B & W speaker upgrade suggestions

Yes, by mains I did mean my front speakers - guess I should have been more specific. Once I have upgraded my front speakers, I would probably use my CM4s for the rear speakers until I could get something else. I just can't afford to buy new fronts, rears and center, so thought I would optimize my two channel system first because music is really more important to me than home theatre.

I am actually pleased with my current sub and am not considering replacing it at this time - the Onix Rocket is quite musical and works well for me in my somewhat awkward, small room. I should note that my room is not ideal - it is basically what is called a "great room" these days (though small,) as it is an open room comprising both kitchen/eating area/living room with cathedral ceilings and lots of windows.

I am surprised to see folks recommending B&W speakers; for some reason I didn't think they were well respected here! So the B&W 703s have more bass? That would be nice!

Jjwa - I can't imagine finding a pair of used Verity Parsifals in my price range - aren't they something like 14-17K new? I don't imagine used ones would drop to 5K! They definitely look nice, though.

I have read good things about the Tyler speakers, so will definitely put these on my list.

Any comments on the Usher CP-6381 speakers? They have received some rave reviews....

Thank you for your suggestions; hope to hear more!

Holly

I don't dislike B&W speakers, but they were my first foray into "better" equipment, and I would just like to try something different. Despite the fact that the majority of my audio equipment is solid state, I really long for the sound of tubes! (All I have right now in terms of tube equipment is a couple of headphone amps and I love them.) But, since I can't afford to buy tube amplifiers for my main system, I am looking for speakers with lusher, warmer sound. And yet I still want detail. Sigh....

Any opinions on the Onix Reference 3 speakers? http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=38.1AV123 is a local company and I like my Rocket UFW-10 sub quite a bit, but have never tried out their other speakers.

Holly

AV123, the Onix/Rocket manufacturer, is about 10 minutes away from where I live, so getting repair/replacement speakers would not be a problem. Also, I am interested in their Onix Reference line, not their Rocket line.

I personally don't trust that kind of thing, especially since a bunch of people were running around other fora awhile ago acting like hooligans trying to coerce people into buying those speakers, and bashing anyone who said anything negative about those speakers.

That rather dismays me, Jkalman. I will need to do a search here to see if I can find some of these posts.

I actually belong to the AV123 forum; I joined when I was considering buying the Rocket UFW-10 subwoofer. Though there is great enthusiasm for the AV123 products, I haven't read any posts there that disparage or bash non-AV123 products. I hope the people here that were doing so weren't "real" Onix/Rocket owners. Just because I own a certain piece of equipment, I would never consider telling others that it is the best in the land and whatever else they were considering is crap! Like most people, I very much dislike that sort of arogance and ignorance.

I hope to be able to audition some Reference 3 speakers as there are some local owners. There is only one place in Colorado that sells B&W speakers. Their web site doesn't list the higher end series but I'm hoping they have them anyway so that I can audition them.

It will be a while before I can buy new speakers, anyway, so I'm hoping that I can hear some other good speakers, too. There is actually a place here in Colorado not too far from me that sells the Cain & Cain speakers. They look wonderful, Arkprof, and their lower end offerings are in my price range so I will definetly take a trip there to audtion them.

Holly

A lucky find for you, Jkalman! A great price for what is said to be a very good speaker.

I, too, have read that it is best to get the same speakers/series all away around for the best HT sound. Though having the Abbys as rear speakers is certainly a possibility, have you seen a picture of the Abbys? I don't think laying one on its side would work. http://www.cain-cain.com/abby/index.html

I emailed Terry Cain yesterday. He responded and said that he was planning to make a center speaker soon; I am going to wait for that. I'll try to figure out something for the rear speakers - another $1500 for a pair of Abbys is doable I suppose, though I really wanted something smaller. I'm not sure that my room can handle two pairs of these largish speakers. :~

Holly

Hi Jkalman - I shouldn't have called AV123 the manufacturer - sorry, that was a bit misleading! They are indeed actually made in China, but Mark Schifter, the owner of AV123, is deeply involved in the design and marketing of the products - here is a quote from 6moons ( http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/onix/onix.html)that explains his part in the Onix products:

Enter Mark Schifter. Like Phil Jones of AAD and now Phil Jones Bass, he decided a long time ago that to do things properly equated to living on-site. With a house in China and another in Khabarovsk/Russia, Schifter has made the necessary sacrifices, learned the language and created the ideal infrastructure. He's not Sting's Englishman in New York but rather, Onix' American in China. He oversees procedures, installs safe guards and training and assures that Western-style quality control is successfully implemented. He partakes in the various design process stages from the very beginning and stays on the lookout for discoveries and opportunities. He also OEMs for other manufacturers and leverages his own brand against his growing scale of operations. The outcome of all of these actions are regular container loads of Onix/Rocket goods entering the US only to be unloaded consumer-direct via Mark's on-line store. Solid customer support and active user forums combine to make this approach friendly and non-threatening. More importantly, it becomes a grass-roots ground swell to draw music lovers into the folds who couldn't -- or wouldn't -- justify the usual HighEnd prices. As our own Jeff Day would put it, it's audio for audio everymen and women everywhere.

Holly

Fair enough, Jkalman! I will be going to listen to some Cain & Cain speakers today. If I decide to try out the Onix Reference 3 speakers, they have a 30 day trial period. I can set them up in my house and hear how they sound with my equipment in my room, etc.. If I don't like them, I can take them back for a full refund.

I still intend to listen to some B&Ws at a local dealer, too. My mind is by no means made up - besides, I have plenty of time to continue researching and auditioning since it will take a while to save up the $$!

Holly

I went to Golden today to hear the Cain & Cain speakers. I was absolutely stunned by the sound and appearance of the Abby's, though I originally went there to audition the IM Ben model. I loved the transparency and accuracy of the Abby speakers; voices and instruments sounded absolutely natural. I have made a commitment to buy these speakers and can't wait to have them in my home!

Thanks to you all for your advice and opinions.

Holly

The Cain & Cain Abbys look splendid in person! I am getting the natural finish ones. These speakers are made out of real wood, not veneer and plywood. They sound incredible, IMHO, and at an amazingly low price.

I was planning to spend $5000 on my speaker upgrade, I am now going to spend less than $2000 on the main fronts. (This includes some new speaker cables - the ones I have now are bi-wires with banana connectors; the Abbys, have only one driver, so only have two binding posts and you need bare wire or spades....) Thus I will have plenty left over for a new center, if I decide to go that route. Or maybe for some new vinyl, or.... :-D

Holly

I bet it will be worth the wait, Jkalman! At least you have decided on what to save up for. Now that I have decided which main speakers I want, I have to figure out what speakers, if any, will match the Abbys for my center and rears. I really think Abbys, and the other Cain & Cain speakers, are made for 2-channel systems, so it maight be a bit awkward to blend in other speakers.

It's a good thing we all like a challenge, isn't it? :-)

Holly

My search is over, though my wait is not!

Terry will also be making a mini-Abby speaker (29" tall) "in the near future" so I will be buying these and his new center as soon as they are in production - and as soon as I have the $$ togehter, of course. I expect sonic bliss with finally having 5 matched speakers for my HT setup and 2 wonderful speakers for my 2-channel set up.
:-D

I am very excited about this and can't wait to see the mini-Abbys and what Terry comes up with for his new center design.

Holly