After the thrill is gone
I think we all understand there is no “perfect” speaker. Strengths, weaknesses, compromises all driven by the designer’s objectives and decisions.
Whenever we make a new (to us) speaker purchase there is a honeymoon period with the perfect-to-us speaker. But as time wears on, we either become accustomed to the faults and don’t really hear or hear past them, or become amplified and perhaps more annoying or create minor buyers remorse or wanderlust.
I am guessing the latter would be more prevalent when transitioning to a very different design topology, eg cones vs horns vs planars etc.
While I’ve experimented with horns, single drivers, subwoofer augmentation … I’ve always returned to full range dynamic multi-driver designs. About to do so with planars but on a scale I’ve not done before, and heading toward end game system in retirement.
So I just wonder what your experiences have been once the initial thrill is gone? (Especially if you moved from boxes to planars)
I've had my Walsh 4's since 1986. They've been re-foamed twice, internal batting has been re-tuned by yours truly, and lastly, since they are bottom vented, I've experimented with placement on carpet vs. 16X16 acrylic plinth. The acrylic plinth wins out for 80% of my listening because it's more dynamic and involving, the big exception being male a cappella choirs. |
A long time ago I was at Singer Sound listening to “stuff” and kibitzing with the sales guy. Might have been the estimable Mr Guttenberg. I listened to the very expensive, at the time, ML (CLS model). A solo piano record was played and I was stunned. It sounded like the piano was in that room with us. A musician myself, I know from piano sound. This was followed by my request for some rock. I believe it was a Stones record and what immediately struck me was how not so good it sounded. The speaker just couldn’t deliver the immediacy and clarity I was expecting. I also lived through what I call the “boom and sizzle” period where many speakers were voiced to deliver earth shaking bass and “sparkly” highs. Little mid range. If it was there it was obscured by the high low emphasis. These could be very impressive at first listen. Wow listen to those cymbals that bass! I settled in with a pair of Snell Type D’s. Due to room changes I moved onto Revel M20’s (Stereophile class A …lol) on stands. I still listen to them. Classical, Jazz to Rock to EDM. I sit pretty near field. They “handle” every musical style. Getting the timbre the rhythm and pacing, the palpable force of the instruments/music. I firmly believe that amplifier/speaker/room are critical. There are trade offs. I can’t expect the same volume and sound pressure delivery of the Philharmonic, A jazz trio, a Stones concert or a rave. I get the basics of good sound/music reproduction.
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@inscrutable , If the thrill is gone you bought the wrong speaker. I have done that at least 20 times. I start hearing the problems and then run into ones I can't fix. If I can't live with those problems the speaker goes. I have been through every type of speaker you can imagine. The two most frustrating where the Magnepan Tympani IIIs and the Apogee Divas. Both speakers were at once compelling and fatally flawed. To put it in perspective I have not owned a boxed speaker since the late 70s. The last ones were Allison 1s. As I became more convinced that the single biggest problem with sound was the room you were trying to make it in I became more enamored with the acoustic advantages of line source dipoles and have not owned anything but since those Allisons. I now own Sound Labs 645-8s and the thrill will never be gone. Every time I turn them on I am in wonder. I honestly do not believe there is a better speaker for me or for anyone for that matter. It is not that they are perfect, they are not but, the problems they do have are easily overcome and the end result is you are no longer listening to the room or the loudspeaker. It is almost if they do not exist. |
which maggies? you certainly have good gear... definitely get the room and speakers set up properly... doesn’t seem to me new conventional driver speakers should be on the radar for you given the other priorities good health comfy house and home first! good luck |
