Deciding on the right huge speaker

Cut Audiokinesis some slack. Given the distribution realities of big speakers the fact is most people don't live near a dealer for most of these products so in home audition is almost impossible. And do you really expect a dealer to truck freight a $30,000 pair of speakers half way across the country to your home on his risk theat they will survive intact, and not be damaged by you in the unpackacking and evaluation and repacking? Just so you can send them back without buying? And for this multi week shipping evaluation return process his store demo room is down?

Dont get me wrong - I am absoultely committed to in home evaluation. But unfortunately, for some products its just not practical.

And just so you know the kind of dealer Audiokinesis is I'll tell you a little story. I recently bought a product that had a few problems out of the box. Duke happened to sell the line and some folks linked me up with him. Even though we had never met or spoken before and I did not buy from him he interceded on my behalf with the manufacturer to help out and even offered to send me a demo product to use until mine came back repaired. He knew I bought elsewhere. He knew I wasn't in the market for anything else. But he made this effort and I've got to tell you, I was impressed.

So before you start slamming him as a dealer think about what you are saying...

joe

Audiokinesis--That was the best advice I ever read on how to evaluate speakers. Too bad I read it after I just bought new speakers. Even though my Von Schweikert gen III's only have about 50 hours on them, I'm going to do those things as soon as I get home.

I agree with Tireguy,the Montanas offer a great sound at a great price.(www.PBNaudio.com)

Try the new EgglestonWorks Andras II. By far the best and the smallest in size.

Kudos to Audiokinesis for some of the best practical advice I've seen posted here on the topic of selecting speakers. I was delighted to read his "tests" because they are very similar to the procedures I've worked out in my own experience for evaluating equipment.

But Natalie also has an important point about room effects. I have good but not super-ultra speakers (JMLabs Mezzo Utopias). Your prelate cannot actually afford such nice reproducers but got one of those friend-of-a-friend deals that made it possible for him to acquire them.

Anyway, whilst I was converting the garage to a suitable listening room, I installed them in a 14x17x12 (sloped ceiling) room where they sounded....good. "Oh well," I thought. "At least they'll have great snob appeal and I can use them for a trade-in on something better." When the new room was done, I moved them in. HOLY COW! A totally different experience. In the new space (18x22x9 with some rudimentary room treatments), they simply exploded with delicious sound. My friends and I were so completely flabbergasted that we actually moved them back and forth twice just to confirm the difference for ourselves.

Now, I got my M/Us for less than 30% of MSRP, NIB. Yes, miracles happen. At that price, had I been buying from a dealer, I would not have expected him to go to enormous trouble to ship them in and set them up in my listening space. However, after this experience, if I were paying list--and certainly if I were considering speakers in the $50K+ range, you bet your booties I would insist on hearing them in my own room.

Tell the dealer you'll pay shipping (both ways, if you don't buy) and ample insurance. If he won't agree to that, shop elsewhere.

will