Six pairs in six systems:
1. Clements 103D at work. w/Technics 25 wpc receiver (early 1980s vintage), Sony CD/SACD 5 CD changer, Mac laptop w/iTunes. Other than a somewhat aggressive treble that can turn digital cymbals a bit spitty, this is a remarkably musical setup. The very forgiving crossover lets these speakers perform much more than adequately with the current limited receiver.
2. Fried Beta IV signatures with new woofers in my daughter's system. w/50 wpc Harmon/Kardon receiver (late 1980s vintage), iPod. Fried speakers have always been remarkable to me. I sold many pairs of them when I sold equipment long ago and these were bought for my wife. The quasi-transmission line loading of the woofer in this design leads to remarkably full and articulate mid- and upper-bass that you almost never hear in small speakers. Vocals are sublime. The system works insanely well for what it is.
3. Vandersteen 1Bs in my son's system. w/35 wpc NAD integrated amp, Philips CD player. I love Vandersteen's for some of the same reasons I love Frieds, although they have their dissimilarities. The Vandersteen's image very well when setup correctly, and have very good timbral accuracy in the midrange. Their woofers are also transmission line loaded. This yields very good bass extension and pitch definition. The system sounds as good with Tool as it does with Telemann.
4. Vandersteen 1Bs in a bedroom HT system. w/AmFi 50wpc HT receiver, Oppo universal player, Polaroid 24" HD LCD TV. Used almost exclusively for DVD playback but very good for music too. Very good vocal intelligibility and great, rich massed string sound that is ubiquitous in the movies my wife enjoys.
5. 1960s era H. H. Scott 3-way "bookshelf" speakers with 12" woofers in the family HT system. w/ Pioneer 100 wpc HT receiver, Oppo universal player, Panasonic HiFi VCR, Teac cassette deck, ancient 27" RCA direct view TV. These speakers are in their perfect element here. Smooth, extended bass response, rich midrange balance that favors all sorts of "big" music and soundtracks, and very clear upper mid, and high frequencies that assist vocal intelligibility. They image only passably but this, somehow seems less important in this application.
6. Wilson WP7s. w/phono and tube-based big rig in dedicated room. This is my portal to musical valhalla, and my drug of choice.
1. Clements 103D at work. w/Technics 25 wpc receiver (early 1980s vintage), Sony CD/SACD 5 CD changer, Mac laptop w/iTunes. Other than a somewhat aggressive treble that can turn digital cymbals a bit spitty, this is a remarkably musical setup. The very forgiving crossover lets these speakers perform much more than adequately with the current limited receiver.
2. Fried Beta IV signatures with new woofers in my daughter's system. w/50 wpc Harmon/Kardon receiver (late 1980s vintage), iPod. Fried speakers have always been remarkable to me. I sold many pairs of them when I sold equipment long ago and these were bought for my wife. The quasi-transmission line loading of the woofer in this design leads to remarkably full and articulate mid- and upper-bass that you almost never hear in small speakers. Vocals are sublime. The system works insanely well for what it is.
3. Vandersteen 1Bs in my son's system. w/35 wpc NAD integrated amp, Philips CD player. I love Vandersteen's for some of the same reasons I love Frieds, although they have their dissimilarities. The Vandersteen's image very well when setup correctly, and have very good timbral accuracy in the midrange. Their woofers are also transmission line loaded. This yields very good bass extension and pitch definition. The system sounds as good with Tool as it does with Telemann.
4. Vandersteen 1Bs in a bedroom HT system. w/AmFi 50wpc HT receiver, Oppo universal player, Polaroid 24" HD LCD TV. Used almost exclusively for DVD playback but very good for music too. Very good vocal intelligibility and great, rich massed string sound that is ubiquitous in the movies my wife enjoys.
5. 1960s era H. H. Scott 3-way "bookshelf" speakers with 12" woofers in the family HT system. w/ Pioneer 100 wpc HT receiver, Oppo universal player, Panasonic HiFi VCR, Teac cassette deck, ancient 27" RCA direct view TV. These speakers are in their perfect element here. Smooth, extended bass response, rich midrange balance that favors all sorts of "big" music and soundtracks, and very clear upper mid, and high frequencies that assist vocal intelligibility. They image only passably but this, somehow seems less important in this application.
6. Wilson WP7s. w/phono and tube-based big rig in dedicated room. This is my portal to musical valhalla, and my drug of choice.
