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Seeking Speaker Recommendations

Greetings,

I've been away from the hobby for quite a while, but am now ready to slowly edge my way back in.  Many moons ago I sold my Altec Model 19's, and have never been able to find a replacement for them.  Their dynamics, their liveliness, their punch, the way they recreated the music on a grand scale.  Even at lower volumes their dynamic swings were amazing.  They sounded so lifelike.  I'm sure their measured performance was likely abysmal, but the sound they generated, to my ears, was like sitting at a performance.

Having been to the CES/Comdex show many, many times years ago, I had seen and listened to hundreds of speakers by hundreds of manufacturers.  What I liked was significantly out of my price range.  I've personally owned systems by Thiel, Von Schweikert, Martin Logan, Magnepan, Legacy, Focal, and the list goes on.  I even went to great expense and custom built a pair of Altec 604 based speakers.  All have left me wanting my old Altec 19's back.

I know they can be had today, and you can even build a "new" pair with the cabinets and drivers available, but I can no longer house a pair of speakers larger than a washer/dryer!  What I'm looking for is a small to medium sized floor-standing speaker, preferably under $3,000/pair, that will recreate that Altec Model 19 magic.  I assume it would have to be high efficiency and horn based.

Can anyone kindly recommend a system that might come close to what I'm seeking?

Thanks!!
seadweller

Showing 5 responses by dorkwad

dorkwad
539 posts
 
Not to be ignorant, roberjerman, but what does doing that prove about the speakers dynamic sound?
dorkwad
539 posts
 
The DCM Time Windows were very good speakers in their day.  I loved them.  However there's no way that they are live, as in possessing jump factor dynamics like a horn.

There ill be a speaker returning to the scene that does have the jump factor, is in a monitor size, and will play at all volume levels without break up.  They also have a very details sound without harshness.  They will be coming out soon.  The speakers will be made by the same guy that designed the extremely well reviewed SP Tech Timepiece speakers and others with the similar technology involved.  The new Aether Audio Spirit I speakers have less than a 2 cubic ft. cabinet, but use a wide, but shallow throat waveguide on the tweeter.  It also has a powerful 7" woofer.  I've heard the speakers that Bob Smith designed and I can tell you that you WILL NOT WANT for dynamics with this speaker because they have it in spades.  The amount of small details that are heard will match most ESL speakers.  And the best news is they will cost around $2000.


dorkwad
539 posts
 
seadweller,

Where are you located?  If it's anywhere close to the north central portion of Indiana, you could hear the speakers I was talking about.

I've heard all the speakers you mentioned, and owned a pair of Von Schweikert Vortex Screens for 18+ years and obviously liked them.  I now own VMPS RM40 BCSE speakers that have very good dynamics and can play at very loud volumes, BUT...they don't have as much jump factor as those Aether Spirit I.  The Aether's have very similar detailing as the VMPS, but are in a very compact cabinet.  The Aether's have seriously good bass, almost the equal of the huge RM40s.  The Aether's can actually play at louder volumes than the VMPS.  The Vortex Screens were considered to have good dynamics back in 1991, but they can't hold a candle to the RM40s in that area.  The pair of RM40s that I have are better sounding than the ones that one Best In Show at the CES, so it's saying something that the Aether's are in their league in most areas and ahead in dynamics and live sound quality.

dorkwad
539 posts
 
spenceroo,

I have been to Bob Smith's house a couple times in the past few months.  Each time I heard one of his former speakers in a just average system and I was very impressed.  Bob and I have become good friends since he did the Level 3 mod of my Nuforce Ref 9 SE V3 mono amps which are now stellar in all ways.   Bob is getting back into the speaker business with a lower priced great speaker in the Aether Spirit I and he is going to come out with a couple of more higher priced and even higher performance speakers soon.  He has a new backer that is very impressed with his speakers.  This will allow Bob to crank out his speakers at a better clip.  His son is now working for him full time and is quite excellent in his abilities also.  His speakers have no discernible driver anomalies meaning it's like listening to one sensational driver.  They also have a serious jump factor in lifelike dynamics.  This is in a less than 2 cubic ft. enclosure.  The stuff he's talking about coming soon is outrageous!

Keep in mind that he and I are becoming good friends--BUT...I'd call a dog a dog if it barks.  His speakers have little to no irritation factor.  I'd say none, but there was one cut out of at least 25 that I heard that did bother me some.  The other 24 were stunning with bass to die for in that size enclosure.  They DO NOT break up at any SPL level either.

Bob
dorkwad
539 posts
 
I'd look to late April or May for active news on Aether Audio.

Bob
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