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Tweeter type and brightness

I presently own Martin Logan Odysseys that I purchased new in 2005. I've enjoyed them very much but I'm having to replace the power supply board in one of them as I did in the other one about 5 yrs ago and I'm thinking that it may be time to look into speakers using more recent technology.

I auditioned several new sets at Sound Advice including the Monitor Audio silver 2, 6, 8 and 10 plus a small pair of ML's. I thought all of them were very good. Additionally, I bought a pair of Jamo Concert Eights several months ago that were fantastic for my type music which is mostly solo guitar. I regret selling them but at least I learned how good quality bookshelf speakers can be.

Anyway, I've read in several posts that metal dome tweeters have a tendency toward exaggerated or tinny brightness which can be very uncomfortable for me because of a hearing issue that I have. I want to avoid this and am asking for advice regarding this experience of others and what tweeter construction, if any, is generally best to avoid what I call screechiness.

I've been told that the technologies that best avoid this are ribbon tweeters or domes of some softer material than the various metals used in many of them. In one of the forums here on Audiogon this subject was discussed in some detail and at least several participants seemed to minimize the relationship between tweeter design and this problem. They suggested that more likely potential causes would be such things as room acoustics, interconnect quality, rake, crossover problems, etc.

I agree that each of these considerations could lend to the issue but I'm looking for a good starting point to at least minimize the contribution of the speaker design to this problem.

I've heard the gold series Monitor Audio speakers which do incorporate ribbons and they seem to work perfectly with my music but they, like the larger new ESL's are substantially outside my current budget limits. I'm currently using some borrowed temporary speakers while I'm waiting for the new circuit board so I can sell my Odysseys. In the meantime I would appreciate any advice I could use to help with an approach to selecting a speaker best suited to my needs. My upstream equipment includes Shanling solid state CD player, CAL DAC and Rogue Audio Sphinx 100W hybrid amp.
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savroof
26 posts
 
I love acoustic guitar as well!! Especially the song: Big Love, played by Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac, AWESOME guitar playing!!!

As to tweeters: I find metal tweeters too bright for me. I prefer: my B&W 805 diamond tweeters, as well as: silk dome, and ribbon tweeters. One type of speaker I’m REALLY intrigued by are: single driver, full frequency speakers. They are rare, haven’t seen any to audition anywhere yet. But I bet THEY are not bright or fatiguing to listen to. I’d REALLY like to demo a pair of them! I cannot afford them either! But I’d love to see how they sound!! 
  Hope I helped a little bit. I dislike “bright” sounding speakers and headphones, for that matter. I may be wrong, (tell me if I am), but I wonder if a really high-end pair of headphones beats a really nice pair of speakers?? I mothballed a pair of Klipch headphones I bought because they were WAY too bright! Gave me a headache! And I lost the receipt to take them back😢. Oh well. I really like my B&W headphones as well. Only issue I’ve had with them is the input cord is so thin, too thin, ones failed already, VERY delicate cord. But they sound so warm, and so comfortable! A touch lacking in bass response. Lambskin leather on the replaceable ear pads and the head cushion. Nice! 
erik_squires
16,013 posts
 
I'm a big fan of Monitor Audio, and that you liked them should kind of give you a hint that this kind of discussion isn't very useful.  Those are either metal/ceramic domes or AMTs. :)

If I understand your hearing issues correctly, the top end Monitor Audio are great values. I'd listen to B&W and Focal for yourself.  My guess is you won't like them.

I'd also steer clear of Dali, which uses soft dome's and ribbons.

Have you heard the Fritz with the ring radiator or Wilsons or Joseph Audio?
audioconnection
1,271 posts
 

You should try any Vandersteen with the new Carbon Fiber tweeter. Pistonic, very low distortion, transparent and very low listener fatigue because the Carbon is very stiff but has great internal damping. Best sounding tweet I have heard with amazingly realistic musical texture.

   Best,

 JohnnyR

 

 


savroof
26 posts
 
The Vandersteen speakers with a CF tweeter sounds very interesting!! I’m gonna check them out. Hope they aren’t nosebleed expensive!!!
savroof
26 posts
 
Jonny,
          Have you listened to my speakers? B&W 805’s with their diamond nautilus tweeters??? LOVE THEM!!! Perfect for my townhome(neighbors), as they aren’t floor standers, either bookshelf, or on stands, as I have them. Non-fatiguing, listen to them all day long! Sounds like the band and singer are in my room with my eyes shut!
  Took a while to break in. Played an endless loop of albums while I was at work, to speed up the break-in period. Wonderful!!! Beautiful construction, and they look so damn cool with the speaker covers off. Put back on when I’m done to protect the drivers from dust. 
  I thought of another way to kill brightness and sibilance, was maybe a speaker with just one full range driver. No crossover, no tweeter, no mid or woofer, just one driver. But cannot find anyone demoing/selling them, except online. And the prices made my speakers seem cheap! But would love to see how they sound and image. No idea. But an interesting concept. No idea why they cost so much. That single driver must be a hell of an expensive piece!! This is an EXPENSIVE hobby I love! 
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