speakers for classical music

I love my Tyler Acoustics Woodmere 2 floorstanders. They do everything right. Adding a subwoofer, limited from about 40 Hz down, makes the system truly splendid.

I also use Quad ESL63's in a different system. While they are nearly unbeatable in their realm of small ensembles, they simply cannot reproduce the dynamics of large, bombastic orchestral pieces.

I second Atma-Sphere's endorsement of Classic Audio Reproductions speakers. Tonal balance is excellent, as is inner detail, and they seem to have no dynamic limitations. They convey the emotion of the music extremely well, presumably by preserving the dynamic contrast that the musicians use to convey that emotion.

At CES a few years ago my wife and I made the rounds along with my brother and his wife, and the only room where the two ladies just started dancing to the music was was the Classic Audio Reproductions room. Okay that's not exactly a precise measurement of loudspeaker quality, but it was an honest one. I've also observed my own butt spontaneously shaking when in the Classic Audio Reproductions room, and I've seen some serious air guitar playing in there as well. I have no doubt that with classical music they would be superb - probably inducing air bowing, or whatever classical listeners do when they think one is watching. They are speakers that you can totally get lost in the music with.

Classic Audio Reproductions changed my thinking about loudspeakers in two regards: Before hearing them for the first time, I thought that horns couldn't sound natural, and I thought that vented boxes couldn't do tight bass. Designer John Wolff really, really knows what he's doing.

Duke

Hi Dave,
Sorry to hear many of you disagree. Of course opinions are like bottoms... everyone has one. I am just glad everyone doesnt disagree with me.

It is very hard to explain audiophile experiences in short sound bites.

Of course the B&W 801d and all B&W speakers (including Mackie) are box speakers. What I mean with boxes is the lengths speaker makers can go to to damp the box and make the box disappear sonically vs cost. Usually this attention seems to come (unfortunately) with more expensive speakers.

The B&W 801D is expensive but good if powered well. Box speakers of its quality and better get very very expensive (Wilson/Kharma/Acapella/Marten etc).

I mentioned that "boxes are a bad place to start" only because makers like Magnepan give you a full range package thats very hard to beat at the mid price level partly because they do away with the box and its complications. All the weight of the braced box has to be built and shipped around the world which all impacts on the cost and quality of the product you get. Never mind the drivers.

Magnepan (and planars) have their problems too (large dynamics at high volume being one) but when driven well and used for naturally recorded music at reasonable SPLs they are very hard to beat. I dont know of any box speaker around $1500 new that can get so much right like the Magnepan, let alone going up the range to MG3.6r and MG20.1. Although you start to get close to Avantgarde territory then.

The world is full of ok speakers, but to find a complete and natural sounding speaker at any price is difficult. If you like valve or transistor amps all has to come into the equation. But if you are looking for low coloration and speed with extension the field narrows very quickly.

You make the point that if you cant afford a full range speaker then make do with the compromise of a mini monitor. Well maybe, but come on, if you are an audiophile how can you compromise on extension? I dont think so. Also remember the question did ask for floor standers... Headphones anyone?

Chadeffect said:
"You make the point that if you cant afford a full range speaker then make do with the compromise of a mini monitor. Well maybe, but come on, if you are an audiophile how can you compromise on extension? I dont think so. Also remember the question did ask for floor standers... Headphones anyone?"

You just spent the whole post about the glories of the compromised Maggies. (In my view, compromised in both extension and dynamic potential). How can now say that such a compromise isn't an option for an audiophile???

Maggies a few things very, very well and I understand why many are attracted to them. I would just caution, if you're leaning toward Maggies make sure that you can do without bass extention and dynamic range.

With mini-monitors I would caution to make sure that you can do without extention. (Depending on the speaker you might not give up a lot of dynamic range, but that'll take power also).

Come to think of it, the OP never gave us a budget did he, other than to imply that 803s were in range.

Headphones indeed, an excellent option IMHO for anyone that wants "it all" on a budget. You actually can get everything but the flapping pants legs from headphones.

Dave

Shadorne, from my minor experience. . . JRDG 7M delivering max 170A peak ad damping factor of 170 is borderline for controlling bass drivers of Vienna Mahlers. At 1000, JRDG 501s and 312 seem just about right. . . Nuforce at 4000 is perhaps overdampening them. JRDG further indicated that the 301 monos with damping factor of 60 may end up a little loose on Mahlers. . . hence my concerns about MC402. . . I'll be glad to be proven wrong if someone can test the configuration in question.