Help CA Find New Speakers

[Paul R]

I would point out you are in Minnesota. If you have not already done so, you should go listen to a set of Magnepan 30.7s.  

 

[Paul R]

4 hours ago, 4est said:

I am sorry to say that Magnepans will never compete with Sound Labs for detail, or possibly even dynamics IMHO. They just aren't there. The wires and glue on the diaphragm simply make it too heavy for the weak magnetic coupling they have. I seriously wish this were not the case or I'd own them.

 

Oh, phooey on youie!!

 

[Paul R]

7 hours ago, Neal.Audio said:

^ Added:

 

Finishes are limited with other brands, but Vandersteen has a pretty good selection. It's important to note that some of the available finishes aren't shown on the Sub Three product page, so use the Quatro page to see them all.

 

https://www.vandersteen.com/products/vandersteen-sub-three

 

Vandersteen speakers are hand made in America. Even the drivers are made in Minnesota.

 

The picture shows my Harbeth P3ESR's with a Sub Three in black. I'm an AD for both REL and Vandersteen. People always ask what stand that is... it's made by SolidSteel (Italy). 

 

You can keep the subs, but I do love my P-3ESRs. I play em with the grills on though. The difference in the sound is so minute, I would rather have the grills on, just for looks. 

 

-Paul

 

[Paul R]

4 hours ago, Neal.Audio said:

^ I prefer the industrial look.😀

 

Holographic sounding near field, right? I've been testing them in HT and can't find anything in that role that sounds better. Like a magic trick (without a center). The voices hang right in the middle right on top of the TV screen.

Oh yeah, a simple pair of them is much better than most surround systems. Just spot on perfect.

 

I actually only tried near field listening with them just a couple weeks ago.  I think my jaw hit the floor. They do have an ancestry that might account for that though.

 

[Paul R]

5 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Great speakers but out of my price range that's for sure. 

 

Did you have a chance to look at those Maggies? Budget savers, and huge performers. 

 

I am also quite partial to Harbeths and Spendors myself. 

 

-Paul 

 

[Paul R]

52 minutes ago, TubeLover said:

You have excellent taste in speakers Paul. If I had the room for 20.7's and matching subs (or the room, and the money for 30.7's with matching subs) I would have already owned them. And in a barely different world, a set of Harbeth 40.1's could easily have ended up in my system. But in a perfect world, in which I would have a lot of money, then the Sonus Faber Aida would be the choice. As Tone audio said of them:

 

"“For that kind of money, those speakers should wash your car” or, “They should be better than sex”—or something to that effect? A pair of Sonus faber Aida loudspeakers cost $120,000 and are better than sex. Spend a few minutes immersed in a serious listening session, and you won’t care if your luxury car is dirty. Play a few more tunes, and you might not even notice your significant other beckoning you to the bedroom for some intimate time. They are that good. Indeed, the Aida is as close to perfection as I’ve experienced, and I’ve spent a lot of time listening to the world’s finest speakers."

 

JC

 

LOL!  I think the best uber expensive speakers I have had the delightful pleasure to listen to are Magico, Rockports, and MHL Radial Plasma. None of which fit either my budget or my decor.

 

To be honest, Maggies do everything right to my ears, and I think they look delightful. A nuisance keeping the cats off them, but the cats are getting a little old, so maybe there is hope.  Harbeths and other LS/3 descendants sound like pleasing "comfort food" to me as well. And are far more in my budget as well.  

 

[Paul R]

6 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

Lash them together, get a waterproof container for your electronics and listen to music while fishing?  I got it, not a bad idea!

 

 

Well, maybe they would serve as a good transducer and fish finder. Wonder how Pearl Jam works as fish sonar? 🤪✌️

[Paul R]

1 hour ago, fas42 said:

 

Much more compromise in a readily measurable sense, but far less in key, subjectively highly relevant areas. If my only option to resolving subpar sound was to keep swapping speakers until "it was good enough" - I would throw in the towel immediately. It would be a doomed exercise, because I would be caught between using a speaker which effectively muffled the flaws earlier in the chain; or, one that let everything through, meaning only the "very best" recordings, which did the least to provoke or highlight audible problems, would be acceptable.

 

I have had enough experience listening to a range of speakers, from the most expensive to extremely good value for money units, to know that they can all deliver what's on the recording in a satisfying, consistent manner - if driven properly.

 

The real engineering challenge is understanding the need to address all the subtle, 'minor' issues that cripple the potential of most rigs - these are the compromises that do the real damage, and where focused attention to detail really pays off.

 

I know you think differently Frank, but doing that is relatively expensive. That is why spending more money on speakers is almost always a good idea. 

[Paul R]

47 minutes ago, 4est said:

Oh, I get it now too that you have connected the dots for me.  TBH, I don't recall Klipsch ever really being considered "audiophile". People griping about Klipsch aren't necessarily doing so about horns in general. They are not typical examples of horn speakers as the horns themselves are too small to load well at their respective frequencies. It's been decades since I have heard them, though they might be very attractive to some as compared to modern speakers.

 

To be fair, Klipschorns were THE lust after speakers back in the late 70’s.  

 

I was really the outlier, because I thought my Advents were hands down better. 

 

 

[Paul R]

1 hour ago, 4est said:

Perhaps that is a location thing. I was in HS then and spent all of my money on Magnepan MG 1, but lusted after Quads. The horn guys wanted Altec and JBL. Klipsch were never taken seriously and likened to upscale Cerwin Vega. I'll stop there lest I upset Sal's notably fragile ego further. Please note that I was pretty heavy into audio even then, and was running tube gear with separated regulated power supplies and such. It was all a bit over the top tbh, but if you think tube gear is always polite, soft or mushy, think again.

 

Those were the days of “Do I buy a loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter and walk to class and work - or - put gas in the car?” for me.

[Paul R]

Sweet speakers there Chris, even if they may have a little Dalek DNA in them. 😁

 

Bet you have some great review items lined up for when you get them all settled and broken in! 

 

Yours,

-Paul