Aerial Acoustic Model 7Bs vs. Model 9s?

It would be helpful to know your room size, dimensions, and partnering equipment. Particularly the room stuff, if you have a good fairly large room the fuller range speaker might be best, smaller or more difficult the smaller speaker and sub might suit. So more info would be helpful.

Youll be happier with the 8 or 8b. Read the reviews. it is a true full range speaker. If necessary Aerial makes IMHO one of the best "music subs" in the business. The 8 has more bass than the 8b. you'll save a little money,too.

Thanks for the midnight reply - the room is roughly 16 x 14 with an 8 foot ceiling. The system is setup centered on the long wall and the seating position is floated in the room allowing for a wall of floor to ceiling bookcases and a walkway behind the couch. Currently the bass reinforcement loudspeaker is on the left wall about 4' from the corner.

The equipment chain is: Krell SACD standard --> Krell KAV280p --> ASL Hurricane DT --> Linn Ninka. Power is conditioned by a Audio Power Power Pack 5. Speaker cables and amplifier interconnects are Sonic Euphoria Supremes, and Krell interconnects are balanced Transparant Audio Musiclink Plus. Power cords are also from Transparant Audio.

This is one of my primary critical listening systems, where I often spend a couple of hours at a time enjoying music fairly loud. Rock, Jazz, Country, Folk/Blue-Grass, Blues - I'm all over the map. The only shortcoming of this system in my opinion now is the bass reproduction. The Ninkas don't dig very deep, though what they do cover, they seem to cover really well. The subwoofer on the side gives me the low bass energy in the room - but I can definitely tell when the subwoofer kicks in, and I feel the energy in my feet through the floor and furniture instead of in my chest. I'm looking for a more cohesive presentation of full range - that will still fit in the room and closer to 5k than 10k. When I say fit in the room - I mean that the speakers shouldn't be too much more than about 40" tall, nor more than about a foot wide or two feet deep.

Thanks.

Thanks for your comments on the Model 8. Frankly I looked at those, but have not yet listened to them because of two reasons: 1) the dealer said they are primarily designed for theater systems, and 2) they are not offered in a maple finish to match the rest of my furniture in that room.

I know, reason 2 is pretty weak; and I would probably be fine with a pair of 8s in black for example. Let me take that back - strike reason 2: it's silly.

The 8s are side-firing woofers, right? They are also physically larger than the 7bs or even the 9s if I recall. Another question, what's the difference between the 8 and 8B model designation?

Thanks,

Check the aerial website. I have seen the eights in maple with my own eyes. Maybe they stopped offering them in maple.
The eight was introduced as a lower cost version with a smaller footprint of the 10t. Aerial wasn't even into home theater at the time the eights were introduced. It is much more likely that the seven was designed for HT. I don't know about the nine.
Stereophile in its' usual pseudo -science claimed the 8 was showing a bass peak. Reviews being as as important as they are Aerial capitulated and introduced the 8b. For specs and demensions check: http://www.aerialacoustics.com I hope that's right. Side firing woofers are not a problem because low frequencies are generally non-directional.

I've got the 8b's and have never been disappointed with their performance on music. I've driven them via Proceed HPA-2's and a Theta Dreadnaught. Heck, I'm even thinking of foregoing the sub for theater applications. The bass is not lacking from my perspective. At this point, I point the woofers inward, but have not played enough with position to totally rule out having them fire towards the outside walls. Bought them used (although couldn't tell from looking at them) in rosewood for $3,800 over a year ago. In a thorough side by side with 3 different amps, they were, IMHO, better than the Revel F50's.

Thanks for all of your remarks: I will arrange to audition the 8s and do some more research on them. They might be just the fill-in between the 7Bs and the 9s. Maybe a second mortgage the the 20Ts would be a better thing?

Anyone out there using the 7Bs with tube amps?

Why folks often equate Aerial and HT is a mystery to me.
Michael Kelly has made some lines to cater to the HT crowd, however the 8'a and 9's are quite musical.

As Greggadd said, the 8's were a 10t with a smaller footprint. Musical speaker nontheless.

I've owned 10t's and now have 20t's and the both speakers never ceased to amaze me. They WILL show you every flaw upstream.....work with them and get the synergy and you will be well pleased.

Best,

Paul :-)

The MODEL 9's are the BOMB there is nothing like them other than the 20t's. The 9's are in a different league than the 7b's a good speaker but no where near the 9's!!! By the 9's and be done with it! If u get the 7b's you will wonder what the 9's would of been. I have owned them and loved them!