[Shakeydeal]

For me the most important consideration does not fit on a chart: The emotional involvement response when you play a track you know well and the music "moves" you. It happened the first time I heard well driven Magnepans and I was lost. The coherence stunned me and I was unable to identify any crossover point at all.  It is hard to put a price on realizing your eyes are leaking half way through a piece and you forgot to breathe. No one else can tell you what will work for you in this way, but when you hear it you will know.

This.......

[Tyson]

This.......

Agreed!  And of the choices here, NONE of them are bad.  Maggies, Spatials, GR Research - all of them make first rate speakers that do very little wrong and do a ton of things right. 

[Wind Chaser]

I’m a big advocate of listen B4 you buy.

But that can be a pretty meaningless exercise if the demo is out of context / outside of your room and associated gear.

Personally I would scratch the first two options (Maggies and Logan’s) for a couple of reasons, that being amplifier requirements and lacklustre dynamics.

[FullRangeMan]

Thanks, I did consider buying a new amp to drive them in the budget, but didn't know about the crossover.
Does this one can make the job, or should I consider a fancy box with tubes and fancy cables ?
https://www.amazon.com/Rockville-RX230-Stereo-Crossover-Output/dp/B01LZUQ4OU?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_3

Thanks for contributing,

I suggest the use of the companion xover that came along with the Maggies.

My personal choice among these brands you mentioned would be the Spatial X5 if funds allow, only because the 8 ohms, 97dB sensitivity allow a smaller tube amp.

Hi sensitivity and bening impedance are basic requirements to home audio, otherwise you always could consider the new Lii 15'' FR driver at only $399/pair, you even can add a OB or BR helper woofer.

[Shakeydeal]

I suggest the use of the companion xover that came along with the Maggies.

My personal choice among these brands you mentioned would be the Spatial X5 if funds allow, only because the 8 ohms, 97dB sensitivity allow a smaller tube amp.

Hi sensitivity and bening impedance are basic requirements to home audio, otherwise you always could consider the new Lii 15'' FR driver at only $399/pair, you even can add a OB or BR helper woofer.

His choice for Spatial is the M5, not the X5. Two very different speakers.

Shakey

[Zitoun]

For me the most important consideration does not fit on a chart: The emotional involvement response when you play a track you know well and the music "moves" you. It happened the first time I heard well driven Magnepans and I was lost. The coherence stunned me and I was unable to identify any crossover point at all.  It is hard to put a price on realizing your eyes are leaking half way through a piece and you forgot to breathe. No one else can tell you what will work for you in this way, but when you hear it you will know.

I put that under the Musicality, and yes this is very important to me, and most of the time the price is not related to this, as this is very personnal and depends very much on the type of music you are listening to.

One of the audition I did to A/B Test boxed speaker VS Dipole (Personas 5F VS ML 9) was done with a very hard to listen track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7jr_uFNvVg, when we switch to Dipole even the sales guy was stunned by the difference, he was into the music enjoying it for the first time. So I know what you are talking about, and I think multiple speakers can give me the same experience, then the choice will end-up beeing a combination of Design, WAC, Price, synergy with amp/subs etc... .

So it's not only one factor but multiple one, and yes I am planning to get some listening sessions anyway, and If I am well prepared, the better the choice will fit my needs and I won't look at resseeling in a year, b/c I am not that type of person and want to be wealthy .

Thanks,

[Shakeydeal]

I put that under the Musicality, and yes this is very important to me, and most of the time the price is not related to this, as this is very personnal and depends very much on the type of music you are listening to.

One of the audition I did to A/B Test boxed speaker VS Dipole (Personas 5F VS ML 9) was done with a very hard to listen track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7jr_uFNvVg, when we switch to Dipole even the sales guy was stunned by the difference, he was into the music enjoying it for the first time. So I know what you are talking about, and I think multiple speakers can give me the same experience, then the choice will end-up beeing a combination of Design, WAC, Price, synergy with amp/subs etc... .

So it's not only one factor but multiple one, and yes I am planning to get some listening sessions anyway, and If I am well prepared, the better the choice will fit my needs and I won't look at resseeling in a year, b/c I am not that type of person and want to be wealthy .

Thanks,

If you really wanted to be wealthy, you'd quit buying expensive stereo equipment........

[Zitoun]

If you really wanted to be wealthy, you'd quit buying expensive stereo equipment........

Hahaha So true, Let's say: trying not being completely broke after 2 years.
 

[matevana]

I've used a similar spreadsheet to find the perfect woman. For some reason they all leave before tab 3.   

[mr_bill]

I put that under the Musicality, and yes this is very important to me, and most of the time the price is not related to this, as this is very personnal and depends very much on the type of music you are listening to.

One of the audition I did to A/B Test boxed speaker VS Dipole (Personas 5F VS ML 9) was done with a very hard to listen track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7jr_uFNvVg, when we switch to Dipole even the sales guy was stunned by the difference, he was into the music enjoying it for the first time. So I know what you are talking about, and I think multiple speakers can give me the same experience, then the choice will end-up beeing a combination of Design, WAC, Price, synergy with amp/subs etc... .

So it's not only one factor but multiple one, and yes I am planning to get some listening sessions anyway, and If I am well prepared, the better the choice will fit my needs and I won't look at resseeling in a year, b/c I am not that type of person and want to be wealthy .

Thanks,

I've heard the Personas and they are great.  What is the ML9?

[Zitoun]

I've heard the Personas and they are great.  What is the ML9?

I found the personas very disapointing with that type of music, it just produces noise, and missses a lot of information (was done on same source and amp).
The sales guys did realise it at the same time, and was glad to test them that way for the first time.

The Martin Logan ESL9 has enough definition and speed to restituate the full spectrum of the music. To be fair they are not for the same public/music genre I think. as the sales guy told me, most of it's customer are looking to replace their old speakers with somehting similar, they don't even umderstand what they are listening to when they switch to the Martin Logan, so they end up buying the same type of speakers aka Personas.

Sound quality is very subjective.


 

[Zitoun]

I've used a similar spreadsheet to find the perfect woman. For some reason they all leave before tab 3.   

Lol they probably had their own spreedsheet with ''No spreedsheet geek'' on the first line.
You should target accountants

[FullRangeMan]

His choice for Spatial is the M5, not the X5. Two very different speakers.

Shakey

The M5 are only 92dB sensitivity, its not a vantage, only cheaper.

[Zitoun]

The M5 are only 92dB sensitivity, its not a vantage, only cheaper.

I may have an opportunity with a M3 - second hand ... and apparently self powered.

Will see

[Shakeydeal]

I have never heard of a “self powered” pair of M3s.

[JLM]

Have only heard Maggies once, in a very un-ideal setting, but have read many many threads of problems driving them, bracing them, kids/pets, even frets over the fuses used.

A friend has ML, nice enough I suppose.  He got them super cheap and likes the big presentation but they have a narrow sweet spot.

Heard Spatials at a show, again nice enough I suppose.  Based on my experience of listening to a number of the 2-way 15 inch Hawthorne speakers that used a small tweeter I'd expect to find a noticeable dispersion disconnect between drivers on the M5.

NX-Otica is way overpriced and uses virtually the same drivers for midrange drivers and woofers.  Don't like MTM design (put your ears in a vertical vise unless listening far-field) and stated in-room bass response of mid 40's Hz to high 70's Hz is extremely suspicious. 

[Tyson]

Have only heard Maggies once, in a very un-ideal setting, but have read many many threads of problems driving them, bracing them, kids/pets, even frets over the fuses used.

A friend has ML, nice enough I suppose.  He got them super cheap and likes the big presentation but they have a narrow sweet spot.

Heard Spatials at a show, again nice enough I suppose.  Based on my experience of listening to a number of the 2-way 15 inch Hawthorne speakers that used a small tweeter I'd expect to find a noticeable dispersion disconnect between drivers on the M5.

NX-Otica is way overpriced and uses virtually the same drivers for midrange drivers and woofers.  Don't like MTM design (put your ears in a vertical vise unless listening far-field) and stated in-room bass response of mid 40's Hz to high 70's Hz is extremely suspicious. 

Have you heard any open baffle speakers that you liked?  Some people just don't like the sound of OB speakers, that's OK.  Although you really should refrain from speculating on the sound of a speaker you've not heard (the NX-Ottica).

[Shakeydeal]

Although you really should refrain from speculating on the sound of a speaker you've not heard

That seems to be a recurring theme with JLM.........

[Zitoun]

Hello Everybody,

After a lot of analysis, listening and travel I finally completed my anlaysis.

To be clear this is not a scientific A/B comparison, this is based solely on my experience, preferences, and done on mutliple days in diffferent room setup, amps setup, still I think that can help other people interested in OB, as ther is not much material on Interent about it.

i just post the File so far, and will create another Thread for ''My OB Journey'' in the next few days to give you more context.

Thanks to everybody who helped me getting all the pieces together.




 

[fredgarvin]

Great job Zitoun, it's rare to see someone put in an effort like yours to perform an effective analysis. Having some experience with ML and Mags, I concur with your opinions on them, which boosts the validity of your other observations.