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Speakers, confusion, any ideas?

I've just rebuilt my front end after 20 years. I now have HCA-2 amp, MusicHall mmf-cd25 mod level +, and a Carver Sunfire Symphonic reference pre. (yes, Wally at underwood hifi has had some influence on me). The last link are speakers. I have refurbished my epicure 3.0's mids and subs from Meniscusaudio. With their advice, I will still need to replace the tweets, and have the speakers shipped to them for a computer analysis to create the new crossover, have it installed, etc. I have already spent $600.00 on drivers, with about $600.00 to complete the modification/refurbish process. At their current level, I listen, and am just not satisfied. The upper end, especially female vocals and horns are just edgy. I keep wanting to turn it up, but when i get to performance levels they make my ears hurt!!

I suppose the cross over could be the missing key, however, i wonder if my journey is futile.

I've read about three speakers that catch my attention, in no particular order: The Gallo Reference III, Paragdigm Studio 100, and the Theil CS2.4. All have gotten some serious print. Once I make my decision, I dont want to look back. What ever I pick, will probably take me to the next 25 years, hearing loss, diapers, and the true terminal* whatever.

Any ideas?
kyneo

Showing 5 responses by cinematic_systems

cinematic_systems
282 posts
 
I have to think the Vandersteen will still be a good choice, email me for a little $400 trick i've been using to integrate subwoofers perfectly lately.

There are other options out there but if you have or can get a Vandersteen it will work well.
cinematic_systems
282 posts
 
Let me stick up for Meniscus first, they can build great sounding speakers and nothing they do there is rudimentary. their measurement software I believe is MLSSA or better now.

Which is more than adequate.

Opalchip has been reading to many magazines audio isn't that complicated.

Your drivers determine what crossover works the best, if you can't pick the drivers to start with.

If you start with a clean sheet of paper you can then select drivers that fit your philosophy. 1st order 4th order etc.

I would take a $2000-$4000 Meniscus made speaker over any of the speakers on your list.

I like the Thiels, but the guys at Meniscus can build better, Chad AND Mark will not mislead or promise things they cannot deliver. I use their small subwoofers because no one makes better for the price and performance.

If you need tweeters, then you need tweeters, you also likely need new crossover parts, your caps are likely dried out. etc. I don't see the risk for $600 to solve an easy problem. Abd the worst thing that happens is a speaker you've owned for so long and enjoyed sounds like new again.
cinematic_systems
282 posts
 
"how can anyone use electronic or distorted rock an roll to determine speaker quality? after all hifi refers to the ability to reproduce the source, how do you know "what" that kind of music is supposed to sound like in the first place"

True but those kind of recordings can put stress on the system such that speakers are stressed and make their own noises. So you cannot use them for absolute accuracy, they can be used to stress the system and test systems in extreme frequencies normal instruments cannot reach.

The key to "knowing" about speakers is experience. Listen to all you can and do not be in awe but always be evaluating what is happening. Select a limited amount of recordings that you enjoy that have unique attributes that seem to vary from speaker to speaker. This takes time.

Building and measuring your own speakers is a way to become very good at recognizing flaws and how measurements and system performance correlate. making bad sounding speakers is very educational...I speak from a great deal experience.

Subwoofer if you feel you're missing bass. A speaker like the 2.4 for example may have an extended frequency response but at its lowest frequencies can be limited in its output. So getting a boost from a subwoofer can be helpful.
cinematic_systems
282 posts
 
Here are 5 CD's that have a great deal of good music and an eclectic selection of music. Not all tracks are perfect but the range from outstanding to just listenable can help define how fragile or how flexible your system is.

Until the End of the World Soundtrack
Sopranos Sound Track (Original)
The Soul of a Man by Wim Wenders (PBS series The Blues)
City of Angels Soundtrack
Into the Labrynth Dead Can Dance

These are some tracks I use to evaluate systems, notice how old some of the CD's are!

Enya Watermark track 3 "On your shore"
Crash test Dummies God Shuffled His feet track 10 "The Psychic"

Peter Gabriel So Track 6 "Mercy Street"
Megadeth Countdown to Extinction Track 1 "Skin O' my Teeth"
Depeche Mode Violator track 6 "Waiting for the night to Fall"

All of the tracks above accentuate areas that many speakers seem to have difficulty reproducing.

Almost all of my other "test" Cd's are limited "demo" cd's and cd's from Cd Classical magazine. None of my Classical test CD's are available for resale.
cinematic_systems
282 posts
 
Gary,

No I don't have any experience, but I have heard previous models and I liked the subwoofer.

But I don't want to go any farther because the last 2W I heard was probably 10 years ago.

But I still might be able to help, what is the application? 2 channel, surround? what main speakers and what size is the room (include open adjoining spaces too.
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