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So you've just heard speakers that blew you away

and you can afford them. What do you do? Do you buy them and put them into your system or do you purchase the whole system you heard them with? I've been getting back into audio this last year and I've decided to sell of everything that I've put together over the last 45 or so years. Even the Stax headphones will be sold. I have been fortunate to have a friend sell me his integrated and it was the one I heard the new speakers with. I upgraded the cables I heard them with in the store, but I did stay with the same brand as it's the most neutral cables I've heard. I even went with the DAC he had in the system. I've always felt that no component seems to sound the same once you change anything in the system and I finally found a dealer who seems to have the same ear as I do and I'm trusting him and having a BALL again. I dont' even have the speakers or cables yet and I'm still loving my new system.

How do you guys do it?
ctsooner
rleff
1,065 posts
 
Don't forget the room as it plays a big part as well.
akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,281 posts
 
' ...Don't forget the room as it plays a big part as well....'

= + 1 ON THIS POINT.
ctsooner OP
2,480 posts
 
We all know the room plays a big part, but a great system should sound great in any decent room. I think I'm just not getting what I want out of most systems I've heard in the last year other than the systems that Vandy's have been in. I have liked some of the Legacy stuff that I've heard also, but so much of the higher priced systems have left me cold. Usually the amps just aren't getting it done or the speakers aren't musical. In listening at a blues club last week, I realized that the emotion of a live event is what's missing in most systems now days. Unless I want to move or tap my feet, I just don't want to sit and listen. I have been thinking it's listener fatigue and maybe part of it is, but It's the emotion that's been lacking in most systems I've listened to I think .
rsimms
150 posts
 
Ctsooner, I agree with you about the emotion of the event. Well made speakers based on the Seas Excel midrange woofer prove your point. Joseph Audio and Salk come to mind. In a proper system, they deliver excitement of a performance. There are others such as the Vandy 7s that will get you even closer to the performance itself, but the Excels get you there primarily on capturing the excitement of the performance alone.

Bob
ctsooner OP
2,480 posts
 
I have never heard the Salk speakers. Don't think there are any dealers in my area. I've heard good things about them. Are they first order xovers? Don't know much about them. I have liked some of the Joseph audio speakers I've heard in the past, but for the cost I really wanted a full range legit sub 40hz. I don't know if they have that at that price range. I still can't get over the fact that I went to Audio Connections to buy new Proacs as that's all I've ever owned and I can away with Vandy Treo's. It changed my whole paradigm in how I listen to higher end systems. I used to listen for huge soundstage and imaging. I love bass and a full range, but I always ended up liking monitors best. Then I hear the various higher end Vandy's and it opened up a new way to listen. They just sounded like what I heard the night before (live concert). It blew me away. Then I went back to listen to other systems I was looking at and they all left me cold. They just didn't hit that emotion. I'm sure there are some smaller upstart companies who have 'IT', but I haven't heard any so far that have that. I have heard some of the exotics that also lack this emotional magic. Is this what the Magico's have? I did like the new Legacy's, but for the cost, I like the Vandy's better.
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