Roxy, babe; tell me who's paying. If he's paying I'll give you a "Great List".Hey,it's your stuff; Do you like it? Shure ain't Bose. NHT & Sunfire ain't chopped liver either. What price range you have in mind? I'm sure it's just a guy thing /we're all soooo smart. Heck, just go out and buy speakers 3xs better than whatever he has??? What's he got? |
Gradient Revolutions have the reputation of being an excellent match with the Sunfire amp. There is a magazine reviewer for the Absolute Sound who uses this set-up as his reference. Personally I have not heard this combination, but I have heard the Revolutions at a friends house and they are excellent. They definitely like to be matched with high power/ high current solid state. They can be purchased new for around $4000 but used models go for around $1500 ... they are not easy to find used however. Good luck! |
What kind of music do you listen to? Is this a two channel only system, or also meant to be used as a HT set-up? Budget for speakers? Any physical limitations in terms of placement? Jeff |
Thanks for all your advise...my system is a stereo set up and my boyfriend system is a combination of KRELL MONO AND PRE-AMP with a matching PROAC speaker..now on my budget is around $1500 for the speaker and I will pay for it not my boyfriend and my sound preference is jazz, blues and soft rock . |
If you are willing to be patient, and buy used gear, look for a pair of Vandersteen 3A's which are sometimes available for around $1750-1800. Excellent, full-range speaker system that does very well with high-powered transistor amps. The chances are reasonably good that your hearing is better than you boyfriend's, so let your own ears be the guide. |
Highly agree w/ sdcampbell.If you can swing the $ try for the Vandy 3A Signature. |
I'm using the Sunfire amp to drive the woofers, and 2 channels of a Sunfire Cinema Grand to drive the mid/tweet array in my NHT 3.3's, and a Balanced Audio Design VK-3i preamp. Sweeeeet! Too much power is my creed. But I think given the investment you've made in your components, a speaker upgrade might be in order. Something to throw down a little more LF output. Maybe a powered subwoofer would be in order? Your 2.5i's are quite worthy (those are my surround speakers), but do lack bass impact. |
rox, if ya like yer boyfriends' rig, stay away from the vandy's - yule miss the transparency, soundstage & detail of the proacs. better to find a used pair of proac 1.5's, or something more along those lines, regarding accuracy & detail. mite also wanna czech out dynaudio, thiel, aerial - something like that. |
you guys are very helpful, I wish I could invite all of you to my little shack so that you can personally give your honest opinion of which speaker brand I need to go.
I do like the proac but the price is kinda a little bit out of my budget, and I dont want to ask help from my boyfriend..you know what I mean a "a girl thing"//huh!.
Again..to you good looking helpful guys..thanks from the innermost chamber of my heart.. |
if ya like the proac, keep yer eyes peeled, & ewe will find a pair of 1.5's in your price-range. re: inwitin' all of us to yer li'l shack fer auditions, hmmm... dunno how well that'd go over w/the boyfriend... ;~) good luck, doug |
Rox, given your musical tastes and gear, I'd have to suggest you consider a planar speaker. Planars don't really excel on hard rock but sure are sweet with instrumental, vocals, and lighter jazz. It's no secret that I'm a big fan of tube preamplifiers, solid state amplifiers, and planar speakers. Once you get used to 'statics or full range ribbons it's hard to go back to traditional box speakers. Assuming speakers 4 feet tall (or bigger depending on model) are your idea of "decorating" go for a planar! Do a search here under Martin Logan, or if you're adventerous Apogee (you certainly have the amp to drive difficult loads) and pick a model in your price range. Happy hunting! Jeff |
Hi Rox,
I hope you are after best possible sound, not just some good looking boxes.
90% of sound is made by your room and the speakers!!!
Please describe your room shape and size, the position of your furniture. I might be able to help. |
My room is about 15 ft by 25 ft and about 10ft high and I have a sofa and love seat in which it accomodate almost third of my listening area and my floor is carpeted, I have my speaker placed about a foot away from the wall and I have it toe out about 8 inches on the side.
Your advise will be rewarded by good smile and a wink of my hazel eyes...how about that!!!!!!(my boyfriend is right here beside me breathing like a dragon..he..he..he...he) |
Rox, check out the Cardas site http://www.cardas.com/insights/roomsetup.html for speaker positioning, follow the suggested formula and see how your set up sounds. I'd suggest trying this before you change any gear. Winks are cool, Jeff |
Hello Jeffloistarca and all you audiogon member,
I did go to the website(www.cardas.com) and try those speaker placement ,distance of calculation and measurement that the site recommend, and it does work so good and it seems like it is new a system,but the biggest problem is I have to re-arranged my listening room due to the movement of the furniture and so far I am happy and my boyfriend is also happy,
Thanks
I owe you one....... |
roxbury, i'd hazard a guess that yer speakers are now a bit further out from the wall than 1'? ;~) unless yer present speakers are specifically optimized by the mfr for near-wall placement, most are significantly improved by being moved out into a room. i was gettin' ready to suggest a couple brands that do well against-the wall, but ya seem ok, now! :>) regards, doug |
Hey Sedond thank you for the response but your comment is still welcome, I am still not fully satisfied ("a woman attitude to always change their mind every second, that drive my boyfriend crazy) but it is more better than the previous setup.
Again to you gorgeous looking and smart guys of AUDIOGON a warm kiss of gratitude...bye bye..bye |
hey rox, what about all the ugly toadies? ;~) if ya wanna keep the speaks close to the walls, czech out linn, gradient, psb, castle for starters... regards, doug - *not a toad* :>) |
Hi Rox. The best speakers in your price range woul be the Magnepans 1.6. They are pretty uggly and have a very low WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor), but I don't think you would have to worry about that. |
Rox I am impressed by one fact not noted except by averageguy, are YOU happy with the NHT 2.5i's? Not a suitable match for the Sunfire amp? What is this, the world according to boyfriend? I would guess it isn't such a bad match. And is boyfriend springing for the new speakers you supposedly need? You don't need anyone to tell you what YOU like providing you like what you have, least of all some egocentric self-serving guy that has absolutely no interest in what you're interested in other than to influence his power over your decision. Besides the above it is a well known fact that women hear better than men so trust your own ears and if you want a better opinion than that might I recommend the prozacs, Vandy's or whatever suits your fancy :*)
And Doug, the NHT's do work well 1' from the back wall, I owned them and at the price point they are an excellent full ranger, the opposite of the Vandy's (owned them too) laid back character, a matter of taste, I like them both. |
toobgroover, yure right on two counts - make yer decisions based upon what *ewe* like. it's ok to get suggestions, but the final decision should be *yours*. and yes, nht's *are* designed for near-back-wall placement, what was i tinking? ;~) doug s. |
