Name Some Great Floorstander Towers Under $3,000/pair

StevenACNJ · « **Reply #40 on:** 8 Oct 2004, 09:31 pm »

Might want to check these floor-standing speaker out:

Tyler Acoustics 7U's brand new from factory - $2850

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1101843763

Inscrutable · « **Reply #41 on:** 9 Oct 2004, 10:36 am »

doug,

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i was a pig-in-shit happy 13-year-old back in '69 when i bought my first pair of *real* speakers - bose 901's! kinda embarrassing, these days!

We are contemporaries, and I find nothing embarassing about that, other than an embarassment of riches. there were a lot of much older, much more afflent people lapping up those 901's back then! I'd put them up against the console stereos or the portables with the attached swing-out speakers any day

Back then, I was playing with open-reel tape, and conspiring with my older sister to coerce my parents into buying a 'real' stereo - Lafayette integrated, Garrard turntable (changer, of course), and Criterion 3-way speakers. My Dad's Hank Williams never sounded so good.

Inscrutable · « **Reply #42 on:** 9 Oct 2004, 10:51 am »

Maven,
A while back you made the first mention of ProAc, and that was one of the first names that came to mind when you stated your music preferences and room size. I've not heard the Future .5, but owned the Studio 150, and have heard a lot of the Response 2.5 and 3.8. The 2.5 or 150 would be the right fit for your room ... the 3.8 is too big. I've not owned a huge variety of speakers, but I've liked the midrange on these better than any I've had until my Cain & Cain's. Which BTW is the most engaging speaker I've owned, and one of the most I've heard ... there really is something to the SET sound. I have less than your stated $3K tied up in these and a 2A3-based SET integrated amp. Since you are an 'experimenter, you owe it to yourself to play with something like this. All IMO of course.

The Merlin suggestion a while back is good too ... they have always sounded great wherever I've seen/heard them - even in crummy rooms.

Don't think anyone has suggested Vandersteen yet either?

RichardS · « **Reply #43 on:** 9 Oct 2004, 01:33 pm »

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"So...my great joy is just changing from one speaker pair to another by merely unplugging my trusty bananas. No component more changes the personality of the system.
Some of you as old as me (sorry) might remember the old-fashioned "schools" of American acoustics. You were either in the East Coast (mellow, reserved sound) camp or the West Coast (vibrant, bright) camp. Ah, the good old days..."

Maven,

I've also gone through a bunch of speakers, mostly going back and forth from mellower/darker speakers to brighter/detailed ones, first seduced by the different presentation, then ultimately tiring of it. Most recent ones included Unity Pyramids, ProAc 3.5, Dunlavy Athena, Genesis V, Talon Khorus (BTW, all these are close to your price range, 'second-hand').

Anyway, I found MY answer not in another speaker change, but by using a Tact 2.2x preamp/room corrector. Besides evening-out bass response/humps in the room, you can dial in 9 different frequency responses curves. Want more high-end detail for a particular piece? Just touch a button on the remote. Want a warmer/fuller bass for another music selection, another button touch. Want to hear your speakers/room uncorrected, use the bypass (which I almost never do anymore).

I realize your ARC preamp may be tube, and you may not want to give that up (you can always use a tubed DAC). To me, the changes from the Tact are more dramatic than tube rolling or amp/cable-changing, and much easier than changing speakers. And all this with VERY little trade-offs in transparency (more than offset by the ability to get rid of bass humps and time-align the subs). Best $3000+ I've ever spent.

asull2k · « **Reply #44 on:** 10 Oct 2004, 03:11 am »

Salk Veracity QW. Read my review on Audioreview.com....

Music Maven · « **Reply #45 on:** 10 Oct 2004, 04:22 am »

As I've said before, thanks to all.

Fascinating reading.

True, it's surprising that Vandersteen hasn't been mentioned before. I've never really been excited enough to own the speakers, but I sure admire the man- I think he's a true audio hero. He's honest with his prices, raising them only very slightly after well over a generation. Plus, two or three of his original models- updated of course- are still in the line. He's not from "the flavor of the month" club.

Once when I visited with him on the phone years ago, he gave me sage advice--- don't get too frazzled by chasing and choosing equipment, just enjoy the music.

BTW, my Audio Research preamp is actually all-solid-state, about 7-8 years old. It might be an SP-3, I should know that, but at 50 I'm getting forgetful. And, yes I know Audio Research is more famous for their tubed components.

The only tubed piece I've ever owned was a hybrid preamp from the late, great Precision Fidelity. Nice gear! I wonder if Precision Fidelity just folded or morphed into something else? I've just been gunshy about owning tubes because they can wear out more quickly than solid state and I live in a rural area, so keeping a tube amp or preamp fed and happy might be inconvenient.

My computer isn't near my stereo- maybe that's better because of magnetic field or other interference issues, but I'll say what I'd LIKE to be listening to:

Inscrutable · « **Reply #46 on:** 10 Oct 2004, 10:24 am »

Maven
Yeah, I have it on order from CD Universe (along with Kasey Chambers' new one (Wayward Angel) ... can't wait!

Being remote shouldn't bother you about tubes ... there are a large number of reputable tube sellers on the net. And particularly, if you go with lower power and higher efficiency, the cost is pretty reasonable.

Inscrutable · « **Reply #47 on:** 10 Oct 2004, 10:37 am »

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My computer isn't near my stereo- maybe that's better because of magnetic field or other interference issues,

Which is why God made TabletPC's and wireless routers

Music Maven · « **Reply #48 on:** 10 Oct 2004, 09:04 pm »

Inscrutable,

You've got me on Kasey Chambers, have never heard of that. What kind of music is it?

Jerry

Mad DOg · « **Reply #49 on:** 10 Oct 2004, 09:45 pm »

Quote from: Music Maven

Inscrutable,

You've got me on Kasey Chambers, have never heard of that. What kind of music is it?

Jerry

if i'm not mistaken, country pop female vocals...

Inscrutable · « **Reply #50 on:** 11 Oct 2004, 10:05 am »

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Inscrutable,

You've got me on Kasey Chambers, have never heard of that. What kind of music is it?

Jerry

Jerry,
Yes, Mad Dog is correct ... she's a country-pop crossover from Australia. WA is her third album. She'll be touring stateside in November. I saw her two years ago, and it was a great show. HERE is a link to her site.

Music Maven · « **Reply #51 on:** 11 Oct 2004, 05:25 pm »

Thanks, Mad Dog and Inscrutable... always good to check new talent out.

Jerry

Music Maven · « **Reply #52 on:** 12 Oct 2004, 04:18 am »

Let me know how you like both the Kasey Chambers and John Fogerty albums when you get them.

Of course, I own the Fogerty album already. Best Buy had it the week it debuted for $9.99 but the traffic is unreal in my area and with gas prices so high I just decided to cough up $2 more and buy it at Target because I needed other stuff there.Even $11.99 seems like a bargain CD price in 2004.

I won't tell you my exact reaction to the new Fogerty music so as to not give anything away until you hear it.

I played the song from her new CD on the Kasey website, and was impressed! Thanks, maybe I'll put it on my buying list.

Jerry

Music Maven · « **Reply #53 on:** 15 Oct 2004, 08:29 pm »

Hello to all of you,

I appreciate all the interesting suggestions you've made about speakers, and have been researching many of them.

At the same time, I keep running across new brand names from online show reports, etc. Some of these shows are in Europe so the stuff doesn't come here...

Anyway, I've been reading bits and pieces about Apertura, Aurum,BC Acoustique, Davis, Magnat, Athom, Image, Relco, Firebird, Onix, StereoLab.

Do any of these brands register with you?

Remember that my interest is in a floorstanding conventional tower speaker under $3000. I give details about my associated gear and musical taste in the first post.

Thanks again for all your informative posts so far. This hobby is great fun when it doesn't drive one bonkers.

Jerry

Mad DOg · « **Reply #54 on:** 15 Oct 2004, 08:40 pm »

Music Maven,

of the brands that you listed, i am only familiar with Atohm and Onix. Onix is manufactured and distributed by the fine folks at www.av123.com who have a their own circle here...

interestingly enough, Atohm speakers are designed by Thierry Comte of Triangle fame who also had a hand in designing the Onix Reference speaker line.

i haven't heard the Atohms, but have a good deal of experience w/ Onix gear. based on my experience, i find it to be excellent stuff that offers alot of performance for the money. they do offer a few different models of floorstanders under the Rocket line and the Reference line. hope this helps some.

Mad DOg · « **Reply #55 on:** 15 Oct 2004, 08:48 pm »

Quote from: Music Maven

I give details about my associated gear and musical taste in the first post...

you didn't mention if your preferences tend to lean towards the warm and musical side, analytical and super-detailed side or neither (neutral sounding). at least i can't tell by your gear since i've not heard it before.

Music Maven · « **Reply #56 on:** 16 Oct 2004, 01:19 am »

Mad Dog,

Thanks for your reply.

I guess I prefer warm, goosebumps, all that. After all, I'm enamored of the female voice. But I don't want "fuzziness" or "wooly" sound. I do like some transparency and "air" and depth... a real soundstage, but not too cold and clinical. Not so much soundstage, air, etc. that it turns into a "trick" speaker or that all the "magic" of the venue detracts from the magic of the music itself.

You know, it's easy enough to come up with all the "pet terms" of audio, but harder to actually put into words what blend of factors actually pleases the ears...

Jerry

Inscrutable · « **Reply #57 on:** 16 Oct 2004, 10:12 am »

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Let me know how you like both the Kasey Chambers and John Fogerty albums when you get them.

Jerry,
I've listened to Fogerty once through, and am now almost through my first listen to Kasey.

Fogerty was interesting. I do like it, even though it wasn't exactly what I expected (tho I'm not quite sure I could quantify exactly what that was).

I'm also enjoying Kasey's new one. Quite a lot more introspective, and autobiographical if you will, than her first two efforts.

I'll post something over in the music circle.

Inscrutable · « **Reply #58 on:** 16 Oct 2004, 10:26 am »

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I guess I prefer warm, goosebumps, all that. After all, I'm enamored of the female voice. But I don't want "fuzziness" or "wooly" sound.

Jerry,
Then I will stand by and redirect you back to one of my earlier comments(deja vu all over again, eh?)

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I've liked the midrange on these better than any I've had until my Cain & Cain's. Which BTW is the most engaging speaker I've owned, and one of the most I've heard ... there really is something to the SET sound. Since you are an 'experimenter, you owe it to yourself to play with something like this.

In your size room, a full-range driver and SET amp could be very interesting.

I carefully chose the word 'engaging' ... as this certainly is not the technical champion nor measurement king. All it does is make music you can listen to for hours on end. When I think about it, I notice and miss some things from my SS/big-honking-multi-driver setup. But when I get my damn engineer left brain out of the way, my right brain and I am very happy.

nature boy · « **Reply #59 on:** 16 Oct 2004, 12:24 pm »

I'll mention Vandersteen's, the 2ce signatures and 1C's would work well with your room size and set up, save you a boat load of $ too. Not the most revealing speakers in the world but very musical.

I have 2ce signatures in a similiar sized room and have listened to more than a half-dozen other speakers, none have touched the Vandy's.

NB