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Audience The One vs. KEF LS50 ??? [speaker choice]


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Different business model, for sure.

But also a very different target market for you vs. for the higher-end online audio retailers.

 

I'm curious, then, David: Have you seen former customers migrate from the hand's-on help you offer to the self-audio-care that most of us here on CA are practicing?

 

Dave, who simply says different customer types and thinks also of how he does all his own bike mechanics building up bicycles from bare frames vs. his cycling friends who pop into the bike shop for every "little" thing such as a derailleur adjustment

 

Nope. For the most part folks are surprisingly out of the loop on technology and they like nothing better than to have someone show them around what is not only available but how to use it. We tend to show them everything from simple universal remote control over a system to streaming throughout a home utilizing different zones and sources. Certainly there are some that will patch together systems and know every part and what it does but they are few and far between.

 

What I HAVE seen is the migration of audiophiles from wanting to listen and converse at a shop to the online model of testing things at home and purchasing on the web which is the basis of this thread. We saw it, looked at how to change and have changed in response to that. I don't think it's a bad thing it's just different and we are rolling with the times.

 

As far as current customers wanting hands on with computer audio? VERY seldom will they have the knowledge or want the knowledge to set things up on their own. Most of our clients just want things to work and to sound great.

David

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Just got the Ones yesterday from Audience directly, with 30day home trial. I am using the speakers for a desktop set up in my bedroom. So 100% near-field. I bought them to replace the Mini Magnepan. Another caveat, I use the speakers with a Subwoofer. So far I am really happy with the sound of the ones. The imaging and soundstage are really similar to the mini maggies, I think the maggies were little more detailed but when comparing to the Ones they were a tad dry. Pardon my descriptions i am not an expert reviewer. LOL. The sound of the One is more on the forward side and I would describe them as more musical. For the size the bass response seems to go deeper than the Maggies but the Maggies were a little more detailed but with less extension. Still I think if you like bass The ONEs cant compete with a full size Bookshelf speaker like the KEFs. But they integrate really well with my subwoofer and they sounds really good. The ONEs really have the same 3D imaging as the Maggies and thats really a complement. I am loving the whole desktop music listening. I ordered the ONES because I was looking for something small, the Maggies were taking too much space. I am running them with a BEL CANTO S300 power amp, Benchmark DAC1, BEL CANTO MLINK USB/PDIF. Source MACBOOK with Amarra

By the way Mr. Mcdonald convinced me on getting the speaker cables ($199) and although I am not a cable guy, and to be honest and did not even compared them to anything I have, but they are some cool looking tiny cables. I got them because he told me that he uses the same cables inside the speaker. Anyway just my two cents.

Ismael

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Just got the Ones yesterday from Audience directly, with 30day home trial. I am using the speakers for a desktop set up in my bedroom. So 100% near-field. I bought them to replace the Mini Magnepan. Another caveat, I use the speakers with a Subwoofer. So far I am really happy with the sound of the ones. The imaging and soundstage are really similar to the mini maggies, I think the maggies were little more detailed but when comparing to the Ones they were a tad dry. Pardon my descriptions i am not an expert reviewer. LOL. The sound of the One is more on the forward side and I would describe them as more musical. For the size the bass response seems to go deeper than the Maggies but the Maggies were a little more detailed but with less extension. Still I think if you like bass The ONEs cant compete with a full size Bookshelf speaker like the KEFs. But they integrate really well with my subwoofer and they sounds really good. The ONEs really have the same 3D imaging as the Maggies and thats really a complement. I am loving the whole desktop music listening. I ordered the ONES because I was looking for something small, the Maggies were taking too much space. I am running them with a BEL CANTO S300 power amp, Benchmark DAC1, BEL CANTO MLINK USB/PDIF. Source MACBOOK with Amarra

By the way Mr. Mcdonald convinced me on getting the speaker cables ($199) and although I am not a cable guy, and to be honest and did not even compared them to anything I have, but they are some cool looking tiny cables. I got them because he told me that he uses the same cables inside the speaker. Anyway just my two cents.

Ismael

 

Ismael, thanks for both that description and for your letting me (and the CA world) know about the direct-sale, 30-day home trial policy from Audience.

 

In fact, last Monday I ordered the company's 1+1 speakers -- kinda the big sister of The One -- also with the speaker cables Mr. McDonald suggested (although mine were $249 at five feet long…wonder why the difference in price…did you get the shorter cables?).

 

He was super helpful, and even let me know about some B-stock they had, technically new but with minor cosmetic flaws, and I thought that a good way to go.

 

And the FedEx tracking says they should arrive in four days.

 

I'm excited, and I will post here to share my own inexpert review later next week.

 

Dave, who just knows that because these speakers are arriving when he has a work deadline the whole mishegas will interfere with my work which will mean some late nights

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Music is love, made audible.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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  • 2 weeks later...
Ismael, thanks for both that description and for your letting me (and the CA world) know about the direct-sale, 30-day home trial policy from Audience.

 

In fact, last Monday I ordered the company's 1+1 speakers -- kinda the big sister of The One -- also with the speaker cables Mr. McDonald suggested (although mine were $249 at five feet long…wonder why the difference in price…did you get the shorter cables?).

 

He was super helpful, and even let me know about some B-stock they had, technically new but with minor cosmetic flaws, and I thought that a good way to go.

 

And the FedEx tracking says they should arrive in four days.

 

I'm excited, and I will post here to share my own inexpert review later next week.

 

Dave, who just knows that because these speakers are arriving when he has a work deadline the whole mishegas will interfere with my work which will mean some late nights

 

Congrats on your purchase Dave. I've had an eye on the 1+1's for a for a while .. interesting design. Looking forward to your impressions. Best.

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Congrats Dave. Be sure to give us a review of the 1+1.

Speaker Room: Lumin U1X | Lampizator Pacific 2 | Viva Linea | Constellation Inspiration Stereo 1.0 | FinkTeam Kim | Revel subs  

Office Headphone System: Lumin U1X | Lampizator Golden Gate 3 | Viva Egoista | Abyss AB1266 Phi TC 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Congrats on your purchase Dave. I've had an eye on the 1+1's for a for a while .. interesting design. Looking forward to your impressions. Best.

 

Congrats Dave. Be sure to give us a review of the 1+1.

 

I am actually also going to try the KEF LS50, arriving today, and will post a review comparing the Audience 1+1s with the KEFs and, perhaps, also with the Audience The One speakers once I've had enough time with all of them.

 

Short comment on the 1+1: beautiful clear and detailed, especially with high and mid-range sounds, but might not work in my particular physical set-up, where I can't get them far enough away from the walls. Therefore, the bass is sometimes too much, a bit unbalanced with my music overall. Might be best for those whose setup is further from walls.

 

But, let's see…………more details TK.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Music is love, made audible.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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I am actually also going to try the KEF LS50, arriving today, and will post a review comparing the Audience 1+1s with the KEFs and, perhaps, also with the Audience The One speakers once I've had enough time with all of them.

 

Short comment on the 1+1: beautiful clear and detailed, especially with high and mid-range sounds, but might not work in my particular physical set-up, where I can't get them far enough away from the walls. Therefore, the bass is sometimes too much, a bit unbalanced with my music overall. Might be best for those whose setup is further from walls.

 

But, let's see…………more details TK.

 

A pair of sealed box speakers will usually work better in near wall placement.

Like these: Harbeth UK - High quality loudspeakers made in England

David

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  • 2 months later...

Well, let me at least put a few quick notes here about my various speaker experiences this year.

 

First off, I really loved the Audience 1+1 speakers. Sweet sound that filled the space in a semi-3D way.

These are the speakers that have full-range drivers front and rear, with passive radiators on the sides.

 

However, in my MAIN ALT setup (see signature), the back wall is kind of close, about 2-3 feet, and can't really change that.

And the left speaker's side wall is also kind of close, too.

 

So, because of the rear-facing drivers on the Audience 1+1 being so close to the rear wall, the bass was too much on too many songs.

The balance wasn't right. And this is a semi-near-field setup, with my main seat about 5-6 feet away from the speakers.

 

However, the KEF LS50, by just being ported in the rear -- no active driver -- and with half the port stuffed with the supplied foam, gives much more balanced sound. Perhaps richer in sound than the Audience 1+1, and perhaps a little less sweet -- I really don't have the formal language for these audio review things -- but I'm happy with them.

 

Both the Audience 1+1 and the KEF LS50 speakers sat/sit on a wooden dresser, but also sat/sit on Auralex Mopad-XL foam isolation platforms to reduce reverb, and that both improved the 1+1s (but not enough) and the LS50s.

 

Then, my WORK setup is a true near-field setup, with the Audience The One speakers on the desk on either side on the iMac screen, about a foot behind. This is the computer I'm at right now, and since I work at home most of the time, having good sound right there makes me happy.

 

I would say that the Audience The One speakers might have been pushed too much in my MAIN ALT setup, and are best in near-field situations.

And I would say the Audience 1+1 speakers would be a great choice for someone who could put them on stands, a bit of a ways into a room.

 

Meanwhile, the DeVore Fidelity Gibbon 88 speakers I have in my MAIN setup, speakers I brought home about two months ago, are a full joy. Our living room has no TV; the only equipment is the music system, and these speakers give me more balance, more depth, more rich sound, more detail, more of everything I look for in recorded music than any other item I've ever bought.

 

We've just re-arranged the living room, and I'm continuing to tweak those Gibbon positions, but even when not perfect, they are lovely.

(And they're made in Brooklyn.)

 

Dave, who says he hopes this helps and also says he's lucky in many many ways being able to have several music systems and to be married to someone who may not be into the equipment but hears the benefits in music's sound quality and loves that too

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Music is love, made audible.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks for the write up Dave. You have auditioned/purchased many speakers that have intrigued me recently so I enjoyed reading your thoughts.

 

If you would have had sufficient room behind the speakers, do you think you would have preferred the Audience 1+1 over the LS50?

Speaker Room: Lumin U1X | Lampizator Pacific 2 | Viva Linea | Constellation Inspiration Stereo 1.0 | FinkTeam Kim | Revel subs  

Office Headphone System: Lumin U1X | Lampizator Golden Gate 3 | Viva Egoista | Abyss AB1266 Phi TC 

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Thanks for the write up Dave. You have auditioned/purchased many speakers that have intrigued me recently so I enjoyed reading your thoughts.

 

If you would have had sufficient room behind the speakers, do you think you would have preferred the Audience 1+1 over the LS50?

 

Yes, Blake, I think I would still want the 1+1s if my space were right for them.

 

While I wouldn't call the LS50s cold sounding -- more so, great clarity -- and while they're still in the same kinda limited space as were the 1+1s, the Audience speakers gave me warmer sound than the KEF speakers. And I like that.

 

Plus I really liked how with the 1+1s, with their front and rear drivers, sound spread more throughout the room.

In contrast, the LS50s, like most speakers, are best appreciated from a more direct, sitting in-front-of-them position.

 

I just feel lucky that I've been able to try, and now own, some really great speakers all-around.

 

But you know what they say on that other forum -- "Welcome to HeadFi. Sorry about your wallet." -- you know, we could say that here, too.

 

Dave, who went to a wonderful concert last night of Anonymous 4 in a small club singing music along with an instrumentalist playing banjo fiddle and guitar for their upcoming album to be entitled "1865" which focused on music that was popular in the USA back in that year when the horrible war was still going on and then ending

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Music is love, made audible.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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