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Is speaker accuracy important for a rock speaker?

I listen to rock mostly and much of rock is distorted. Feedback reverb etc. Bass bloated and not tight. So do you really need an accurate speaker?? To hear a violin concerto yes. But for rock? You need one to play loud of course. One that will fill up the room with bass. Also should it matter much if the speaker does not sound its best at low volume? Hey rock is mostly about volume. I have heard of speakers sounding good at low and high volume but those get pricey. Im on a rock budget. Ive had OHM I's for a long time, the drivers being upgraded 6-7 years ago. Some would argue but to me their good speakers. I took the plunge after that and bought a used pair of a well reviewed speakers. Kept them a year and sold them. The midrange was clearer but they did not envelope you in sound like your at a rock concert. Those were PSB stratus golds. I also heard a Vandersteen 2CE at length at a showroom. They sounded colored to me? Maybe my tastes are different. Maybe my hearings gone!!!. Maybe Im not able to hear the refinement. Would a good used Cerwin Vega or JBL be better? I live out in the country and dont get to visit many stereo shops. I have a 300 watt Bryston. I am on a tight budget. $800 tops.
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rootmann's avatar
rootmann
78 posts
 
Try looking at a set of Cerwin Vega CLS-215's if you really like rock with big bass. They are nice speakers along the line of Klipsch with horns and dual 15 inch subs. You can get them new for well under $1K if you look around. They will fill a room up and you don't need a Bryston 4B-SST to drive them, although that will rock them for sure.

Good luck....Watch your ears brother.
kbarkamian
647 posts
 
If rock is mostly about volume to you, then get the biggest, baddest, most sensitive (sounds odd, doesn't it?) speakers you can find. Kilpsch, JBL, and CV should fit the bill on paper.

After you've had fun with them and they do all those things, you'll most likely get bored and wish you never got rid of your Ohms.

There's more to rock than SPL and bass slam. I listen to several types of rock, pretty much exclusively. No desire whatsoever to get speakers like the ones mentioned. Why? Because they don't sound good - muddy, bloated, colored, disprportionate imaging, and on and on.

Even with very distorted and poorly recorded stuff, do you want to add to the crap? Think about it. Pileing crap on top of more crap never brought me any bliss.

I run a Bryston B60 and Audio Physic monitors. Very neutral and honest sounding, among other things, for my budget
dan_ed
2,451 posts
 
Rock is NOT about volume, IMO. It is about room presence, which horns exceed at. I almost never run my horns above 85-90 dB, but you still feel the music in your chest.
lokie's avatar
lokie
528 posts
 
Good sensitivity with 15" woofers, an amp that goes to 11 and a Tenacious D CD and you will rock your f@#&#*ing socks off.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,249 posts
 
Rock is no different than any other type of music in that it will sound better with a reasonably accurate speaker than not. Rock music covers an extremely wide range of genres, but in general you will need a speaker capable of high volumes, low distortion, good bass, easy to drive, not too critical in placement, not sensitive too seating/standing position and is tolerant of overloading. Tonally it should be smooth sounding with a nice projection of the midrange. A little bass bump and slightly rolled off treble is sometimes desirable, so match it in a system with tone controls.

Specifically, the Klipschs mentioned above are a good choice. I was never a big fan of the classic JBL studio monitors, but some people swear by them on rock. I recommend you search out a pair, or better yet two pairs of large Advents. They are widely available and easily upgraded (refoamed and new capcitors). Alternatively, but much harder to find are the EPI "module" designs. Models 201, 202 or 400 are excellent choices.
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