I've decided to sell my Vandersteen 2Ce's because they are too big (or visually imposing) for my living room and my planned dedicated listening room is not going to happen very soon. Can anyone recommend a floor standing speaker with a smaller footprint that is capable of producing some bass? They would be driven by Quicksilver amps, 60 wpc.
Acoustic Energy AE3 Reference Mk II, buy them now and thank me later! Seriously, if you want to hear honest 40 cycle bass sound from an enclosure 7.5in x 11in., I know of no other speaker that has a better lower end from a cabinet anywhere near its size.
Meadowlark Shearwater Hot Rod. The Sound Ideas review (see link on Meadowlark website) gives you some idea of the bass these are capable of in the right room, and your amps would be ideal for them. Well within your budget.
Concur with Tobias. I owned the 2CE Signatures but they were just too imposing on the room. Went with the Shearwater Hot Rods and am very pleased. The sloped baffle helps them blend in to the room visually. Be sure to try them with grills on and off, big difference. I like the grills on. Good luck.
It'salldark, I would grab Fidelios too, if I could get them for $2500! But I would hesitate to drive them with 60W tube amps, even Quicksilver quality. I heard Verities--Fidelios or Parsifals, don't remember which--with 150W Tenor monoblocks last year in Montreal, and the effect was best in show.
Jeff, I can vouch for the fact that the WAF on Shearwaters is quite high.
Tobias, I have driven mine with a 50wpc Cary V12-R with no problem at all. Although I don't listen to music at the levels I used to--every once and a while when I have the house to myself, I turn it up! These speakers seem to be easy to drive to very loud levels, and I may add sound wonderful!! I have owned them for just over two years and have driven them with three different tube amps, none with more then 75wpc!
Hi, I have a pair in the cherry and love them.They give you the imaging of a monitor and bass of a floorstander. I drive them with a Sophia Electric KT 88 in an 18x21 room. There is a pair listed on Audiogon at an excellent price. Good luck, Art
Itsalldark, I stand corrected on Fidelios and watts. Thank you very much indeed. Maybe I can see my way to a pair a bit sooner now. BTW the Cary V12 is a very strong-shouldered piece of gear. I heard it driving Quad 988s a few years ago. I liked it a lot. Very firm control, and very musical.
At 2500, a pair of used Merlin VSMs of a bit older vintage should be easily attainable and after talking to Bobby at Merlin, you can home in a model that can be upgraded to current or near current status when you have the $$. You will get an easy to drive, high resolution product that matches up very well with 60-80 tube watts.
Wow, thanks for all the suggestions, lots I never even considered. Of all the speakers mentioned, the only ones I have actually listened to are Meadowlark and Totem. I did enjoy the Meadowlark sound. Has anyone heard the Osprey? Out of my budget, but with some persuasion and a credit card it could happen. Jeff.
I think Swampwalker nailed it with the Merlins. An exceptionally fine speaker, with a small footprint, that will go a lot lower than most people would expect.
Third vote for a pair of Merlin VSM. Within that price, and with some good shopping, you should be able to find a pair of VSM-SE studio black. Small footprint, good depth of bass (-4.5 dB at 30Hz), easy to drive, and customer support second to none in my experience (even when purchased used!).
Interesting to note that here again, the Merlin VSMs and the Shearwater Hot Rods both have a keen following. Jeff, if you listen to both (or to other Meadowlarks than the discontinued Shearwaters), it would be fun to get your impressions.
Bartokfan: Did you ever get a chance to compare Tylers with your kit-built Thor? Assuming them to be of comparable quality, how much do we end up paying Ty for building the speaker?
Aktchi, in fact , an hour ago I sent Buck there in Jackson Mississippi a note asking if he has time this weekend for a visit. I plan to bring along my Jadis Orch Refer/KT90's and Cayin 17. Buck has the Cayin 50 cdp and so we'll get a chance to hear how the 2 compare. I'm expecting both to be very close. The Cayin 50(SACD) has 3 tubes, my 17 has 2 per channel. I won't bring my Thors as its too much trouble. But I will be listening closely to a few reference cds before I leave and try to lock that sound in memory. I really look forward to the Tyler's Signature, the W22 as woofer may give the extra bottom the Thors lack. But as I really only listen to classical, not sure if I need more lower fq's. ....tell you what I may try to bring the Thors along with me....heck why not.
Bartokfan: I hope you have the most enjoyable visit and whatever the audition results, please post them. You know, such opportunities don't come everyday, who knows when or even if you will do this again, so take the trouble and bring your Thors along. You may understandably be focusing on possible upgrades, but if you have a chance, do at least a quick comparison against something comparable to Thors in Ty's line, maybe Linnbrook 2. I am curious as to whether a professional builder can improve on a home-assembled kit and how much it adds to the cost. Anyway, you have my envy and best wishes!
Aktchi, I had to cancel my visit to Mississippi to hear the Tyler's Systems, a 3 way, with seas W22/W17/T25. I just looked at a map and its just too far for my unemployed budget. The gas alone would be like 150. The same price is I had Ty ship me a pair just to test/review, ship at my cost of course. Hopefully we can get some reviews of Tyler's line soon here on the gon. I do not want to do another review on my Thors as some may feel I'm pumping/hyping. Regards Paul Baton Rouge
Bartokfan: I am sorry you had to change your plans. I also hope we will get others to post their comparisons. Another thought, there must be somebody who owns Tylers near you and may be you two could together for some comparative listeing. I wonde rif Ty could help with locating such a person.
tvad, i think i understand what you are saying but this is more to the point. the woofer used in the vsm has an excursion of one full inch and a resonant freq or 28hz. if you use the speakers with a tonally neutral set of electronics and wires and use the speaker the way they were designed to be used, the bass can be very powerful and deep. if you lean out the tonality by using leaner or more damped sounding associated gear then they will sound lighter in weight. the speakers are 4 db down at 30hz and in the right room even that can be embellished. they can do mettallica just fine here at the plant in a 24 by 28 by 16 foot tall room. regards, bobby at merlin
hi tvad, i agree about hearing a speaker with your own music and that one's own personal preference has a lot to do with ones choice. but this speaker in particular is extremely continuous from top to bottom. and it is possible that the individual that owned them may not have had them set up to best show what you were after personally. this is in an ancillary sense and even, placement. the speaker (the vsm mm or mx and super bam in particlar) do not have a tonality issues and can be worked with to address ones preferences to a degree. the se is lighter sounding and more suited to se tubes, imho. regards, b regards, bobby
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