If I had $60k to spend on any speakers I wanted, I would give Eric a call and ask how good he can build me for that budget or less. It would probably wind up being a pair of all-Be Ulfberhts. But he is working on something better so you never know. Even what he is working on I seriously doubt would eat the whole budget.
Anyway, as to your question, that's the answer: One. I never ever in my life have listened to two things and felt like it could go either way. Always one was better than the other. Usually not by all that much either. Once I hear the better one, that's what I want. All indications are we get just the one go-around, and it don't last forever. Music being important to me, why would I want to waste one minute listening to something that doesn't sound so good when I have something better?
For me its all about quality. Quantity rides shotgun, at best.
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Do you diversify with one genre of speakers, or among genres of speakers? |
Buddy, come over to the dark side, where for the price of a pair of Wilsons you can have built and tried 10 pairs of speakers, learned a great deal, and maybe met interesting people in the ER room.
At some point in your audiophile career you will see how much money you are spending, while gaining little traction. You are in effect paying a lot of money to learn things about your tastes and products and science and human perception.
Doing all of this, in addition to the pride of making things yourself, is done much better as a maker, than shopper.
Best,
Erik
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I want the opposite with a great pair of super efficient speakers (think Klipsch Cornwall IVs) and many high-quality amps of different types. Low-power 300B, single-ended tube and solid state, monos, etc. As for your question? I'd go with the best sounding speaker I could afford. No substitute for accurate sound (at least, sound YOU like). |
Not sure why audiophiles think <<big is better>> as in $$$$ speakers <<oh yeah nice big sound stage,,,and weight?>? well over 100 lbs.
None of those criteria have been my objective choosinga speaker, I reearched here back in the early 2000's and found the SEAS kit Thors,, been with me these past 17 yrs. Just upgraded xovers to Munorf,,might swap out a EVO OIL SG 8.2 for a Supreme EVO SGO,, thing is they are $220 each,,,most likely when i get caught up on paypal bill and sell my cayin tube cd player,,, most likely I will swap the 8.2.
In the tweet section.
So yeah, like the tweets were slightly off on the ohms, Richard said order new ones, i did, sound nearly identical to older Millenniums,,,that wasa $700 upgrade.
About to consider addinga 2nd set, Seas Bifrost,,maybe swap out the W18 Nextel fora W22 Nextel,,,all depends on what xover designer says.
So yeah, you really don't need to spend mega $'s on a world class speaker.
Bigger sound does not always equate to <<high fidelity>> which is the goal of this hobby. \
How to acheive best bang for the buck.
Most of us do not have studio size listening rooms.
Mine is 8x12, 8 ft ceiling. any speaker larger than this MTM is <,ridiculous>. |
Wilsons
^^^^^
Would someone please help me to understand how that name became <<famous>> even popular mention in the audiophile world?
Seems to me for every 1 vote <yeah> there are 2 votes <nay> for Wilson.
Is that lab still in business after all these years? Sorry I don't keep up with <,the latest>>
I'm old school, = <new kids on the block> no matter how fancy dressed up in commercial garb, never drew in my interest.
I'm old school, = old world labs is my interest. |
i prefer variety
different speakers and systems are like a different lens on the world of music, some more suited to some music than others - i have different setups in different rooms, in two homes, a main home and a second one i am lucky to have
it takes some work to switch and swap but i enjoy doing it, enjoy the process of dialing in a new setup
i prefer variety in other aspects of life too... food wine cars live music events art
beauty, artistic inspiration, and memorable experiences come in many forms |
I'll keep my tannoys made in Scottland UK over any home built abomination. I think they know a thing or two about making speakers, they have been at it pretty much longer than anyone. |
I'm in @dweller 's camp. I would rather go for sound quality and efficiency first, then work backwards from there. I'm also a person who loves the best stuff in the industry made by those that have been doing this a long time, but would equally learn how to make it myself and, if possible do just that and get close.
Obviously, there are things and elements that may be unattainable to make myself (I'm probably not going to make a CD player or a DAC, but I would a turntable....), but there is an added element of satisfaction, I guess, when I know that I've not only put money into it, but time and effort.
Hearing Miles Davis, Live at the Plugged Nickel through that 45-based tube amp I built (and refined the design of) playing 1.8W through super-efficient open baffle speakers that I also built (and designed the cross-overs for, and built) adds something to the 'enjoyment' for me. I get that it doesn't for others. And, clearly, if those elements measure well and sound good then that's really what it's all about, isn't it? |
TEKTON!!!! BELIEVE THE HYPE!!!! |
I’m not anywhere as far along the journey as most of you, but I can’t fathom an end-game-be-all-I’ve-already-tried-everything approach to this hobby. As I build up and out and better my system I’m already planning for variety to come. I’ll want at least two wildly different types of reference speakers to switch between and enough different amp choices that I’ll know I can properly drive any other speakers I bring in to try out. I hope I’m never ready to give up on finding something new.
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Peter Walker of Quad fame said: "We don't think our speakers are the best. Just that all the rest are worse". Get yourself a pair or two of the 57's and throw away all the rest! |
Hi,
I have had
over 450 sets of speakers through my listening room. I once had a gentleman
that lived not too far from me trade-in over 50 sets of small speakers that he
had accumulated from going to many audio shows and purchasing a set of speakers
at the end of each show. Great person but at the end of the day he decided he
just wanted to have one great set of speakers and trade-in all his sets of speakers
that he had purchased over the years for 1 set of high efficient horn speakers.
For myself I think speakers are personal preference and need
to be carefully matched to your favorite amplifier based on the following
criteria. Size of your room, type of music you prefer and volume you play your
music at in your home. There are many other factors to take into account but I
have seen many people purchase a very large set of speakers that will never
work in their smaller rooms and this can be a very big mistake. I also prefer
high efficient speakers with quality tube gear. The fun thing with high
efficient speakers is that just changing a tube or even a power cord can be immediately
heard.
One of my favorite speakers is made by a company called
hORNS. These speakers are built in Poland and they are called Symphonies.
Here is a recent review;
http://v2.stereotimes.com/post/horns-symphony-loudspeakers-by-mike-wright/
This is a wonderful sounding, highly efficient, super will
built speaker that we have been importing from Poland for 3 years.
Cheers,
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All tweeked out "Burmester 961"s floor standers.
Every time my front-end improves, e.g. amp bias readjustment, cable differences, x-over Mundorf bypass caps, pair selected new carbon AUDAX 5½" midrange drivers..., they do play along and show the difference / improvement - and this since their 1996 purchase!
It still always amazes me how they can do this!?!
To this end I'm now too scared to even consider any replacements.
M. 🇿🇦 |
This is a tough call. I have two pairs of speakers I am perpetually swapping between. I just had a blogger over to discuss systems and he is in sort of the same place.
He is looking at upgrading to MBLs which are such cool speakers but would miss "cone and dome" sound on occasion. His view was one big time speaker (like MBLs) and some less expensive speakers that deliver different sound.
It's an approach. One comment he made was that with two large speakers (MBL and say Magico) he would never swap because they are just too heavy.
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no right or wrong approach. it’s a hobby and there are no rules........except being true to the music reference in your mind.
personally i view optimizing my music playback reference efforts start with getting the best single speaker system i can that is properly sized for the room i have, and then working to get that speaker system to be it’s best.
i happen to purchase a twin tower fairly expensive speaker system. this was after 17-18 years of serious listening in a dedicated room, and visits to many rooms and audio shows. so it was not a casual decision. i’m not techie enough to attempt a DIY approach, and have no reason to doubt it’s validity to attain high performance. i'm skeptical but open minded that a much less expensive speaker system could compete head to head. it could happen.
my personal view is that the room<->speaker relationship is so intertwined and synergistic that having multiple speaker systems used in the same room would be an anchor holding you back, and in no way a positive. unless it’s a test or trial period. but not as a permanent approach. but that is just my own opinion.
if you want to have multiples of things to play around with in a single room, then it should be amps or turntables or something not as set-up critical as speakers. it can take years to get speakers to be their best. and until the room<->speaker room synergy reaches maturity you have no way to really know what the speaker can do. |
Errr, hype=hyperbole=exaggeration=something that, by definition, you shouldn't believe. Jus' sayin'. |
I'd want to mix it up with at least 3 different genres of speakers. First, a set of panel dipoles, Magnepan 20.7 or 30.7. No box can ever offer the spaciousness of a panel. Next I'd go for a mid-size full range with great dynamics, Wilson Yvette or a Focal, Revel Ultima, there are tons of $25-30k range that are incredible. Finally, I'd want a pair of mini monitors like a KEF, B&W, or Harbeth. Shortlisted would be a horn based design, Klipsch, or vintage Altec 604-8G in a 6ft3 cabinet, maybe - if I had a proper tube amp to drive them.
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Leave it to @millercarbon to sell his stuff.
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Well, provided I were to use separates, had a preamp compatible with most amplifiers, and could afford three amplifiers, I would go with a pair of 2-way stand mounts, a panel type, and a high efficiency (sensitivity + impedance) floor stander. |
If there is no comparison from the s.q. of my speakers, before and after they has been rightfully embed, how can i trust any review of any speakers at any price?
Is speakers supposed to have a sound quality that will not transform itself, like mine did after the embedings controlled implementation, if they are not mechanically, electrically and acoustically embed?
Is a set of speakers sound the same in all room whatsoever?
For sure i suppose that costlier speakers are better than cheaper one, but is it always true, even without any embeddings controls?
Choice of speakers is very important, but how to embed them more important than even the choice between 2 good speakers anyway....
That is my experience...
I pay 50 dollars my used speakers and i will probably never upgrade them.... Why ? If i can listen clearly to the differential dynamic of wood,brass, strings and voices in the great Mass of Bruckner they pass the audiophile test...
I know that it is NOT because my speakers had this brand name instead of this another good one brand name they sound so good, it is because i rightfuly embed them first.... :)
Advertisement and buying has nothing to do with audio experience, embedding is the crux of the matter... Anybody with a little money can buy a pair of good speakers to begin with, the real work begins after the purchase, it is how to embed this good designed electronic component..... :)
How a pair of speakers can reach their optimal S.Q. possibilities at all without paying attention to isolation, resonance control, and paying attention to the general noise floor of the room, and to the acoustical attributes of the room ?
To do justice to their design they must be embed rightfully....
My best to all...
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The floor standers of "Burmester 961" have all been tweaked.. They do play along and show the difference/improvement every time my front-end improves, e.g. amp bias readjustment, cable differences, x-over Mundorf bypass caps, pair selected new carbon AUDAX 512" midrange drivers for my game..., and this since their 2002 purchase!
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JBL M2 Active Speakers with the JBL room correction equalizer and crown amps that are made for them
OR
a classic JBL Paragon that has been restored and upgraded to pristine condition:
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Leave it to the speaker company site.
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One of my favorite speakers is made by a company called hORNS. These speakers are built in Poland and they are called Symphonies.
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@dillonlennon
Nice of you to stop by, join and post and endorsement about an obscure speaker brand. DO you have any affiliation? What is the rest of your system?
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The $4.5K hORNS Aria 3 MK2 Horn speakers { In the USA they will cost a little more though } Sound Pretty Damn Good with the $6.2K MoonRiver Reference 404 Integrated amp WOW ! 😮🤩 Best-Kept Secret ! 😉
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxR62V9Ghyk
The hORNS Uniwersum MK4 Horn speakers cost $33K and in the USA they will cost a little more. That might be my End-Game Speakers with the MoonRiver Reference 404 amp ! 🤔 🤔
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I agree with Miller Carbon and others. I want to spend time listening to the very best speakers I can find and afford and not to a bunch of second bests.
Audioguy85 wrote, "I'll keep my tannoys made in Scottland UK over any home built abomination."
Audioguy85, that sounds as though you feel all DIY speakers are home built abominations. I respectfully wish to disagree. My fully horn loaded, triamplified, DEQX controlled DIY speakers sound damned fine. I suspect that you've never heard excellent DIY speakers.
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Obviously the amp plays into what kind of speakers you want - so some even goes as far as to buy only powered speakers...
I have Krell pre/power amps driving B&W 802D ($63,000 system) and I found out that I enjoy the brute less sophisticated sound of Onkyo Integra m-306 power amp with Acurus pre (which gives a smooth sound) driving Klipsch speakers - rather forward sounding. The later system costs many many times less, so its possible to build a quite enjoyable sound with mid-fi gears if synergy is well achieved.
My take on the PM's question is it's fun to have many mid-fi systems everywhere in the house, since different systems do different genre music better, rather than just one uber main system...
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No, I have no affiliation with them
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@gonglee3
it's fun to have many mid-fi systems everywhere in the house, since different systems do different genre music better, rather than just one uber main system...
That is exactly what I did with the DTS Play-Fi ecosystem, I have Klipsch in my office, Onkyo in the man cave, DefTech in the bedroom, Paradigm in the kitchen etc. I wanted to dabble and they are all connected through one central software, love it. I still do critical listening in the main system but casual listening is also fun. I can just move the music from the kitchen to the dining room whan I'm done cooking, from the dining room to the living room after dinner, and then to the bedroom later. its great and with a different brand in each room. The Play-Fi software has been upgraded enough where now I actually prefer it over other systems I have tried.
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" small collection of speakers each in the $5k-$10k ranges "
"I have had over 450 sets of speakers through my listening room. I once had a gentleman that lived not too far from me trade-in over 50 sets of small speakers that he had accumulated from going to many audio shows and purchasing a set of speakers at the end of each show"
are you guys printing money?
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