Totem and Dyn, two of my favs also!
What is the rest of the system and how big is the room?
What is the rest of the system and how big is the room?
The Great Speaker Quest
My initial purpose for this post was to have help in finding speakers that would end the search. That said, I've been reading in these forums long enough to understand I may never get off this ride. I suppose I'm looking for some conversation, some education, and some ideas on what to try next. I've been in this hobby for several years now and I believe that I've covered a lot of ground in my learning in a short period of time. Excuse me if my descriptions are lacking, however.
Particular model recommendations are welcome, of course, but I would prefer brand recommendations or help articulating my preferences. An answer that goes something like "It seems your ear is sensitive to XXXX aspect(s) of the music that you're finding in this speaker. You may want to listen to X brand or X model because..." would be great.
Despite having owned some more expensive speakers, my current budget is around $1k used. I might be willing to stretch that a bit at some point.
I listen to all types of music and love female vocals in particular. A little warmth in the bass is appreciated but the "bloat" that I find in most floor standing speakers is not. Driver integration and coherence -like- I find in monitor speakers seem to be key for me too (http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1242687419&openflup&1&4#1)
If this link does not work you can access it through my name. I think it helps complete the picture.
I like to actively and passively listen to music: Something that images but doesn't require perfect setup or listening position.
Please note that these are just my observations in often quite imperfect setup conditions. No insult is intended and my opinions/experiences are just mine, and for the most part still ultimately mutable. Feel free to agree/disagree. Both are helpful as I develope my ear more.
Most of the speakers have been paired with lots of different equipment. I realize using words like "dated", "musical" and others, is very limiting. Perhaps you can help me find better ones. Additionally, I apologize for the length. I was hoping to paint as complete a picture as I could. Thanks much.
Owned (a partial list):
Klipsch KG 5.2: Loved the way these effortlessly filled the space with sound. There is something about the presentation of these that I like. Efficiency? Dispersion? More dynamic than I need but a little extra never hurt. When turned up the horn just started to sound "honky" to me. Ouch!
Canton CT-800: Bruisers. Dynamic but sounded dated.
Wharfedale Diamond 9.1: Liked most of what I heard but lacked in dynamics. They seemed accurate but not very mus
Remind me of the Energy RC-10s in many respects.
NHT ST-4: Loved the imaging and speed. Exciting to listen to but the top end was a bit too hot for me and the bass on these was a mess. I played with them a lot to try to fix that. Long story and a common one from what I read.
Mirage Ohm 5(not factory adjusted for small spaces): Waaay too much bass (not their fault). I didn't like the muddy or indistinct soundstage of the dipoles. They just sounded strange to me moving about the room or turning my head. Eerie.
Duntech Marquis: Instruments and soundstage sounded spooky real! They seemed to lack excitement on driving music but that -could- have been my equipment. In the end they were way too revealing for me. I could pick out the flaws in EVERY recording. Seriously. Most of my recordings are not audiophile quality and sounded just plain bad. I was sad to let these go.
Thiel CS 3.5 and 2.2s: The 3.5s just sounded slow and dated. Liked how open the top-end sounded, however. 2.2s: Liked how natural these sounded. Big improvement over the 3.5s. Just couldn't make them get up and move on music with rhythm and pace. The metal tweeter on these just never sounded right... a little too brash.
B&W v202, 602v1, 601v2: Could play all music decently well which I liked. v2.2s: Cabinet resonances. 602: Ouch! Bright! 601: Tweeter much tamed. Liked the warmth of the bass on all of these but not (what felt like) the inaccuracy or bloat.
Energy RC-10: These speakers I don't think do anything wrong, but just didn't sound very musical to me. Kept these for a while until I listened to some Totem Model 1s that just outclassed them in almost every respect (except dynamics).
Totem Dreamcatcher monitors: Loved these speakers. Liked them better than the Arros even. A little too hot on top but imaged amazingly. I think I just like the presentation of monitors over floor standers. Desire something more dynamic. Read about Model 1s below, please.
Totem Arro: Really great speakers too. The 4" driver just doesn't cut it for me in regards to dynamics. Something just sounds more "right" to me about the Dreamcatcher monitors and the Model 1, too. Cabinet resonances of the Arro?
Spendor S3/5se: Perhaps I didn't give these enough of a chance to break in. I only had them for about 50 hours. There was an accuracy and rightness to the sound of instruments and voices but they sounded a bit closed in and unexciting to me. They just didn't sound right for pop music in particular.
Dynaudio Audience 50: Decided to buy these after being captivated by the Focus 110's (below). Amazingly dynamic and exciting. Finally "enough" volume from a bookshelf for me. Missing in resolution and refinement compared to the Totems and Dynaudio Focus'.
Listened to but didn't own:
Totem Model 1: The first speaker that really made me say: "Now this is the kinda thing I'm looking for!" Musical... resolving... beautiful highs... Just not dynamic enough for Pop/rock. These started me looking through the Totem line.
Dynaudio Focus 110: The first speaker I heard that I think topped the Totem Model 1 for me. Exciting, fast/pace, detailed, coherent, rich/dense tones. I could listen to a single speaker, playing a single organ tone, and be enchanted. The paired equipment was not even very good. I could close my eyes and face directly toward the speaker. It's was as if a complete painting or photo was presented in front of me (from even a single speaker). I listened to several Paradigm monitors(even the reference series) next to these and I had the sense that the picture they were painting was diffuse and kept moving, filling in holes that were missing and un-filling ones previously filled in constant rotation. Does anyone have a word for this?
Doesn't mean I'm sold on Dynaudios or Totems, just that I liked the balance I heard of resolution, excitement, pace/speed... and would like recommendation within these lines or of other lines to consider.
Thanks again!
Particular model recommendations are welcome, of course, but I would prefer brand recommendations or help articulating my preferences. An answer that goes something like "It seems your ear is sensitive to XXXX aspect(s) of the music that you're finding in this speaker. You may want to listen to X brand or X model because..." would be great.
Despite having owned some more expensive speakers, my current budget is around $1k used. I might be willing to stretch that a bit at some point.
I listen to all types of music and love female vocals in particular. A little warmth in the bass is appreciated but the "bloat" that I find in most floor standing speakers is not. Driver integration and coherence -like- I find in monitor speakers seem to be key for me too (http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1242687419&openflup&1&4#1)
If this link does not work you can access it through my name. I think it helps complete the picture.
I like to actively and passively listen to music: Something that images but doesn't require perfect setup or listening position.
Please note that these are just my observations in often quite imperfect setup conditions. No insult is intended and my opinions/experiences are just mine, and for the most part still ultimately mutable. Feel free to agree/disagree. Both are helpful as I develope my ear more.
Most of the speakers have been paired with lots of different equipment. I realize using words like "dated", "musical" and others, is very limiting. Perhaps you can help me find better ones. Additionally, I apologize for the length. I was hoping to paint as complete a picture as I could. Thanks much.
Owned (a partial list):
Klipsch KG 5.2: Loved the way these effortlessly filled the space with sound. There is something about the presentation of these that I like. Efficiency? Dispersion? More dynamic than I need but a little extra never hurt. When turned up the horn just started to sound "honky" to me. Ouch!
Canton CT-800: Bruisers. Dynamic but sounded dated.
Wharfedale Diamond 9.1: Liked most of what I heard but lacked in dynamics. They seemed accurate but not very mus
Remind me of the Energy RC-10s in many respects.
NHT ST-4: Loved the imaging and speed. Exciting to listen to but the top end was a bit too hot for me and the bass on these was a mess. I played with them a lot to try to fix that. Long story and a common one from what I read.
Mirage Ohm 5(not factory adjusted for small spaces): Waaay too much bass (not their fault). I didn't like the muddy or indistinct soundstage of the dipoles. They just sounded strange to me moving about the room or turning my head. Eerie.
Duntech Marquis: Instruments and soundstage sounded spooky real! They seemed to lack excitement on driving music but that -could- have been my equipment. In the end they were way too revealing for me. I could pick out the flaws in EVERY recording. Seriously. Most of my recordings are not audiophile quality and sounded just plain bad. I was sad to let these go.
Thiel CS 3.5 and 2.2s: The 3.5s just sounded slow and dated. Liked how open the top-end sounded, however. 2.2s: Liked how natural these sounded. Big improvement over the 3.5s. Just couldn't make them get up and move on music with rhythm and pace. The metal tweeter on these just never sounded right... a little too brash.
B&W v202, 602v1, 601v2: Could play all music decently well which I liked. v2.2s: Cabinet resonances. 602: Ouch! Bright! 601: Tweeter much tamed. Liked the warmth of the bass on all of these but not (what felt like) the inaccuracy or bloat.
Energy RC-10: These speakers I don't think do anything wrong, but just didn't sound very musical to me. Kept these for a while until I listened to some Totem Model 1s that just outclassed them in almost every respect (except dynamics).
Totem Dreamcatcher monitors: Loved these speakers. Liked them better than the Arros even. A little too hot on top but imaged amazingly. I think I just like the presentation of monitors over floor standers. Desire something more dynamic. Read about Model 1s below, please.
Totem Arro: Really great speakers too. The 4" driver just doesn't cut it for me in regards to dynamics. Something just sounds more "right" to me about the Dreamcatcher monitors and the Model 1, too. Cabinet resonances of the Arro?
Spendor S3/5se: Perhaps I didn't give these enough of a chance to break in. I only had them for about 50 hours. There was an accuracy and rightness to the sound of instruments and voices but they sounded a bit closed in and unexciting to me. They just didn't sound right for pop music in particular.
Dynaudio Audience 50: Decided to buy these after being captivated by the Focus 110's (below). Amazingly dynamic and exciting. Finally "enough" volume from a bookshelf for me. Missing in resolution and refinement compared to the Totems and Dynaudio Focus'.
Listened to but didn't own:
Totem Model 1: The first speaker that really made me say: "Now this is the kinda thing I'm looking for!" Musical... resolving... beautiful highs... Just not dynamic enough for Pop/rock. These started me looking through the Totem line.
Dynaudio Focus 110: The first speaker I heard that I think topped the Totem Model 1 for me. Exciting, fast/pace, detailed, coherent, rich/dense tones. I could listen to a single speaker, playing a single organ tone, and be enchanted. The paired equipment was not even very good. I could close my eyes and face directly toward the speaker. It's was as if a complete painting or photo was presented in front of me (from even a single speaker). I listened to several Paradigm monitors(even the reference series) next to these and I had the sense that the picture they were painting was diffuse and kept moving, filling in holes that were missing and un-filling ones previously filled in constant rotation. Does anyone have a word for this?
Doesn't mean I'm sold on Dynaudios or Totems, just that I liked the balance I heard of resolution, excitement, pace/speed... and would like recommendation within these lines or of other lines to consider.
Thanks again!
- ...
- 25 posts total
- 25 posts total