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Listening to what we Like Instead of what we have to

Trying to find my way back to enjoying/feeling music and moving away from analyzing fine details, critical listening etc...

My pinnacle of enjoyment was probably with inexpensive JM Lab bookshelfs, an old Velodyne ULD-12 Sub, and an Audio Research D-60 amp with CD straight in, no pre amp. Currently I am selling my Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grands they never really made me happy. The mids lose it with complicated transitions and they are a touch dry and bright to me. Current amp is an Audio by Van Alstine 60 w SET control amplifier. It runs approximately 90 watts into 4 ohms. Source is a Bluesound Node. Cables are MIT Term. 2 interconnects, and Kimber 8 TC speaker. I listen at low to moderate levels. The room is wider than deep. 12 deep and 18 wide. I can sit about 9 feet away from the fronts of speakers with them about 30 inches out from the walls. I do listen to music a lot when I’m up and about though, I'd like/prefer it to sound good then as well.

I often have to listen to only the most well produced and best recordings of genres I only kind of like, to enjoy the music. I’m really sick of that.

My music of choice is mostly 80s pop/rock/some country and glam rock. With a bit of 70s and 90s mixed in.

I enjoy finding new current music too. Usually pop and rock as well.

Steve Winwood, Phil Collins, Lionel Richie, Eddie Money, Neil Diamond, Kiss, Madonna, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, AC/DC, Eric Clapton, Eric Carmen, 80s Billboard, Johnny Cash, Baltimora, etc...you get the point.

Detail is a good thing, like when you can hear Madonna say God echoing many times at the beginning of the long version of "Like A Prayer" or nice cymbal splash. Not too forward, or bright though. I have a decent REL sub so smaller speakers can work. I like a big soundstage and hearing things in recordings going on up, out and away from the speakers. Overly veiled is not preferable.

I could really use speaker advice or recommendations for under 3k. I’ll move backwards from new speakers through the rest of the system to make improvements if/when needed/ and can be afforded. Does any of this make sense? Thanks.

sirmelvin27
verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio
1,499 posts
 

Start with the speakers that are right for your room.  That is a good space.  You just need a speaker that doesn't need immense distance from the back wall.  I would also look for something with a better impedance than those Vienna Acoustics.  That was a hard speaker to drive. 

I would probably look at Harbeth or Spendor.  Both will tonally be what you are looking for and are designed to work better near a wall.  Anything rear ported might cause you issues and get boomy.  

Full disclosure, I am a dealer but have no relationship with wither Harbeth or Spendor.  

sns
3,203 posts
 

Don't have any particular advice, but having the right combo of equipment can allow you to have a high resolution/transparent system that's emotionally involving playing a wide variety of music. I play virtually every genre from every era, including the music you listen to, the unfortunate thing is most of these recordings overly compressed such that they suck the life out the performance. No system can add life to wasn't existent on the recording.

laaudionut
263 posts
 

Some years ago I acquired a pair of Vienna Acoustics Liszt's and was crestfallen from my first listen. They were supposed to be an upgrade from a pair of PSB Stratus Gold...the PSB sang circles around the VA's. 

The line falls under the radar of many of our audiophile peer, but for your budget, you would be wise to consider their reference bookshelf or the Passif 50. 

helomech
1,673 posts
 

Within your budget, call Ty at Tyler Acoustics and describe your dilemma. 

deep_333
1,372 posts
 

Steve Winwood, Phil Collins, Lionel Richie, Eddie Money, Neil Diamond, Kiss, Madonna, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, AC/DC, Eric Clapton, Eric Carmen, 80s Billboard, Johnny Cash, Baltimora, etc...you get the point.

Go to some dealer and throw away all his audiobool recordings.

Play this track on repeat and bust a jungle move. Whichever speaker makes you feel less like a big cat in a small cage is the right speaker for you.

Baltimora - Tarzan Boy

 

 

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