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New speakers for a new start?

Hi all, this is my first thread on this forum. I am returning to audio after a 20-year hiatus, and I am planning a new-to-me, music-only, 2-channel system. I'm pretty excited!

Other than my Thorens TD-320 series I, I am (re-)starting from scratch. I plan to focus on speakers, then build the rest of my system around them.

I look forward to hearing folks' feedback and advice during this process.

How I listen: I have a pretty big room, 9' ceilings. I can set speakers in a 10' triangle with about 16' clear behind them and 3' to 6' to the sides. I normally listen around 75 - 85db at 10', but sometimes I like to crank things way up. Also, I can't sit still for extended periods of time so I tend to move around quite a bit.

What I listen to: 30 - 40% blues, 30 - 40% industrial, punk, post-punk, noise, and hip-hop, 10-15% ambient, 10 - 15% various pop styles, 5 to 10% jazz and classical. Nearly all are studio recordings. Source-wise, 75-80% digital streaming, 20% vinyl and (very occasionally) CDs.

Things I like in speakers: A generous amount of fast, tight, well-controlled bass with great extension. Little to no coloration - it can always be added in later through component selection. Fast transient response. Detail. Coherence. Transparency. Great dynamics. I'm OK with "analytical" or "dry" within reason.

Things I don't like: Boominess. Flabiness. Ear-piercing mids.

Here are a few speakers I'm interested to learn more about (in no particular order):
- Thiel CS5
- Dunlavy SC-4, SC-5
- Tyler Acoustics D1x, D10
- Nearfield Pipedreams 21
- Infinity IRS (probably not the Reference behemoths though... realistically)
- I am also intrigued by open baffle designs (Spatial, Jamo R909)

I prefer full-range speakers because I don't love subs with music listening. They're a must in a home theater though.

I love planar speakers for their speed and transparency, but the fact that I can't sit still in their minuscule sweet spot for very long, coupled with their general lack of bass probably makes them a less than ideal choice for me.

I will buy used gear unless something I want happens to be available new at a huge discount. I am more interested in value than in staying within a specific dollar limit and be able to resell at par or at a modest loss if, as time goes by, I find I'm no longer as enamored with them as I once was.

I am interested in your experiences, especially with the speakers I mentioned above, but any and all feedback is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 

devinplombier
paradisecom
305 posts
 

As much as I love Thiels, and I even owned some in the past, the fact that sourcing parts is getting harder and harder worries me.  

If you're open to open-baffles, check out the Caladans from Clayton Shaw.  They look interesting, for sure.

jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,021 posts
 

Go to Tektondesign.com website they have different size that will fit your room size. I agree with g2the2nd.

steve59's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
steve59
1,759 posts
 

OP, I read your entire post. Your plan sounds much like mine regarding buy used for the ability to home audition alan. The problem I ran into with my plan was that after the first half a dozen, full range speakers I brought home (crazy how every single speaker I decide to try turns up!) didn't sound like their reputation or previous demo.

We're doing this without the help of experienced dealers so we don't know what combination of components will produce the specific playback desired. A good dealer will know thru trial and error what components play well together. I found a shop that is patient, knows I'm cheap and sells me demo gear at or very close to used prices and I get their wisdom, free home demos and often factory warrantees. I pretty much broke even buying and selling online, but I didn't really get to check any of those speakers off the list because I never really invested in reaching their potential. 

Maybe you'll get lucky, Good luck and have fun.

kennymacc
387 posts
 

You know, speaker preferences and tastes are so incredibly objective that, asking a question like this on a forum like this really is quite useless, and really is quite a waste of time, IMHO.  Happy listening.

devinplombier OP
107 posts
 

Budget would be nice, vintage is cool

My thoughts entirely

 

thiel cs5 very heavy Thiel out of business, hard to drive.

Hard to drive yes, but not an issue since I am getting amps to match the speakers. And since I have an irrational fondness for massive monoblocks anyway, any pretext to buy them is welcome

 

you would be blown away by Legacy focus

These were not on my radar, but they are now. The active version is very cool. Would have to be sourced used though, because

What’s your budget?

Well... How about the projected resale value of the speakers a year from now. That's to be safe in case I did decide to sell after a short period of ownership, although that is NOT my intent. I am looking for speakers to live with for a long time,

Otherthan that, I don't have a hard dollar limit. I do think $5K should buy me what I want in the used market. But I very seriously considered a set of Pipedreams 21 with four, two-18"-woofers-per-sub subs and 126 speakers, finished in the most beautiful exotic veneer and simply stunning. They were offered far north of $5K

 

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