Just picked up my new Rogue RP-1 from a dealer. That coupled with my Rogue Atlas, then to my Klipsch Heresy IV's with an SVS PB2000 pro has me over the moon right now. But funny thing happened at the dealer.. I couldn't help myself, I listened to some other speakers. I'm an idiot, a glutton, a fool. As you can imagine I'm now about a third the way down the rabbit hole.
At the dealer I was enchanted by a pair of Golden ear BRX monitors, they were so sweet, airy and open. Can't stop thinking about them.
Now I'm looking at:
Paradigm founder 80F
Tyler Time Keepers
The Golden Ear BRX
Vandersteen's among others..
Am I nuts? should I join a support group (other than the other one I'm already in) ?
I agree with all the above. But on the other side is this thought. Even AFTER you buy these other speakers, there is STILL other speakers that will enchant you if you listen to them. I tend to agree that there are much better that the heresy's. But you are thrilled with them now. Upgrade wisely. take your time. Research, research research is your friend and will help keep you from being pulled in further than is healthy
Your speakers are obviously horn speakers. It’s a “type” of sound some people think is the end all and others, well, not so much. Given what you’ve said you may have identified yourself as the latter. If Vandy sounds good to you I’d recommend auditioning others like ProAc, Joseph Audio, Usher, whatever’s closest to you as these all exhibit similar imaging and soundstage strengths that I think might be attracting you. As audiophiles, we’re all wired and hear differently. I’m not a horn/Klipsch guy, just not in my DNA, but very much a Vandy fan and one of my faves. Definitely worth exploring further, and you’ll likely be much happier in the end if you just continue to follow YOUR ears. Best of luck.
Its so worth the effort. All the subtleties of your room and system come together to hear a pure prospective. Differences that are difficult to assess at a show or in a showroom.
Going through upgrades can be great and coming out the others side wonderful. But if you move too fast without a concrete plan it can result in some real mistakes and disappointment. Just judging by the odd list of speakers you are looking at, and the ones you liked… I think it would be easy to latch on to a speaker with one particular characteristic you like, get them and then being disappointed by loosing several characteristics you liked.
What is your room size and type of music you listen to? Small monitors can be really good at imaging. But they tend not to have the weight across the audio spectrum.
Also, my rule of thumb generally to never upgrade in less that 2x cost of the component it replaces. While speakers vary a lot in performance you can stack the deck in you favor by first identifying the kind of sound you like and upgrading to a higher level of speaker. Sideways moves too easily turn into trading one set of strengths and weaknesses for a different set. Long-term this strategy builds a solid system increasingly educated tastes.
I would recommend consulting the recommended components issue from The Absolute Sound and Stereophile. Look at speakers in your price range. Try to listen to some and compare what you hear with the reviews. Typically speakers are the most expensive component in a well balanced system (meaning all components performing at their maximum capability because the components are complementary). Typically the speaker choice would be first… but it is not critical. You can still take a big step up in sound quality and swap one of the components later to optimize you solution if you have to.
The plague for audiophiles is so much of this gear is so transparent and high resolution, it exposes a lot of our recordings into a listening experience that is not as we would like. Probably what, 75% to 85% of recordings are not "audiophile". So that leaves us small percentage of stuff that truly sounds out this world on our systems. Of course depending on genre, some people will have a lot more well recorded material. Anyway, Doyle3433, make sure when you are demoing stuff it is with music you love even though it may be an average recording. If the system or speaker you are demoing sounds great on that, then you may have something. Plus, if you can find speakers that you can listen to for a long time without fatigue and you have a hard time pulling yourself away from, then you found the right fit.
I wouldn’t be in a rush. Hopefully you can listen to various speakers and you need to determine what is really important to you. Are you a high resolution or relaxed kind of guy. Do you want an all around speaker or one that has specific strong points.
I would also take reviews with a grain of salt especially in the major mags. They all sound good to them because of advertising relationships. Trust your ears!
If you’re unmarried, find a wife quickly. She will undoubtedly end your developing addiction in short order once she hears about what this stuff costs.
As I wise man once told me, it doen't matter how big your boat is, a bigger boat is bound to pull up next to you. As long as we keep listening, we are alwyas going to find something we like better. The real question is can I ever just learn to be happy with what I have? 🤣
What they all said! No system is built in a day or a month or a year or a decade, and most are forever works in progress. It's a journey, not a destination. Read gdhprentice, then buckle up and take the ride.
I'd jump in with both feet and get a pair of the GoldenEar Triton 2+ or 3+. Same airy sweetness with great bass thanks to the built in 1200 watt powered subwoofers (at least in the 2+).
So many funny responses! Hilarious! There are many good speakers out now at all price levels & designs w/ their own devotees. Nothing does realistic dynamics like good horn speakers & for myself, this is a must or music simply doesn’t sound live at all. It’s all what you enjoy & that may very well have changed & likely to do so again sometime. It has for me.
BTW, I just bought a Rancillio Silvia Pro X espresso machine made in Italy & a good grinder so now coffee really can’t asset as good or Breyer than any coffe shop…..
I prefer Heresy IIIs...sold off a pair of new IVs last year after plenty of listening. Also sent back a pair of ZU Omens so ya never know until the speakers are in your system in your room.
You owe it to yourself to audition a pair of Volti Audio Razz speakers. Greg Roberts builds an exquisite line of horn speakers. I am transitioning myself from a pair of Cornwall IV’s to the Volti Rival speakers.
For me, the speakers are the heart of the system. They are what produces the actual sound that your ears hear. They need to be right and a fair amount of time should be spent choosing. When I got my first pair of speakers I drove all over the NY tri-state area listening to speakers. It took me months to decide. I ultimately ended up with a pair of Vandersteen 2CE. This was obviously many years ago. I've since upgraded in the Vandersteen line and couldn't be happier but setting up vandys take a fair bit of work and time. If your room is flexible and you have the ability to move speakers a lot before deciding on a placement then they could be an option for you but if your room is such that the speakers need to be in a certain place then they're probably night the right choice.
I will also say that they do pair well with Rogue electronics as that's what I have always had and continue to have. Not sure where you live but you can make driving around and listening to speakers a hobby for a while. Definitely do that before you make what will be a defining component of your HiFi.
Agree w/ 1piece! I recently bought the Volti Audio Rivals -outstanding! They sound so alive, clear, detailed dynamic without any harshness. Between them & my new Innuos Zenith streamer, I have had many late nights!!! I recommend anyone in the market for new speakers between $6 - $20K should try to listen to the Volti Razz or Rivals. Great sound for the $!
There are some good tips posted above, as well as some fun thoughts. Have to say you're killing me telling me how nice those BRXs are. I'm dying to listen but don't need them... ugh. I suspect them to be an incredible bargain for sound $. Those and your 2000Pro would be great in the right room.
I sincerely believe speakers are the single most important, critical, and expensive component of any well-assembled audio reproduction system. Finding the type of speaker is first (box, planar, horn, combos, etc.). Narrowing down the sound is next and in the box speaker category alone there are plenty of house sounds, yin to yang.
Some folks desired sound my change over time (I moved from older ML electrostatics to Dynaudio to Raidho) but the sooner it settles for you, the sooner you can move up to a great speaker in it's class.
Research and listen, repeat, and repeat. As someone posted, you'll be far happier with your purchase in the end if you listen to a lot first. Do your best and good luck.
Your Heresys and the BRX both have upper range drivers with broader lateral and minimal vertical directionality. Try a speaker with more evenly dispersed mid and treble energy if you want to experience a really different sonic presentation. The Paradigms should do that, as do Revels, Totems, and many others. The real exemplar of this idea are the Ohm models. Your Rogue electronics should serve you well with any of these, up to a point.
I got lucky and found a set of speakers at a garage sale that blew away anything I had previously heard. They are Dahlquist M909 towers from the 80s. I had no idea old speakers could sound that good. The previous owner's wife wanted them out of the house because they were too big, but they look great in my room. It cured my upgraditis. I am sure there are better speakers out there, but I am also sure that they cost more than I can afford.
Thank you everyone, I can always count on each of you to give me opinions and suggestions that make me seriously think and explore. I have resolved to go another direction than the Klipsch. As pretty as they are, and as dynamic as they are, I feel some fatigue while listening. I am going to do my legwork, take my time. ProAc, Volti, Golden Ear, Paradigm Founder, and Vandersteen are on my list, as are the Tyler Time Keepers. What I think did it for me was I swapped in my old TDL compact monitors. While not nearly as dynamic, and loud as the Heresy's, they were kinder and sweeter to my ears. Perhaps it's my age, but peeling back my earlobes isn't as fun as it was.
Ah the rabbit hole, most of us are in it at some point.
I was an audiophile in the late 70’s and 80’s, then life got busy and eventually I put my dahlquist DQ-10’s in a closet because they were “too big” per the wife.
forward to present day setting up a listening room (that was my sons bedroom!), and I broke out the DQ-10’s, still sounding amazing.
but I got to thinking about options and a smaller footprint.
made the mistake of listening to a pair of Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL’s (hybrid electrostatics), and it was all over! And down the rabbit hole I dove…simply amazing sound o can’t get enough of!
For years I upgraded electronics while keeping the same speakers. When I finally got some loose change, upgraded the speakers by an order of magnitude and at last discovered how just good my amp and preamp had really been all along.
The old electronics, however, couldn't handle post-CD digital. So when these were traded for contemporary equipment, the tables were turned and the speakers again became the weak link -- I was right back where I had started, albeit on a higher plane.
Now, $12k later, everything is in balance and to date I'm resisting the urge to upgrade further. Powerful temptations aside, for me the present is the logical time to pull the escape cord from the rabbit hole. Famous last words, I know.
Just a thought… “fatiguing” doesn’t usually come from speakers, although it can exacerbate it. It usually comes from the electronics in the form of high frequency hash and distortion. It takes a lot of experience to really put your finger on it… but fatigue is the sign. Your Rogue equipment is not known for it… so, I would look at your source. If it is supplying the high frequency problem then it’s going to come out the speakers. If your room is not heavily sonically dampened then that will make it worst.
Can you borrow a real high quality streamer or CD Player . Try some dampening material in the walls behind… carpet in front of speakers. I would verify this is not you problem before proceeding.
"Probably what, 75% to 85% of recordings are not "audiophile". So that leaves us small percentage of stuff that truly sounds out this world on our systems."
This is the great (mostly unspoken) problem with high performance audio.
It also explains the often rather strange musical choices of some of our veteran reviewers.
As our equipment gets below a sufficiently low threshold of distortion, the realisation that the music sounds progressively worse becomes an impossible one to ignore.
"If you’re unmarried, find a wife quickly. She will undoubtedly end your developing addiction in short order once she hears about what this stuff costs."
I have an understanding and tolerant wife, but yes there are real world limits.
At least for most of us.
In any case, nowadays she's not the problem
It's actually getting harder and harder to justify buying yet more equipment to myself.
So anything I buy in future needs to be substantially better or more desirable than what I already have.
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