My grandfather needs some suggestions for speakers

Here is another speaker suggestion for your grandfather... I also have experience with the Revel Performa F30 loudspeakers. There is a pair for sale here on Agon. I enjoyed the sound from these as well, and IMO these are hard to beat for the sellers asking price. Spend the extra $ on room treatment.

Have fun with it and best of luck in your search. It's not all that difficult to put together an impressive sounding system. LMK if I can help further.

I turned 60 2-1/2 weeks ago and am a step-grandfather. I have been an audio enthusiast for 44+ years. After much contemplation and several auditions, I brought home a new pair of Magneplanar 1.7s a couple of weeks ago. I came to realize that I'm really done with 44 years of listening through the noise and artifice of boxy resonances that come with cones 'n' domes unless the speaker enclosures are heroically built after the fashions of Wilson, Magico, Focal Utopia, etc. I like Maggies' ability to sort out all the parts and complexities of large-scale orchestral works and cantatas and oratorios, not to mention their natural and engaging reproduction of small group acoustic music such as jazz and acoustic pop vocals.

I was so taken by them that I finally had to say "decor be damned; I want *these*!" Every time I put on some music is a treat, an escape into a recreation of the musical event that made the recording. It makes me feel more alive and puts a big smile on my face whether I'm sitting in the sweet spot and experiencing a 3D playback of the performance or just doing the dishes in the next room and enjoying the natural timbres and dynamics.

If my budget were $2500 each, I'd get a pair of Maggie 3.7s in a heartbeat.

Good on ya, JohnnyB! It is soooo nice to find speakers that really, ummm, speak to you! I found the same when I got my Gallo Ref. 3.1s. And I, too, will never again put up with the coloration that comes from box speakers...

-RW-

Waxwaves wrote: " It helps to have a good reference to start from, and this gentleman wants a good set of loudspeakers first."

WW, the Polk speakers are actually pretty good. The point I was trying to make is that no matter how good the speakers, if the room is not "tamed", even the best speakers will not perform to their potential. If he concentrates his efforts there first, better speakers will shine even more brightly...

-RW-

Yep, it's pretty obvious to most that I understand your point Rlwainwright. The Polk speakers are far from the best and most exiting speakers available in this gentleman's price range. The OP wants some new speakers for Granddad and the Polks may be old news. Maybe you are really just looking for an argument?

I think you should tune your room to your system, after you get the new speakers positioned where you want them Grandad. Might also wanna let them play for a few days first. I agree with Rlwainwright that room treatment is a top concern and should be addressed.

Caution: the Thiel may be too hot on top, IMO. And, not unlike planar speakers, they sometimes require a subwoofer.

BTW, I have spent time with Maggie 3.7! They sound great... in the frequency range that they are capable of playing in! Qualities are the ability to reproduce a lifelike presentation of the tunes with stunning mid-range and amazing dimensionality. BUT, they are lacking in the lower registers for my taste. Just something missing down deep IMO. This is all system dependent of course, but I feel like I got a pretty good helping of what these speakers are capable of. It's all about what you like your music to sound like...

Maybe check out speakers from companies like Vienna Acoustics & Von Schweikert also.