Jump to content
IGNORED

Help CA Find New Speakers


Recommended Posts

21 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Would love @mitchco‘s advice on the complete system like Bill mentioned above  and some passive options. 

 

@Jud what say you, Vandersteen?

 

Hi Chris -

 

Well of course I like the Vandersteens :)but I'd say you should have a listen in your home to see whether their imaging qualities would work in your space. 

 

Planar/electrostats are interesting - exceptionally clear midrange and top end, but back when I was seriously listening to them long ago, they had one of two problems: couldn't play really loud at the bottom end; or used a dynamic bass driver to get around this, which caused some problems coherently integrating the sound of the two different types of drivers. Quite possible those problems have been overcome since. 

 

I've been really impressed with Focal's big speakers the last couple of times I've heard them - a "you are there" clarity. 

 

A couple of big names I have generally not been impressed with (apologies to anyone who owns/likes these, just my personal taste) are Sonus Faber and Wilson.  The latter I've heard sounding good in a couple of setups, but much more often the top end sounds etched to me. 

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment
9 minutes ago, Daverz said:

 

The Quatros and above require an external high-pass filter between pre-amp and amp that must be adjusted (or at least checked with a voltmeter) for each amp's input impedance.  The high-pass settings are never quite exact for any amp, so the bass level on the speakers may also need to be adjusted to compensate.  Also the high-pass filter is either XLR or RCA, and I don't believe XLR-to-RCA adaptors work (at least according to RV).  I think this adds too much complication for the Quatro and above to be used as the only reference speakers.

 

The Treos are completely passive so this is not an issue for them.

 

 

 

Long time Vandersteen dealer says you can here: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/vandersteen-quatros-and-high-pass-filter-issues

 

But if Richard says different....

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment
2 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I expected several other manufacturer's names to come up, but they haven't.

 

Just to throw out a name I've always been curious about but have never actually heard, there's Rockport.

 

Or there's this from @PeterSt and his speaker business partner Bert:

 

Orelo.JPG

 

Or these, from a boutique manufacturer named Oswalds Mill Audio (I've heard a pair of their speakers from much further down in the line, sounded nice):

 

Monarch.jpg

Imperia_walnut_setup.jpg

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment

I personally thought helping Chris choose new speakers was more interesting.  (No criticism, I'm the last person to be bugging anyone about going OT.)

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment
1 hour ago, austinpop said:

Yikes, wow they are a TAD pricey! ?

 

They're quite nice though.  :) 

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
7 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Another guy setup a terrible network that couldn’t even stream audio and caused the dealer’s network based audio products to fail all testing.

 

Kind of amazing but not surprising that this is the current state of computer network expertise in the high end audio world. 

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...
1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I used to have a site bookmarked that sold tons of wood stuff for HiFi. The guy hand made it all with a beautiful selection of woods. 

 

Do you know any others that sell this stuff? I can't find my old bookmark :~(

 

There’s Mapleshade and Oswalds Mill Audio, but I don’t know if either is what you’re looking for.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment
  • 4 months later...
7 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I must say, the last couple weeks I’ve really been thinking about electrostatics. I miss the sound of these more than any sound in HiFi. 

 

I always wonder with the electrostats that use dynamic drivers on the low end how good the integration might be.

 

And with full range electrostats, I wonder about the volume capability.

 

@esldude has SoundLabs (or at least had them last I inquired), so he may be a source of information.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment
3 hours ago, 4est said:

That stuff nearly floats!

 

A Focal guy doing a demo at an audio store held the cone of their beryllium tweeter in his hand in front of a few of us and let it drop. It floated gently to the carpet. Impressive.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment
59 minutes ago, mansr said:

Not the wisest of actions considering the toxicity of beryllium.

 

I have the impression they manufacture their own drivers (at least that tweeter), so either they're managing to make some form that isn't terribly toxic to carry around and handle, or spare a thought for the workers on the tweeter line.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment
  • 3 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
2 hours ago, Sal1950 said:

Nope,  I knew early on my recommendation of JBL M2 wouldn't fly.

Any kind of horn would have too big a negative effect on his cred's here on this uber-audiophile website.

Wouldn't matter if the Angels from heaven themselves delivered them.

 

There are many horn speakers with big-time audiophile cred (if you were at all serious). I haven't looked at the M2 in particular, but don't know why JBL would be a bad thing. There are several pages I've seen extolling the virtues of the sound of restored "egg crate" models that many people remember fondly.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment

At audio shows in the States, rooms with horn speakers are typically among the more crowded and popular ones, and I see them well represented in show photos in the mags, too. Yep, I hear you about the SET folks, but then they're not badly thought of by audiophiles, right?

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment
17 hours ago, Sal1950 said:

Yep,  I ran a pair of Klipsch La Scala's for 32 years with a couple factory upgrades along the way.  Never would have given them up if I had the room for them in my retirement home.

Sam Tellig agreed with me an ran a RAVE review of them for Stereophile in 2006

http://www.soundhifi.com/klipsch/sam.htm

 

Klipsch Heresy III's  were given a luke-warm review by Art Dudly in 2012

https://www.stereophile.com/content/listening-119

And were given a very highly positive follow-up review by Ken Micallef in 2018

https://www.stereophile.com/content/listening-119-ken-micallef-june-2018

 

The more modern 600m was a huge hit with Herb Reichert in March

https://www.stereophile.com/content/klipsch-reference-premiere-rp-600m-loudspeaker

 

So it depends on which reviewer at Stereophile you cast your lot.  LOL

 

 

I understand what you've been saying better now. I haven't seen horns dissed in general, but yes, I've seen the specific attitude that Klipsch is somehow out of date and no longer "audiophile" from some folks.  Don't particularly understand that sort of thinking myself. I think they sound fine, and my own preference is for a non-traditional type of speaker.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...