2. speakers
  3. 184961-11209

Do my ears deceive me??

     The money is in the bank, thinking of upgrading speakers, but everything I demo is no better or worse than what I have.   Willing to spend up to $6,000.      Upgraditis??   My main system is Mcintosh MX 134 that I bought in 2003, with a pair of Focal 836v's and a Parasound 5250  (250w/channel) amp I bought around 2012.   I either blew the tweeters or crossover on my 836's, so they are in for repair.   Since I've owned them for 10 years, I was considering new speakers.    The blades are way more than I would spend, but I also demoed the Kef R11s, Martin Logan xtf 200's, Mcintosh XR 100s, and B&W 703 S3.   

       None of them sounded better than what I'm hearing right now from my BP 2006s.    Would I really need to demo them in my room to make a fair comparison??  Or are speakers just not much better than they were 20 years ago?   I know I love detail, and tend to lean towards aluminum tweeters.  I pretty much only listen to classic rock and roll.   Of all I demoed, I really like the B&W 706s.   They sounded much brighter/cleaner than the others.   But they had the reciever set up so I couldn't adjust the treble/bass.  I love a V equalizer curve, and bump up the bass and treble a bit on my home/car systems.   Maybe I just have the good luck of prefering cheaper speakers.   

 

  

fenderu2
soix
8,728 posts
 

I’ll reiterate, your problem is your Mac preamp. Its sound profile is exactly opposite of your sound preferences. My advice — buy something like this and if it doesn’t significantly improve your sound and maybe even negate the need for any EQ at all just turn around and sell it for little/no loss. My guess is once you’ve heard this in your system the Mac will never be in their ever again.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/195823814883

noromance's avatar
noromance
9,470 posts
 

Dude, all over the map.

I do need an equalizer. I tip the treble and bass up on most music. 

fenderu2 OP
22 posts
 

How is that all over the map.  i like what I like.   I actually have an Anthem MRX 300 in my basement system from 2010, so i know what anthem sounds like.   I also demoed their STR  line and it did nothing for me.    The mcintosh  I have walks all over it in stereo sound to me.   How can you say something is a problem when I've been 110% happy with it, and owned it for 20 years.  If I didn't like it I would have moved on along ago.   

soix
8,728 posts
 

No manufacturer — and I mean ZERO— uses any EQ in their audio systems at high-end audio shows. Why do you think that is? If Magico, Wilson, Joseph Audio, Rockport, Vandersteen, Audio Research, etc. don’t ever use EQ at shows that they pay a boatload of $$$ to attend, what do you think you know that they don’t? Are you smarter than them? If the answer is no, you really gotta think about your whole system because something is clearly off. Or just keep polishing the turd with EQ.  Whatever makes you happy is all good.

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,233 posts
 

@soix 

If Magico, Wilson, Joseph Audio, Rockport, Vandersteen, Audio Research, etc. don’t ever use EQ at shows that they pay a boatload of $$$ to attend, what do you think you know that they don’t? Are you smarter than them? If the answer is no, you really gotta think about your whole system because something is clearly off. Or just keep polishing the turd with EQ.  Whatever makes you happy is all good.

Soix, you make a good and rational point. Yet at the end of the day a listener has to choose what sounds preferable to them and makes their listening experience enjoyable. So as always, YMMV applies.

Charles

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