atxkyle Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 Hi Everyone - I've been thinking about upgrading the loudspeakers in my home hifi. I've got Elac UF5's and they sound great, especially for the $1K price for the pair. But I can't help but wonder what SQ improvements might be available in the next step up in price range. If I consider an upgrade, what should be on my audition list for speaker pair < $5K? Current setup is Roon/Tidal -> microRendu -> Chord 2qute -> Arcam A29 -> Elac UF5s Room has decent acoustic treatments. Thanks for any advice! realhifi 1 Link to comment
RichB Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 Well, I would think the new Elac Adante AF-61 which i read about in the LA Audio show reports which will be $5k a pair would be on your short list. :-) Check out https://www.stereophile.com/content/elacs-andrew-jones-talks-loudspeakers I am not a ELAC dealer, but admire Andrews Jones other work I have heard (the big dollars TAD stuff he did). Its a competitive price point, there is a bunch of stuff to consider from many other speaker companies. atxkyle 1 --------------- Rich Brkich Owner, Signature Sound Liverpool, New York USA Website: http://www.sigsound.com FaceBook Page: http://www.facebook.com/Signature.Sound.HiFi Link to comment
realhifi Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 Wow. There are so many good ones I dont even know where to begin. Pick up a copy of Absolute Sound and Stereophile for starters and see the best of what they have heard the last few years. To be honest, there are many other Audio sites that might be better places to look for this kind of information. Here's a good place to look: http://www.dailyaudiophile.com/ Then the VERY next thing is for you to go and listen to some in the $3500 to $5000 range and hear for yourself what improvements are there as you move up in price. PS. Remember there are NO rules when it comes to taste in speakers. Choose the ones that YOU like. atxkyle 1 David Link to comment
Popular Post Ralf11 Posted June 24, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted June 24, 2017 Lots of choices but a very simple way to find what is acceptable. 1. Buy a pair of Maggies and set them up properly 2. Listen. If you hear loud, strident female vocals then tell her they are "room dividers." 3. If #2 did not work, take them back and buy something in a box. 4. If #3 did not work, take them back and buy little teeny mini-monitors and some "end tables" mav52 and atxkyle 2 Link to comment
Popular Post ElviaCaprice Posted June 24, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted June 24, 2017 4 hours ago, atxkyle said: Hi Everyone - I've been thinking about upgrading the loudspeakers in my home hifi. I've got Elac UF5's and they sound great, especially for the $1K price for the pair. But I can't help but wonder what SQ improvements might be available in the next step up in price range. If I consider an upgrade, what should be on my audition list for speaker pair < $5K? Current setup is Roon/Tidal -> microRendu -> Chord 2qute -> Arcam A29 -> Elac UF5s Room has decent acoustic treatments. Thanks for any advice! I have a 2Qute and I'm using the 2Qute to drive my highly efficient Omega Super 8XRS speakers with it. Sounds great. I was using Maggies before and am glad to make the move to a better low power system, just waiting on my Paul Hynes SR7 to complete my system removal from the direct AC grid. Romaz (Roy) has a Chord DAVE and also uses the Omega speakers. Check it out at https://omegaloudspeakers.com/ visit the forum for more info if interested. Louis the owner/builder does a great job and is easy to work with. atxkyle and mourip 2 (JRiver) Jetway barebones NUC (mod 3 sCLK-EX, Cybershaft OP 14) (PH SR7) => mini pcie adapter to PCIe 1X => tXUSBexp PCIe card (mod sCLK-EX) (PH SR7) => (USPCB) Chord DAVE => Omega Super 8XRS/REL t5i (All powered thru Topaz Isolation Transformer) Link to comment
Speed Racer Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 http://www.tektondesign.com/double-impact.html atxkyle 1 Link to comment
TubeLover Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 4 hours ago, Ralf11 said: Lots of choices but a very simple way to find what is acceptable. 1. Buy a pair of Maggies and set them up properly 2. Listen. If you hear loud, strident female vocals then tell her they are "room dividers." 3. If #2 did not work, take them back and buy something in a box. 4. If #3 did not work, take them back and buy little teeny mini-monitors and some "end tables" +1. Try the maggies! atxkyle 1 Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 7 hours ago, atxkyle said: Hi Everyone - I've been thinking about upgrading the loudspeakers in my home hifi. I've got Elac UF5's and they sound great, especially for the $1K price for the pair. But I can't help but wonder what SQ improvements might be available in the next step up in price range. If I consider an upgrade, what should be on my audition list for speaker pair < $5K? Current setup is Roon/Tidal -> microRendu -> Chord 2qute -> Arcam A29 -> Elac UF5s Room has decent acoustic treatments. Thanks for any advice! I highly recommend the higher level ELAC speaker that Andrew designed. I don't think you'll get better sound for the money. atxkyle 1 Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
mourip Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 6 hours ago, ElviaCaprice said: I have a 2Qute and I'm using the 2Qute to drive my highly efficient Omega Super 8XRS speakers with it. Sounds great. I was using Maggies before and am glad to make the move to a better low power system, just waiting on my Paul Hynes SR7 to complete my system removal from the direct AC grid. Romaz (Roy) has a Chord DAVE and also uses the Omega speakers. Check it out at https://omegaloudspeakers.com/ visit the forum for more info if interested. Louis the owner/builder does a great job and is easy to work with. +1 for Omegas. I have a pair of Super Alnico High Output floorstanders and they are remarkable. They are also very efficient at 99db. atxkyle 1 "Don't Believe Everything You Think" System Link to comment
Popular Post Kelly Posted June 25, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted June 25, 2017 Vandersteen 3A Sig if you can handle the looks. The model 2 costs less and is maybe an even better deal. Paddlefoot, beetlemania and atxkyle 3 Roon ->UltraRendu + CI Audio 7v LPS-> Kii Control -> Kii Three Roon->BMC UltraDAC->Mr Speakers Aeon Flow Open Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 1 hour ago, Kelly said: Vandersteen 3A Sig if you can handle the looks. The model 2 costs less and is maybe an even better deal. Agree. Great speakers. Not good Lookers. atxkyle 1 Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
esldude Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 I would likely choose between Revel F208s at $5k/pr or Revel F206s at $3500/pr. Still speakers are the most important component, and where sound varies the most. Hearing them yourself is more helpful than with any other component by far. https://www.stereophile.com/content/revel-performa3-f208-loudspeaker http://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/766-revel-performa3-f206-loudspeakers http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/revel-performa3-f206-and-m106-loudspeakers/ atxkyle 1 And always keep in mind: Cognitive biases, like seeing optical illusions are a sign of a normally functioning brain. We all have them, it’s nothing to be ashamed about, but it is something that affects our objective evaluation of reality. Link to comment
semente Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 1 hour ago, esldude said: I would likely choose between Revel F208s at $5k/pr or Revel F206s at $3500/pr. Still speakers are the most important component, and where sound varies the most. Hearing them yourself is more helpful than with any other component by far. https://www.stereophile.com/content/revel-performa3-f208-loudspeaker http://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/766-revel-performa3-f206-loudspeakers http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/revel-performa3-f206-and-m106-loudspeakers/ I second the Revel suggestion and would also add PSB. atxkyle 1 "Science draws the wave, poetry fills it with water" Teixeira de Pascoaes HQPlayer Desktop / Mac mini → Intona 7054 → RME ADI-2 DAC FS (DSD256) Link to comment
Norton Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 If it was me, I'd be looking at the new Klipsch Forte llls. I think they are sub $4k and as high sensitivity speakers I would have thought a good candidate to be driven directly by the 2Qute if you wanted to, as suggested above (not something I've done myself). atxkyle 1 Link to comment
gridlock74 Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 Would quad esl fit the bill? Picked up a second hand pair of 988s and they are stunning. Definitely in budget and easily bested some very expensive neats and kudos. atxkyle 1 Link to comment
Serge_S Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 Another vote for http://www.klipsch.com/products/forte-iii atxkyle 1 Link to comment
Popular Post Ralf11 Posted June 27, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted June 27, 2017 doesn't Elac make one called Adante? if I've got that right you should audition it atxkyle and The Computer Audiophile 2 Link to comment
atxkyle Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 Thanks everyone for all the suggestions! I've got quite the list to check into now. Wish there were a way to test all of them in a controlled environment. I think the hifi dealers in Austin carry 1-2 of these brands at most ... Also for the people who mentioned driving high sensitivity speakers directly with the Chord 2Qute - how would you control the volume in that situation? By using the volume control in Roon? Link to comment
ElviaCaprice Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 17 minutes ago, atxkyle said: Thanks everyone for all the suggestions! I've got quite the list to check into now. Wish there were a way to test all of them in a controlled environment. I think the hifi dealers in Austin carry 1-2 of these brands at most ... Also for the people who mentioned driving high sensitivity speakers directly with the Chord 2Qute - how would you control the volume in that situation? By using the volume control in Roon? Yes, best by media player on your PC or portable. I'm not familiar with Roon but would imagine it could work as JRiver does for me. I added an ISO Regen and it gave me even more of a boost on volume with the 2Qute. More than enough for near field to mid size room. atxkyle 1 (JRiver) Jetway barebones NUC (mod 3 sCLK-EX, Cybershaft OP 14) (PH SR7) => mini pcie adapter to PCIe 1X => tXUSBexp PCIe card (mod sCLK-EX) (PH SR7) => (USPCB) Chord DAVE => Omega Super 8XRS/REL t5i (All powered thru Topaz Isolation Transformer) Link to comment
Popular Post limniscate Posted June 29, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted June 29, 2017 If you can get them at least 5' off the front wall, used Magnepan 3.7i's for sure. mav52 and atxkyle 2 Link to comment
TubeLover Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 3 hours ago, atxkyle said: Thanks everyone for all the suggestions! I've got quite the list to check into now. Wish there were a way to test all of them in a controlled environment. I think the hifi dealers in Austin carry 1-2 of these brands at most ... Also for the people who mentioned driving high sensitivity speakers directly with the Chord 2Qute - how would you control the volume in that situation? By using the volume control in Roon? I would not recommend driving the speakers directly with an inexpensive DAC like the 2Qute. I've only ever seen good results with VERY high end DAC's, and equally expensive amplifiers. JC atxkyle 1 Link to comment
plissken Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 JBL LSR6332 at $3200 and use $1800 for a pair of subs. atxkyle 1 Link to comment
tdimler Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 I'll give another strong recommendation for the Revel F208. I don't think you can touch its performance anywhere near that price point. You should be able to pick up a fine used pair in the 3K range. Although an audition would be great, this is a speaker you could buy blind and end up very happy. atxkyle 1 Link to comment
andifor Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Trenner + Friedl has a small speaker named Art (https://www.trenner-friedl.com/index.php?menu=product&sprache=en&second=art) It's the best speaker I heard up to (nearly) double the price (I was focussing on small speakers only). Well obviously, I didn't hear all speakers on the marked, but some well known brands here in Europe. In the end, I bought the limited "Stone Art" for roughly 5k. Same size, better drivers and cabinet. Link to comment
stuartplab Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Well, I would think the new Elac Adante AF-61 which i read about in the LA Audio show reports which will be $5k a pair would be on your short list. Thanks. Link to comment
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