I think it would come down mostly to personal preference and budget. Form and fit of each is quite different.
Speaker choice advise requested...
Greetings all. This is a quasi-follow up to an earlier discussion. I currently have Magnepan .7's which I do like however room configuration is probably restricting their true performance to about 75%. So, I have been toying with the idea of a speaker change. My primary music tastes is electric blues with a dose of classic rock (Aerosmith, Tull etc.) and a smattering of country, old swing and guitar jazz. So, I have put together a short list of possibilities from internet research. They are: Tektron Lore, Klipsch Heresy III, and Tannoy 6XT(?) may have goofed that model #....Ok, let 'er rip!
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Maggies have been one of my favorites for years (despite being a Vandy fanboy). As Randy said, consider adding a sub. I know Maggies and Vandy subs are a great combo, tried and true. Not knowing your listening room and dimensions, equipment, etc., it is hard to know what you current system isn't doing right, but my suspicion is that you need a little more bass as the Maggies really don't go down enough to the lower frequencies by themselves. And, as Randy said, contact Magnepan, too. I am sure they will point you in the right direction. You have some really nice speakers. |
On the above, I do have a sub and customs stands for the baggies that get them off the floor and vertical. I live in a studio-type apt. and space is at a premium. Therefore I have to have my entertainment center between my baggies which dilutes their ability to sound stage. Hence, my current dilemma... |
Now that we know you have the sound anchors and sub, it eliminates some of the obvious problems. I wouldn't think having the equipment in the middle would alter sound staging. If that is the case, then you should try different placement, in my opinion. Though you probably did that or there just isn't any other place to put them in your studio apt. Mentioning lack of sound stage leads me to believe that your other components may be holding you back. What is the rest of your equipment? And, why do you call them 'baggies'? Bob |
Spellcheck, Maggies. I have a nice Wyred Integrated(plenty of current) and Oppo 105 disc player. Because of the dipole nature of the Maggies I'm pretty certain they aren't "blossoming" as they could in an ideal situation. In my case, it's trying to work around less than ideal speaker placement. It has been suggested that a more "traditional" box speaker coulee solve some of the placement issues inherent to maggies... |
I bought a pair of Tannoy floor standers several months ago after becoming somewhat disenchanted with music reproduction in my system. I believe my Tannoys are an earlier version of the XT6, 2 6 inch drivers with a tweeter in the concentric design. Tannoys have a "music first" approach. Upon comparing them with a few different speaker brands I have, with Parasound Halo gear they have a superior soundstage and have become my favourite. I listen to rock, pop, country and some old school jazz. The imaging on these Tannoys is quite something for the money. The speakers simply disappear, and the stage is right in front of you. I’d give them a listen for sure. |
First off, gear between speakers will hurt the imaging of any system especially in a small space. Maggies will do better away from the wall, but so will most dynamic speakers and all the ones you list. You might want to search for speakers that are designed to be close to the wall. The one everyone seems to rave about lately are Larsen, which I haven't heard at all. Harbeths and Audio Note are a couple that are often setup near corners in small rooms, but usually with tube gear. One brand that used to be quite popular and was designed for against the wall is NHT. Corey Greenberg used them as his reference for a while and his musical tastes run towards yours. Probably affordable used if you like that idea. I like the Vandersteen recommendation and think that they can deal with being close to the wall and still sound coherent and really rock. They really benefit from Sound Anchor or similar. Cheers, Spencer |
Excellent input all, thanks. Actually, I have my .7's far enough out into the room, the issue is having to have the tv/entertainment center in between. From what I've read/heard a more conventional direct firing cone speaker might be the better choice. Sadly, I really can't audition much where I live so i rely on advise and reviews... |
I still am of the opinion that other parts of your setup are not allowing the speakers to do what they should. Is there a reason why you won't reveal the source, amp and preamp? I don't mean to be pushy, but speakers are dependent upon the signals given to them. An inaccurate signal will be propagated by the other components and make any speaker sound less than what it could reproduce. |
I have a Wyred integrated which I do like and source is an Oppo BDP 105 and a Denon TT. I do not have the resistors installed in the speakers..My amp is very well reviewed as is the widely popular Oppo. Speaker cables are Spelts anti-cables which are known to be a good match with Magnepans. I really can't move the entertainment center because it's weight but it was a good question... |
(((My amp is very well reviewed))) I am not a reviewer. Assembling a great system has nothing in common with a popularity contest. I have done exact comparisons with your equipment related to your scenario. I am actually trying to help you. If you can get to the back of the speakers try installing the supplied and factory recommended 1.2 ohm resistors and report back with results. Best JohnnyR |
Goodness, it's not his amp or fuses. The Maggies are a fussy speaker for placement, that's Maggy knowledge 101. Suggesting that someone try a Bryston, when he's got quite a respectable integrated amp, does not seem helpful. If the speakers aren't blooming well, then attenuating the tweeters by installing the resistors won't create more bloom. People aren't reading the thread. The OP mentions his amp(and clearly mentions his issues) and people are suspecting the amp, and asking why he won't mention it. Sigh. Beernut, you seriously can't go wrong with either the Tannoys or the Klipsch for the kind of music you prefer. I'd say your research is bang on. I'm suggesting Tannoy because I own them and prefer them over the Paradigm, Ascend, and Pioneer speakers I've compared them to. But there is a big following for Klipsch too. |
I'm afraid I can't answer that for you since I can't sit in your room with both Tannoys and Klipsch speakers, and I also don't have your preferences(I assume). It's tough buying without demoing first, though I've done plenty of that myself. My Tannoy floor standers were a blind buy, but I knew the Tannoy house sound. I've never owned Klipsch, though I have had 4 pairs of Tannoys and still own two pairs. My reading is that for those who find fault with Klipsch, they find them too harsh or bright sounding. Also, with efficiency ratings of 95+ db, you'd never use most of what your amp can do. My vote is for the Tannoys. They really excel at music reproduction and imaging. |
@beernut You are fortunate that JohnnyR, one of the most experienced and well respected dealers in the business, has offered you gear specific advice based on his actual experience with that gear. Report back after trying the resistors and certainly don't waste your brainwaves pondering about Klipsch & Tannoy while you are trying it. Cheers, Spencer |
Greetings all. This is a quasi-follow up to an earlier discussion. I currently have Magnepan .7's which I do like however room configuration is probably restricting their true performance to about 75%. So, I have been toying with the idea of a speaker change. My primary music tastes is electric blues with a dose of classic rock (Aerosmith, Tull etc.) and a smattering of country, old swing and guitar jazz. So, I have put together a short list of possibilities from internet research. They are: Tektron Lore, Klipsch Heresy III, and Tannoy 6XT(?) may have goofed that model #....Ok, let 'er rip!213- the OP didn't list his equipment in the initial post. At least I see no mention of it. Hence, our query. I concur with sbank, Johnny is the best and is doing this for free. If he claims the resistors will have an effect, I would believe it. B |