AudioCircle
Audio/Video Gear and Systems => Enclosures => Topic started by: albireo13 on 16 Jul 2011, 11:26 am
-
Looking for opinions on this one. I've been running with Paradigm Studio-20s (V5) for over a year and want to upgrade. This is for our living room, 100% 2ch music. The Studios have been a nice intro into quality speakers. Now, I'm looking for something with a bit more bass presence and with a smother high end. Plus, I want to get away from speaker stands.
My living room is large, 14X24', but we tend to listen at low-mid levels ... jazz, blues, classical, folk, some rock. I don't blast or need "wall thumpers".
I really want these to be nice, attractive, to get buy-in from the wife! ; )
Budget? Well < $2K preferrably, can go used.
My priorities: high WAF, sonic upgrade from the Studio20s, modest size ... don't want them to dominate the room.
Candidates I'm looking into:
* Salk spkrs (Songbirds, SongTowers)
* Aerial Model 6
* Totem - Staff, Hawk, Forest?
* Selah speakers - don't know much about them
Would love to hear other folks' solutions to this??
Thx
8)
-
I have owned Totems in the past, and I would not suggest that they are all that smooth - I paired them with a Class A Sugden amp, that was a great combo.
Were it my dollars, with WAF in the pic, I would absolutely trend towards Salk. Furrniture that sounds good!
-
what about aperion?
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=48860)
I have listened at friends house and really liked them. not as much as my LS6 but enjoyed better than his old Paradigm.
-
Salk HT2-TLs. High WAF in my house.
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=48861)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=48862)
-
Budget? Well < $2K preferrably, can go used
..........
-
Fritz Carbon 7 Towers.
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=27394)
Unfortunately he will not ship these but he will hand deliver them antywhere between Orange County and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Martin
-
The Carnegie Acoustics CST-1's sounded very good at CAF last weekend.
http://www.carnegieacoustics.com/#/products/ (http://www.carnegieacoustics.com/#/products/)
-
The Fritz Carbon 7s I am very interested in but, I live in New Hampshire so I have to rule those out. :(
The HT2-TLs are great but ... out of my budget for sure, at about $4K.
Actually the HT1-TLs or even the Salk 1801-TLs would be a stretch goal.
-
You could keep your eyes out for a used pair of Von Schwiekert VR-33's.
I know new they are out of your price range, but if you stalk audiogon maybe a pair used might show up.
They might just be the perfect WAF speaker. They can be placed close to a wall, so they don't dominate the room, and are mostly black grill cloth so they aren't very overt.
I haven't heard them, but they are getting great reviews.
-
People on the Salk thread say if you allow her to pick out the veneer - she approves the speaker!
-
Salk HT2-TLs. High WAF in my house.
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=48861)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=48862)
The finish on the speakers looks great. What type of wood finish?
-
Smaller Salk towers :thumb:
Aperion :thumb:
You should also consider small single driver speakers with a powered subwoofer. The sub can be adjusted to taste. The single driver speakers should remove treble emphasize.
Here's one suggestion: http://tbisound.com/index.asp (very placement insensitive, the majestic diamonds are stand/wall mounts, but are tiny). This stuff is the audiophile version of lifestyle systems. The subs are really remarkable and could allow you to shop for a very small floorstander (like a Totem Aero).
-
the Songbirds are smaller Salk speakers which look very nice indeed. That's an option.
:)
-
The Songtowers are in the lead right now for me. I wish they were a tad shorter and smaller though.
Have to reconcile that.
-
Jim Salk can probably tweak the cabinet design for you.
-
The Songtowers are in the lead right now for me. I wish they were a tad shorter and smaller though.
Have to reconcile that.
Which makes it a Songbird. You are killing yourself over this decision. No matter the choice you will be very happy.
-
I know. Picking speakers is a real pain. Tons of quality choices .... few opportunities to actually hear them ... coupled with the fact that sound quality is such a subjective thing.
-
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=48989)
My wife loves the Zu Omens in ghost black ( subtle smoke gray swirls on black which don't show up in pictures )
-
(http://)
Axiom M80v3
You can custom order your finish. And they sound great.
-
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=50776)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=50777)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=50778)
what about the Swans DIVA series , $1,200/pair and sounds very good too ? My wife loves it , looks and sound :thumb:
-
All these recommendations and we don't even know what his other equipment is, or did I miss something? :scratch:
-
decal-Good point! How much power will power these or did I miss that somewhere??
-
I've heard very short/small floorstanders and found that they can get "lost" behind other furnishings (blocked out by taller pieces). IMO the Songtowers are about as short as I'd want and you can't get much more narrow. After all the mid/woofer is only 5 inch diameter (any smaller and you'd lose deep bass, efficiency, and/or ultimate output - important for dynamics even if you don't play loud).
And the Songbirds would be an all around step up from the Studio 20s. Plus Jim can customize finishes.
Speaking of customizing, another AC member here that offers a shorter but bulkier floorstander for $1250/pair is Omega. Louis is another super great guy and builder of museum grade cabinets, but his offerings are all single driver designs (custom drivers). Much more efficient (better dynamics) extremely coherent sound with ideal imaging.
-
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=51206)
What is high WAF? :scratch:
-
Totem Arros.
-
Totem Arros.
Tiny, yes. Inefficient, yes. Very weak bass, yes. No dynamics, yes. IMO this is the limit of acceptable performance for most people, but few audiophiles. Works for little girls playing guitars, harp, and harpsicord, but not much else. And another small floorstander that can blocked by furnishings.
-
These passed the WAF test... even in the living room!
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=51215)
-
Tiny, yes. Inefficient, yes. Very weak bass, yes. No dynamics, yes. IMO this is the limit of acceptable performance for most people, but few audiophiles. Works for little girls playing guitars, harp, and harpsicord, but not much else. And another small floorstander that can blocked by furnishings.
+1
i had a pair of these for a while, and even crossed over to subs at 100hz, they were completely worthless for anything except "little girls playing guitars" music. (which they did exceptionally well, btw.) my tiny proac tablette 8 ref sigs kicked ass in thee same set-up.
doug s.
-
All these recommendations and we don't even know what his other equipment is, or did I miss something? :scratch:
With Zu's it doesn't matter as they'll work with 1.5 or 150 watts
-
I am guessing this one would fail the wife factor.. just guessing....
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=51219)
-
What is high WAF? :scratch:
I assume you're kidding.......if not ...Wife Acceptance Factor
As far as the speakers in the sub 2k.........Maggie 1.7, best at it's price range on the planet.....IMHO
-
Have you seen this thread?
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=96868.msg987003#msg987003
(http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z387/Outofthewoods/N3W1.jpg)
Ruben does some incredible work with Danny's designs.
Best,
Ed
-
Agree with Ed, Ruben has some super neat looking N3 stuff out there. I think ..... name... from Colorado just got a trade from v2 to N3TLs and they are a candy colored maroon/ I forget the color, but look so cool... def. high WAF..
-
I assume you're kidding.......if not ...Wife Acceptance Factor
As far as the speakers in the sub 2k.........Maggie 1.7, best at it's price range on the planet.....IMHO
WAF aside, you assume that large panel di / bipoles will work in all rooms
not true
-
Agree with Ed, Ruben has some super neat looking N3 stuff out there. I think ..... name... from Colorado just got a trade from v2 to N3TLs and they are a candy colored maroon/ I forget the color, but look so cool... def. high WAF..
I'd go with Ruben and N3TL.
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=45205)
:drool:
-
Jim from CO
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=51221)
-
2nd the Fritz Speakers and the Salk Speakers - both of them look AMAZING in the flesh, and sound just as good as they look.
-
I assume you're kidding.......if not ...Wife Acceptance Factor
As far as the speakers in the sub 2k.........Maggie 1.7, best at it's price range on the planet.....IMHO
Thanks,No I was not kidding but I thought it was some thing about the speakers not the wife.
-
I am guessing this one would fail the wife factor.. just guessing....
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=51219)
Gawd, I'm so loving that. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Actually that could be great WAF if used in an infinite baffle application.
-
We'll I'll throw out Rick as an option since you originally mentioned Selah as a possiblity. Pretty sure he can build you an excellent speaker, with high waf, in your budget.
Also will agree with the others. Salk, Fritz, ect.
May consider some Devore Gibbons.
-
Take a look at Daedalus Audio. All hardwood enclosures with dovetail joinery that are gorgeous to look at and sound incredible. My pair is sitting happily in my living room with an enthusiastic WAF. Two models to consider--the DA-1.1 and the new Athena.
-
BTW, Lou of Daedalus sponsors a site on the Audio Circle where many loyal customers post.
-
Through out the years I have owned a lot of speakers and my wife has commented favorably on their looks exactly twice. The first time was a pair of Thiel 1.5s and the second time was Thiel 1.6s. She liked the sloped baffle which made them look less intrusive in the room.
My system is no longer in the living room so she no longer cares at all what the speakers look like.
-
No wonder the original poster hasn't been back to AudioCircle in six weeks:
(albireo13 - Last Active: 2 Aug 2011, 05:37 AM)
He said he had a budget of less than $2000 and now we're up to $9000! I can't wait to see what's next :lol:
-
Check it out, Honey. I posted on AC about cool speakers with a high WAF. Look at what they said...
Hasn't been heard from in six weeks.
The WAF is a powerful thing.
:lol:
-
Check it out, Honey. I posted on AC about cool speakers with a high WAF. Look at what they said...
Hasn't been heard from in six weeks.
The WAF is a powerful thing.
:lol:
The WAF is strong with this one.
(http://thedailymind.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/yoda.jpg)
-
Me thinks he's sulking in his room (with speakers he hates) licking his wounds. :lol:
Good luck dude, best wishes. :thumb:
Bob