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Speaker recommendation $10-20K (with some requirements!)

Recent lessons of the developing audiophile:


  • Don’t buy speakers without demonstration

  • Speaker break in is real...but will not fundamentally change DNA

  • Really appreciate the wisdom of this forum!


I recently changed my old B&W Matrix 803 Series 2 with new Dynaudio Countour 60i’s. A number of you helped on my: How important is speaker break-in? post - thanks! The Dyn’s are not fully broken in, but I think I can see where this is going: They have great soundstage, detail, and bass. In comparison, the B&Ws sound smaller, thinner, slightly less detailed overall, and do not throw big bass. (The B&W’s are supplemented nicely with a quality subwoofer, but that still sounds a little more like component parts stitched together, than the way the Dyn’s deliver an integrated output).  


The problem? The Dyn’s are hard in the mids and highs, and my (aging) ears are very sensitive to that. I have some tinnitus that I usually don’t notice...unless a hard or ringing sound sets it off, and these speakers are doing it big time. Immediately fatiguing (unless the recording is just somebody plucking at a bass guitar). The B&Ws are pretty sweet in the mid-range and most recordings don’t trip my hard/edgy line. So, I WILL go demo before buying this time, but I am hoping this group can help narrow the search a bit, and I am letting budget drift up if that helps get it done. Here are constraints and goals, and equipment:


*Absolutely must be smooth and silky - not hard, edgy, ringing, brittle, etc. - in the mids and highs. Ironically, I tend to listen mostly to heavier music, but I care mostly about sweet and detailed delivery of delicate sounds, like vocals and piano. For say, heavy metal, I don’t care if the system reproduces it perfectly, only that it tilts away from ragged, ringing tones as much as possible.


*After that, I want a big, authoritative sound with meaningful bass, detail - everything one would want in a speaker, but compromises can be made.  


*Room Treatments. Room is medium size, does not have treatments, and it is what it is. It is not a dedicated audio room, so I can’t start throwing stuff up on the walls (WAF). (The room does have the benefit of being wood floor applied directly to concrete (with a rug), so at least the floor doesn’t resonate. And it has 2 layers of sheetrock in places). I will live with my room compromises, but the sound coming out the speakers themselves does matter and I want to focus on that.


*Prefer tower style for aesthetics and fit, but open to boxy (e.g. Harbeth) if that’s where I need to go.  


* Equipment: All digital inputs to ARC DAC 8 -> ARC Ref5se preamp -> Bryston 7BSST2 monoblocks (600W). I get that the whole system matters, and that Brystons are supposed to be a little hard. But this problem really started with the new speakers, so that is where I am focusing. If you really think different amps or something are going to turn the Dynaudio’s silky sweet in the mids and high, please say that with some conviction and support.


As always, really appreciate the greater knowledge of this community!



mathiasmingus
Post removed 
mathiasmingus OP
52 posts
 
Nobody will recommend it, there is an unspoken rule to never mention the standout solution, even when - "smooth silky midrange and top end, sweet and detailed delivery of delicate sounds, like vocals and piano, After that, I want a big, authoritative sound with meaningful bass, detail - everything one would want in a speaker, but compromises can be made"- yes compromises can be made, and will with all the other suggestions. Big time.

"For say, heavy metal, I don’t care if the system reproduces it perfectly, only that it tilts away from ragged, ringing tones as much as possible." Yes well guess what you can have that too.

"I get that the whole system matters, and that Brystons are supposed to be a little hard. But this problem really started with the new speakers, so that is where I am focusing."

Right. You know the speakers started it so out they go. What I'm talking, if you hear any hard edge, or lack of detail for that matter, it is upstream.

The speaker that combines the dynamics and efficiency of a good horn with the speed and detail of a stat, with the cohesive one-ness of a Maggie, the smoothness of Vandersteen and delivers it all up on a great big plate stacked with the meat and potatoes it takes to deliver on the big powerful stuff.

Do I have to say it? Do I really have to say it? Everyone knows, and yet all the same old same old. Is this a website or an echo chamber?
millercarbon, could you summarize that for me?  I couldn't tell if the point is:

I'm asking for the sun and the moon in a convenient package, and it doesn't exist.

There is an obvious choice that is unspoken (Do divulge, please!).

The Dynaudio's are fine, and any hard edge is almost certainly upstream (even though not apparent with my B&W's??).

Thanks
keithr
1,306 posts
 
I’ve never heard Dyns sound harsh in 20 years. In fact, B&W has usually sounded bright. I suppose your tinnitus frequency may be something, don’t know. My tinnitus is at 8khz iirc.
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
Magico A5....possibly used or demo if you can find them. They retail for $21K.  I believe they check all your boxes.
mathiasmingus OP
52 posts
 
I’ve never heard Dyns sound harsh in 20 years. In fact, B&W has usually sounded bright. I suppose your tinnitus frequency may be something, don’t know. My tinnitus is at 8khz iirc.
I just talked to the owner of a local audio shop, and he thinks I have a string a bright-leaning components - in particular the ARC pre - that are bad for a person with tinnitus.  Maybe the fact that the Dyns are new, exploit the room more, plus that upstream situation, puts me over the line, and the smaller, 25-year old B&W's were loose enough to keep me below the line.  Maybe no fault of the Dynaudios here.
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