Best speakers for vinyl listening

[Deleted member 38504]

Was just wondering, what are the best kind of speakers for records?

Floorstanders/ full range/ bookshelves/ speakers with high db sensitivity?

I mean in terms of soundstage and clarity and quality of instruments and vocals.

Also, can speakers really eliminate or reduce pops and crackles.

Music genre would be easy listening for example Lionel Richie Tina turner phil Collins foreigner cliff Richard engelbert Julio iglesias. NOT jazz or classical so the suggestions can be based hence.

Thanks guys.

 

[prem]

Speakers have to be mated correctly with amps. Not with source or source material. There is no such thing as best speaker for a particular type of source material.

Since you are primarily into easy listening, AR 3 speakers with Sansui amp will work well

To reduce crackle and pops, no speaker can help there. Proper cleaning can be one way. Using high frequency filters in amp could be another option but this can result in a roll off of the highs. Also use of a forgiving cartridge might help.

 

[Deleted member 38504]

Thanks Prem, let me be a little more specific.

I'm using a marantz pm 6005 with a technics 1200 mk5 mated to a nagaoka mp 110 cartridge.

Speakers don't have to be vintage necessarily.

My point is, if I use not so good speakers on the same setup above and compare it to a decent pair of speakers, wouldn't it make a difference? I mean, don't speakers make a difference in sound quality?

Thanks!

 

[sunder]

Speakers have to be mated correctly with amps. Not with source or source material. There is no such thing as best speaker for a particular type of source material.

Since you are primarily into easy listening, AR 3 speakers with Sansui amp will work well

To reduce crackle and pops, no speaker can help there. Proper cleaning can be one way. Using high frequency filters in amp could be another option but this can result in a roll off of the highs. Also use of a forgiving cartridge might help.

Prem, can we use graphic equalizer between the TT (phono pre) and amp? (both tube or SS?) will it help to reduce the high freq.noise? Generally is it recommended to manage the weak recordings of vinyl like mfp? Thanks.

 

[prem]

Speakers make a difference but it's not dependent on source material. Speakers that sound good with cd playback will also sound good with vinyl playback. That's what I meant.

Single driver, horns, electrostats, open baffle, dynamic drivers all have their strengths and weaknesses. It all boils down to personal preference. Try and hear the different kinds of speakers and see which floats your boat. That's the only way to decide

In your case I would suggest you listen to a single driver and see if it works for you. The problem with single drivers is limited frequency extension but in your case since you primarily listen to easy listening stuff it should work for you

 

[prem]

Mfp series is poorly mastered. Nothing can save it. I avoid all HFLP pressings too. I think the master used for all these pressings are the same ones used for cassettes. So there's no bass. I can't figure any other reason as to why they sound so limp

Ideally I would not recommend equalisers. Try and keep the chain as simple as possible. Concentrate on getting better source material than putting money on stuff to rectify faults

 

[prem]

IIRC the MFP series had more songs per side than most lps. The only way to do this is to cut bass so that more songs can be accommodated

 

[Deleted member 38504]

Prem thanks so much again.

I didn't quite understand what single driver means. Is it the same as full range speakers? Sorry for the ignorance!

 

[prem]

Single driver and full range driver pretty much mean the same. But technically no single driver can handle the full range from 20 to 20000 Hz. Full range speakers mean they they can handle pretty much the entire range. Full range can be dynamic drivers, horns, open baffle, ETC.

Drivers and speakers mean different things. A speaker typically means the final product. It could have one, two or more drivers.

I suggest you go down to Shafic's place and listen to his Tannoys, Saba and Goodman. You will get an idea

 

[Deleted member 38504]

I have gone to shafic bhais place quite a few times and every time he seems to astonish me more and more!

Last time I went I heard his klangfilm. I was blown away by the sound and clarity of the vocals. Clearly one of the best speakers I have heard in a long time!

Sent from my SM-G610F using Tapatalk

 

[prem]

Yes some of the older drivers like Tannoy, Altec, Klangfilm do sound very good in the right cabinet with the correct crossover.

 

[sunder]

IIRC the MFP series had more songs per side than most lps. The only way to do this is to cut bass so that more songs can be accommodated

I see. How many unknown facts! we must need to be known. Thanks Prem. Please start a thread regarding these important things about the technology and measurements were used in producing analog recording on those days. In the past you shared many things about the vinyl pressing. Thank you.
Regards.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

I have found vintage speakers properly matched with vintage amplifiers to sound best for vinyl playback. From my personal experience, some of the best combinations I have heard include KLH Model 5 and Prima Luna Prolog one, Quad 2 mono blocks with vintage 12" Philips Alinico magnet full range and quite recently I found Sansui AU 7900 match perfectly with Sansui SP X 6 speakers. Mind you , there are several other factors to take into account. The combination of cartridge/phono, quality of reproduction and the turntable /arm combination and last but not least the arm / cartridge combination

 

[greenhorn]

Mfp series is poorly mastered.

Do you mean https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_for_Pleasure_(record_label) these records? I have a bunch of UK pressings of those- and don't find them majorly compromised - at least bettter than the digital versions

 

[prem]

Greenhorn, am not referring to the UK releases. Some Indian film song compilations were released by EMI on MFP series in India. The UK MFP series by EMI is quite decent. I remember hearing a Cliff Richard compilation. Also a Shadows compilation. Both were very good

 

[kuruvilajacob]

One cannot say with assurance which labels are bad and which are not . I feel it all depends on the master to a great extent. Buying pre-used records is very unpredictable. Lot of factors are involved

 

[arj]

Adding to what Prem mentioned. and audio system should not be looked as individual components but of synergies
The two most critical ones being
1. Room + Speaker- driver size or No, placement, room size etc
2. Amp+ Speaker. right current/power to meet the room requirement
The caveat being that each needs to be well setup . the source needs to be setup the best you can manage. does not matter on its integration to any component as long as it si set up well ie on isolated optimally and good power.
With a TT of course things are a bit more complicated ! hence
- need a good tonearm (some amount of synergy with the TT), .
- need a cart which integrates well with the arm and
-needs a Phono with synergies with the Cart

there are other synergies but the above two make the biggest impact and hence make sense getting into only if you have got it right

 

[reubensm]

In my opinion, there are no speakers specific to the source. It all depends on personal choice. A lot of reviewers talk about outstanding vocals, silky tones, plush mid range, flamboyant imagery. Sounds like a dream, right? Indeed, say if you were listening to Sinatra or Nat King Cole, would sound splendid with these speaker outcomes. Imagine if you were listening to Nile Roger's DISCO flicks or Metallica with this outcome, the results may not be quite appetizing. It is better to view speaker choice from the traditional view point - room size, what you will be using to drive them, genre of music listening to, and most importantly, how one would like to hear one's music, etc rather than bothering too much about the source. Though I must say, for people like myself who use additional tweeters to bolster highs for metal listening, this arrangement can enhance ticks and pops when listening to vinyl. Hence I usually mask them when listening to vinyl (use only the speaker's default tweeters). This tip was shared by Mr.Kuruvilla when he visited some time ago, I found it very effective and continued with the approach.

 

[General_sound]

An old and interesting thread worth a revisit. I listen to a lot of old Bollywood and English records, many in mono and some poorly recorded. I did find that the old Hi Q International tt and amp combo sounded very good on its original 8" dual cone speakers, albeit at the cost of premature record wear! Subsequently, GP 390 ceramic, on a Philips GA 242 was also very good. As of now, an Audio Technica AT3600L ( tracking at around 3.5 g) or an old Philips GP 1400 (with an aftermarket spherical), aka Nag 321, sound better than some more expensive elliptical styli. I would prefer a pair of speakers with rolled of treble for older records. For newer ones, it would be a personal choice. As regards amps, a Marantz PM 6002 and Rotel RA-10, did sound very nice with old Bollywood ( naturally, speaker pairing is important). Both are ,sadly, not available now. On equalisers: many don't like them. I do use a Schitt Loki, and would like to say that it does make a discernable difference.