Awesome! A ton of great suggestions that I never would have considered.
- @mzkmxcv Your comments about B&W and Wilson are definitely noted and interesting. The reason I was told to consider the 800 series is because I like to listen very loudly but have heard that the diamond tweeters are harsh and cause fatigue after a short while.
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markalarson , that sounds easy enough but some speakers are not in close enough proximity to listen to nor are they in a similar setup as mine necessarily. I would have never known to consider several of these speakers without the suggestions put forward.
BTW, I totally and completely appreciate every and all suggestions recommended here!! |
Whoops, I must have hit the wrong button. Also, I should add that I will be amping them with MC501's or an MC352.
I did read that the Golden Ear Triton Ones were a great value.
I would have never even looked at Tekton but now I have some field research to do!! |
Dang, those Wilson Benesch speakers are $30K speakers.
Based on the reviews, I am definitely looking to try and find a set of Tekton's to see and listen to in person. I don't think they are aesthetically displeasing at all. They are just not exotic like most people would like when paying the amount of money you would spend to buy a small car for speakers for your home.
I have a set of old Maggie's that I am using as rears on my Theater setup but would not mind hearing the 3.7's that I have been reading about. |
Okay, so now we are getting into something that is definitely important to me ..... sweet spot , sound stage , over all stereo sound envelope is important to me and willing to pay more for it. I have always wondered why so many audiophiles were satisfied with tiny speakers on a pedestal that could only give you a full representation within a small window. I want to fill as much of the room as possible. I assumed that this was one of the reason's that people liked speakers like JBL , Tekton's , ect....
I know the Maggies have a small sweet spot which is why I ruled them out from the beginning.
mkzmxcv , I wonder if that would also be true for the larger Ulfberht's or Encore's? |
I have several suggestions that I am interested in hearing and at the top that list so far based on what I have been reading is the Legacy Audio Aeris. I don't like powered speakers but the comments on how much the room correction makes a difference intrigues me in a big way.
The
Spatial Audio Triode Masters look interesting but I cannot get past the minimalist look of them. Maybe I would if I heard them as looks are honestly down on the list of concerns.
Can anyone speak to the size of the total sound envelope or active listening area of each of the speakers that you suggested? |
I wanted to know what represents the absolute best speaker value in terms of sound (& resale) that fits in the $5k to $15K (actually more like $13K) category. Soundstage (sound envelope) is very important also. The footprint being smaller (max 16" x 16") but can be as tall as needed. Technically the Tekton Ulfberht's and Legacy Audio Aeris fit into that category (but just barely). |
Oh, and in case I didn't mention it they will be driven with MC501's or an MC352 with some version of Mac's tube pre. Currently I have a C48 that will likely be upgraded.
Am I wrong to think that a larger speaker in most cases will have a larger soundstage filling the room with more listenable music?
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audiokinesis , Duke I would love to hear what it would take to optimize the soundstage over a large area!
Technically my listening room is an upstairs open room on one side that has a loft type staircase on the right side where the right speaker would be placed. I considered walling it off with a curtain type of divider but would look like hell. In saying that technically my room is larger than I stated if you include it spilling over the staircase into the Foyer where the chandelier hangs and into the open dining room downstairs. There are two recessed spaces on either side of the room with a fireplce in the middle the middle. My equipment and speakers reside on either side of the fireplace in the recessed area. and the ceilings are angled front and back which I believe is a good thing. |
So I am going to listen to the Paradigm Persona's and the Tekton's tomorrow. I am hoping to go listen to several others mentioned if I can find them in my area.
I have to say, that LX521 looks very interesting. I usually don't like the goofy minimalist look of speakers like that but they don't look half bad. I actually like them better than the Persona's in terms of looks. I think my old cherry Signature S8's look better than the new persona line but since that is not my main focus as long as they are not hideous or cheap looking I will listen with an open mind.
Duke , what was that you were saying about a large soundstage? Fell free to elaborate..... |
Smart and Sound in McKinney TX |
So I listened to the Persona 9H and the 3F this weekend and wasn't overly impressed. Plenty of high-end equipment running everything (PS Audio BHK amps and PS Audio DAC). I even brought a few SACD's as a reference for myself . It may have been the listening area but the 9H is supposed to have ARC. They sounded basically the same and very similar to my Signature S8's. Maybe I don't have the discerning ear that I thought I did? The space was large with a very high (30 ft?) ceiling and lots of hard surfaces. (wood floor ect.) They definitely had accurate feel but not enough to justify the upgrade at this point.
Switching gears..... are there speakers know to work really well with my McIntosh MC501 amps? I understand that many like the Macs with the Legacy Aeris. Does a pairing really really make that much difference?
I definitely want to hear a set of Ohm Walsh and the Vandersteens that everyone here seem to love. Going tomorrow to hear the Tekton DI setup on tube amps. (should be interesting) |
Wow, that Eminent technology lft-8b looks awesome! Especially for the price. I am leaning towards the Persona 7f's at this point but did hear a Watt Puppy 6 that was MUCH better than the reviews might indicate. |
Devore looks a little to bulky (footprint issues) , I don't have the "room" for magnetic ribbon drive speakers based on my furniture layout and other logistical issues. Plus I like to sometimes push speakers to their absolute limits which is not something I would do with Maggies or the like.
I did hear the Sabrina briefly in a demonstration and plan to go back and listen in comparison with the Van Quattro CT's but would rather not go to $15K unless I just absolutely am in love. I didn't really get a good listen to the Sabrina's but could see myself really liking them. |
Those Focal's do look nice (especially when you can pick up a used pair for $8k) and they get great reviews but not sure where I can listen to any near me. Definitely on the list. |
It looks like after an extensive search (although I have several more to audition) that the Paradigm's are leading the pack in terms of value for me at this point. I will say that the Tekton DI's are very (tempting for the price especially) and may end up getting a set just because I can get those (for a different room) and another set for reference and comparison.
I would try the Manapan 3.7's but even though it is a decent sized room I cannot have them far enough into the room to make them sound their best. I have an old set of MG1's that I hung on the wall to use as surround speakers in another room. I am curious, has anyone done this? Decent enough sound and super space saving ....lol |
@mrdecibel I appreciate what you are saying. The Klipschorns will not fit my space. I don't have defined corners plus not sure I would want to use all that space if I did. The JBL's are high on my list but have decided that I now do not want to spend more than $9000. I have bought a used set of Tekton DI's for nothing near the price of my budget and yes they are awesome I will probably go forward from hear trying to do an A/B test of all my top picks versus the Tektons as well as my Paradigm S8's although in a different listening area on a different floor. The problem is that I may not get to listen to them in my space necessarily but now I can take my time finding the right set for my basic $10K limit.
I am also making changes in my overall system (ie. DAC's, speaker cables, and other preamp
(C48, C40, & Vincent SV236MK integrated)
vs DAC (NAD M51, Mytek Brooklyn & several others) comparisons so that may make things more difficult in evaluation. One thing that really has made a difference is the older Modwright Oppo 95 I have been using. It really is making a huge difference but I am tired of listening to all the same reference CD's over and over again. lol |
Wait.... I am confused. What just happened? lol |
Oh, and I really like the Salk wood grain look. I always seem to be drawn aesthetically to any speaker that has a natural wood look. |
I have heard good things about Salk and are definitely on a demo list for me. Thank you for the value input Larry.
I am definitely enjoying the Tekton DI's and I have to say they will be hard to beat for the price although not as aesthetically pleasing as others.
I am now comparing them to the Persona 3f's in my space and I have to say that I am totally impressed although I can see what people mean about the Beryllium tweeters being harsh after awhile. They would be especially harsh after loud rock music for long periods of time but are absolutely a great speaker all around. The 3f's have amazing bass response given their size. |
I have the Mcintosh MC501's and have pushed both the Persona's and the Tekton DI's till the power guard lights on both are blinking at me. They both stayed clean and clear which is impressive given the fact that most Mac stuff is pushing more than the actual rated power.
Clean power seems to be a huge factor. My OLD set of Maggies MG1 I think buzzed the ribbon with an old Sony ES receiver that I had with not much going through them. But recently hooked them up to the MC300 in the other room and held up well running some real wattage through them. |
@bo1972 Seriously man? I am new here so trying to be respectful but you are not adding any value and screwing up the purpose of this thread. Moderators? ?
@ Thank you @cleeds
@stereo5 It is definitely loud and I am surprised based on what you are telling me that I have not blown both speakers as well. I am a little confused though, It was done as an experiment (although I do listen loud frequently) , Both my Mac setups don't seem to get as loud as I would imagine given the efficiency of the speakers and the projected watts being fed to them. My MC300 especially seems to top out at a point where I can still have a conversation. I did just purchase an SPL meter and my ears definitely come away from a session like that ringing but still don't seem to give me that concert like punch that I crave. Maybe my ears are already damaged but my goal when listening at this volume is to get that punch in the chest from an SPL viewpoint.
I am wondering if there is another limiting factor going on in my setup? Modwright Oppo 105 or old Sony transport into an NAD M51 DAC (or Mytek Brooklyn) to a C48 to the 501's all fairly well regarded cables (Morrow etc.).
It is a beautiful thing when I can listing to smooth jazz then transition to some Nickel Creek and other bluegrass, and then to chest punching rock all in the same session all with the same setup getting an emotional connection from all of them. |
I other words...... let the thread die. lol |
And details like grammar punctuation and relevance are important in an information exchange. ;) |
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