I Wanna Rock!

mca · « **on:** 3 Jul 2005, 03:11 pm »

Please share with me systems you have found that can do justise to Rock and Roll.

My little Onix system does not cut it in that department!

I miss my Iron Maiden, Sevendust, Van Halen, Prong, Queensryche, Tool, Michael Schenker, Fireball Ministry, Motley Crue, BOC, Megadeth, Pantera, AC/DC, Motorhead, STP, Gruntruck, COC, White Zombie, Toadies, UFO, Melvins, Queens of the Stone Age and so on!

Emil · « **Reply #1 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 03:19 pm »

Just click on my link below.

mca · « **Reply #2 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 03:41 pm »

Interesting! I was just reading up on Naim yesterday, a brand I would not have associated with rock. A lot of reviews said the same thing, must have a lot to do with the PRAT thing.

I know nothing about the Neat speakers, what can you tell me about the sound of your setup?

Marbles · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 03:57 pm »

VMPS and Klipsch are two that come readily to mind...

John Ashman · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 04:00 pm »

Okay, let's not screw around with little speakers here. If you want something that "ROCKS", not "rocks", get a pair of PSB Stratus Golds. I haven't heard a better overall pure R&R speaker. (I'm embroiled in a similar thread at AudioAsylum). It's got a nice sparkle on top, it's got punchy, deep bass, it's got a smooth, forgiving midrange. It's not the last word in imaging focus or resolution and the sound is just on the warm side of neutral, but it will a) crank and b) sound fantastic doing it, even with mediocre CDs. They need a decent amp in the 100W-200W - NAD, Rotel, Adcom or thereabouts. The Golds will squash that little NEAT speaker like a bug

And, no, I'm not a PSB dealer (any more), but I do know for a fact that they rock.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 04:26 pm »

Eeeek, I am about to agree with John! (I currently run single driver speakers, and I know that he has lots to say about that...

)

I have heard the big PSB Golds run on NAD, up at American Sound, north of Toronto. Rock, oh yeah!

flintstone · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 04:30 pm »

Large...VMPS Supertower/R's. I have an 8 year old pair that I hung on to for those ROCK moments!...as good as it gets IMHO.

The lower section of these are the large VMPS sub's and I bought mine new with soft-domes....a must for rock music IMO.

There is a pair of the smaller tower II's that just came up for sale at Audiogon if your near Michigan ($1,000)...I'll guess that these would be pretty good also.

You can see mine (upside down) and in the corners of my room if you click on my system link....mostly used as subs now days although I did upgrade the woofers about 6 months ago to the latest/greatest mega-woofers just in case!

Dave

Jason1 · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 04:32 pm »

I think the Adire Apex would do the job.

(Available fully assembled from Raw Acoustics)

Bingenito · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 05:41 pm »

Wow the Apex looks very interesting. A nice slim speaker with great displacement

Anyone own a pair?

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #9 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 07:57 pm »

Naim/Neat gets my vote. Nothing else is even close if you want Angus Young to kick you in the balls properly.

Michael

MarkM · « **Reply #10 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 09:44 pm »

A pair of Snell Acoustics C/V will do it for you. They can be found used for about $850-1200 on Agon. I would also agree with the PSB Gold recommendation, great speaker for the $ used. The Snell D will rock as well.

My C/V are not up to the resolution, imaging or natural sound of my Selah Audio Carnelians or RC3, but the Snells do rock with my modded Adcom 5500.

audioslave · « **Reply #11 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 10:20 pm »

Quote from: John Ashman

Okay, let's not screw around with little speakers here. If you want something that "ROCKS", not "rocks", get a pair of PSB Stratus Golds. I haven't heard a better overall pure R&R speaker. (I'm embroiled in a similar thread at AudioAsylum). It's got a nice sparkle on top, it's got punchy, deep bass, it's got a smooth, forgiving midrange. It's not the last word in imaging focus or resolution and the sound is just on the warm side of neutral, but it will a) crank and b) sound fantastic doing it, even wit ...

While I will agree with the general description of the Stratus Gold's, I strongly disagree with John's statement that the Gold's will squash any Neat speaker. Having heard the PSB's on numerous occasions, they do go loud and are quite dynamic. But let us not confuse rhythmic drive and PRAT with sheer dynamics! The Neats have excellent PRAT and do a fantastic job of seperating out the instruments without losing transparency. They simply rip on rock and roll with Naim gear and as far as going loud-talk to Emil because he cranks!

Have you even heard this combination, John?

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #12 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 10:24 pm »

I agree with audioslave. Instead of sex, drugs, & rock-n-roll, it should be Neats, Naim, & rock-n-roll. Besides, I'm not really into the PSB's ugly, fat-ass speaker aesthetic.

Michael

rosconey · « **Reply #13 on:** 3 Jul 2005, 10:52 pm »

get some cerwin vegas-they sound just as good outside as they do inside-

for cranking rock music my buddies kick some serious ass-

add a tube cdp

mgalusha · « **Reply #14 on:** 4 Jul 2005, 01:52 am »

These babies should rock.

http://www.goldsound.net/kit11.htm

I built some similar years back with components I purchased from Gold Sound and they were the absolute best rock speakers I ever had. They would play at horrifying levels and I never fried one. I remember cranking up Terry Bozios drum solo (played with bare hands and no sticks) that's on one of the Zappa "you can't do that on stage anymore" discs and it was the closest I've ever heard a home speaker get to a real drum kit. My tastes have mellowed a bit since then so my speakers have changed but there are times I really miss my old JBL/EV house rockers.

warnerwh · « **Reply #15 on:** 4 Jul 2005, 05:23 am »

There's a pair of VMPS Tower II 20th anniversary models that will be extremely tough to beat for rock, at the price I'd put them against all comers.

Red Dragon Audio · « **Reply #16 on:** 4 Jul 2005, 07:20 am »

mca · « **Reply #17 on:** 4 Jul 2005, 03:52 pm »

Thanks for all the suggestions. One thing to note is I'm not looking to blow my house down with volume and big bass, I just want a system that will let me enjoy my rock CD's as well as my others.

OK, maybe I get the urge to hear Lemmie at 100+ db every once in a while

John Ashman · « **Reply #18 on:** 4 Jul 2005, 05:45 pm »

Quote from: audioslave

While I will agree with the general description of the Stratus Gold's, I strongly disagree with John's statement that the Gold's will squash any Neat speaker. Having heard the PSB's on numerous occasions, they do go loud and are quite dynamic. But let us not confuse rhythmic drive and PRAT with sheer dynamics!

I'm not, but there is no substitution for cubic inches! I guarantee the Golds will play effortlessly at volumes that no 2-way 6" speaker can do.

Quote

The Neats have excellent PRAT and do a fantastic job of seperating out the instruments without losing transparency.

I'd like to know what qualities of a speaker give it "PRaT" aside from the marketing departement.

Quote

They simply rip on rock and roll with Naim gear and as far as going loud-talk to Emil because he cranks!

If they're so good, why do they need Naim gear? Just curious.

Quote

Have you even heard this combination, John?

Nope, no Naim or Neat dealers here. Not saying they're bad, but you don't send a sports car to do a truck's work!

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #19 on:** 4 Jul 2005, 05:55 pm »

Quote from: John Ashman

Nope, no Naim or Neat dealers here. Not saying they're bad, but you don't send a sports car to do a truck's work!

This statement is so very telling- no need to hear the Stratus Gold I's now to know I'll dislike them. IMO, rock is more than just bludgeoning one with low bass notes, if you are going to use the sports car/truck metaphor, but to each their own. I've heard plenty of hugely dynamic systems that fell down in engaging me when listening to rock, but I won't lie- I love speed and rhythmic articulation in my tunes, so there's my bias.

Naim/Neat is recommended not because that's the only amp that works (Exposure, tubes, etc. have been used with Neats), but because many of us use it and can say from personal experience that it works well together.

Michael