What speaker could safely be ordered without hearing it first?

Great job. I’m also a big fan of Magico.

Yeah, great table.

I was going to suggest Kharma speakers but apparently it's too late.

I just placed a review of the Clarisys Minuet speakers in the Members Review Forum section.

ozzy

Lots of speakers are bought this way. dealers can’t buy the speakers first and then resell them to you before you agree to buy them.

Most people buy speakers then upgrade. Not really possible to tell what speakers will sound like unless they're in your home

Rarely do dealers let you take speakers and try them out, not practical and they don’t have them in their show rooms.

Lots of people are buying on faith

If you read the latest on Positive Feedback, there is a recent review about the Clarisys Minute speakers. Those are the exact speakers I am getting! So, they should be broken in when I get them. 

I just hope the reviewer hasn't wore them out...

ozzy

@ozzy yes the Clarisys Minuet were fantastic when I heard them at this years Axpona. There were only 2 speakers that I was considering from listening to 80% of the rooms at Axpona, the Clarisys Minuet or the Franco Serblin Ktema's. (OK there was a 3rd...the Borresen M6 at just under $300,000 although I'd be homelss if I bought them not to mention 7 inches shorter!!!!) I did go with the Ktema's and after 8 days of non-stop playing they are sounding WONDERFUL. I'm thrilled and hope you are as well. Keep us informed on your thoughts.

(Dealer disclaimer) 

@ozzy 

Congratulations. They look amazing. Can’t wait to hear about them.

@perkadin thanks man.  That shot doesn't show the signed Trey poster off to the right!  Now that i've adjusted to them they fit in quite nicely, but took a couple days to get used to.  Oh and BTW they are sublime thus far.  One thing I did notice is just how deep vertically the soundstage is now vs. what I had prior.  I'm not sure if that's because the tweeter is 8" or more above the ear, but man it's working for me thus far.  I need to keep tweaking toe in....having friends over tonight to debut and will get their opinions.  

ghdprentice,

I ordered the Clarisys Minuet. Hopefully, I will have them soon. Maybe this week, but probably next week.

ozzy

@mtbiker29 as a fellow phan, love the whole vibe of the room, and those speakers definitely don't look too big!  Congrats 

In the spirit of your original question, the only speakers I've ever bought unheard were the Dynaudio Heritage Specials (in thumbnail pic). I've had a pair of Contour 1.8ii for over 20 years and have been so happy I bought the HS almost out of appreciation for the brand. I absolutely love the way they sound and I'll never sell them.  Listening to the Bakers dozen right now. Also looking forward to the free webcast this Friday and Saturday for the Spac flood relief shows!  I have a Lytmi backlight system for my TV where I have the 1.8's paired with the Contour center.  The backlighting makes home concert viewing amazing since you catch the light show in scale. I highly recommend LED's + music.  The bedroom has a Govee setup. 

Oh, come on @ozzy .. don’t bait us like that. What did you order?

dear all
i´m planning to buy bw 802 speakers with McIntosh Integrated.
is it worth waiting for blackfriday deals?
(did you see any discount on these itens last year?)
Tks
gilbert

Hopefully the speakers I just ordered. I can’t believe I have done this again. But based on reviews I just had to have them. And there was simply no way to hear them first.

In the past I have purchased several types of speakers without hearing them first, all were sold or traded in quickly. But hopefully these speakers will break that streak.

ozzy

Meant to mention, don't forget to register them with Magico.

Wow they look stunning in bronze and I know they'll sound awesome, I hope you're pleased!

See you've been busy putting some time into setting them up (measure, spirit level).
I'm guessing your sweetspot is mid cushion, may I suggest slightly more toe out - you want the tweeters firing just past (outside) your ears on each side.
Small changes will lead to optimum positioning. From experience, imaging is stunning!
A piece of string held eye level to the top of the speaker can make the alignment process easier, also useful for confirm equilateral positioning as Magico recommend and viewing of the beautiful assistant :)

I'm not sure how much my pair were previously played, they took quite a bit of running in for the balance to settle. They get fired up nearly every day now.

I also have a rug over flooring. I put a layer of mass loaded vinyl (Advanced Acoustics Soundproofing Mat) and later also some
Felt and Rubber, Acoustic Carpet Underlay beneath the rug to very good effect.

Congradulations. Great choice. They look great as well.  Love the dog, with better hearing… if it was harsh sounding he/she would not be there.

I am impressed by the table and the dog look...

😉

OK so I did an upload to one of the free sites.  I have a little cleaning up to do but this is a preview....they seemed huge initially but i'm getting used to them!  

Hi everyone, so quick update here....I did follow the bits of advice many provided here, specifically around a brand, buying used and also around following a house sound. I do need to write another longer post about the overall search and how my tastes have changed dramatically as I get deeper down the rabbit hole, but that’s a story for another day.

With regard to the final winner.... see my virtual system (side note attaching here is such a pain!). Magico S3 MK1 in bronze.  @protegimus you were rather prescient with your comments yesterday.   

WAF was pretty high compared to the straight black and works well in my room. With regard to sound, well let’s just say the first thing my wife said was "man these image really well compared to before"....SOLD!

Isn't that sort of like ordering shoes over the internet? Only much more expensive.

At least if you are able to, get your favorite albums / cd's and audition them in a brick and mortar retail store.

I myself would have the attitude and intention of living with them having an idea of what sound character I'd like to hear.

Magico S2 or S3 Mk II or later, S5 if available.
I recently replaced a twenty year old pair of (upgraded) Monitor Audio RS-8s with a pair of Magico S5s. Bought second hand sight unseen, with no audition possible without incurring a trip to the other end of the country.

Reproduction and enjoyment are next level, there is no comparison. As expected given the cost.

Finish is superb, mine are sand blast anodized. New model finishes are also amazing, sadly out of my price range.

Your L-509X looks to be well engineered and its intimate, dynamic sound should complement the Magico’s well.

Nice table btw, did you make it?

Even with a manufacturer with a stellar reputation there is the room size, acoustics and supporting system to match with.

Not easy to do if you have demanding preferences.  

What a great read through all the comments.  I downsized this something from Von Schweikert VR 5SEs to Silverline 20s with subs and then upgraded to Wilson Benesch Discovery ii this week.   I bought my Von Schwiekerts on reviews and found they were great speakers, but not in my small room.  I heard the Silverlines in a small room and was floored at the cost vs sound quality.  I then happened upon the WB Discovery ii and heard them in a big room and took the a chance that they would offer enough bass for my room.  So far so good, I would suggest WB, possibly Endevours, for a full room such as yours.  Happy listening.

Tidal speakers ....

You can't go wrong with Wharfedale Linton speakers for the money $1499 with stands in which I highly recommend. The bass is good without exaggeration , the mid-range is great and the high end doesn't give me listener fatigue. If you buy them new.....give 'em 200+ hours to break in to get the richest sound. These Lintons are in my second stereo system and I really like 'em !

If skeptical, you can always return them to Crutchfield for a nominal price within their 60 day return period.

I usually will demo a speaker .... at shop or in home preferably.      I bought my last 4 pair at dealer after a demo.   I recently ordered a pair of Omega Super Alnico Monitor sight unseen.    

I have a pair of Forte IV in my listening room and the Omega are for a compact bedroom system.    I was looking for something way different that any speaker that I have owned in the past.   I also have a pair of Sonus Faber Concerto that I will swap out occasionally.   Looking forward to hearing a crossover -less speaker in each system actually.    Will try them with my 300b,  40w monos , and new solid state integrated.   

Omega has a 30 home trial.....  I should have them in a few weeks

I don’t think I’ve ever had a home demo of any speakers I’ve bought.

I just bought Dynaudio Heritage Specials. I’ve never even heard them. I did own Dynaudio Special 40’s so I think I’ll like the HS

Magnepan

@thecarpathian I have pulled the Elector out of my lakehouse system to rotate in a tube preamp.  But yes, I still enjoy it.

Amphion Argon 3S. KEF LS50W2. Good quality monitor speakers placed as standmounts that don’t require fastidious room placement, understanding that a good subwoofer for low frequency support is almost always necessary. I suspect the field would widen even more if DSP and room correction were included in the plan (not everyone’s cup of tea here, I know.) Buying unheard is a risk, but with well-reviewed speakers from reputable makers, that risk can be made acceptable. I would not buy any very expensive speaker without listening in person at least at a shop or a show, and if a passive, hearing it with a variety of amplifiers. Large floorstanders and monumental monobloc amps are not my interest, but with that kind of equipment I can’t imagine buying that unheard.

@jaymark ,

Are you still enjoying the Elector?

Bought Aerial Acoustic 7t's without hearing them to pair with .operate to high powered solid state amps.  I am one lucky SOB cause that are the best speakers I have ever owned out of about 15 plus pairs.

Simple answer to this question........................"NONE!!!"  Be smart.  Always audition before purchasing the most important component in your audio system..........."Speakers." 

+1.

I upgraded from monitor audio silver RX6 (and RS6 before that) to GoldenEar Triton Twos, then to the Triton Ones that I currently have. Compared to the RX6s, the Twos opened up the soundstage and added space & detail between all the elements in the music. The Triton Ones upped the ante even more: both can be purchased used for maybe 40% of original cost, and are a HUGE upgrade over the Monitor Audios (which are also very good). Used Twos can be had for $1,300 or so, Ones for another thousand. With good cables, they’ll accurately reproduce every detail in your music source, and could be your forever speakers. I know they’re mine.

Simple answer to this question........................"NONE!!!"  Be smart.  Always audition before purchasing the most important component in your audio system..........."Speakers."   

We have installed many of the Vandersteen Quatro CTs. These speakers can be installed a foot out from the wall Phase and Time Correct maintain natural spatial information when it's in the recording has a great built-in analog adjustable  Sealed No Ports bass section with 11 per speaker in room compensation adjustments for tunable bass to your preference. Made in California and rare to find used

 Best JohnnyR

 Vandersteen Dealer NJ

https://www.vandersteen.com/products/quatro-wood-ct

Geewhiz, please share ignore Which says play What! 
F voice to text :) 

Play what  whatever you decide to do and what do you like and dislike about any of the speakers you choose. Good luck and happy listening.

OK well this thread has been very well received, thanks again to everyone for the feedback.  Some further comments and answers to questions below:  

@mbmi Yes, I intend to check out Next Level and the X3 sometime soon!  

@hysteve I hope you are loving the Magico's.....did really like them this time around and am intrigued.  I would very much like to stay with my current integrated, and the word is they are very hungry speakers.  

@arthur1260 there is an older Kef Reference for me for sale for a fraction of new, very tempting.  Also a decent pair of the current version.  One of my best ever hifi experiences in college was with a set of Kef's.

@audioman58 my system is in my profile, would hope to not have to upgrade my amp in an ideal world.  

@kymanor1 10-30K high side.  I don't have a ton of room which is why while I really enjoyed the Wilson Sasha DAW for example, it's low on the list for size reasons.  Assume ML has similar constraints.

@moose89 @tjjunk I did just bring home a clean pair of quartets on Friday night to play around with.  I'm targeting them upstairs but plan to do a rotation into my main rig to see how they sound.  So far the word that comes to mind is "fun".  They are a hoot with tubes and classic rock.  

@sudnh My system is viewable in my profile and budget is 10 to as high as 30k if i'm really compelled by something.

@helomech not me, i'm the original owner of my MA's.  They are so cheap used I'd likely keep them as spares.  My wife not to happy with my speaker collecting of late, LOL.  

@desktopguy good advice.  Take a look at my system but I have roughly 2' to back wall and 2' to side, so reasonable space with a smaller tower.  A giant Wilson (for example) would eat up a good bit of that.  

@jpwarren58 so true on WAF.  I do run them all by her, and have been pleasantly surprised on some of them.  She's down for most everything reasonable.  Loved the KEF I showed her. SF should be the clear winner here! 

@giantsalami Yeah I'm getting there on the extra speakers (see above).  I think you are spot on in that the room is sorted, and as long as I don't make a drastic change I should be fine.  Problem is dealer demo rooms are not always sorted, leaving me underwhelmed at times.  

@firberger KEF coming up again.  I really do need to find my way to the local dealer with the Reference models.  

@bassdude another vote for Legacy.  Right after I bought the Klipsch noted above a really interesting pair of bookshelf/monitors from them came online.  Tempting still if for no other reason than to try them out.  

Thanks all, will keep you posted as search progresses.  

Go for fun. Go for less power money needed. Go Klipsch… hear more of/in the songs you’ve listened to all your life. Now “new”!

I would recommend Axiom M5HP as an absolutely phenomenal choice of speakers without listening first. I actually ordered them as such and been amazed since. I have expereince with a long list of speakers (make/model/type) and must say Axiom's M5HPs are outstanding. I can share far more but will stop here to not create too much noise. Best greetings to all friends on this fantastic forum !

First, let me state that listening to speakers has been a hobby of mine for decades. Moreover, once upon a time, I was a part-owner of a speaker company that failed. 

That said, my criteria for suggesting a speaker manufacturer in my response is that I have heard more than one model (if said company makes multiple models) and every time I  have been delighted/amazed by the overall quality of the sound reproduced. So, here goes — in alphabetical order: Clarisys Audio; Dutch & Dutch; and Rockport Technologies. They are all radically different from each other, and none will disappoint. Unfortunately, none are cheap,  but ut the price to value ratio of Dutch & Dutch are noteworthy. 

The B&W805 D2. Or newer D3. There’s a but.. The Lyngdorf TDI2170 was the only amplifier that could make them sing. Every other analog amplifier around 2500 Euro in store made a dull mess in comparison with the Lyngdorf. I still can’t figure out why that is.

The very cheap Adam T5V active little studio monitors. Again there’s a but.. You do need a small subwoofer to help the low end come alive.

The even less expensive JBL104 desktop speakers. Also active with a built in amplifier. Very different sound signature than the two above. Only a step down in detail than the T5V but a satisfying low budget sound to me. But needs help in some frequencies especially low-end. But not a big miss if you enjoy up close.

Then there’s room. I know everyone B about room until I found out myself.

I like to know what room treatment others have bought and could recommend to buy blindly. And won’t cost hundreds of Euros.

And here’s a small list of speakers which I can safely say to NEVER buy:

Audio Engine A2+ (wireless). Looks amazing on your desk. But the sound is one of the worst I ever heard. Even a 25 Euro JBL Go 2 sounds better.

KRK Rokit RP-5 G3. As with the AE A2+ there’s no treble in these things. And the Mids and Lows are a big mess (just like the A2+). Just never buy. They also look cuter in pictures and look a a bit bigger in real life.

AVANTGARDE

I'd generally agree with those who say - don't buy any speaker without hearing in a demo session.  

However, you may be unable to do that for various reasons.  

In my experience with a range of speakers (e.g. Harbeths, Magnestand Maggies, Linkwitz Orion's, Emerald Physics, many others... and now... Legacy Calibre's)... I've found the Legacy Calibre XD (active speakers) to be the one's that I would not hesitate to buy without hearing before I buy them.  I did just that this week.  

I prefer the open, spacious soundstage and imaging of open baffle, dipole speakers... or... "hybrid open baffle, dipole" speakers.  Though, I do love the superb sound of the Harbeth 40.2's and 30.1's, which are not open baffle, dipole speakers - but - somehow they have many of the attributes of that type of speaker. 

But... it seems that most (if not all) open baffle, dipole type of speakers have special requirements to achieve their great sound - whether that's the amplification, or DSP, or placement, or many other requirements.  And most are very large and require lots of space. 

Well... you can forget all of those requirements with the Legacy Audio Calibre XD's (active speakers).  They are a hybrid, open baffle design, which has all of the advantages of the spacious soundstage and imaging, with superb sound quality and resolution from top to bottom... and... their "bookshelf" / "stand-mount" design does not require a lot of space to achieve their superb sound.  Their sound easily fills most reasonable sized rooms, and they can be set upon an entertainment center, or mounted on stands, yet still achieve their spacious sound.

I originally ordered the Legacy Audio Aeris (which is about the best there is)... but... changed my mind... because they were just too big and heavy to manage.  I opted for the Calibre XD, because they are much smaller, and manageable, yet have very much the same sound as the Aeris.  And... I'm driving them with just a source and preamp, to achieve their incredible sound - saving all of that space. 

While I love the sound of my other speakers - they are simply not as practical as the Calibre's, and sound no better.

So... if you don't want to take the typical risk of not hearing a speaker before you buy it... the Legacy Audio Calibre XD... is about as low risk as you will get!

https://legacyaudio.com/products/masters-collection      

PROac   Own and still have three point fives 

ATC don't currently  own but they are excellent

Kef Reference  - have and still own two 

All above are seamless with all music and good amplification.

All can be bought used well under your budget with room to improve the rest of the chain!

all are like getting Maxxis IKON tires for whatever the mountain throws at you .

Yes indeed!

A great documentary..

Gore Vidal is more a genius than a mere talented writer or journalist...

He truly understood America... Almost nobody dont today...

@mahgister, have you seen the documentary entitled Gore Vidal: The United States Of Amnesia? It’s fantastic!

@mahgister, have you seen the documentary entitled Gore Vidal: The United States Of Amnesia? It's fantastic!