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Best Holographic Speakers ~$7k per pair

Hello,

I am currently shopping for a whole new system. I demoed Klipsch Cornwall's and Fyne 502SP's. They were both great in their own regard however I was won over by the Fyne Audio 502SP's because of the holographic illusion they were able to generate. I demoed them with a Music Fidelity M6si amp and Bluenote Icon streamer.

They are currently at the top of my list but this is a big investment and I want to make sure I do my due diligence before pulling the trigger.

I am interested to know if there are any other speakers in this price range i should be checking out before making my decision? I listen to a wide variety of music including electronic, classic rock, indy rock,  hip-hop, orchestral music etc... 

In addition to the holographic nature of the 502SP's I also liked the clarity and punch they gave. I have read about the Ascend Audio ELX towers, Mofi 888's and Tannoy Arden's, but only seem to be able to set up a demo of the Mofi 888's which i plan on doing soon. I live in the LA area if that helps. 

Thanks for your help

julesg13th
johnto
1,068 posts
 

You should give Philharmonic audio a call maybe someone near you has a pair they can set up an audition with. When I was shopping they set me up with someone about 30 miles away, this was 12 years ago and were still friends. The speakers are amazing, I love listening to them, top to bottom response. Due to the price difference I ended up with used Maggie 1.7  that came up at the time.

mihorn
684 posts
 

Check this out. Wavetouch Antero V2. Rare used pair for sale in LA area. Alex Wavetouch

https://youtu.be/6_Pd65RVCR4?si=8Q2RJYlBg2T3k4pD

julesg13th OP
22 posts
 

Thank you all for your input. After demoing many speakers, including Cornwall IV, KEF R11, Devores, Harbeth SHL5 Plus, Tannoy Stirling GR, MoFi 888, Linkwitz 521.4. They were all great in their own regard, but I ended up going with the Fyne 502SP. They have everything I want and were within my budget. If my budget were a little larger, I would have gone for the Linkwitz 521.4. Those were incredible, and I will save up for a pair one day. 

 

In order of what I rank the enjoyment I got out of the speaker I heard..This takes everything into account, not just the holographic nature.

1. Linkwitz 521.4

2. Fyne 502SP

3. Tannoy Stirling GR

4. Harbeth SHL5 Plus

5. Klipsch Cornwall

6. Devore Fidelity

7. Kef R11 (this could be because they were at Best Buy and not ideal conditions)

8. MoFi 888

karl_desch's avatar
karl_desch
462 posts
 

I don’t mean to sound too dogmatic but that speaker list seems all over the map design wise.  
 

I think it would be worth your time to audition some Vandersteen speakers.  They image (holographic) better than most because they address baffle reflections and time and phase accuracy. This functionally means the signal from the drivers all meet your ear in the same phase and at the same time.  The difference is subtle but profound.  Some concentric driver or single source speakers come very close and sound great too. This is reflected in the impulse test that Stereophile includes in their speaker measurements. It is explained quite nicely in the Vandersteen website as well. You may be sensitive to this time/phase thing as you’ve noted how Klipsch image differently.  

To my ears, Vandersteens are so natural sounding that the brain never fatigues.  The flip side of the coin is that they are inefficient and not as dynamic as some single driver speakers so pairing with the right amplifier is important. Listening to them at a dealer who knows how to set them up is important.

have fun with the search.

mike4597
147 posts
 

IMO, you will be pleased with the Fynes, as am I with my F-702s (not the newer SP model).  The imaging is simply superb, and I found further significant improvements in imaging and soundstage by adding two subs and switching to Silversmith Fidelium speaker cables.  In the end, it is really about the music.

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