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Not Enough Options for Auditioning Speakers

am in the market for a great two channel music system. They will be set up in a dedicated listening room that is 12'x17'x9'. The room is carpeted but not treated.

My budget is around $15k-$20k for speakers, wires, amp+preamp (or integrated).

I prefer towers as I like the full range and have had bad luck with integrating a sub. I started my search with B&W 805's and Sonus Faber Olympica I's (which are still on my short list)

My problem is that most of the dealers in my area do not carry very many brands, so it is hard to compare. I cannot even find one that carries the KEF reference.

I am leaning right now to the Sonus Faber Olympica III's but also really like the B&W 803 D3. I wish I could hear them side by side. The dealer with the SF's is great and has let me do home testing with several speakers and he is recommending the Olympica's.

I read a lot online about auditioning several different speakers but cannot find any place in central Florida that has most of the lines they are suggesting. I know if I pick the SF Olympica's I will be very happy, but I have not even heard the III's! I am just a little frustrated that the consistent advice is to listen to a lot of others, but I can't.

Am I the only one with this problem?

Thanks!
-Mobius
mobiusmu
oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,797 posts
 
Audio Video Therapy in Nashua are great guys to deal with....great headphone room, which is my next purchase .....good selection of gear to listen to also
djfst
169 posts
 
Mobius,

I’ve owned the Sonus Faber Olympica III. Based on your room dimensions of 12 x 17, I don’t think that will be enough room for the III’s. I was in a regular rectangular room that was 22 x16 and they worked well. They need about 2-3 from the back wall and around 2 feet from the side wall. If they are spaced too close together, you definitely lose a lot image focus and soundstage and a lot of what the Olympica IIIs can do. Maybe the the II’s or the I’s. Just one man’s opinion whose owned the Olympicas though. I don’t have any dealers either. Speakers are by far the hardest to demo and even if you can get a demo, you can’t tell how much of the sound is contributing to other components (which will more than likely be completely different than what you have) and an entire different room layout. All this can lead to the speakers sounding completely different in your home than what you heard at shows or at dealers. It is a very frustrating process. Best of luck and hope you find a pair that suits everything you are looking for.
soundsrealaudio's avatar
soundsrealaudio
756 posts
 
wolf

That is a great idea. I plan on purchasing a truck, sort of like a food truck, and park in different locations around Seattle. 
soundsrealaudio's avatar
soundsrealaudio
756 posts
 
asvjerry

I had a room at the RMAF for about 10 years. When the room was not that busy I was happy to play a cut off of a guests CD. In general I preferred to play music that I knew would show just how good my system was, with high degree of transparency, great sound stage and very natural sound. As an example:

" Nothing I heard at RMAF.. could touch this rig for sheer midrange purity, detail, three-dimensionality." 
Chris Martens The Absolute Sound 

The problem with playing music that someone brings in my room is that it may sound very ordinary. 

I would not recommend just walking out of a room that won't play your CD for you. I would suggest that you first listen to the setup and if you like it, stay for a while and if you are still interested speak with the exhibitor and express your interest, tell him you really like the sound and wonder if he would mind play a track for you.

Just a thought.  

prof
3,471 posts
 
soundsrealaudio,

That is perfectly understandable.  A dealer or speaker manufacturer at a show is there to show the product in the best light possible.  It's a show to benefit the manufacturer/dealer, not set up for attendees to do their shopping.

Of course, ideally attendees do get an idea of how a range of different speakers can perform.  And it is certainly nice if someone is allowed to play their own CD.  That's a perk.  But I had paid money, and went to all the effort of transportation, set up etc,  to display a speaker I'd want that speaker sounding good as much of the time, and crappy as little of the time, as possible.

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