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After the thrill is gone

I think we all understand there is no “perfect” speaker. Strengths, weaknesses, compromises all driven by the designer’s objectives and decisions. 
 

Whenever we make a new (to us) speaker purchase there is a honeymoon period with the perfect-to-us speaker. But as time wears on, we either become accustomed to the faults and don’t really hear or hear past them, or become amplified and perhaps more annoying or create minor buyers remorse or wanderlust.

I am guessing the latter would be more prevalent when transitioning to a very different design topology, eg cones vs horns vs planars etc.

While I’ve experimented with horns, single drivers, subwoofer augmentation …  I’ve always returned to full range dynamic multi-driver designs. About to do so with planars but on a scale I’ve not done before, and heading toward end game system in retirement.
So I just wonder what your experiences have been once the initial thrill is gone? (Especially if you moved from boxes to planars)

inscrutable

Showing 1 response by mglik

mglik
893 posts
 

I had my destination system.

But never forgot the “decade of joy” I had in the ‘90s with Quad ESL 57s.

Then Kent McCollum of Electrostatic Solutions came to the fore as the preeminent 57 rebuilder. Among other significant differences is that the Mylar he uses in 2 microns instead of 13 microns. They play louder with more bass and treble.

Now, my system is built around ESS 57s.

Couldn’t be more different. I do miss the big dynamics. But what the Quads do with voices and small scale is nothing short of magic. Records that were very good on the big dynamic speakers are now sublime. 
Years ago when I lived with 57s, I ultimately wanted to hear the dynamics and sold the Quads. But they have again grabbed my ears. They draw you into the music in a way that no other speaker can, IME. Instead of the music coming at you, they draw a picture of the real thing as they pull you in. The more I hear them, the more I love them. I don’t think I have the right amp match, so bigger scale is clipping.

Am going to try a Quad 405 amp. Pretty long in the tooth, but said to be THE perfect match. Matching the 57s, he 405 rolls off the highs and limits the bass to 40-45 Hz. Which is what the 57s do.
Guess the audiophile bug again. The thrill was not really gone. I may keep the old speakers and rotate them. But laid back Quad sound does fit my music preferences.

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