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Hi Guys - It’s time for me to make a change. As much as I love the Andrew Jones’ designed TAD CR1s I’ve been using for years, I’m ready to move on. 

 

Given all the options available and the knowledge of members of the CA Community, I’m asking for help and opinions. 

 

I have an an idea what I want but I won’t say because I don’t want to steer the conversation. 

 

- I need a full range speaker 

- Compatible with a range of amplifiers

- Dont get hung up on price when offering opinions. 

 

I'd honestly love to hear from as many people as possible and hear why they say what they say. 

 

Thanks in advance!

Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems AudiophileStyleStickerWhite2.0.png AudiophileStyleStickerWhite7.1.4.png

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It will take something pretty esoteric for you to not miss the TADs. Maybe some Raidhos with that weird tweeter? KEF usually has some wacky looking Blades or some such.  I have always really wanted to hear some of the Dynaudio Evidence series. If it were my money and I were staying in "audiophile" passive speakers then I would probably go to Vandersteen 7, but I think they now have their own main amplifiers in addition to you having to use the external crossover between preamp and poweramp for the subwoofer amps. 

 

I suppose active speakers aren't really useful for reviewing audio components in the typical way. But that is where the future is...

Roon ->UltraRendu + CI Audio 7v LPS-> Kii Control -> Kii Three

Roon->BMC UltraDAC->Mr Speakers Aeon Flow Open

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Chris:  Is this still for the same listening room?  From your photos it looks almost square, roughly 15 by 15 feet, with limited wall treatments,  if I had to guess.  Does that suggest you will want to stay with more moderately sized speakers?  

Synology NAS>i7-6700/32GB/NVIDIA QUADRO P4000 Win10>Qobuz+Tidal>Roon>HQPlayer>DSD512> Fiber Switch>Ultrarendu (NAA)>Holo Audio May KTE DAC> Bryston SP3 pre>Levinson No. 432 amps>Magnepan (MG20.1x2, CCR and MMC2x6)

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13 minutes ago, sdolezalek said:

Chris:  Is this still for the same listening room?  From your photos it looks almost square, roughly 15 by 15 feet, with limited wall treatments,  if I had to guess.  Does that suggest you will want to stay with more moderately sized speakers?  

 

For now the room is about 15x17 but I could extend it larger. Not sure yet. Room treatments aren’t out of the question because only I have a say in what goes on in my listening room ?

 

most problematic is the lowish ceiling. 

Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems AudiophileStyleStickerWhite2.0.png AudiophileStyleStickerWhite7.1.4.png

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JBL Synthesis 4367 or M2

World class sound at real word prices in todays market.

High Fidelity just doesn't get any better.

Wish I could afford-house one of them.

"The gullibility of audiophiles is what astonishes me the most, even after all these years. How is it possible, how did it ever happen, that they trust fairy-tale purveyors and mystic gurus more than reliable sources of scientific information?"

Peter Aczel - The Audio Critic

nomqa.webp.aa713f2bb9e304522011cdb2d2ca907d.webp  R.I.P. MQA 2014-2023: Hyped product thanks to uneducated, uncritical advocates & captured press.

 

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10 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Hi Guys - It’s time for me to make a change. As much as I love the Andrew Jones’ designed TAD CR1s I’ve been using for years, I’m ready to move on. 

 

Given all the options available and the knowledge of members of the CA Community, I’m asking for help and opinions. 

 

I have an an idea what I want but I won’t say because I don’t want to steer the conversation. 

 

- I need a full range speaker 

- Compatible with a range of amplifiers

- Dont get hung up on price when offering opinions. 

 

I'd honestly love to hear from as many people as possible and hear why they say what they say. 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

If you wish to move on in the forwards direction then you must identify/list the shortcomings of your current speakers.

It is also important to provide info regarding room size.

You really should add this information to your fist post.

"Science draws the wave, poetry fills it with water" Teixeira de Pascoaes

 

HQPlayer Desktop / Mac mini → Intona 7054 → RME ADI-2 DAC FS (DSD256)

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If cost were no object I'd have someone design and build me a custom pair.

 

But if you prefer to go for affordable, then are are a couple of suggestion of speakers which I have listened to:

 

TAD Reference One

Vivid Giya G1

Kef Blade

 

And a few of those I haven't listened to but would:

Cessaro Gamma II

The Sonus Faber

Peak Consult Dragon

Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 90

Sony SS-AR1

"Science draws the wave, poetry fills it with water" Teixeira de Pascoaes

 

HQPlayer Desktop / Mac mini → Intona 7054 → RME ADI-2 DAC FS (DSD256)

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Chris, you should try a Rel Subwoofer with your current set up and your future speakers.  With their unique connection method directly from your amplifier, their there to extend those few low end Hz your speakers can't do.   Essential just pressurizing your room.  Whatever you choose for speakers will be great, this is just an add on feature to any speaker system.  Plus, you know where to get them locally.  If you want to borrow my subwoofer to try it out, your welcome to it.  Good luck

Computer setup - Roon/Qobuz - PS Audio P5 Regenerator - HIFI Rose 250A Streamer - Emotiva XPA-2 Harbeth P3ESR XD - Rel  R-528 Sub

Comfy Chair - Schitt Jotunheim - Meze Audio Empyrean w/Mitch Barnett's Accurate Sound FilterSet

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12 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Hi Guys - It’s time for me to make a change. As much as I love the Andrew Jones’ designed TAD CR1s I’ve been using for years, I’m ready to move on. 

 

Given all the options available and the knowledge of members of the CA Community, I’m asking for help and opinions. 

 

I have an an idea what I want but I won’t say because I don’t want to steer the conversation. 

 

- I need a full range speaker 

- Compatible with a range of amplifiers

- Dont get hung up on price when offering opinions. 

 

I'd honestly love to hear from as many people as possible and hear why they say what they say. 

 

Thanks in advance!

Speaker format/size matter to you?

 

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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I've always been intrigued by line array type speakers.  You might want to check some out.
There's the Bob Carver, Wisdom, and some others around that are considered top notch. 

 

The big Infinity's I heard years ago were the most realistic thing I'd ever heard (don't know what I'd think of them now).

In that vein, the upcoming PSAudio speakers look interesting. There will be 3 sizes. The biggest ones will probably be too big for your situation, but the middle size ones might do the trick. They are supposedly going to be out in a year (maybe). 

https://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/sensaitionalism/ 

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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 beats-studio3-wireless-review-side.jpg  Commission re-envisioned high end audio travelling solution??

 

 

 

Procure the services of a budding architect to create a fresh start for the nerve center of your businesses.  You yourself, Mr. Chris Connaker impresario, are the new speaker.  As such you need a static set for commercial recording across multiple mediums as well as office space that doesn't intrude on your dedicated listening room.

 

 

 

Honestly, @Sal1950, and @Ralf11 before him, really took the punch out of my next suggestion.  Well done sirs.  Shove that Midwest flavor down like this year's exciting new food invention at the state fair.

 

 

In stark contrast to that last idea.  Forgoing companies that all shop at the same places and make up the difference with a facade seems to be your prime directive.  Tie that in with exhibiting... some vision and taste.  In that I wish you Godspeed.

 

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10 hours ago, firedog said:

The big Infinity's I heard years ago were the most realistic thing I'd ever heard (don't know what I'd think of them now).

Agreed,  I heard the IRS Beta's (I believe) at a dealer in downtown Chicago back in the day when they were current. The first time I'd ever heard a speaker that can deliver the inner detail and realism that is available from the best of the large horns.  If they had been in my financial wheelhouse I might have considered trading my Klipsch LaScala's for them. In the end my LaScala's remained at the head of my sound shrine for 32 years

"The gullibility of audiophiles is what astonishes me the most, even after all these years. How is it possible, how did it ever happen, that they trust fairy-tale purveyors and mystic gurus more than reliable sources of scientific information?"

Peter Aczel - The Audio Critic

nomqa.webp.aa713f2bb9e304522011cdb2d2ca907d.webp  R.I.P. MQA 2014-2023: Hyped product thanks to uneducated, uncritical advocates & captured press.

 

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Paradigm Persona 9H, Vivid Giya G3, two speakers that would be on my short list if I could afford them.

"Relax, it's only hi-fi. There's never been a hi-fi emergency." - Roy Hall

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - William Bruce Cameron

 

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42 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

One one one hand it’s great to have speakers to which people can relate. One the other hand some esoteric speakers may have better performance or value for the money. 

 

Hum, you confused me there. In the main, the esoteric's may deliver excellent performance, but most often at a price that can be staggeringly far up the $ vs returns scale. (thinking the big Wilson, Magico, MBL, etc).  IMHO the really sweet spot for incredible SOTA sound is the $5 to $25k range. A place where the very best in reproduction can be found without paying for extreme in beautiful cabinetry, status among friends,  or just plane old BS marketing. As I stated before, my choices would most likely be at the top of the H-K family of friends,  JBL or Revel. They have spent the most time in engineering and design by a large margin, then look to bring you a product that can best represent the input signals waveform at the ear for the $ spent.

For the same reasons you might also take a look at the top of the Paradigm Persona line.

Good luck in your journey.

"The gullibility of audiophiles is what astonishes me the most, even after all these years. How is it possible, how did it ever happen, that they trust fairy-tale purveyors and mystic gurus more than reliable sources of scientific information?"

Peter Aczel - The Audio Critic

nomqa.webp.aa713f2bb9e304522011cdb2d2ca907d.webp  R.I.P. MQA 2014-2023: Hyped product thanks to uneducated, uncritical advocates & captured press.

 

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4 minutes ago, Allan F said:

Paradigm Persona 9H,

Vivid Giya G3, two speakers that would be on my short list if I could afford them.

I think that's a first for us, we agreeing on something.  LOL

I would warn Chris on the Giva line, I know personally someone that has had reliability problems with the in-house built drivers and less than stellar customer service over the continued failures.  :(   Just sayin

"The gullibility of audiophiles is what astonishes me the most, even after all these years. How is it possible, how did it ever happen, that they trust fairy-tale purveyors and mystic gurus more than reliable sources of scientific information?"

Peter Aczel - The Audio Critic

nomqa.webp.aa713f2bb9e304522011cdb2d2ca907d.webp  R.I.P. MQA 2014-2023: Hyped product thanks to uneducated, uncritical advocates & captured press.

 

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1 minute ago, Sal1950 said:

 

Thanks Sal - I realize my statement may have been confusing and my choice of words ambiguous. 

 

When i say esoteric I mean more off the radar. Mainstream to me are brands that people can relate to, go hear at a local shop or buy something in the product line higher or lower. Mainstream usually means a full array of products etc... At least this is my use of the term. 

 

Some esoterics are very pricey but others offer more value because, even though they’re expensive, the markup isn’t astronomical. 

 

Thanks for the suggestions thus far. 

Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems AudiophileStyleStickerWhite2.0.png AudiophileStyleStickerWhite7.1.4.png

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