2. speakers
  3. 1234892657

Narrowed speaker selection down to 5 choices

I like all kinds of music. My new room is 13.5x21x9. My amp is Spectron Mus. III SE MK2 w/ all MIT cabling. Speakers are: PBN EPX, Thiel 3.7, Revel studio 2, Dynaudio Contour S5.4, and Focal 1037BE. Speaker will be on short(13.5") wall. Speaker must excell in imaging,resolution,midrange presence,dynamics,tight articulate bass(no muddy midrange,or bloat),and full freq. range. I now have Dali Helicon 400 MK 2. I love the Dali's imaging but, I can't get past a little midrange glare. Tried speaker cables,amps,room postioning,etc. Nothing seems to tame this speakers voicing in this room. Now my old room was 23x28x14 and the Dalis sang in that room. I had more weight and and bass in the larger older room. I would have never guessed that the Dali's would be leaner in the newer smaller room. Help, Opiions needed. If you can think of other speakers in the 5K to 8K range that may work for me then let me have it.
philefreak
philefreak OP
423 posts
 
Missioncoonery, The problem with the Sophia 2 is the price. They're going for 10K used so they're out. The best I can do is 8K for now. Are the Sophia 2's worth waiting and saving til my budget can afford them?
richard_stacy
686 posts
 
you can get the sophia 1's for the lower end of the range and i really don't think it is a compromise...
rtn1
535 posts
 
The reason why I suggested cables is that you indicated the Dali's were satisfying in the bigger room. That means they may have potential in the new room with a little work. Plus, there are no perfect speakers out there, and your new speaker may have the same issues. You mentioned alterations in speaker placement, but I would try without any toe-in and spaced as wide as you can get them if that has not been done already. Also, try inverting the phase of the speaker cables at the speaker end. This can be the cause of your problem, too.

I think Cardas is a pretty warm cable, perhaps at the expense of detail and bottom end extension. I do not know about Acoustic Zen. There is plenty of info on the cables I mentioned. There are cables out there that provide a full midrange without compromising other aspects. My initial impression is that Jade Audio fits that bill, but you would only know by trying.

Or perhaps it is time for a change. As for your choices, you will get opinions all over the map.
ejlif's avatar
ejlif
1,375 posts
 
I am thinking the same as you are and looking at some of the same speakers. I don't even know where to begin. You can read reviews I guess and go to dealers to hear them but until you get them home only then will you know. I guess the only way is to start buying them used and if you don't like what you hear then sell it and go on to the next one.

Of the choices you mentioned I personally would start with the Revel and then go to the Thiel next. I think the Sophia 1 should be on your short list as well.
lrsky
1,118 posts
 
Any thought to used Sound Labs, or do you feel that your room is better suited for 'dynamics'?
More to discover