2. speakers
  3. 132039-20174

Help me narrow down some speaker choices

Had the opportunity to listen to a bunch of well-known brands with my XA30.5 and DirectStream dac/pre and at the end of the day, left even more confused of what direction I wanted to go. I tried:

Totem Sky - Great air and high extension, fun, slightly forward from neutral, but too boomy and midrange wasn't working for me.
Focal Sopra 1 - The BE tweeter was making my ears bleed.
Opera Seconda - Great impact, dug deep, beautiful construction but on the opposite end of the focal, way too warm and congested (relatively speaking). It was definitely a fun speaker that wouldn't offend anyone but left me looking for more clarity and air.
Reference 3A MM deCapo - Really enjoyed these overall in the 2 hours I listened at someone's home but the BE tweeter again was wearing on me in the long run. Acoustic guitar and Gregory Porter's voice sounded absolutely stunning though.
ATC SCM40 - Great extension on either end, very accurate, guitar and voices sounded very real, in the room type of feel, not hifi. Lacked impact and wish it was a little more forward, otherwise very enjoyable and one of my top choices. I think my amp might be part of the limiting factor here.
Verity Audio Finn - Didn't sound coherent at all, top end was very overpowering. Each component was working fine but seemed like I was hearing each individual one rather than a blend, was very unusual.
Harbeth SHL5+ - Wrapped me in music, nice and cozy. Laid back speaker, female vocals sounded great but male voices didn't have the grunt I was hoping for. They left me a little snoozy and wooley sounding (but not signficantly so).

Looking back, I'd like the high-end extension and instrumental texture of a deCapo BE but a notch-back of the sizzle, with a more forward sounding SCM40 that can generate some impact. 

I'm looking at all sorts of options at this point and wondering where to go. Looking at internet direct options as well from PranaFidelity Bhava, Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Sig Floorstander, Salk Sound Song3, Tekton (would have to be the Lore References, I can't stand the sight of the tweeter bug-eye array no matter how they sound. Wife wouldn't let them in the door either).
msommers

Showing 4 responses by msommers

msommers OP
51 posts
 
@inna There is no way for me to know, but I suspect they were all broken in. The Totems had just over 200hrs so maybe not quite.

@twoleftears I haven't heard any of those, I'll see who's local!

@jperry I'll check these out as well!

@islandmandan I have heard the Stirling GR (pretty sure). I really loved the sound from these! Also have heard Tannoy D10A which was also very, very good and much better to look at. Also heard the Revolution series and the bass was way too boomy and nothing like the others I had heard prior. These speakers are reaching pretty high up the price range for me though, I think buying a new GR anything would be beyond my budget. And I have to wonder if the D10A would be too large for my room. I should see if I can demo a pair again...
msommers OP
51 posts
 
@david_ten Thanks for your comments! It's great that you also have Pass gear and they pair well. Given their overall assessment, I think for my tastes a tube power amp would be necessary. The Monitor might be a good option - smaller, cheaper to ship and not as physically huge as the Double Impacts. Such mixed customer service with Tekton is a really big concern, especially being in a different country...

@steakster It certainly is possible but I would think it's more neutral than anything. I say that because I also have Schiit Yggdrasil to compare dacs and also a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium preamp with NOS 60's Mullards and RCAs to tweak things slightly.

@toetapaudio I have not heard of that brand - will inquire further. What would you suggest?

@bondmanp I will look into those further, thanks for the suggestions! Did you end up with anything from GP? If so, what are your other components in the chain?
msommers OP
51 posts
 
@ rsgottlieb I have a Monitor Audio dealer here and I think they have some PL series stuff in-store so I should check them out! Aerial looks pretty interesting as well, I'll have to check if a demo is at all possible.

@reubent @grinnell Good option! The older 3A don't come up often so that is a difficulty but maybe 3A has some old ones kicking around as well...They just did vocals and acoustic guitar SO well, I was really floored a few times and made a serious impression on me.

@audiotroy Thanks Dave! I'll try to track down a Legacy dealer and see what I can do as that certainly seems up my alley!

@mofojo Congrats on the new speakers! The RAAL is really interesting but also very hard to audition. Glad you're liking them!

@soix I think I'd at minimum want something like the Pulsar or Perspective from JA which are unfortunately beyond my means.

@bondmanp I have never listened to a speaker with this design! Very interesting. How would you design their sonic signature in comparison to other speakers you've listened to?
msommers OP
51 posts
 
Larry I'm really sorry to hear that someone took a piss in your Ensure this morning. All the best with your megabucks system. You can see yourself out now.
More to discover