect and play cds as well.  Next update is maybe the Innuous mini streamer.