Tannoy Turnberry SE beats all the more expensive speakers you listed.
The usual suspects: S1, Cirrus, Tempesta, MMM1
Getting back into audio and starting to make the audition/research list... Speakers are always the toughest, especially with the internet brands that have no presence here.
Anyway, here is the current list. I'd love to hear from people who have actually heard these in comparable setups:
1. Magico S1 - yes, it is new. it is also hot. Also too much $$$
2. Vapor Cirrus - tons of good press, but is it just the current audiophile flavor du jour (much like Joseph and Devore before them)
3. Selah Tempesta - seems similar to the Vapor but with lesser cabinet?
4. Evo Acoustics MMM1 - lots of hype on this one being generated by the company - worth it?
I've had Soliliquy's a long time ago. Energy's of various sorts that never did anything for me. ProAc Tablettes I loved (but many, many years ago so rose-tinted glasses now), and a variety of other speakers here and there...
Anyway, here is the current list. I'd love to hear from people who have actually heard these in comparable setups:
1. Magico S1 - yes, it is new. it is also hot. Also too much $$$
2. Vapor Cirrus - tons of good press, but is it just the current audiophile flavor du jour (much like Joseph and Devore before them)
3. Selah Tempesta - seems similar to the Vapor but with lesser cabinet?
4. Evo Acoustics MMM1 - lots of hype on this one being generated by the company - worth it?
I've had Soliliquy's a long time ago. Energy's of various sorts that never did anything for me. ProAc Tablettes I loved (but many, many years ago so rose-tinted glasses now), and a variety of other speakers here and there...
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I own a pair of Cirrus Blacks. In my basement room the sound was good but lean and too forward or bright. The room is very long, (40 feet) and only about 14 feet wide. Low suspended ceiling also, not very good for the sound. I spent a lot of time with speaker placement and added a subwoofer. I also use bass traps in the corners behind the speakers, added absorption panels behind speakers, some absorption panels in the suspended ceiling and room lenses at first side wall reflection area. After all that, the Cirrus Blacks imaging is very good and soundstaging is also impressive. Treble is very natural and clean. With the sub the bass is very good as well. Lots of detail and I think these speakers are accurate and won't add much coloration to the music. Pretty good dynamics and clarity is a bit better than my previous speakers. I can say I am happy with the sound, but it took some work to get them to that point. I would think a more normal sized room would yield great results without as much effort. I think comparing speakers of this caliber would end up being personal preference and how well you can get the speakers to sound in your room. I wrote this with my iPhone, I wrote it in proper paragraphs but don't know why it turned out like this! Edit: Oh well it looks okay with my computer. |
I have the Cirrus and Tempesta now. the Tempesta only have a week on them at the moment and the Cirrus have about 300hrs. the Tempesta may have a bigger bottom end (more, not necessarily deeper) and I think the midrange is a bit more detailed. you can hear the coloration from the cabinets. this is probably not something that's apparent if you're used to listening to the typically constructed cabinets. with the Cirrus there is absolutely no sense of the cabinets at all. I get more of a 3D soundstage with the Cirrus, which I really like. at certain times with the Tempesta (not all the time) I sense sound projecting directly from the mid drivers instead of hovering in space like the Cirrus. both these speakers are outstanding. if I had to pick one I would go with the Cirrus, but could be happy with either. if you are DIY capable the Tempesta kit is a great value. |
I remember discussing those things with multiple members, maybe I've talked with you about them. I don't specifically remember talking with you. The fact that we may have had conversation in the past doesn't mean I agree with what you are doing now. In fact, you are acting a fool. Get it resolved. If you knew who I was, why did you hint that I was Vapor posting under another name? Based on the rest of this thread, and your paranoia in other threads towards anyone posting favorably for Vapor, that is all it could mean. |
If you are hinting that I am Ryan or anyone associated with Vapor you are a total idiot and extremely paranoid. I own none of their products, but will some day purchase a pair of Arcus. I am just someone tired of listening to your non stop whining. Man up, come up with a solution instead of throwing stones, resolve the situation, and go away. BTW, I think the Pulsar is an excellent speaker having heard it a couple of times. It is not on my purchase radar though, so Jeff Joseph has nothing to worry about from me. On the other hand, he should be extremely wary of you because of the way you have conducted yourself. |
Milpai, I thought Vapor was the topic. At least that is how I interpreted the original post. I see Tnagpal throwing stones at these other brands and praising Vapor on a little press they are recieving. Tons of press is laughable however! My view is a little tainted but Apdoc2004 pretty much caught it as laughable by lumping Joseph and Devore with Vapor Audio. |
If anyone is looking into the Cirrus I would caution you from ordering them with Vapor's stands. The column piece that holds the 60lb or so speaker is only glued to the base via a butt joint. Both of my stands that were shipped in separate boxes were both broken on arrival and they broke right where these two pieces glue together. Here is a pic of the two pieces. http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;image=74012;size=large |
Another one to consider, that shoots well above it's price band, Fritz Carbon 7's. I just bought them for my son band they really do sound very good and are well made at this price point. Fritz is a great guy to deal with and thay are available on sale or return, if your not happy. What's not to like? |
"I haven't heard the Cirrus, but a Cirrus owner has been here and heard my Tempestas. He was a bit embarrassed to admit the Tmepestas were notably better" Really? I find it hard to believe there would be this level of difference, no matter which one was better. I have both the Cirrus and Tempesta, which I will be comparing this weekend. |
Jmbatkh, I am not sure if you are talking about me and my cirrus pair but I had told you that I had not listened to them yet so there is no way I could have told you that the Tempesta sounded better. The Tempesta sounded good but there was no way for me to compare and still no way as I have yet to listen to the Cirrus. I will have a pair here in the next week or so... |
I have had my Tempestas for over two years now and am very happy with the sound and performance which goes way beyond their price point. I have no need to upgrade speakers anymore and instead have been upgrating components around them. They work perfect in my 15' X 12' room and have all the bass I ever need or want. The three drivers work and perform seamlessly. I am surpriced more and more people are not aware of and/or buying them. |
I wanted to add one additional bit. The Tempesta is Rick's best selling model, yet to my knowledge there have been no used pairs on the resale market at all. I've been watching for another pair to buy. There have a number of Cirrus and the others mentioned. Owner satisfaction is the goal in the end. |
I've had Soliloquy 5.0 of those you mentioned, and own Selah Tempestas and SSRs now. Both are head and shoulders above the 5.0. The cabinets on the Tempestas are not built like the Cirrus, but the cabinets as Rick supplies them are very dead. I hear no lower range obfuscation which is the signature of noisy cabinets. They do the job very well, and the optional veneer work is as good as it gets. The Tempesta is a 3 way, with perhaps the best upper mid driver on the market, the 50 mm Accuton, and the drivers blend perfectly, very hard to do with the superb resolution of the RAAL. I haven't heard the Cirrus, but a Cirrus owner has been here and heard my Tempestas. He was a bit embarrassed to admit the Tmepestas were notably better, and less $ as well. Haven't heard the others, and tastes are different, but after 45 years in the hobby and ~275 pairs of quality speakers, after 2 years the Tempesta has taken me off the market, possibly for good. I can afford just about anything I like, but for this size speaker it speaks the truth to me on all recordings. That's the bottom line. |
I have owned Soliloquy 5.3s and currently still own 6.2s, and the speakers I lust after are the JA Pulsars perhaps paired with a couple good subs. If JA is a flavor du jour it's been an awfully loooong day (same for Devore). They continue to refine and improve their proven core technology, and they'll likely be around for the long term. Not so sure about the others you mention, and as a Soliloquy owner you realize that can be an issue down the road. I had the Selah Verita in my system for a trial. Nice speaker, but although treble was very refined it lacked a little air and sparkle up top that I tend to like. Lots of people feel differently about that though. I haven't been won over by ribbon tweeters as of yet, but I remain open. Vapor sounds interesting but seems like sometimes they suffer from long backlogs and shipment delays. Not a deal breaker but potentially frustrating. EA build quality has been an issue with some models, so I'd be a little concerned about long-term integrity but definitely a speaker I'd like to hear. Both also use ribbon tweeters, so you might want to add some others with more conventional tweeters to your list in case ribbons don't work for you. Welcome back to this silly hobby, and best of luck in your search. |
You state that Joseph Audio and Devore are just a flavor of the month--I find that pretty amazing! Both companies have been around for several years and have made & continue to make excellent speakers that have met widespread critical acclaim from professional reviewers and appreciation from the users. I have owned speakers from both companies and woud rate them as superb products. To lump them with Vapor audio Cirrus is almost laughable. |
I own the Vapor Audio Breeze and I am very happy with these speakers. I plan to live enjoy them for the long run. Vapor has a new circle on AudioCircle. He also has two new speaker lines in between the Breeze and the Cirrus. The Stiff Breeze employs two woofers with the Raal tweeter in the middle, and the new Sundog which is kind of a mini Cirrus.You can get some feedback from Cirrus owners there too.Good luck. |