Green Mountain Callisto. I listened to all the speakers you have mentioned and the Callisto was the one I went back to every time. I waited two months for mine to be built and it would be worth waiting a year. My room is approximately the same size as yours. The Callisto is NEVER fatiguing, always enjoyable and still amaze me how musical they are. Most enjoyable speaker I have owned in 30 years. They play all music as a speaker should at all volume levels.
Does the dealers do a home demo program?
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/gma2/callisto.html |
nobody offered a home demo on any of the speakers that
i demod.
do the callistos require stands?
just to let you know ,i am fairly new at this high end
stuff thats why i am uncertain about ordering speakers
by mailorder. i did that with the mobile fidelitys
and after a while realized i wanted something with
a better midrange and bass. |
If new to all this hifi stuff, you owe it to yourself to experience a panel speaker prior to purchase. Some of the more popular brands include Magnepan, Martin Logan, Apogee, Sound Labs, Eminent Technology (which I own), etc. I'm sure others can give additional ideas.
Some people are cone people while others are smitten with the panel/planar sound. Possibly check out the MUG website (Magnepan User's Group) since it also includes threads for many other panel speakers. If you are near a major city, there should be one of these brands available to audition.
Once you have that settled, it will be much easier to concentrate on specific brands. |
If you are new to audio then you may be fairly new to this site? At the top of the Audiogon home page is a search box with an ADVANCED option next to it. Click advanced, in the ZIP CODE search option you can find speaker systems for sale which are local to you...you can go listen!
Note: the first two digits of your zip code are all that is needed for a much wider search...in my case (Michigan) 48 will pull up the east side of the state and 49 will pull up the west side of the state.
Dave |
A home demo is absolutely the best way to go. Other ways to demo are to go see them at a dealer (per SoGood's comments) or attend an audio show (Rocky Mountain Audio Fest upcomming in Denver), or buy used, see if they perform to your standard, then keep or re-sell depending on the outcome. It is the best way to have peace of mind that you have made the right choice and that your conscience is clear. I echo Elsneb's comments regarding the GMA Callisto, you have to start somewhere with a speaker choice to home trial. I would be surprised if you couldn't work out a deal with a GMA dealer to try before you buy. Home demos are how I have stayed with GMA speakers for the last 1.5 years vs. four others in the previous 2 years. Check them out. |
If a dealer will not let you demo at home... find a new dealer. There is too much competition on the internet not to. But do try to stick to your local dealers if they prove to be honest and helpful. It is a little dirty to test a dealer with loaded questions but it is a quick way to see if they are going to be straight with you.
Ask your local dealer if you need a $400 pair of interconnects with your new Sony receiver and Infinity speakers. If he laughs or nicely explains the futility of doing so you have a straight shooter. If he says anything verging on "yes" then be warry if not outright affraid of his corrupt business practices.
Similar questions for improving the same set-up would be for better (Monster) speaker cables, better terminations on said speaker cables, new (Denon because its the best that Crutchfield has to offer) DVD player, or sorbothane feet for your receiver. THe answer to all of these questions should be "no."
Good luck and have fun with the new hobby! |
will the green mountain callistas give me a bigger sound than the mobile fidelitys that i have?
the size of the tweeter and woofers are pretty similar |
Green Mountain Callisto really took my breat....that is a truely amazing speaker, I also wn Electrostats, so I have to agree with Doug, but I can tell you it would be next to impossible to imagine you not loving the Callisto....truely world class sound. |
i live in the new york city area and there is
no way i know of short of actually ordering apair of
ither tyler acoustic linbrooks or the green mountain
callistos. most dealers ive been to are pushing
speakers that they sell (obviously), which is why
ive only heard b and w triangle spendor and a few others. |
There are several other options out there. The Escalante Design Juniper, Eben Emilie S-2, Chario Pegasus, Wharfedale Opus 2 or 3. From what you mentioned in your initial post the top 3 I would choose are the Eben Emilie, Ecalante Design Juniper and the GMA Callisto. |
Check the Green Mountain website. There is a dealer in New Jersey that is recommended or call Roy or Janet at Green Mountain for more info. The new website is in the works and new dealer list is coming out soon. The Calisto throws a huge sound stage and deep bass with the dual bottom ports. I prefer the Calisto over the Maggies and Eminent Technology LFTIII that I owned.
http://www.greenmountainaudio.com/
Good luck! |
Lee Landes at Landes audio is in Chester NJ (908) 879-6889
and his store is not an hour from NYC, he also sells the Eminent Tech so you could do a head to head right in his store, he is a really nice guy to hang out with aswell, he is firmly in the first order cross-over camp aswell as tubes, but other than his firm opinions he is a pleasant and smart man.
P.S. his room won best in show in NYC this year, if you do check him out, tell him Chad sent ya |
had a chance to hear the eminent tec lft 8
loved the sound but a little concerned about the low sensitivity and the difficulty in setup.
i have a musical fidelity x-150 int amp
would apreciate anybodys comments |
And you didn't consider the Spendor 8se's to be an upgrade? Maybe try the older Sendor 1/2's (there is a dealer in southwestern CT - not far from NYC) or the smaller version if they have it. I think this would give the bass and midrange you desire. BTW, have you listened to Vandersteen's at Audio Connection in Verona? |
Pam, i've been around music all my life. I'm a musician, an audiophile, sold retail hi end audio for a decade and nothing I have heard anywhere near the price equals the GMA product line. You simply must hear these speakers. |
definately consideres spendors to be an upgrade
but i then heard about the green mountain callistos
which i also checked out. also heard the devore gibbon 8
which i also liked. unfortunately i cant hear them at once with the same equipment so im uncetain about making a decision.
i also may have an opportunity to trade in my musical fidelity x-150 for an a-5 (MF) but was also thinking about checking out tube integrateds such as the prima lunaprologue two or the pathos acoustic clssic one. |
