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How do you get the "real" feel of music?

There is a certain "real" feeling that I get when I go to a live concert. It's more of "feeling" the music instead of "hearing" it. That feeling, I think, comes from percussion instruments. I'd like to get that feel in my home stereo but it's not there. In my home, snare drums don't pop, I don't feel the bass drum in my chest, and rim shots don't exist. Is there a way to get that presence in a small system?

I'm not rich, and I don't want to hear, "Scrap all your sorry equipment and get a Krell, Bryston and HSU..." so with that in mind, I've got a 12x16 room with:

Sony DVP-NS500 DVD
JVC HR-S5900 VCR
Harman Kardon AVR80 II as a pre-amp
Parasound HCA-1205 power amp

I have used
Definitive Technologies BP-6
Polk Audio R40, CS-175, and PSW-250
Bose Accoustimass 5
Bose R-41

Is there any hope?
beetle63

Showing 2 responses by dr_joe

dr_joe
160 posts
 
Indiana Jones and Pbb have given good advice. Because I think (or imagine) that I know exactly what you mean, I would be more specific:

You are above all looking for sensitive (efficient) speakers with excellent dynamics and transient response. I'd recommend professional studio monitors, whether vintage or new: Altec 604s; a range of configurations from the JBL Professional line; Tannoy DMT 12 or 15s; certain Klipsch. My personal opinion is that dollar for dollar, Tannoy DMT would be your best bet. A clean, high-current amp will get the most out of the speakers. Overall, for what I'm guessing you spent on your current set-up, you could put together a quite satisfying system. Regards, Dr_joe.
dr_joe
160 posts
 
Fully horn loaded is definitely the way to go. If you can spend several thousand on the speakers, it's probably the way: K-horns, Altec VOTT, Tannoy Westminster and Autograph, Avant Garde, not to mention many extraordinary DIY horn speakers.

But I think if you're limited to paying, say, US$650-2000 for a pair of speakers (used naturally), the ones I mentioned--which generally have horn loaded HF and basss reflex loaded LF--require of the listener fewer compromises.

Happy listening all!
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