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Your favorite musical non fatiguing speakers?

I've been auditioning speakers in the $5k to $8k range. I liked some of the Dynaudio, Sonus Faber, and even B&Ws in that range. Maybe it was the setup but in the back of my mind thought all of these could sound exciting but also fatiguing long term. And I'd hate to spend that kind of doe with that being the case.

I'm looking to use a solid state Cary amp and the tubed Cary SLP 05 pre for electronics FWIW.

From other threads I'm hearing Proacs Joseph Audio Aerials Harbeth and others may fit the bill. What are your favorite speakers for musicality and lack of listening fatigue? I'll be traveling to the next state to audition more next week.
larrybou

Showing 5 responses by geoffkait

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Anyone notice that the distortion is pretty unmanageable once the volume is pushed up past around average level. This is true for almost any system you might wish to suggest, even ones you might wish to offer as exceptions. Now, here's the bad news. The distortion you hear is completely unrelated to anything like jitter, distortion of the speakers, distortion in wires or cables, distortion on the recording, etc. That's what makes this so difficult to point out, I mean, what else could it possibly be, right?

"An ordinary man has no means of deliverance." - old audiophile adage
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Kiddman, if your theory is correct, that gross distortion in an audio system is produced at louder than normal volume by rising distortion in the speakers and distortion in the components, let me ask an innocent question: Why would anyone in his right mind spend $10K, $25K, or $100K on a system that is unlistenable at higher volumes?
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Judyazblues wrote,

"Because that elevated distortion, let's say .01% for argument's sake, might not outweigh the higher SPL experience for any particular listener."

If it were only .01% I wouldn't have brought it up. I'd estimate the "perceived distortion" to be around 5%, maybe more. I suspect we are so used to the distortion we don't flinch, maybe just a little.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
For what it's worth I'm not really referring to listener fatigue. I'm referring to the gross distortion one hears *immediately* in any system, regardless of price, when the volume is pushed up past an average normal level. I.e., the kind of distortion that would drive most people out of the room. I'm not referring to the distortion inherent in components or speakers, distortion due to electronics or speakers not having been broken in, or even comb filter effects. Come on, don't tell me I'm the only one who hears this distortion.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Guess everyone else has got used to it. I can totally understand.
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