I've been looking for a new sound system for almost two years now. A couple of weeks ago I had the Living Voice IBX/R2 speakers in my home and quite loved them. They are dynamic, up front, forgiving yet detailed, on the warm side of neutral and give a great live feel. This is what I want from my sound system. But... I'm also no great fan of their looks, their build quality leaves somewhat to be desired and their overall looks are just not what you expect in this price range. So, does any one has some suggestions for an alternative, preferably something in the line of the Sonus Faber Cremona (looks and build quality). Budget is around 10K US Dollar. I listen to all kinds of music and want to be able to hear bad recordings as well, so too analytical speakers are out of the question.
I've already tried:
- Thiel CS 2.4 (too harsh and analytical) - Sonus Faber Cremona M (too laid back, too reserved) - Audio Physic Scorpio and Virgo V (bass problems, no side firing woofers in my room) - Focal Electra 1007 BE (too colored, not enough weight) - Wilson Benesch Discovery (too analytical) - Wilson Benesch Arc (too dry and boring) - Master Contemporary C (also analytical) - Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor M (not hefty enough and cannot play loud) - Volent VL3 (too analytical)
You might like my Silverline Bolero's, but I don't know where you could find them to audition.
I feel they have that magical combination of nearly optimum resolution, without added brightness, and general neutrality. If anything a tad polite in the upper mid-range, but IMHO that counter balances the lack of neutrality found in so many front ends and modern electronics. Easy to drive as well. And, from a visual perspective, they are compact, surpurbly finished in high gloss, deceptively heavy, and have a high WAF.
BTW, I listen to a lot of jazz and classical as well as pop vocal. No rock, rap, etc.
Very few speakers have the balanced resolution of the IBXR2's, AND are easy to drive. Genuinely tube friendly from 20 to 70 watts. Lot's of great amp choices in that range giving the listener the ability to dial in personal preferences. Just a great speaker.
A couple of manufacturers you may want to check out are Merlin, Audio Note and Gemme Audio. Also, I don't know what your budget is but the Acapella LaCampanella that just popped up here on Audiogon sure would be a sweet replacement.
I'm interested in your final choice so plese let us know what you decide.
Tvad beat me to it--as I was reading your post the Daedalus speakers stuck out like a......perfect choice. FWIW, I've heard every speaker on your list, including the Cremona's, except for the Master Contemporaries and the Volent's. Given your response to those that we have both auditioned, I would be very surprised if the Daedalus did not do the trick.
Having used the LV Avatars for years, I moved on to the Acoustic Zen Adagios and am now looking for my final speakers in your price range. I second many of the above suggestions and am planning a trip to RMAF to hear the Daedalus line. I would also consider the Bolero's if I could hear them. Some other suggestions: Art Deco 8/10 Signature Outside your price range, but the dealer is selling off his Dem models on the Gon. I auditioned them recently in the UK, easy to drive, good soundstage, neutral, good dynamics. In fact, the best I have heard to date. Coincident Super Victory Devore Gibbon 9 or super 8
I am sure there are others, but I am looking to hear these. I auditioned the older Coincident Victory 11's against the Art speakers and the latter were obviously superior. I would still like to hear the Suoper Victories.
Try the Revel speakers after spending Years playing around the F52 fit the bill for me. Or you can try a pr of the Studio.
I went throught these to get to the Revel Audio Physics (Virgo) Magnepan (MG3.6) Vandersteen 3a Von Schwekert Vr4jr Spendor SP1/2e Mcintosh XRt something Usher CP6381
Auditioned and didnt like Merlin Gallo Dynaudio Focal
For <$2000-$6000 depending on room size you might try an in home audition of OHM Walsh speakers (www.ohmspeakers.com).
These would seem to fit your stated sonic preferences but will come in well under your target budget. Is that a problem?
The cabinetry is not Sonus Faber or Dynaudio grade but up to snuff (premium wood veneers are available) and some might even consider them attractive in a retro kind of way. They have a reasonably small footprint for the sound delivered and I have no WAF issues.
new to this forum sent you a email...id agree with the Dynaudio advice loved the C1 might not have the weight that your looking for in bass but the C2 might..i have system audio explorers and love em they can rock list is $8,000 i see their big brother to them listed...the SaK7 master...serous speaker internally wire with expensive nordost cable..the guy is asking $5,000...id buy em if my room was large enough. good luck
Thanks all for your input. Maybe I should have said I'm from Europe, because many of the suggestions just aren't available here, and the ones that are, usually are way more expensive over here than in the US. Avalon Indra for instance cost close to 30,000 euro's, which at the moment is about 40,000 US$, whereas Sonus Faber Cremona M cost 7,800 euro (10,400 US$), which I believe is cheaper than in the US.
Since the rest of my system is all gonna be replaced, I'll keep every option open (tubes, solid state, hybrid...)
Anyway, I like the Silverline Bolero, very Avalon-like, but I'm afraid no dealer here will have ever heard of them. Dynaudio C2 and/or System Audio SA7K might be a better option, though these are both pretty tall... No horns, electrostats, Vandersteen, Harbeth, Deadalus, Proac, Audiokinesis or Parsifal (mostly due to looks). These Gemme speakers really look awesome, but again, I wouldn't know where to start looking for them over here :-( Audio Note could be an option, I'll look into that. Art Deco and Ohm are also very nice, I hope I can find some to audition...
It's too bad that you feel that you need to eliminate several of the brands that would really fit your needs sonically, just because of the way they look. Several of those brands are actually not bad looking at all. I think that you are really cheating youself.
Hey. Living Voice are some the most natural speakers I've ever heard. Music just sounds so real coming out of them.
I'd also ask if living with their looks would be less problematic than trying to find an alternative that may not exist.
Though obviously an oversimplification, if you note that the LVs use Scanspeak Revelator drivers in a D'Appolito array, you might want to look at Gamut, cause the dude there, Lars Goller, designed those drivers, I believe.
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