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Looking for suggestions for a new (to me) pair of high efficiency monitors

Hi,

I’m looking to change out my Legacy Studio HD monitors for something more efficient. The Legacy’s are fine speakers and have served me well, but you all know the drill—time to try something new for the fun of it after several years..

I presently run a Bob Latino VTA ST120 amp. Not a lot of power, but nice sound for not a lot of $$.

No preamp, Mac-mini running Audivana out to my Bryston DAC, which puts out plenty of signal directly into the VTA 120 to drive to full power.

The Legacy’s are rated at 93 dB at 4ohms I believe—interested in getting opinions for alternative high efficiency and detailed monitors. Lost a fair amount of upper freq hearing over the years, in fact I have to wear hearing aids that help hear above 7khz, so mellow mid- and treble doesn’t do it for me. Even so largely listen to acoustic jazz, vocals and lately a smattering of opera. Rarely rock or full range orchestral. 

Thanks in advance!
jsl1234

Showing 3 responses by audioconnection

audioconnection
1,271 posts
 
(((No preamp, Mac-mini running Audivana out to my Bryston DAC,))

 I would suggest you try a real analog preamp.
 This will assist you with the ability to grasp the music's nuance to more
 dynamic levels in a new appreciated way.

With regard to the size of your room.
Achieving a smoother in-room bass response with a more sophisticated boxless design speaker worked for me.
After trying 14 pairs of all size monitors on stands  I brought in the Vandersteen 1CI it uses a stepped or multi-enclosure baffle-less enclosure design which more costly types use.
 Listening to Johnny Cash just sounded far more natural, it's easier load, with tube amps made the coherence obvious and compared to these box designs made me say,
what was I thinking? Add in they are an evolution of over 30 years of functional progress and Phase and time correct should at least make you experience them as a contender.
 Best,
 JohnnyR
Vandersteen Dealer  
audioconnection
1,271 posts
 
((((I fail to understand how a separate preamplifier can improve the sound)))
 I strongly disagree
A real preamp allows the clarity of dynamics to swell as in life or the way we hear.

(((By all means, use an LS3/5a type speaker in a small room like this. However, the modern Harbeth P3ESR is much better))

 I disagree with you again I do agree its a very nice small speaker,
 I know you mean well here but his 60 WPC tube amps are not at their best for driving this small type design for best coherence in that room.
 Best JohnnyR 
audioconnection
1,271 posts
 

((( I use a 2x100 watt rms at 8 Ohm Quad 405-2 into my P3ESRs (i.e. some 130 watt into their 6 Ohm), in an 18 sq m room, and that is fine. It will not bring down the walls, but no small speaker ever will.)))

 That's a fine match with Quad SS agree
  its the tube amps that lays down with the small Harbeths

((Could you explain why the e.g. 2.0 V out of a source becomes a different kind of 2.0 V when it leaves the pre amp?))


 For sure
  A 50 cent integrated circuit PC add in a microprocessor with a compromised power supply sounds more like the screaming weasel
  vs a real Preamp
  Quicksilver line stage with a 12 AT7 real power supply and much better Volume control wins the hart of the music lover every time.
 Do the experiment
 
  Cheers ,
 JohnnyR
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