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Audiophile Active Speakers?

Bracing for a flame war on this one - but are there any really seriously good sounding active floor standers? The new Dynaudio XEO 6's intrigued me.

Here's why I'm interested. I recently acquired some great Verity Audio speakers that I realized my entire cabling, amps, preamps etc were too warm for. Problem is I'm getting past the point where I see this as a hobby and am just looking for good music reproduction without tons of system matching experimentation etc.

One interesting option would be selling all my electronics, cables, etc on A-gon and just purchasing a good DAC and good sounding Active floor standers. I could therefore afford decent speakers (up to $7K or so), pocket some cash, simply the system (and save lots of time and grief shopping for matching components).

Am I expecting something that would sound as good as the Verity's with appropriately good electronics? No - not even close.

But a quality audiophile sound I could live with and possible tweak with the right sounding DAC that could make me more or less satisfied is the goal. The don't have to be magical like the Verity's. Any thoughts?
larrybou
66 responses Add your response
Post removed 
macrojack
1,303 posts
 
I am frankly surprised there isn't much more interest in this topic. After all, it would appear that a high percentage of us ask questions reflecting an inability to overcome many of the difficulties one can encounter trying to match speakers, cables and amplifiers. All of that is bypassed by selecting a good quality self-powered studio monitor. Yes, they appear to be expensive at first blush but, in reality, you can buy a $5000 pair of compact studio monitors that will outperform any combination of amp, speakers and cables that you could find for that much money. Think about it!

Spending $3000 for and amp, $500 for speaker cables and $3500 for speakers does not move you into the stratosphere with conventional home audio. But with studio monitors you can move into the lower levels of the world class studio monitor range. The biggest problem is finding the models I'm mentioning properly demoed anywhere. Let me know if you find a good place for that..
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chrshanl37
835 posts
 
I have actives now after trying quite a few audiophile monitors. Actually mine are only part active but I can't imagine getting better sound out of a pair of monitors for 5x the price I paid.
macrojack
1,303 posts
 
Bob - What are you using as a preamp with your Neumann 310A? I've been considering the Grace Design M920 which has 2 analog inputs, and a host of digital inputs to the new Sabre DAC which has garnered enormous praise everywhere. It's a professional audio product so I'm sure it would play nice with the Neumanns. Check it out and let me know if it looks like a perfect match to you. Added bonus is a state of the art headphone amp and a very good remote.
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macrojack
1,303 posts
 
Maybe the mags have taken little notice of pro gear because these products come from companies who deal in fact rather than fantasy and because the pro outfits aren't interested in playing the monopoly game set up by the audio press.
Likewise, I've been told that the margins on pro gear are much smaller than what home hi-fi provides. In short, I suspect the pro manufacturers aren't interested in the petty collusion perpetrated by our audiophile press. After all, the majority of their customers know what they are buying and many buy in large quantities. Why dick around with our neurotic superstitions? Try your cable arguments in a recording studio with actual sound engineers.
keithtexas
352 posts
 
Event Opal
Focal Twin 6be
Focal SM9
Genelec 1037

ATC or PMC if you can swing it.
waterzlife
139 posts
 
Tannoy Reveal 502's sound audiophile great at low and moderate, sane sound levels.

bodotes
30 posts
 
I remember hearing active horn speakers from a European company called EARO a few years ago.  I thought they sounded pretty darn good.
thumper_1
2 posts
 
Hey larrybou---
What did you end up getting?


transaudio
96 posts
 
Macrojack: This post is ancient but I should answer it anyway and not ignore it.  

The ATC SCM19A would be a floor standing direct comparison to the PMC AML1 (6 inch 2way ). This won some awards this past year. The ATC passive version is a smaller box book shelf, the SCM 19.

The amplifiers take up too much space to do in active version in bookshelf size, hence the move to floor stander for active.

Brad Lunde
ATC Importer to the US
Lone Mountain Audio (Consumer)


crwindy
123 posts
 
Any thoughts about the Dynaudio Focus XD600? The reviews are great. Has anyone heard them?
lgoler's avatar
lgoler
55 posts
 
Looking to bump this thread to include new active speakers that anyone might have auditioned or purchase?  I'm too interested in thoughts on the Dynaudio, but the new version of the FocusXD60?  Or Avantgarde Zero or Kii system?  Also, the new Eikon from Gayle Sanders?  
bache's avatar
bache
522 posts
 
 The most of the power used for amplification is for   bass and midbass.
Audiophile class A  which is very powerful cost a lot of money.   Very
important  and  critical  to use this amplifier to mid and high freg.
and not so important for bass and midbass, This is reason why some
high end LS company  supply active class D   bass module.
We made semi active with build in 2 amplifier for  class D  bass and  class AB  for midbass .
so you need just good external amps class A with just 10-20 watt
and save a lot of money
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