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If you had to choose...

Hi everyone, I am researching my next little “step up” in my audio journey after 3 years.   Upgrading from my current ATC SCM11 v2 speakers to ??

These are my current top 3 contenders.  I am sure there should be others on this list…

Anyone have any comparison experiences between any of them, etc? If you were choosing…. which ones would you be going for? (-:🤔

I have been eying the Alyssa for a couple of years now, but they are out of my budget range, unless I could ever find a great deal and leverage a trade-in opportunity.  Fritz seemed the way to go for me, but then I was just turned on to the Revival.

Based on what everyone has written about each of these, I am very confident that I can’t go wrong with any of these three.  Just curious as to your thoughts and experiences. 

 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

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FWIW, below is my environment:

I have a small 8'x10' room/home office/music equipment pit, with 9'ceiling. I sit at my desk about 7 feet from the speakers.  I am relegated to this room for at least the next 4 years…

Mostly low volume listening (65db or lower) with occasional turn it up sessions.  So they need to do well at low volume.

Music is alternative e.g. Radiohead/Smile, Mazzy Star, Echo, D. Mode, Simple Minds, Cure, etc.   Classic rock, progressive rock, Bowie, TOOL,  60s psychedelic and acoustic/folk.  All over the place…

Equipment:

  • Black Ice F35 integrated amp w/KT170s and Tungsol 12ax7s
  • Black Ice Audio Glass FX Tube DAC w/Dynamo Telefunken 12ax7
  • Black Ice SS-X Sound Expander
  • Rythmik L12 subwoofer
  • Streaming Qobuz via Sonore orendu and SGC i5 ROON server.  The server also contains my ripped cds.
  • CAT 8 hard-wired ethernet to switches and router
  • Verizon FIOS 1 gig internet service
bogbeat
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steve59
1,760 posts
 

After reading your placement issues I scrapped my suggestion. Maybe a smaller pair of meridian’s?
 

celtic66
1,653 posts
 

Carefully again read through your setup.  No mention of what these are ‘sitting on’. Stands, pucks on a desk, wooden crates, appropriate height Sound Anchor stands with Herbies’ Fat Dots?

Proper height placement on proper stands allows optimal performance and cannot be overstated.  Just asking.  Cheers

bogbeat OP
46 posts
 

@steve59:  Thanks.  I will have a look at the Meridians.

@celtic66: Thanks.  I hear you on proper stands, room treatments etc.  But I am far from that nirvana in this room at this point, unfortunately.

  • So, the speakers are sitting on Elfa tall (41 inch) drawer racks, which rest on my carpeted floor.  These drawers house all of my cables, adapters, computer, photo and guitar stuff, etc. So, very functional for the space constraints that I have.  But no room for stands.
  • The speakers sit atop the Elfa's on studio monitor isolation pads and are not currently angled.
  • The woofers are currently at ear level, toed-in just wide of my ears.
  • I sit at my desk with my speakers behind me.  My equipment rack is right next to me at my desk.
  • My side walls have multiple large photo frames on each side, and on the wall in front of me, along with a small basement window. I assume reflection horror.  

Anyway, that is my setup currently, and slowly trying to tweak it within the room constraints that I have.   Everone's tips greatly help!

Cheers.

celtic66
1,653 posts
 

Well, the Elfa are of course less than optimal, but it is what you are forced to use in this situation.  I do not believe upgrading speakers will necessarily upgrade the overall sound as long as status quo is maintained.

That will be a fight for another time.  I can nearly guarantee the sound you seek will be produced in future when the ATC 11s are placed properly.  Cheers

bogbeat OP
46 posts
 

@celtic66

Thanks a lot.  Agreed, less than ideal.  But, hey, at least this room/cave is all mine.  The family avoids it like the plague!

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