Recommendation on speakers for listening to live music


Hello, I was wondering if anyone had a recommendation on speakers for listening to live music. I have a big collection of live Grateful Dead, phish, jazz, etc.. This is music on cd or vinyl that was recorded live. Are there quality speakers that cater to both live and studio recordings. Would be using McIntosh power amps mc252, mc275 etc.. Thank you very much for any advice.

jazzydrummer

You are not listening to live music, you are listening to recordings.

Just use your regular speakers.

Exactly as clearthinker says. It's a fallacy to conclude that because the recording is of a live event, that you need speakers that employ similar technology to those used at the event itself. PA systems are driven by the need to go as loud as possible with as few watts as possible. (The watts bit is less significant nowadays with class D designs, admittedly.)

Also, as clearthinker says, what's been listened to is a recording. If it's rock music, it's most likely a feed from the mixing desk, with possibly a bit of hall sound mixed in.

Jazz recordings are more likely to have been room sound with possibly a few spot mikes.

In either case, what you want is to reproduce the sound of the recording, so all the usual sonic criteria apply.

I am a grateful dead fan and I agree that you want the system to have a very clean tight base to reproduce Phil‘s baselines. I just recently replaced my JL audio subs with a swarm sub system. I really like it. Very clean and tight and integrates well with my speakers if you have the room for it, I would consider that. You can Google it.

*Bass

Sorry, someone had to say it........🙄

My Dead/Phish listening rig is Klipsch Forte IV’s and an SVS4000 sub. You really need that sub or subs to feel those Phil Bombs properly. Surprisingly, I enjoy the old JGB recordings best.Â