What speaker could safely be ordered without hearing it first?


Hi everyone,

I’m in the midst of my speaker search and curious about something.......as noted above. There are some brands I would be interested in based on reputation, reviews, looks etc but may never be able to hear first.

I’m curious what the collective group thinks would be a safe choice having never heard them first. I know there are variables as in size of room, current gear etc. Just want to see what people would suggest. The one I would note based on what I have read is Joseph Audio. I’d also be curious if people would say the same about Borresen.

So it may be a frivolous exercise but I’ll ask the question anyway. Let me know your thoughts.

128x128mtbiker29

Unless they have an excellent return policy or aren't too expensive to begin with, I'd say none of them. 

I have a small treated music room (14x14) and I bought Magico A3, unheard anywhere prior to. If I could be happier, I’m too ignorant to know it. However, I did attend an equipment show in Dallas last month and didn’t hear anything I wanted to rush out and trade up for. Driving them with Hegel H590 and mostly streaming with an Innuos rig.

Above a certain price pont all speakers are good, yet there will be differences, and no matter how raving reviews are, your taste may differ.

Best alternative to a listening test at home would be to visit a HiFi show and audition as many speakers as possible there.

But then there still is room acoustics. There simply are too many brands / types, while it’s impossible to audition more than just a couple at home, if any. So, yes, there will always be a level of FOMO, just ask yourself if you can live with that. :)

@mtbiker29 ....Another day, another Gordian Knot to apply KISS....but no implication of your mental status. *S*

Mine, yes.  Acceptable; I've no dog in this show....

Approximately, where do you live?  US flag out the window....'K, somewhere in the US.  Big start, that....😏

If you 'hint', The Collective could suggest B&Ms' to visit?  Plenty of 'IMHO's 'round here...

Budget?  2 sets of nice 'kit'....Moving up, but how high is that?

Maggies' and M/L's suggested; I'm an omni/dipole fan, but RU?  Big differences in that swerve.... ;)  Not to mention the potential changes that may make your existing amp 'obsolete'...*ouch*....

Can't help but notice you've made no real comments about what catches your attention/interest either....

Up to now, we're shooting rubberbands at the moon.

Fun....we all get to air our fav's, fancies/fantasies....

Here's mine:

A 'full dingy' of my DIY Walsh; 4 columns of 2 way drivers, a distributed sub system of 4 units (90 deg. rotation from the columns).

Chuck your amp and pre.  12 'D' amps; 4 for the subs, 8 for the columns (2 per).
Room eq rules all, streaming and whatever else desired for source.

When all is said and done....it'll take a SWAT squad to drag you out to just get some sleep....

What would all this cost?

Why should you care?  Nothing like it would exist, to my knowledge, and imho...

My 'blue sky' is a tad more...'unusual'....but, consider the source...

...and the rest can get back to theirs... ;)

My apologies to all....but, after awhile....🙄😒

Yes, Erik....I’ve not touched any room treats....but I’m a fanboy of Linkwitz when he said:

"Ignore the room...."

I’ve had to do so my entire existence as an ’odd-iophile’, with ’relative’ success.

I see no reason at this point of time and physical reference to stop doing so.

The only way for me to demonstrate such is for U 2B Here.

So there. *L*

*Loud 'poof', requisite cloud*