speakers for classical music

Got a chance to listen to several active speakers this weekend. Looks like this may be the way to go. Out of the bunch the genelec 8040 sounded the best - a great sounding little speaker - detailed, clean, and sounded good at low and high spl's. Also seemed to handle the high spl's easier than any passive I have listened to. Unfortunately, no one close by had any of the 3 way units or even the 8050. Also looked around for ATC actives but no one close by had those in stock. Looks like it is going to be a good 6 hour drive from the DC area to find either for a demo. Would like to hear from anyone who compared 3way speakers from ATC and Genelec - particularly the Genelec 1037C to the ATC SCM100ASL. Could you described the difference. Also how is the power consumption for these units - i.e. can you run them off the same 15 amp circuit w/o any problem.

Hi Gawdbless, tell the truth, I did hear the Mahlers with the Rel subs at RMAF as well. . . and begged for the thing to be turned off. . . it was not my cup of tea in that particular setup.. . . somewhat rambling/woolly in the bass with a slight propensity of furballing things higher in the spectrum as well. Much much better/tighter on their own. In 2006 they were being played with JRDG 201 monos, JRDG 501 monos, and with the JRDG 312 stereo. . . . loved them on 312, but not so much with other 2 amps, as they sounded much less musically involving to my particular ears. I understand that feeding the 201s and 501s with the very new PC1 PFC devices introduces some of the musicality found with the 312. . . but I'll need to verify that with my own ears. In 2008 they will be back in the large suite where Lyn was featured in 2007.

As for musical selections, vendors tend to feature what audiophiles like best. . . which are often not my favs at all at all at all. . . that's why I bring my trusty home made sampler with pieces that are important to me. . . . even if at least one of them tends to sound positively hideous in most situations, including with Vienna speakers. . . . and none of the selections pretend to be 'audiophile class' recordings. . . just music that I love!

Hope to see you in Denver! G.

And yes, for what it matters, my test selections at RMAF were classical:

1. Dvorak Symph No. 9 2nd movement with Bernstein and the Israel Phil.
J. S. Bach: Prelude from the 1st English Suite with Andras Schiff.
3. Dvorak String Quartet No. 14 played by Panocha quartet (typically used to chase roaches and other assorted varmins from infested attic -- wonderful performance but recording engineer must have been sniffing glue).
4. Edgar Meyer on double bass playing Prelude and Allemande from Cello Suite No. 5.
Beethoven a movement from a cello sonata with E. Ax and Yo Yo Ma.
5. Lara St. John on a Bach sonata with a Stradivari violin.

G.

Guido my friend, that's mostly pretty polite classical music, as easy to make sound good as jazz. I DO notice that, at least for the ones I know, they're all great performances. The Dvorak gets a little more challenging, but it's really pretty easy on most systems.

My challenge to any system is Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Fransico Phil doing Mahler's 6th. The 3d and 4th movements have it all, from lyrical strings and winds to bombastic percussion, brass and basses. This is both a wonderful performance and incredible symphonic recording.

Dave

well, yes, to some extent at least they are '[polite' selections. . . but, try to listen to Larah St. John. . . she is not a 'very polite' girl. . . word dyonisiac I should say comes to mind in the sheer emotive intensity of her playing. Yet, in most cases, I am much more interested in the low level detail than anything else.
Good suggestion about Michael Tilson Thomas on Mahler 6th . . . I'll source it before the Fall. Any suggestions for an exceptionally musical interpretation -- and hopefully well recorded -- Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring? And no. . . not that one. . . you know I don't do no Riner and no stokovsky *grins* G.