Hello Everyone. No sense letting this message board grow inactive.
I purchased three X3s in May, 2021. Now, Spatial Audio is selling the X4. The cost of each of my X3s is roughly equal to the cost of each X4 Ultra. Do I want to upgrade? No. Do I feel I have a less capable speaker? No. I continue to be amazed at the sound quality from my X3s. I do not know the quality of the crossover parts inside my X3s. Given the speaker's cost, I would expect the crossover circuit is pretty darn good. In my situation, speakers are five feet from the front wall and 10 feet from the MLP, each speaker's drivers meld into one sound. There is never a time when any driver sounds detached from the other drivers. Soundstage is robust in width and depth and is located behind my speakers.
I listen to classical surround music. Typically, the music is mixed to 5.0 channel configuration, ITU format (rear surrounds rather than side surrounds). My download purchase choice, when available, is DXD 352.8/32 (WAV). I try to download directly from the recording studio. I want to highlight three recent purchases that have motivated this post.
-- Solo Piano:
Nicolas van Poucke, The Schumann Collection, Vol. 2. https://trptk.com/shop/downloads/the-schumann-collection-vol-2/.
---- Review:
https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=16217#reviews.
I own a lot of impressive solo piano music. This new release goes beyond anything I have in my collection. The piano is properly centered behind my center channel speaker. Each note is clearly reproduced. It is so distinct, you can hear the notes from each hand of the pianist as if you were standing beside the piano. It is a double SACD album with a generous two hours of music. I can listen to the entire performance with no feelings of fatigue. Release Date: October, 2023.
-- Chamber:
Chiaroscuro Quartet, Haydn: String Quartets Op. 33 1-3. https://www.eclassical.com/haydn-string-quartets-op-33-nos-1-3.html.
---- Review of one of their other albums:
https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=13299#reviews.
I've never been a fan of HIP (Historically Informed Performance) style. In this case, however, it is absolutely stunning. The quartet plays on 1700's instruments using gut strings. The whole conception of chamber music changes for me. The artists noted how different it was for them to use gut strings. For example, they had to make changes in timing to accommodate the swift drop off in sound. On lesser speakers, this distinction would be lost. On my X3s, I am absolutely amazed at the music's robust sound. The four artists surround my center channel speaker. However, each performer is properly distanced from one another. It is so realistic, I feel I could get up and walk over to them. Release Date: May, 2023.
-- Orchestra:
Manfred Honeck, Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5. https://www.nativedsd.com/product/fr752-tchaikovsky-symphony-no-5-schulhoff-five-pieces-for-string-quartet/.
---- Review:
https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=16101#reviews.
I'm a big fan of Honeck and his Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. This is simply his newest recording and I agree with the reviewer, "This is without doubt the finest modern recording of Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony in both musical and sonic terms that I have heard...". My X3s put the entire orchestra in my listening space. Instrument groups are all properly spaced. Everything comes together to give me that "I am at the concert" feeling. Release Date: July, 2023.
My X3s make the genre or style irrelevant. They all come through in superb sonic quality. Certainly, my equipment choices contribute to my wonderful listening experience. I give my X3s an accurate signal and they turn it into an accurate sound. Sure, I have a large room with several GIK acoustic panels. I also carefully measured speaker distances. Bottom line, I've done what I felt needed to be done to give my X3s the opportunity to perform at their best. All I do at this point in my retired life, is spend lots of time each day listening to music.
Marcus
