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Mellow speakers

I'm on the hunt for a mellower sound.  I've traced my dissatisfaction to my speakers (I think).  I've got PMC TB2i monitors on good stands.  Occasionally they provide sonic bliss...letting me peer in to the music, great sound stage, etc.  But other times they are just too piercing (for lack of a better adjective).  I also find myself concentrating more on the gear rather than the music.  I'm blaming my speakers.

So, I'd like to put a mellow pair of floorstanders next to them.  I want full, warm, mellow speakers...something I can swim in and just enjoy the music.  My local shop has a super clean pair of KEF 104.2.  And, they're going to redo the woofers while they have them in the shop.  I understand the woofers can be a bit of a bear and that they have an odd proprietary KEF technology that makes them a little difficult to repair (what's with the rod between the woofers?).  With that said, I heard them, and I thought they sounded like anti-PMCs.  Perfect, no?  Why not bring home some old school, rolled off, mellow speakers as a foil to my PMCs.  So...my question...are there modern speakers that have a mellower sound, or other older speakers that I should consider?  Any consensus on the KEFs? 

My gear:
VPI Classic TT
Digital via Mac and Mytek DAC
Ayre pre
Prima Luna tube power amp or Primare solid state

Thanks.

educeus

Showing 4 responses by larryi

larryi
4,256 posts
 
You should look into Audio Note (uk), ProAc, Harbeth, Reference, or JM Reynaud and classic Spendor.  These brands offer musical, warmish speakers.
larryi
4,256 posts
 

I agree that Vandersteens are good candidates.  A lot harder to find would be Tyler Acoustics speakers; I heard the PD15 and thought they sounded pretty good. 

Odyssey Audio makes a small floorstander called the Lorelei that sounds pretty good. 

If you need a floorstander that can be placed close to the back wall, or even the corner, one of the more flexible speakers with decent, warm, sound is the Gradient Revolution.

larryi
4,256 posts
 
Although I haven't heard it in quite a while, I would bet that the Shahinian Obelisk would also be a contender.  This is a classic design that seems to never change, nor does it need much updating.
larryi
4,256 posts
 

DeVore makes some very nice, not at all harsh, floorstanders that are more cat-friendly than the Vandersteens.  Their speakers sound very good and are relatively easy to drive.

Although not necessarily in the "mellow" and warm camp, I like speakers made by Neat because they don't have the brittle edginess and sibilance that is quite common in high end speakers these days.  They are also a pretty good bargain price-wise and should also be cat-friendly.

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