I want to thank everyone who responded to this thread, and admit that they also listen to "alterantive" speakers for reasons I outlined
NOTE, I am sorry for the delay of the thank yous, but I must embarrasingly confess that I fell out of bed one morning and was knocked out cold. When I finally came to in the emergency room of a local hospital, I felt more embarassed than scared, and was discharged after a series of X-rays. I decided in the interim to lay off the computer and did something old fashion, like read a few book and not worry about audio. I thought maybe my mishap changed my priorities, but thankfully it did not,but did rekindle some old interests which I am thankful
I also was reminded that even though this website is an audio mart and discussion forum, the membership never fails to extend a helping hand to others in the form of useful advice, recommendation, and comments. To that I am grateful,and glad to be back amongst friends and colleagues. Jim |
"Have you ever wanted to purchase on a "whim" another set of well reviewed speakers to alternate with your main speaker system??? What reason??????"
I have a set of Magnepan 3.6's and a pair of custom made studio monitors in the same room (driven by 2 independent ways). Reason: They each bring something to the table the other doesn't.
For 15 yrs I have enjoyed Apogees and Maggies. I love the boxless/line source/dipole/wall of sound they produce. They were pretty much it for me UNTIL.....
this pair of Monitors. The beauty of them is that they are very SET friendly and twice as dynamic as the Maggies. They are the least colored of any box speaker I have ever heard. It's hard to describe in words what goes on with SETs and the "correct" speaker and it may not be for everyone but it is for me BIG time.
Tough to say which system would be the choice in a "desert island/you can only take one" scenario. Don't have to and have a wonderful wife that lets me enjoy them both in the same room.
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I have 8 pairs of speakers in my house with another pair being delivered tomorrow. This is too many speakers, but I am in an interim period trying to figure out what I want to narrow down to. Ultimately 2 primary pair of speakers in one system - lots of narrowing down still to do.
It is nice to have two different sounding pair of speakers, but is nice when they can both match well with one or two (at the most) amps.
I am in the process of designing some outriggers that will accomodate owning multiple pairs of speakers and to relieve the pain of moving them in and out. I want to build outriggers that are compatible with a range of speakers and also have both spikes (retractable) and casters (retractable) so that changing speakers becomes much easier. With something like this, having more than one pair becomes much more manageable and less likely to damage the speakers during regular move-ins/outs. |
I have dynaudio c1 and Harbeth shl5 side by side in the same room.I run them with diffrent amps and like both of them .Just depends on mood and hearing which speaker and music I want to listen,still keep cerwin wega,sometimes turn them on,just for a shaking bass for fun:) And in the future would like to try spendor sp100r2 speakers. |
I run Dynaudios along with OHMs in different rooms concurrently of my main rig.
i have a pair of Triangles in my second rig that I have swapped in to my main rig on occasion also.
There are many others I would like to try also if I had the time and a real need. Zu, Klipsch, Audiokinesis, Merlin, PSB, Quad, Focal, Tidal, Daedalus, Audio Note, Adam Audio, Avantgarde, Cain and Cain, and Magnepan are just a few names that come to mind. |
You have stumbled upon one of the greatest ways of extracting maximum fun from this hobby. |
I rotate among Ohm 100s and Magnepan MMGs (both with subs), and Merlin VSMs and Verity P/Os full range. The subs are in permanent residence. The speakers rotate from "storage" on a stairtop landing just outside my listening room into the main listening position, from time to time.
This is still a hobby for me and the rotation is both great fun and a reminder that different designs offer different experiences with the same music. Particularly given the vast variation in recording quality in the program material that I listen to, any one of these speakers might be my "go to" choice at any given moment.
Marty |
Yes, I recommend having multiple components (especially speakers and amps) so you can alter the sound based on mood, music genre etc..
IMO, there is no "best" speaker. They all have strengths and weaknesses. I think every audiophile should experience both high efficiency speakers (preferably matched to a SET amp) as well as Planar/ESL speakers. The best of both worlds would be owning both.
This is a hobby. Why limit yourself to one sound. |
Timrhu, we are on the same page. My room is not that wide so I push my not in use speakers against the rear wall. |
Yes! My music server outputs to two separate DAC to preamp to power amp to speaker chains. I switch from one system to the other by muting output channels on the Lynx soundcard. The main system is based around a pair of Gradient Revolutions and the second system is a pair of Stephens Trusonic 150FRs in a single Altec Carmel cabinet. The Stephens has just replaced an Electro-Voice Centurion for mono playback. The speakers aren't actually side by side, the Gradients are well away from the back wall where the mono speaker is positioned. |
I did this in our home theater room. The home theater system started out as only that, but I quickly realized I could make it into a hybrid system for 2- channel. So I bought the additional 2-channel gear, sold the L-R fronts, added a pair of Verity Fidelio Encores to replace the L-R fronts, and upgraded the sub to a REL B2. Then I added another more modest system along the right side wall to run a pair of Omega Super 8 Alnico XRS, and those speakers are positioned on movable bases just inside the FE's. I move the Omega's forward and backward (they are on movable bases that easily slide on the carpeted floor) depending upon which system I am using. All of this works very well and looks very nice. Even my wife agrees! ;-> |
Although my listening room isn't big enough to support two sets of speakers sitting side by side, I do have two extra pairs in a closet ready to go when the mood strikes. Just to change things up I'll swap speakers every few months. |
to go to the other extreme,
I had a friend who removed the speaker in the TV in his stereo room because he claimed it adversly affected the sound of his stereo.
He was a salesman and trying to bolster his 'mystique' I always thought.
fwiw I am listening to a second pair of speakers and really enjoy the differences to my normal pair.
If it makes you happy it is worth doing IMO - just like if your stereo sounds good to you it is a good stereo... |
Guilty as charged. I've got a pair of Ref 3A Supremas sitting next to my Merlin VSM-MMes. Two amps also; VAC Ren 30/30 and Doshi/Lectron JH-50. I throw myself on the mercy of the 'Gon!!!! |
FYI, there have already been a couple of pair of Martin Logan Electromotion ESL speakers on Audiogon. They went fast.
To answer your question, I just bought a pair of Mission M31i to place right next to my Martin Logan CLSIIA's for a change a pace. They are AWESOME! They are a very small little monitor speaker, but they throw a very deep soundstage and image out the butt. No, they don't come even close to the ML's, but are a blast to listen to.
Sometimes you just need to shake things up and rediscover how to listen... |
Ooh, Advents! Sorry, off topic. I am easily distracted. |
