Getting just the right sound requires some careful listening. Tough to do in a store. I just try to listen to the tweeter - very few are magical, most are just OK. But you must hear them for yourself. Good luck.
Nearfield Upgrade?
Greetings everyone,
While I've been an audiogon reader & buyer for some years now, this is my first post to a discussion forum. I hope readers will have some good advice for me.
First, my system is irrevocably nearfield: speakers are set on my oak desk about four feet apart, eighteen inches from the wall; each is toed-in about 15 degrees from parallel with the desk sides. Recently I discovered that I might have made a mistake using Isoblocks to isolate them from vibrations, but thereby permitting deflection, so I anchored them to the desk using dual-sided mounting tape. Results have been quite good thus far: bass seems to have bloomed with good expressiveness & speed. Soundstage, which has always been good, is now better.
The gear itself is pretty simple. Speakers are Spendor SA1, which I've had for nearly two years now. They were an amazing bargain I got right here from Gene Rubin. A couple months ago I upgraded the electronics to an LFD mk iv (also from Gene), Sony XA5400, Shunyata Hydra 4 for power, along with Shunyata power cords & moderately priced Cardas speaker wire & interconnects.
I have no complaints at present, so perhaps I ought not to be thinking of upgrading the speakers at all. It's just that they are a bit out-of-balance financially speaking--I do agree with those who believe one ought to put at least 50% of available funds into the speakers--and I may not have another opportunity to upgrade at all for quite a long time.
I've been offered a fantastic trade-in deal on the Harbeth compact 7, which would be my dream choice--only it's so big compared to the Spendors. It's hard to see them as anything but overwhelming on my desk.
Other considerations have been the Proac Response D Two, the Dynaudio Contour 1.4, SP Timepiece Mini, B&W 805 (if I could find used or a demo) & many more the names of which escape me right now.
But it also occurs to me that I'm just looking to spend money I don't need to spend. I believe both TAS & Stereophile recommended the SA1 as a first-class nearfield monitor. Perhaps within a reasonable price range there is nothing significantly better.
As I wrote before I have no complaints. I don't think I need more bass or better soundstaging, but I do work at home, spending nine hours each day at my desk, so getting the best sound possible is a non-trivial issue for me.
Any thoughts...?
thanks,
andy
While I've been an audiogon reader & buyer for some years now, this is my first post to a discussion forum. I hope readers will have some good advice for me.
First, my system is irrevocably nearfield: speakers are set on my oak desk about four feet apart, eighteen inches from the wall; each is toed-in about 15 degrees from parallel with the desk sides. Recently I discovered that I might have made a mistake using Isoblocks to isolate them from vibrations, but thereby permitting deflection, so I anchored them to the desk using dual-sided mounting tape. Results have been quite good thus far: bass seems to have bloomed with good expressiveness & speed. Soundstage, which has always been good, is now better.
The gear itself is pretty simple. Speakers are Spendor SA1, which I've had for nearly two years now. They were an amazing bargain I got right here from Gene Rubin. A couple months ago I upgraded the electronics to an LFD mk iv (also from Gene), Sony XA5400, Shunyata Hydra 4 for power, along with Shunyata power cords & moderately priced Cardas speaker wire & interconnects.
I have no complaints at present, so perhaps I ought not to be thinking of upgrading the speakers at all. It's just that they are a bit out-of-balance financially speaking--I do agree with those who believe one ought to put at least 50% of available funds into the speakers--and I may not have another opportunity to upgrade at all for quite a long time.
I've been offered a fantastic trade-in deal on the Harbeth compact 7, which would be my dream choice--only it's so big compared to the Spendors. It's hard to see them as anything but overwhelming on my desk.
Other considerations have been the Proac Response D Two, the Dynaudio Contour 1.4, SP Timepiece Mini, B&W 805 (if I could find used or a demo) & many more the names of which escape me right now.
But it also occurs to me that I'm just looking to spend money I don't need to spend. I believe both TAS & Stereophile recommended the SA1 as a first-class nearfield monitor. Perhaps within a reasonable price range there is nothing significantly better.
As I wrote before I have no complaints. I don't think I need more bass or better soundstaging, but I do work at home, spending nine hours each day at my desk, so getting the best sound possible is a non-trivial issue for me.
Any thoughts...?
thanks,
andy
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- 9 posts total
- 9 posts total