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How good can stand speakers be ?

W

wacko

pfm Member
I have Harbeth P3ESR speakers and they are good. Very good for the price. But they cannot pretend to do justice to Led Zeppelin tonight. Is there anyone out there who has an informed opinion whether buying Focal Utopia Diablo at 5 times the price will solve that little issue ? But I want it all : acoustic jazz/ blues, classical... Think I am a little greedy ? Check the price ! Ampilfier is Leben valve 15 watt...
 
But I want it all
Click to expand...

Pure dreaming, trees are not growing into heaven even if your source are topnotch ?

For LedZep at realistic levels look elsewhere maybe a second setup with large JBL monitors

Current Leben/Harbeth is fine for small jazz/ blues, classical as you have allready discovered
 
I heard the Focal Diablo Utopia but it was on the end of 552/300 and a full spec LP12 (the kind that's so expensive it makes people very angry - see current thread). It was a jaw dropping system, but so expensive it was politically worrying. And I only heard jazz.
 
per flemming said:
Pure dreaming, trees are not growing into heaven even if your source are topnotch ?

For LedZep at realistic levels look elsewhere maybe a second setup

Current Leben/Harbeth is fine for small jazz/ blues, classical as you have allready discovered
Click to expand...

I have a second (actually first set-up) but that is another story. My source is top Accuphase CD. I know that LedZep realistic level is unrealistic in any hifi system but I know I can get closer/immediate. I believe the Diablo is 3 dB more efficient which will help. With respect I am not asking for a philosophical reply but only comments from people who have heard the Diablos.
 
Try putting a bit more power (correction: a lot more power) behind the P3ESRs as they are distinctly insensitive - approx 84dB/W at 1m.

You won't get bass-slam from them, nor anything approaching realistic level on Led Zep - but you will get more welly than 15 sublime Leben watts can provide.

TBH I'm not sure a 15W amp would do the job on Led Zep with speakers of anything less than 90dB/W sensitivity.
 
With the risk of beeing philosophical the Leben is 15Watt only (at best)

"Achieving all of these things
means that it is certainly demanding
when it comes to matching
electronics"

(Part of conclusion hifiplus review)
 
Weird just listening to Led Zep to for the first time in years (Physical Graffiti).

I have 250w into Shahinian speakers and very good it sounds-all that slide floating around the room but if I play Led Zep 1 I begin to either want more power from the amp or my Briks back for the slam-always compromise or over familiararity with music and speakers.

Still take these speakers any day though.

Si
 
Until I decide to open an honest hifi store (yeah right ! don't hold your breathe) neither you, nor I, will hear the Focal Diablo against the (1/4 price) Usher. All I have learnt so far is that the Diablos sound harsh with a cheap source/hard room and not enough hours.. ie I have learnt nothing which is why I am asking. So is there anybody out there ?
 
per flemming said:
With the risk of beeing philosophical the Leben is 15Watt only (at best)

"Achieving all of these things
means that it is certainly demanding
when it comes to matching
electronics"

(Part of conclusion hifiplus review)
Click to expand...

Have you heard valve amplification? I estimate that valve watts are worth about 10 times solid state watts...
 
I think you should be saying small speakers ? Sonus Faber Extrema, PMC MB's are stand mounted far from bookshelf in size and bass performance ?
 
wacko said:
Have you heard valve amplification? I estimate that valve watts are worth about 10 times solid state watts...
Click to expand...

On a pair of ~87dB/1W/1M speakers that are a rather easy load (Rogers LS7t), a NAP110 sees off a 15W/channel Dynaco tube amp rather decisively. As far as power and dynamics go, anyway. I like the tonality and texture of the tube amp, it's just not the right match for these speakers.

There's just no way that a 15W EL84 amp is worth 150 SS watts.
 
Your problem is you are listening to Zep on CD.

What you need is a Plum lable Atlantic 1st press and a good turntable; then you would hear how they sound. Awesome!
 
You would seem to have two options, ad a very good quality sub, which will fill in everything under 100hz and give you the scale and weight you need on the bottom end, but will probably expose the Harbeths a little.

Or get something with big 12-15" cones on the bottom end so they can really move some air and couple really well to the room.

or try headphones- the cheap option.
 
For what you're thinking of spending maybe trade in and go for a pair of PMC IB2S-As.
Power enough for Led Zep and my pmcs are great at low volume late night listening too.
As an added bonus you'll have the power for a bit of classical organ and a far greater bass extension.
Footprint isn't too bad either.
 
Many years ago I had a pair of Yamaha NS1000s and sold them because they didn't do the whole Led Zep thing. I spent many years in the hi-fi wilderness pissing money away trying to get it all. My advice is just accept that you have a pair of reasonably priced speakers that do most things well. I have never heard a standmount that can do the really big, dynamic sound with proper bass (and yes I have heard / owned decent sub woofers). For a long time I really regretted selling the Yamahas.

Nic P
 
Worth a reminder that we do need that power and dynamic range for a correct reproduction of classical too. We heard Turangalila at the Barbican last year and full orchestra volume was about as high as i'd ever want. When you recreate peaky things like the percussion or bass in that the required headroom to avoid xs distortion is huge.
 
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