What speakers work best with electronic music?

I just got a pair of dunlavy sc-v's. We listen to a lot of electronic, precise music and the dunlavy's have proven to be crazy detailed. Big, though, at 350lbs.

Perhaps not the best test, but my girl will sit listening to them on her own accord, which hasn't happened before.

Used Wilson Sashas. Dynamic range excellent. Bass is very well delineated. This comes from a Magico owner, but have lots of love for Wilsons also.

Tannoy

I think that another prerequisite for good reproduction of electronic music is driver coherence. When electronic keyboards especially are climbing or descending scales, it is easy on some speakers to hear the hand-off from one driver to the other.

FWIW a speaker that is really good for classical music is also going to be good for rock or electronic music. Speakers don't care what you put through them!

The same things that make a speaker good for electronic music (resolution, dynamic punch, bandwidth) make it good for classical.

For those that doubt that electronic music can be demanding, try out the LP 'Infinity Project' (issued on Blue Room Records in the mid-90s) and see if you still say that.

Get the Tekton, if you're cost conscious here. Enzos or Pendraagons for the big sound. Up the line, Zu Def4s for all out. They won't break up and with 50-60 Watts OMG, will blow you up. Dynamics in spades.

HAHAHA Schubert you're a funny guy

04-13-14: Schubert
With electronic music doesn't much matter.
Cheapest Polk or Klipsch at Best Buy will do just fine.

~~~~
Good to know who's advice never to trust.

Radio Shack!!

I second the Zu's and Tekton. I had the Zu Superfly's and now the Tekton Enzo's. The Zu's are a little better for electronic, but the Enzo's have better base.

Agreed.

"Cheapest Polk or Kipsch at Best Buy will do fine."

Spoken like a true Glenn Miller fan.

^^ Actually it matters quite a lot. Electronic music can be quite demanding, on top of that it may come as a surprise but there is an analog/digital debate that is on-going in the electronic music community, and is why older analog synthesizers go for big money on ebay.

Electronic music can also be quite demanding of the system. Like all other forms of music, the better the speaker the better it will sound.

With electronic music doesn't much matter.
Cheapest Polk or Klipsch at Best Buy will do just fine.

JBL or ATCs. Various models and price ranges to choose from.

Schubert, If you are referring to the Bose 901 there is no crossover. The component required with Bose 901 is an EQ.

My favorites are the OHM Walsh speakers.

In general, the two things needed are

1) speakers that are not undersized for the room and capable of extreme dynamics without breakup or stress

2) an amp capable of driving those speakers TO THEIR MAX. AMps with power output towards minimum vendor recommended pwoer ratings may not be able to cut it and will be more prone to clipping, which is public enemy # 1 in this case. Better to have more power that the speakers can handle than less in general. That's your insurance policy against clipping.

High efficiency speakers alone have an advantage in terms of demand on amp to drive them, but HE speakers that are also well extended in teh bass will tend to be large and expensive. Smaller, less expensive HE speakers may work fine but lack some of the full range extension and dynamics needed to be able to feel the music as well as hear it, which is a key thing for me for this kind of music in particular.

Also room size is a key factor to consider if going for the bomb with this kind of music. In general, bigger speakers will be needed to do teh job in larger rooms than in smaller ones.

Also, a sub or subs can be your friend in this case enabling even smaller monitors to be driven well with less power as long as the powered sub is handling the low end and not the mains.

USHER AUDIO MINI-ONE. Controlled bass, vivid medium and endless highs. Great for electronic music!!!

"slightly warm"...well thats a different story...on the warm side of the neutral at most...if i would grade warmth sounus fabers(serblin models) would be 4/5 ,dyns would be 1/5...more smooth and delicate sound than warm but thats just me...when i tested karan ka i-180mk2 on my focus speakers with cardas cabling that was warm sound and with half of details, soundstage, resolution, control of gryphon, crystals combo...not my cup of tea becuz rock/metal and other agressive music diddnt sound as convincing and natural as on a neutral non colored amps and cabling...what im tryin to say is that speakers are so sensitive and can sound from smooth to harsh, dark to bright, warm or analythical depending on rest of the system not by its coloration...they like to get out of way...but if you lost the faith that dyns can push electro in your way there is allways PMC speakers :) but in my experience with dyns you need to feed that speakers with much better and stronger amp and play with a different cables even power chords to find what suits you best...and you will be suprised...i wish you live closer to my place to hear how good produced electronica sounds on my system :)...

09-11-13: Raindog031
dynaudio speakers "too colored"...well i have to disagree with that...i found sonus faber, harbeth, bowers colored...dyns one of most natural speakers ive heard and differently sounding with different amps and cabling...true to the source...ofcourse they pushing natural instruments better than electro...and btw Colonel when you mention sig sound on entire dyn line i ask you with which exact models of dyn speakers you spend time to conclude that and with which amps, source and cabling...cuz we definitively have different experience...regards...

160, 380, C1, C2. When I say colored, I mean slightly warm. They are def a slightly warm speaker. And when I say sound signature, I mean the warmth as well. I found the entire Dyn line, that I heard, to be all be very similar sounding. each step up with the same as the one below, just a bit better. They're absolutely enjoyable speakers, but not critical in the least.

dynaudio speakers "too colored"...well i have to disagree with that...i found sonus faber, harbeth, bowers colored...dyns one of most natural speakers ive heard and differently sounding with different amps and cabling...true to the source...ofcourse they pushing natural instruments better than electro...and btw Colonel when you mention sig sound on entire dyn line i ask you with which exact models of dyn speakers you spend time to conclude that and with which amps, source and cabling...cuz we definitively have different experience...regards...

09-11-13: Jafant
Col -

both Dynaudio & Focal/JM labs are excellent speakers for tronica music.

I have to disagree. If we're talking 80's synth pop "electronica,' then sure, Dynaudio or Focal are great. More so with Dynaudio, the speakers are a little too colored to really bring out the explosive nature of modern day electronic music. The sig sound that can be found throughout the entire Dynaudio line seems to make "conventional" music sound great, and in doing so, fails to bring out the "unnatural" nature of electronica.

I'm also a big fan of electronic music of all kinds. I would look into some active speakers. I had Quad 12L Actives, and was amazed at the dynamic speed they had. Without a passive crossover to rob the power and speed (attack/decay), they are explosive in nature.

I sold them when I got my current setup done - Mirage OMD-28s with dual subs and lots of class-d power. But I would seriously consider looking at actives. PTE Speakers or Meridian.

https://vimeo.com/62419866

Just a thought,
Mot

Col -

both Dynaudio & Focal/JM labs are excellent speakers for tronica music.

im pushing focus 380s with gryphon diablo and crystal cables ultra...the electronic music never sounded so good as on these speakers...its just matter of production and source at the end...for example of electro my reference...trentemoller "last resort" sounds nothing but sublime...but cabling and amp are mandatory to get this results on my speakers(and yours i suppose)...more better electronic more better results...classic, electro, metal, rap,jazz...just name it...so im very suprised to hear that your focus 160 dosent push electro good...

Yes I have the Definitions in San Francisco. I also highly recommend Atmasphere's advice. The best bass I've heard in an efficient speaker is the GR Research Super V's. There are lots of Zu owners around the country if you call Zu I bet they can help. Another option would be the Druid mkV or newer Souls with your subs.

Any good speaker will be good for electronic music. Speakers don't care what music goes through them; only people care about that. But one thing about music- sometimes there is bass. I'm more convinced if the speaker makes good, deep and uncolored bass. So I use Classic Audio Loudspeakers, the model T-3.3

But I have also used Audiokinesis to great effect, Sound Lab, MG20s; anything that makes bass and is easily driven with tubes.

Bose 901's.

JBL horns.

If you were to compare the Zu's to any other speaker on the market (preferably one that's easier to demo), what would you compare it to?

Coloneltushfinger, I also agree with Zu Definition MK IV's. I only recommended the Zu Soul Supreme because you said you were keeping the F113's. All of the Zu Audio speakers have high sensitivity, and sensitivity primarily determines the dynamic range capability of a speaker.
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09-08-13: Morganc
I'm a big electronica fan also and yes you want a speaker with very good dynamics and bass. My two favorites are the Zu Definitions and the Tekton Pendragons for electronica. If you're in the bay area PM me for a demo.

I do believe horns with subs would work great, as the best club (sound wise) in San Francisco is called Monarch. Google it and check out their horns. It's really a great system.

wow, just spent the last two hours reading up on the Zu Definition MK IV. I am intrigued to say the least. I'm not going to lie, I really, really don't want to part with my JL's, however I could be convinced otherwise if a speaker could somehow do what the JL does, and better.

Do you own a pair?

Totem element line up. The most power full magnets for a speaker woofers on the market! and no crossover so best clean and pure signal to a woffer that you can get and looks great in the room makes the wife happy. Can get the best bass slam and through a small speaker like a subwoofer without one, which totem is known to shock pepole of! And bass reflex design more closer to the wall more bass! Had my dad try the Wilson Sasha up against the element earth and sound better then the sasha for bass and clearer image. And best of all half the price!
check out these links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lwb2a49lev0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acp2w7fyafA

This is a job for... high quality waveguides or horns with high quality compression drivers, high quality prosound woofers, well designed crossovers, and possibly a distributed multisub system. Designed to be loafing along at 10% of its rated power handling on whatever your anticipated peaks are, thus ensuring negligible thermal modulation and negligible thermal or mechanical compression. Possible contenders include Classic Audio Reproductions, GedLee, PiSpeakers, JBL, Edgarhorn, and yours truly.

Duke
dealer/manufacturer

I'm a big electronica fan also and yes you want a speaker with very good dynamics and bass. My two favorites are the Zu Definitions and the Tekton Pendragons for electronica. If you're in the bay area PM me for a demo.

I do believe horns with subs would work great, as the best club (sound wise) in San Francisco is called Monarch. Google it and check out their horns. It's really a great system.

Which speakers under $15,000 (used or new) should I be looking at it that will be able reproduce the complicated nature of a lot of electronic music with ease; something that just has jaw-dropping dynamic range?

I'm sure this speaker will do just that, and not leave you wanting for anything.

Soul Supreme
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I also listen to a lot of electronic music and would recommend augmenting whichever speakers you end up purchasing with a high quality sub, possibly even two if your listening space is large. This generally allows the low frequency foundation of electronica to be reproduced more faithfully than with speakers alone. It also frees the main speakers to sort out the often complex mix of sounds in the mid and high frequency ranges to the best of their ability without the added burden of trying to reproduce extreme low frequency signals.

09-08-13: Soix
Would help to know what amp you're using, but I'd consider looking at some studio speaker makers like PMC and ATC along with some horn-based speakers as mentioned earlier. Best of luck.

Using a simaudio 340i integrated, but that'll likely be going along with the 160's. New speakers will get new amplification.

Would help to know what amp you're using, but I'd consider looking at some studio speaker makers like PMC and ATC along with some horn-based speakers as mentioned earlier. Best of luck.

something that just has jaw-dropping dynamic range?

You should only be looking at speakers with a very high sensitivity/efficiency.
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You would probably like Meridian.

Horns. Look at the JBL Array line for one. But it sounds like you would be satisfied by a good horn speaker. Wide dynamic range, fast transients and the ability to separate instruments within the mix.