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open/energetic but not harsh? what am i describing

hi guys, long story short, i loved the energy and openness of the b&w n805's but i couldnt stand the harshness of the metal tweeter after extended listening... so i need to replace them with something that is equally airy/open but a lot smoother

i've been demoing speakers but its been hard to find something similar.. i think the fact that the 805's have the tweeter out in the open like that, contributes a lot to their great imaging and open sound

i need some guidance as to what speakers i should look into... most of the speakers ive tried so far do sound smoother, but have that boxy/recessed sound and are not nearly as airy as the 805's

any advice is appreciated, thanks
koven
koven OP
94 posts
 
LOL Thorman, that is freakin' hilarious!!

Thanks Shadorne, I will definitely go audition some PSB's. How do they differ from the B&W Nautilus sound? I see that audioadvisor has PSB Image T6 towers for 1200/pair, good choice?
sufentanil's avatar
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sufentanil
782 posts
 
Koven,

You might be a candidate for planar or electrostatic speakers. At the risk of generalizing, they tend to have a very open sound without harshness.

Just something to think about.

Michael
xti16
1,525 posts
 
Koven I have only heard the 'D' series not the nautilus. I still prefer the Dyns especially in the mids and high end. Also the B&W's for me lacked some dynamics.
jlamb
150 posts
 
Some years ago, the only local hi-fi shop in town paired them with classe gear. They (along with the other nautilus's B&W in the lineup) sounded outstanding in a very well treated demo room. At the time I couldn't justify the coin for new 805N's, so I eventually went with a used pair of Joseph Audio monitors. Have never looked back. Very neutral speakers, require good upstream gear. YMMV.
bondmanp
1,808 posts
 
I thought my Vandersteen 1Cs were harsh because of my electronics. I replaced almost the entire signal chain, adding a tube preamp, new amp, cables, power cords, etc. Things improved, but I ended up realizing that the speakers were the culprit. Either the metal tweets or the roughness in the crossover range was to blame.

I am now trying Ohm Walsh 2000s. These speakers are a bit different, but in no way harsh on almost any material I throw at them. Very open, dynamic and lively, but only when the source material is as well.
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