Sorry to rain on the parade, but I sometimes listen to a real piano played automatically by a floppy disc program. The sad truth is that no loudspeaker comes close to the sound of the real thing (yet), and the modern computer-controlled player piano can duplicate all the subtle aspects of the keystrokes by the performer. With regard to convenience, inserting the floppy disc is just like loading a CD. Unfortunately, it does take up a bit more room than a loudspeaker, and automated violins and cellos aren't available. |
easily the best for reproducing the nuances of piano especially the attack and decay associated with the hammer strike on the strings is without question the ESP Concert Grands. The designer of these speakers is a collector of some of the most prestigious grand pianos ever assembled and mirrored these type of pianos sonic signatures in an extremely lifelike, convincing manner. |
Andra Eggleston this speaker were thru piano, Iam
talking about the original one. |
Well, it would seem that the choice of speakers alone is out of context with the rest of one's system. Yes, Quads can sound great. I've listened to them powered by Naim separates, and they are wonderful. I've also listened to them powered by a Berning set-up, and they did not sound nearly so good. My Cabasse, pushed by a Plinius integrated, reproduce piano fantastically. |
Old apogee speakers, kharma, avalon, and audio note can all be fantastic on piano... |
Gullahisland points out that there are many overtones resonating when a piano is played. To discern the sonic character and personality of the instrument, the timing has to be dead on and the speaker has to recreate the reverberant sound field to endow the reproduced sound with the vibrancy and harmonic richness you immediately recognize as live sound. Additionally, accurately reproducing the size and sound of the body of the instrument and conveying venue information (hall sound) well requires good extended bass response which must blend seamlessly. There are few loudspeakers which successfully do all of this. In my experience and opinion full range dipoles do it best. |
Maybe it's just me, but I've never heard large Thiel speakers (and this includes 2.3) that sounded anywhere near as coherent and musical, especially in the midrange, as the 1.5.
Listening to Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli's live recording of Chopin's piano sonata no. 2 (from 1952 no less) was an eargasmic experience I shall not soon forget. |
I would contend that a time and phase coherent design is required to reproduce the piano accurately.
In addition, as someone pointed out above, the piano is a percussion instrument and requires not only speed, but great dynamics and FULL range as well. There are tons of overtones and undertones that resonate within the instrument while it's being played.
These requirements leave very few choices. I would agree that the larger (full range) Apogees such as the Divas and Scintillas do a tremendous job at capturing these elements. The other speakers that I recommend are the larger Thiels (3.6 and up).
I really do think that there's also something to the metal drivers. I've NEVER heard a soft-dome tweeter believably reproduce the piano. |
Khrys, I beg to differ. Piano resonates throughout it's body with every stroke in subtle low frequencies. When a low note is pounded, the piano cavity is exited all the more. The Apogee can translate these very low frequencies with authority. The Scintilla, Duetta, and Diva all straight line to 20 db. The Scintilla ribbon is every bit as fast as the Quad diaphragm, only the Scintilla can go very loud. |
Sbank is absolutely right. NO speaker has ever matched the Quads in the midrange where most piano and voice (not to mention most music in general) falls. By Medieval music I presume you mean mostly liturgical pieces. The Quads are unparalled with a cappella voice yet equally facile with sackbuts and crumhorns should your Medieval tastes run more secular. The 988 should be sufficient unless you listen to an inordinate number of pianists performing on Bosendorfers which sound better on the 989s. With your musical tastes you must hear these speakers. |
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I would recommend the ATC line but they cannot be driven with tubes unless you have a mega-watt, 150 watts and above, tube power amp. With appropriate solid state, the ATC's are marvels. |
Thiel 1.5. Haven't heard the 1.6 so can't speak for them. |
Allegro is spot on!!!! If you have the room, the Apogee Scintilla is Piano and medieval magic on a large scale. Next thing needed is either for sale. |
Apogees.....I own the Apogee Stages and piano is *breathtaking*.... |
If someone is looking for absolute best piano sound, he is going to want timbral accuracy and solid dynamics. Timbral accuracy from 20hz up to 20khz. Revel Salon or Revel Studio. 2 of the best speakers for timbral accuracy and dynamics regardless of pricing. I have also owned a pair of Vandy 3A sig's, No Vandersteen should be listed in this persons category if this is the case. A different style of speaker altogether. |
Hi,
I have owned Vandersteen, Totem, Meadowlark, Spendor, Reference 3A and Living Voice. The latter 3 do a very good job w/ piano, but the best I have heard with piano were Harbeths (with class A Pass amps) and Quads (with VAC gear). Unfortunately, the Harbeths didn't light my fire othewise, and the new Quads too $$$.
TH |
Speakers with metal or aerogel drivers sound better on piano than my kevlar B&W's. Ellis 1801's (seas) and Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 (aerogel)are examples. Since piano is a percussion instrument, you need a stiff driver to keep the impact sharp -IMHO. |
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Either the Revel Salon(best if budget is no concern) or Studio(budget conscious)would be 2 of the best choices. Its a well known fact either of these Revel speakers has midrange performance equal to the best elctrostatics along with incredible dynamics and bottom end definition which is needed to fully create proper piano harmonics somehting I have yet to hear any esl/planer speaker reproduce faithfully. I have owned a few planer/electrostatic speakers( including the ML Prodigies along with my Revel Salon's presently)and its a different kind of listening altogether. |
Quad ESL 63 or 988! Midrange to die for. Won't play super loud, won't do bottom octave bass, but other than that tough to beat. Reference on voice/piano/acoustic instruments for many reviewers for 25+ years...
Tube-friendly and fairly easy to drive. |
I'm a big fan of tube gear and I won't likely go back to SS. But I must admit that the ONE single instrument that I've heard really excel out on my friends $50K Levinson system (NHT 3.3 speakers) was piano. The detail, body and shear emotional impact of that instrument is magnificent on his system and none of my tube systems have been able to match that. I guess it has something to do with the slam of SS. The micro-details were amazing and on one recording I can record hearing the pianists feet working the pedals on his system. I do love piano music as well, but also love vocals and strings both of which excel with tube gear IMO. The illusion of depth space and atmosphere is also superior with tubes, but somehow with a piano this does not seem to make as much of a difference. Perhaps because the piano's impact is more of a singular focused instrument center stage, and speed is paramount. With his system the 'body' of the instrument was NOT lost....it did seem to have real dimension and palpability, albeit laser focused. I never thought I'd have cause to point to SS, but if piano were my first and foremost priority I would go that direction. On a tube system it is certainly impressive, but in comparison with SS it lacks the chest-slamming emotional impact that that instrument can have....straight to heart. The NHT 3.3's certainly had something to do with this as they have an incredible low end (some may say too exagerated - subwoofers need not apply here) and great dynamic range and speed. I'm sorry, but I do not recall which Levinson amp he uses, but I believe it was in the $5k price range. The rest of his system is all Levinson.
Marco |
totem hawk or mani, allison 2 or 4, rogers studio 7(no longer made),castle howard....i play piano and these speakers are better than most at any price for reproducing the weight and scale of piano music. |
