Replacement for current speakers suggestions


Greetings! I am 64 years old and started the hi fi journey at 19. I am thinking of replacing my current speakers. I have a pair of Von Shweikert VR 2's driven by a Mcintosh MA 250. Analogue sources are a Clearaudio Emotion Red with a Hana EH cartridge, the second deck is a Technics SL-1200 GR with a Clearaudio Maestro Cartridge. My VR 2's sound outstanding with the Mac however, they are sounding clinical these days. I realise that at 64 with all my health issues hearing changes for the worse. Diabetic for 39 years, Cardiac issues, (massive MI in 95, double bypass in 05) and the latest is stage 4 cancer, no remission possible! I like a warm sound that recreates music in great detail without sounding clinical, not sure if that makes sense! Disability does not pay all that well! The days of affording 3k to 5k are done! Looking at some Wharfdale towers, Maggies and possily Monitor Audio. I want to stay abour or below 2k.I will appreciate your opinions!

Thanks, Bogiedr

bogiedr1

At 68 I seem to fit this question and profile. I have my hearing checked regularly for my job, it is still excellent with a little loss in the +15k region.  However your hearing does change and perhaps your preferences in music and sound. I now play a small amount of jazz, I never did before. This makes me look for other attributes in my system, low level detail and imaging, for instance. Also all equipment is subject to aging, I had a pair of Royd Doublets for nearly 20 years and they changed markedly in that time. Newer speakers really showed their intrinsic issues and their age. Mac tube amps never sounded anything but warm to me, rather too warm I think. I doubt you will beat your current speakers for the price you are quoting but who knows. At your price range there are good but not great speakers. Maggies are great, if you like them, I don't, and if they suit your room, they don't?  Have you tried bi amping, your speakers can accommodate this, I assume. I had success with this using my Naim integrated and an external power amp, a LInn which was closely matched. This pairing improved bass weight and dynamics quite markedly.

Ok I've been through

Maggie

TADS

ESL57s

Bozak

AR3a

Paradigm

What I suggest is and "no laughing "is a pair of 

Elac 2.0/6.2 -87dBSLP and 6 ohms

they are fantastic for the price and for any price!

Also I have a pair of Epos Epic 2

4 ohm and 92dBSPL-

these two are unreal -excellent bass- but not bright!

I have it powered by a Peachtree Nova 150

all the above under $2k! Zero listening fatigue!

It's does not sound better or worse than my stereo gear from Boulder, McIntosh,

Quad , 

unfortunately, chemotherapy, diabetes , age etc does not go well with the human hearing mechanism. You probably have a high frequency s/n hearing loss and 

with that goes hypersensitivity to loudness.

Try the combo I suggest-I wish I tried all of that years ago!

Also, the support from Peachtree is superb!

Wish you the very best and keep listening!

 

Arch2, my cardiac brother, my bypass was at age 45, kudos to you! Keep hanging tough and everyone else, I sincerely appreciate your thoughtfulness. Thank you Jallan2 and everyone for great recommendations. My local dealer in Dunedin Fla, (sweet home audio) sold me the vr2's 17 years ago, maybe 18. He is a Maggie and Wharfdale dealer. I will start there. The sub is a good idea. I have a hsu sub in my home theater that is almost never used, I will hook it up and see what happens although the vr2's pump out outstanding bass. Great recommendations, I will now settle back in my vintage system room, my wife named it the jazz lounge, and listen to a little Dexter Gordon with a good Hibiki Toki on the rocks! Thank you audio brothers. Will let you know what happens. Cheers. 

Best wishes to you and good luck on your audio journey.

Kudos for taking MC to task for his condescending manner.

My wife did retail for 40 years and she no longer "does rude nicely." I just sit back and applaud. 

Maggie LRS - $650. Received them about 4 weeks ago. Imaging is amazing but was a little disappointed at first that they didn't sound good at higher volume - about 75 db. Too much distortion. Running them with a stock Dynaco ST 70. Had family over this weekend and ran them much harder with rock and jazz for 4 hours or so. Everyone liked them but I still thought there was too much distortion. But, listened to them last night and tonight - the weekend really seems to have helped. They sound much better now at high volume. I anticipate that they will only improve with more time as they break in. I'm extremely impressed. Only issue is that you can't get them immediately - ordered them from Magnepan in February and it took 8 months to get them. But we'll worth the wait. And, I'm also a 68 year old - with mild tinnitus/hearing loss. If you don't want to wait for delivery, I wouldn't hesitate getting the Maggie 1.7's. I listened to them last week at a local dealer - exactly the same as the LRS, but on steroids - definitely better bass. Though I'm ok with the LRS.