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Looking for my Final Pair!!

Been through the high end maelstrom for over 30 years and although I have enjoyed the ride, I desperately want to find speakers that exude dynamics, tone and presence.  I want to be transported to the Village Vanguard where The John Coltrane Quartet are performing any night I desire.  I want to feel the timbre of his sax 🎷. When I close my eyes I want to be enveloped by the atmosphere of the space and awash with the impact and emotion being expressed by the musicians.  I don’t want to hear what the engineers hear after they mix a recording...I want to be in the studio when the tracks are being laid down!  So far, Tannoy Heritage Arden have come to my attention, Klipsch Cornwall IV’s, JBL S4700’s or perhaps Spatial Audio X3’s?  Help
dave_b

Showing 4 responses by james633

james633
1,052 posts
 
Not sure the Cornwall IV will have enough detail for you coming from B&W. B&Ws are crazy detailed but kind of in a colored way of tipped up upper mids. The cornwalls are kind of nothing but the facts. The sound stage is also very different. 

My guess is on first listen you will not like the Cornwall IV. It will take some time to adjust to the different sound for sure so give them time if you try them. Local shop has both on the floor. 

The Tannoys I have heard are on the dark side of neutral and B&Ws are on the bright side. This might be too big of a change.


I see some people recommend the La scala. I find the La Scala very thin and lacking body. The Cornwall IV is much better to my ear. Heard both briefly in the same room same system.
james633
1,052 posts
 
Are they detailed enough for coming from B&W 802D3?
james633
1,052 posts
 
Dave_B,

your posts are making me want a pair. They are very cheap too, well compared to everything else I want. 
As for the technical issues with horns, I can’t say I care. When I started in audio I read all the white papers and was interested in all the tech. Graphene, Kevlar, diamonds, beryllium, fancy this fancy that....

twenty years later I have found I just like good old paper drivers and silk tweeters, in a damped box just fine. Often more than high tech items. 
I have heard some very high tech speakers sound pretty unnatural (all very popular with good reviews). Often simpler is better. Get the big key items right.  
james633
1,052 posts
 
The whole talk of upper frequencies is comical. I am 40 and can’t hear anything above 15khz. I am far more careful with my hearing (as I am sure many of us are) than the average person too. It is just the nature of the beast. 
I think most people should get a real hearing test. They might be shocked at what they can or more likely can’t hear. 
It is more likely that breakup modes of the drivers creep into lower frequencies that we can hear but that is not related to horns but the drivers them selves. A compression drivers should have a higher break up node as the driver is moving less distance for the same SPL. 
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