Bought my last pair of speakers (AudioStatic ES300R, later upgraded to DCM-4) and my last amp (Mark Levinson no. 333) for driving them 25 years ago. They once made a door caller compliment me the piano playing skills of my non-existent wife...
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
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mijostyn, It was just a suggestion to have a reference for "being in the studio". For example, these are right where they are supposed to be pricewise and have their own amplifier. ATC SCM45A Pro Dual 6.5 inch 3-way Powered Studio Monitors | Sweetwater These are more expensive, but again they have amplifier included. ATC SCM50ASL Pro 9 inch 3-way Powered Studio Monitors | Sweetwater Maybe non-pro ATC would be what OP is looking for? |
Pure Audio Project, similar to the Spatials, are an open baffle design with a modular construction allowing for some customization. I suspect you'd look at the horn tweeter for a good live reproduction of jazz. Someone else may prefer the voxativ version which really excels in capturing the human voice and orchestral midrange. |
Go to the Blue Note in NYC if you want live jazz. I highly recommend Wilson speakers - I have Sasha 2's, but I have heard all of them and the Sabrina 2 is great for a smaller room at its price point. Monitors are what recording and mixing engineers listen to, they usually seek neutrality in a speaker, but that may not be a good fit for you. |
Dave_b, My man there isn`t a box speaker on earth 12k. or under that reproduces music realistically as though your siting in the Lincoln center in Washington, DC or as you put it at the Village Vanguard. Just think if you were in a concert hall would the music sound like it was coming from a box? For heaven sakes no, I`ve paid 250.00 of my hard earn dollars to hear a great musical it best not sound like its coming from a box. The acoustics at the Vanguard isn`t that good a live recording the box speaker sound worst. Once you`ve listen to the magneplanar`s (aka) maggies set up properly you would never ever want to listen to a box speaker again Corwalls, Klips, Wilson Audio Alexia 25k, Martin Logan`s, Gauder Berlina Akustic RC 9`s 75K. know matter the cost. The best box speaker I have ever heard was the Tannoy Golden Seal`s I wouldn`t give up $2.00. for the Golden Seal`s or any other box speaker. For 6-7k you can pick a pair of maggies the 20.1`s that will just blow you away given you have the room and the right amplification. I`m absolutely blown away with my Maggie 3.6`s (2) Velodyne 12inch. subs the Pass XP30 Preamp and the Pass butt kicking XP 350 Power amp. If your hearts desire is to be at the Village Vanguard mentally but actually at home weighing in on your easy spot listening to your favorite artist follow the advise I promise you you won`t regret it. I am so in love with magnepans I plan to build an addition on to my home a 35X35X12 room and purchase a Pair of 20.7`s; now if the LORD really really bless me I see the 30.7`s 30k I`m speaking it into existence as though it is so Hebrews 11:1-10 Stay blessed. |
I am not familiar with all of those speakers. The Cornwall IV are very high sensitivity. Tannoys I believe are the same. But you should verify if you don’t already know. This is important bc you need to match your amp(s) with these speakers. I will say that if you want that holographic and wide soundstage with imaging and depth, a tube integrated or tube power amp(s) would be the way to go. I am a new convert to tubes. OMG. The above characteristics above are addicting! Sounds like what you want. Plus with even a low wattage tube amp you can drive those high sensitivity speakers with no effort. If you are solid state all the way the high sensitivity speakers will allow for use of a low watt ss amp like a First Watt class A amp. |
Save up a few bucks & wait a little while. These are going to be fantastic at about $18,000.
PS Audiohttps://www.stereo.net.au/forums/topic/113679-ps-audio-enters-speaker-business-unconfirmed/ |
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. |
"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!" Client List | ATC Loudspeakers |
Most expensive pair of Magneplanars that you can afford, classic Klipsch corner horns, stacked Wharfedale Linton Heritage (that’s my system, 2X in each room at the front, 1X in each rear corner as surround sound speakers, and a Klipsch center channel speaker. Fronts are driven by DIY tube mono-blocks and rears by a second set of the DIY mini-blocks. All of the mini-blocks are driven by a set of DIY tube preamplifiers. |
$12.5k is a good amount, especially if you consider used as well. I would not rush with the decision, and yes, electronics is no less important. It is tough if you cannot audition what you would like to consider. Not everyone is running to buy Spatial Audio or Klipsch or JBL speakers. What would I choose ? Not sure, but I would definitely go with lightly used or demo and so I would be looking at approximately $20k speakers. |
