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If you listen to anything other than Classic Jazz, don't read this.

:)  I'm a Jazz only intermediate audiophile looking to improve my system. i ONLY listen to jazz, and i think that matters. If you are of the opinion that great speakers make all music sound good then move on to the next post, because the premise here is that speakers for Acoustic Jazz ( Big Band to Post Bop) have different requirements. My jazz audiophile buddies and i hav A/B'd lots of different speaker/amp/turntable/cartridge combinations as a fun hobby for the last 3 years. i've gone through at least 3 whole systems to get where i am now:
All Rega System - Rega Exex-R, Rega P3, with upgrades, Rega MC Phono Pre,  Rega Apheta 2 Cartridge, Rega RX5 Speakers. 

It sounds really great, but want to get to amazing if possible, and have recently done some speaker comparisons with some Paradigms and Harbeths that show the RX5's could have a tighter, deeper bass and bit more high frequency... 

The challenge is threefold -
1 )information out there is hard to come by, often confusing and  i haven't found much information specifically on what speakers jazz heads prefer.
2) I want to be able to put them up against my current system in my room, which seems a difficult task
3) They have to look good. Aesthetics matter to me. Tektons and Magnapans are cool But Ugly AF, and not going to work for me.

i want someone to tell me this is the best my system is going to get and just enjoy it (which i do 82.5% of the time), or recommend a few things to try, hopefully with recommendation for speakers to try, but i'm open to other suggestions.

I look forward to your comments :)

sincerely,
Eric the Jazz Snob
128x128ericmbass
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,869 posts
 
I love the (small) amount of jazz I play on my JBL 4319 monitors, which you can get for $1500 less than what I paid for them a year and an half ago. A very underrated speaker and a steal at that price ($2500). 

I seriously wonder if the JBL L100 would sound any better at their $4000 asking price. Try to audition a pair if you can.

All the best,
Nonoise
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,807 posts
 
If you are of the opinion that great speakers make all music sound good then move on to the next post, because the premise here is that speakers for Acoustic Jazz ( Big Band to Post Bop) have different requirements. My jazz audiophile buddies and i hav A/B'd lots of different speaker/amp/turntable/cartridge combinations as a fun hobby for the last 3 years. i've gone through at least 3 whole systems to get where i am now:

I guess I don't have to move on- not yet anyway. I'm not of the opinion.

I happen to know rather than believe. You simply can't, and I mean **can't**, design a speaker or amplifier or preamp or whatever, to favor a particular genre of music. This is arguably the biggest myth about loudspeakers in particular- that they favor certain genres, the classic being JBL L100s are best at rock.

The simple fact is that all musicians make music in the same set of frequencies, and speakers have to get this right. The speakers themselves don't have taste, neither do amplifiers, so they don't know or care what you play through them. What makes a speaker good for jazz also makes it good for classical or death metal. The better you get it to play one genre, the better you get it to play **all** genres.


It really is that simple- and isn't a matter of debate (even though somehow it is, despite this being the 'information' age...). FWIW I'm telling you this as a degreed engineer and designer of audio equipment (we get nice reviews in the high end press); there isn't a class or even a day in engineering school where they reveal how to make anything electronic work particularly well with one genre as opposed to another.
minorl
1,016 posts
 
I agree with Ralph 100%.

Don't buy the hype.  A good speaker mated with a good amp that can drive that speaker and sound wonderful with Jazz will sound great with Rock, Country, etc.

I am an Engineer and unfortunately, was.... a classical violinist.  I love any music that is good.  Jazz, R&B, Rock (Dire Straits is rock right?), Some Country (really liking Shelby Lynne), Blues.  My point is that my system sounds great with either.

enjoy
tablejockey
3,902 posts
 
If you're  82.5 % "there"  already,  
read the threads on what a sub(s) will do for your listening enjoyment.
Have you optimized the speaker position/room?  If not, it may get you closer to the last 17.5%. If your setup is in a living space, then consider  simply enjoying  the music. Any speaker is going to be compromised and never heard near its potential.

Upgrading to the P8 with your cart definitely would bring  Ray Brown ,Mingus and Paul Chambers in the room with of course, a nice original press(no reissue).
Subjectively, tube phonostage adds  more "real" to the puzzle. 

Record play(original press) and tubes just seem more convincing to me. Your preferred periods of Jazz were laid down with tubes.Those Blue Notes,Riverside,Verves etc. were done in studios with mostly tube gear.

Just as the wisdom states- speakers/amp  are not genre specific. Getting all the pieces  to work for your ears, is the challenge. Eyes too, I suppose. I happen to agree. Its gotta look good. That goes for the entire room. 

Speaker evaluation is best done in your place. Sometimes a leap of faith, if you're restricted to just reading reviews/research without at least a demo with a dealer.

Pick a few popular brands and research the hell out of them.Then the wisdom pops in to offer technical facts/perspective  to consider along with fingers crossed.

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
The premise is bogus and counterproductive. A good system reproduces the signal, period. If you think otherwise that will only lead you to select for colorations that catch your ear or you happen to favor for now. Colorations however always eventually become tiresome.

That said, its your system. The jazz sound you like is made primarily with brass- sax, trumpet, trombone, cymbals. Seek out brass footers, cones, and anything else made out of brass. It will bring those instruments to life and make the cymbals shimmer like you won't believe.  
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