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Vienna Acoustics sounded terrible at Magnolia

I went to check them out, with all the reserve I have when it comes to big box stores, the fact that you can buy VA speakers with their no-interest financing is fairly attractive. I found something quite rare in these stores, a sales-guy who liked and understood sound and music, and he was very helpful.
I listened to the Mozart's in the show room and it was nothing short of appalling. Are those sources that bad? I came back home and looked at the reviews and something must be amiss. The bass was completely disjointed, like a $100 subwoofer with the driver loosened from the rim!! I put in my CD of Beethoven's 4th piano concerto with Claudio Arrau at the Concertgebow and stopped it right away, I though it made Beethoven cry in Heaven! The sound had nothing to do with the actual tonality or notes or anything!!
The sources were Yamaha and Denon receivers in tone defeat. I know they are bad, but that bad?? I did notice the positioning made a big difference, but never got them to sound even decent!
Any ideas? Anyone with any experience? VA owners, what is your experience regarding source sensitivity? BTW, my plan would have been for a NAD 372 as amp.
Thanks
roc_doc
jazdoc
365 posts
 
Roc doc,

I heard the Vienna Acoustics recently at RMAF and they sounded great. A couple of weeks later, I went into the Bellevue Magnolia to buy a new TV. Just for fun I had a quick listen to the VA's. It certainly did not sound like the same speaker! In the past, Magnolia has permitted home auditions. It never hurts to ask.
cleaneduphippy
323 posts
 
One of the big problems is that Magnolia Audio is now owned by Best Buys. Indeed, where I live at Magnolia Audio is in a back corner of Best Buys. From what I can tell many of sales personnel are not that well trained and generally don't even know their product lines all that well, and certainly set-up of equipment leaves a lot to be desired. At one time, I was interested in hearing a pair of Haydns, but unfortunately the salesman didn't know how to turn off the others speakers that were part of a 5.1 system that the Haydns were a part of. It's sad to see a well-regarded line of speakers put into a "Big Box" enviroment.
johnk's avatar
johnk
1,975 posts
 
Who can tell what loudspeakers sound like unless in your own home and system. Relying on demos to find out sound quality is a waist of time. Only way to tell how kit will perform in your system and in your home is to listen to it in your home and with your system. Many problems with demoing but the 1st one is you are never as relaxed as you are in your home so this will greatly effect your opinion on sound quality. Toss in many loudspeakers in the same space, improper set ups, different room and gear than your using at home. And you can see demos are just about looking if you listen and use these results to purchase your pissin in the wind. Take the kit home to demo or buy used try if it doesn't work resell. Some manufacturers offer in home demos look for them.
saki70
907 posts
 
I think that some of you are missing out on the actual benefits of BB . You can buy , try and return if you don't like them . How many highend stores will allow you to try something in your system at home , for more than a couple of days , with no financial loss ?

Ya , the setups there are terrible and the CS people are not much better . But I have been in quite a few "highend" stores that have not been any different !

Just my opinion .
lesvan's avatar
lesvan
39 posts
 
I tried to start a thread on my Magnolia expirience.... I never saw it appear...... the big room has glass doors and the sound was crazy for me too, I listened to a pair of Sonus Faber Elipsas powered with Mcintosh........ they had the bass and treble turned all the way up, I put the pre in defeat to clean it up a little......... I expected more but I knew it was the set up and the room, the glass doors which go wall to wall were right behind my ears...... yuck. Everytime I see a serious brand in a big store it creates a stigma, maybe I need to get over that.... any way I do understand your expirience with the Mozart speakers.....
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