Floor Standing Speakers @ £3K (ish)
- Thread starter Brown Bottle
- Start date
That certainly is irrational! You could repeat the same exercise by saying, there is no point trying a lower model is a speaker range as the larger ones are better - it's all about what works for you in the room you are in with the ears you have, and there is no right and wrong. I would also listen to ugly speakers if I were you, try and be open minded, because the experience is likely to shape what you realise is important to you for how music is presented. It might reinforce your opinions about what you like, but it would be most interesting if it questions what you think you know, which will possibly send you in a different exciting direction.
I personally have multiple contradictory speakers in my main system, i've got Obelisks (omni-directional transmission lines), ESL57s (electostatic dipole) and Tannoys (dual concentric ported) and they are all excellent in different ways. I couldn't buy one speaker which would sound as good as each of these sounds with certain music, or when i'm in a certain mood. I'm using the obelisks at the moment, they sound ace. Might wheel out the ESL57s at the weekend as it's a while since i've used them.
Oh, and active vs passive is not a one way street, and ATC really know how to make passive crossovers, so it's not a significant compromise. As for requiring lots of power to get going, nah, that's not true, they are voiced accurately for normal playback volumes. They aren't some sort of crazy in your face design. So go and give them a listen.
Brown Bottle
UTB
I understand where you are coming from Cesare, but it's just as important how they look, as how they sound. We have an open plan ground floor, with a modern aesthetic used by all the family, a big pair of Tannoys or ESLs ain't going to work. If I had a seperate room looks would be much less important. We are changing the layout and some furniture so it may open up opportunities for something else but that will still be something of simlar ilk but maybe with more colour choice.
Ultimatelty my favourite speakers are big standmounts, with big drivers, preferably driven by Class A amplification. Our next property will take that in to consideration, I'm happy to make the compromise whlst living here. Realistically we're staying here for the next 10 years.
Cheers BB
hifinutt
hifinutt
my wife banned my BIG summit x and is VERY happy with my small tannoys which are very domestically friendly i think . i even keep the grills on them !!! and they sound BIG !!!! especially with 25v watts of class A per speaker !!
P1070857 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/158267783@N02/, on FlickrYou misunderstand. You *listen* to all speakers, and use the experience to determine what *design* works for you. You don't buy the speakers that sound best at this stage! You then try and find a speaker that looks nice that uses that design that you want to have in your room. Let's say you listen to the ATCs, and decide that sealed bass is just what you love, or that a three way design gives you great midrange that is a must, or that actually you love ported bass, well at that point you have managed to narrow your search down and this allows you to rule out many speakers without having heard them. This is a simplification, but it's all about learning what you don't like as well as what you do to allow you to find the thing that matches your aesthetic as well as auditory constraints.
Also, if you really want big standmounts i'm afraid that what you should get. No point waiting 10 years, you'll be hit by a bus or loose your hearing before then - life is short. Just get on with it. No time like the present, etc. NS1000s, just do it
Tigerjones
Bagpuss
If I had 3 bags to chuck at some new speakers I’d be wanting to try a pair of KLH Model 5s. Mainly because I like the look of them, especially their grills.
Brown Bottle
UTB
Tigerjones
Bagpuss
Have you had a listen?
Brown Bottle
UTB
No, I meant my audition list. With that array of drivers I expect they’d be right up my street.
Cheers BB
johnny nocash
pfm Member
They're floorstanders, they're oak, they're great with class A or AB amps & they're brill looking with no grilles.
They're under budget, they're great sounding & they're mine
https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/living-voice-ibx-r2-burr-oak.269273/
They're under budget, they're great sounding & they're mine
https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/living-voice-ibx-r2-burr-oak.269273/
I went through the exact same process as the OP. There is no single ‘best’ option, it will come down to what works best for you, in terms of system matching and your room. For example, Proac D30, simply stunning, amazing sound - but not in a small room, unless you really enjoy getting pummelled by sound waves. Spendor D7.2, despite being about the same size, totally different, the bass has power, but is super tight. However, they don’t image like Proac, either in width or depth. Still, that might not matter to you. In my larger room , settled for the D20RS, but even they are too bassy for where I mostly do my listening (18 x 15 ft). I have an odd arrangement of one Proac Tablette and one Proac D15 at present, it works for me.
So whatever you pick, make sure you try at home. It is rare that what you hear in an audition will sound the same at home. And try as many as you can, you never know what might surprise you.
Oh, my favourites I heard along the way? Sonus Faber Olympica, just wow, so maybe worth trying the Sonetta range with your budget. I am slowly saving away in the hope one day I can afford to make a change.
So whatever you pick, make sure you try at home. It is rare that what you hear in an audition will sound the same at home. And try as many as you can, you never know what might surprise you.
Oh, my favourites I heard along the way? Sonus Faber Olympica, just wow, so maybe worth trying the Sonetta range with your budget. I am slowly saving away in the hope one day I can afford to make a change.
Brown Bottle
UTB
I’m definitely interested in Sonus Faber, the previous Olympica range come up second hand in my price range, as well as the current Sonneto range new.
We’ve got foreign visitors staying for a month from tomorrow so any auditions will have to wait until August, when I’ll also have a definitive budget. It’s another 4 weeks to convince Mrs BB that stand mounts will be better. Although I’m pretty confident either the Spendor A7 or Proac D20 would work in my room if required if necessary.
Cheers BB
We’ve got foreign visitors staying for a month from tomorrow so any auditions will have to wait until August, when I’ll also have a definitive budget. It’s another 4 weeks to convince Mrs BB that stand mounts will be better. Although I’m pretty confident either the Spendor A7 or Proac D20 would work in my room if required if necessary.
Cheers BB
Brown Bottle
UTB
Yes, they're deifinately on the list, although I wonder how they compare to the previous generation Olympica range?
Cheers BB
Sorry - can’t help you as I haven’t heard them. I think the Olympicas are supposed to be next grade up. Maybe others can comment.
cheers
Featsdont