Not USA made but a pair of Usher 6371's are sweet sounding. You can find for around $1000.00 leaving $6000.00 for other fun things...now that is sweet.
Looking for a warm sweet speaker
That images great and resolves without etched treble. I love the british sound, but want something a little more modern sounding. The big Harbeths sound good to me, but the price is just out of my reach. Any American brands that you could suggest? In this day and age it’s getting harder to find brick and mortar dealers or even by appointment dealers that stock the type of speakers I am looking for it seems.
I have analog and digital sources.
I have analog and digital sources.
71 responses Add your response
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I decided to pick up a pair of Spendor D7's for right now. I found a really nice pair for less than $4K so I will give these modern boxes a chance. Congrats on the D7s! They are a room friendly well-balanced speaker and that is a great price. I'm D9 owner and am really enjoying them. The Spendor midrange is very pleasing to my ears... Cheers |
Monitor Audio's top end. If you want to DIY, I recommend these: https://speakermakersjourney.blogspot.com/2017/12/snr-1-two-way-high-end-diy-monitor.html |
@mckinneymike I recently had an opportunity to audition the D7's and the Classic 100's in the same room with same equipment. To my ears and for my tastes, the Classic 100's were significantly superior. Perhaps a warmer, more "old-fashioned" sound, but I like that, tremendous bass, tremendous, deep sound-stage, a real winner. I burnt a CD a while ago with 7 "test" tracks. When I audition speakers, I usually find myself skipping on to the next track after 2 or 3 minutes, as I've heard enough to make an initial judgement. With the Classic's, I listened all the way through, without even realizing it. |
Congratulations. I have about 200 hours on a new pair of Spendor D9s and am loving the presentation. These replaced a pair of Thiel CS2.4 that had amazing detail but never the enveloping midrange balance that the D9s display in abundance. Detail is just as present but in a top to bottom balance that in my system is exactly what I had hoped for. Enjoy! Rick |
Jpsound...missed this question...sorry...I like 120s better than 150s, and the Gold Lion KT88s were also great in my Jolida. If you're using EL34s you might want to try the Gold Lion KT77s as they're my new fave in my Dennis Had SEP amp. A surprise since I'd tried JJ KT77s and they didn't sound good at all, but the GL KT77s are great sounding. |
Congrats Mike! Spendor is a brand I haven't had a chance to get my ears on. If at any point you are 'accepting' visitors, please let me know. I've heard great things about the brand. Since last time we spoke, I have gotten the house in order from the water heater leak and have also brought in some different speakers like the Tekton Double Impact and Wilson Watt Puppy 5.1. If at any point you want to come over and have some sessions, my door is now open again. |
I decided to pick up a pair of Spendor D7's for right now. I found a really nice pair for less than $4K so I will give these modern boxes a chance. If I like them I may go for the D9's after the new year. I almost bought a pair of the Harbeth 40.1, but always like Spendors. I foresee myself upgrading a couple times to get what I really want, but the D7's should do well and into the new year.I ordered a Hana DL to use on my VPI Classic 3. Thanks for the suggestions. |
Consider Daedalus. I owned Harbeth's for many years (C7s) and loved them but when I wanted to move to a larger speaker that had the same tonal purity and coherence but with better dynamics and resolution I chose Daedalus. I just ordered what will be my third (and final?) pair (Apollo's) and would never consider another brand. Lou just gets it right in all the ways that are important to me--and maybe you too. |
Hi WolfG, Sorry about the off topic question, but found in some of your posts that you liked the Gold Lions KT88 (reissue) even more than the KT120s or KT150s in your Jolida amp. Interesting, I also have a Jolida amp (Fusion 3502S) and want to try something different from the stock EL34s, more linear and accurate. I do not need more power, but everybody is saying that the big 120s and 150s are not only more powerful, but superior sonically to the KT88s...I am not convinced.... |
All the hi-fi speakers I have ever listened to sound good to me. There are certainly differences, and I prefer some over others. So much depends upon listening habits, room acoustics, and system synergy. System synergy is the easiest to tackle, as most modern equipment is designed to work within standard parameters. It is fun and rewarding to learn the electronics required to make informed component decisions based on specifications and actual performance. Listening habits will help you determine whether you want a warm sound for cozy vocals and a lush musical presentation, or if you prefer a more analytical and accurate reproduction of music (It's really a spectrum, with anything in-between possible). This is where the value of good dealers comes in. You really need to listen to different systems. In addition to sonic preferences, listening volume will also help determine speaker choice. I use Harbeth P3esr speakers in my 13' x 22' office/sitting room (some help from an REL sub). Works fine for me, but I do not blast my music. The Compact 7s probably fit my room better, but I found that the exquisite sound of the P3s (and their sealed box design, which is very forgiving when it comes to placement) is simply delightful for my application. Room acoustics is probably the most difficult undertaking. There is a lot to consider here, from reflections and resonances to aesthetics and practical considerations. If you start with speakers you like, you will have an easier time figuring out where they should go and how you should treat your room. You stated up front you like the Harbeths. Take a look at the line and figure out which ones will work best for your application. You will be happy! |
Warmest line of speakers I have heard are the Opera line from Italy. Also, the Silverline speakers are pretty sweet sounding. I hate in-your-face etched sounding speakers as well. In general, you might wish to avoid metal dome tweeters, and instead look for cloth domes or ribbon tweeters. I am quite happy with my Ohm Walsh 2000s, which use a soft dome tweeter. Overall, they might work for you and save you some money, depending on your room size (Ohm scales its speakers to fit your room volume). All that said, steakster has a point. Ample, clean power will help a lot. But everything matters, from the cablling to the source components to the amp, power source and the speakers. It took me a long time to vanquish the hard, brittle, etchy sound of my system. In the process, I replaced almost all of it. But it is possible to get to what you seek without breaking the bank. Just make well-considered improvements all through your system, one at a time, and make sure nothing you do is irreversable or permanent. Insist on trying everything in your system before you commit to buy, or make sure you have a good return option with little or no restocking fee. |
Modern KEF speakers are NOT warm and sweet. If anything they are lean and somewhat bright by the OP's definition. Don't laugh - I suggest - Magnepan .7. They are warm and sweet in the right setting :) To my ears much more laid back than the older models. Vandersteen speakers comply with the definition, at least at the lower end of the range - 2CE, 3's. |
The Swiss brand Boenicke are a speaker worth checking out if they are available in your area. They have this unique balance of naturalness and warmth whilst losing nothing in detail. Extraordinary speakers. The Boenicke/CAD room in Munich was one of the best sounding to my ears. What I have heard of some Proac speakers also seem to fit your criteria. The models with the ribbon tweeter sound gorgeous. Of the US brands I have heard the Avalon Ideal might work, it sounded terrific when I demoed it, and I felt had a more British sound for an American speaker. In Munich the Joseph speakers sounded very good too and seem to have a sound along the lines you describe, though the source in that room was a lovely reel to reel which would have helped. |
There's a nice pair of Harbeth M-40.1's under your budget listed on Audio Mart and located in Michigan. This is my desert island speaker. Very easy to drive, full bodied, warm, yet detailed. https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649442789-harbeth-401-loudspeakers-in-natural-cherry-with-stands... |
mckinneymike .....The Sonus faber Olympica 3 would fit the bill. It does most things right and the treble region [soft dome] is very detailed..but.. at the same time..non-fatiguing. Bass is very articulate and fast..and can go low,but, not sub low. Mid-range splendor that will make you want to listen all night long. With the right set-up and recordings,it can also throw a soundscape second to none. They are also in your price range used. Good luck with the search... |
Read this thread before bed last night and was going to come back and say the same thing as “steakster” did... Glad you’ve been around (we didn’t know that) but I don’t think he said it in any certain way, maybe just passionately informative. Although, I agree with you about a lot of modern speakers and metal tweeters, I also belive what “steakster” is saying to be true. So maybe there is someone else interested and reading that should know that clean power can and will remove noise and distortion that will calm a sensitive ear. I have VERY sensitive ears and moving to newly ran dedicated lines, as well as a new/better power filter did good for me. That’s not to say I didn’t still needed a soft dome sweet speaker. I do. But even on those, unclean power can cause my ears listening issues. If you like the big harbeths, how bout 30.1(or .2) w/ a swarm of subs by Audiokinesis. |
"Steakster563 posts06-10-2018 1:50pm "Etched treble = dirty power. Fix that first. No reputable speaker company would spend their time, energy and $$$ in manufacturing & marketing a defective product. Just like a professional recording engineer wouldn’t allow etched treble on a master. But, a speaker company would release a speaker that is very sensitive and responsive to HF music signals. Dirty power is most easily heard in the HF, but the entire musical spectrum is affected. If you’re currently using a power conditioner, it isn’t a good one." Sorry but please spare me the rhetoric as too your ideas as to why I hear what I hear. I have been involved with the highest levels of audiophile systems since the late 70’s. I haven’t been actively shopping for the past 5-7 years so I was attempting to get some opinions from like minded people. Far too many of the highest praised modern audiophile speakers with metal tweeters are just etched and hard sounding to me. I simply prefer a bit of sweetness and body vs the nth degree of detail in my systems, which is why I prefer quality tubed components personally. We all have choices to make in assembling our systems. There is room for everyone’s wants and desires in this hobby. |
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"Yes I had given some thought to the Spendors. Years ago, when I first got into hi-fi the dealer that I worked for carried Spendor, Harbeth, KEF, Rogers and Quad. I always had a fondness for SP-1's. The vocal range on the best british monitors always sucked me into listening even if I had other things to do. " I think the tweeter in the D7 and D9 allow them to meet your requirement of 'something a little more modern sounding', but you still get the classic British sound. I've never heard the D7 but I own the D9 and it has an amazing mid range along with a detailed but non-offending top end and has excellent bass/punch. |
Hmm, maybe I'm using different terminology than you are, but when I think 'warm' that tends to make me think of a rather smoothed treble response instead of a resolving one. For resolution without harshness it's hard to beat Revel, especially the new Be series, though I'd call them neutral and not warm. When I think 'warm' I think the original Elac Debut series, Wharfedale's Diamond line, or the new JBL L100 Classics - a forgiving slightly 'old school' sound that gives up detail and emphasizes the midbass. Dynaudio and B&W may be worth looking into for you, I'd consider them to be on the warmer side of neutral. |
A used pair of Spendor SP100 speakers would be just what you’re looking for. They don’t come up that often but when they do you can get a good set for around $2000. I had a pair for over 15 years before finally parting with them last year. The SP100 is full range, detailed and dynamic. It is similar to the Harbeth 40.2 but a fraction of the cost. |
Accuracy is more important than "warm and sweet"! A pair of the old Carver Amazing Platinums will kill any of the above mentioned speakers! And now Bob Carver has come out with a tall line-array coupled to subs that challenges all the ultra-expensive speakers (Wilson, Magico, YG ...) for a fraction of their price! |
