Moderately high end speakers (5L)

vkalia

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363
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Hi folks -

Wanted some advice. Been out of the audio game for quite a while (mostly headphones) but am now looking to get a new amp and speakers.

Requirements for the speakers:
- Warm treble and a thick, luscious midrange
- Solid base down to 40Hz at least (can fill in the rest with a subwoofer)
- Floorstanders
- Dynamic sound, capable of re-creating an orchestra going full tilt without getting muddy - nothing analytical, no BBC monitor sound, nothing "airy or clinical" or, heaven forbid, polite.
I had heard a pair of Sonus Faber Veneres a while ago and really liked their sound palette. Looking for other options to consider.

Budget is around 5L or under, although i can go a little more for something truly special.

Also, a couple of other questions:

- I see high end gear prices in India are 50-100% more expensive than elsewhere in the world. Do the dealers negotiate off MRP, as they do with luxury watches, or do we just accept the shaft with a smile?

- Does anyone sell the Klipsch Forte III in India? That might persuade me to get my 2A3 serviced and running again.
 
Hi vkalia
If you could say more about your room size , acoustics , spl you like to hear,
You might be able to get better suited suggestions or recommendations
(Assuming that since you have a 2a3 amp - probably you might like a high sensitivity speakers)
With warm Regards
Siva
 
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Hi
On reading your initial post i was immediately going to suggest the Sonus Faber Venere as it matches very close to the sound you have described. On further reading of your post, you have already heard these and liked them.
So if budget permits beyond 5L i would recommend looking further up the Sonus range like the Olympica which are even better.
Cheers
 
Hi vkalia
If you could say more about your room size , acoustics , spl you like to hear,
You might be able to get better suited suggestions or recommendations
(Assuming that since you have a 2a3 amp - probably you might like a high sensitivity speakers)
With warm Regards
Siva

Thanks, Siva - SPL will vary, depending on what I am listening to. If a concert, it can get pretty loud during the crescendos (and that is where smaller bookshelves tend to fall apart and get muddy). Room size - moderate to large sized room, and i will have flexibility to play around with positioning and sound dampening. Worst case, i can put it in a different, smaller room - so room size is flexible and i can work it to fit the speakers.

Also, not looking for speakers for the 2A3 amp. It has been packed up for a while and while i do plan to get it repaired/fixed or maybe build it up again, right now, i just want something that is less fussy, to pair with a solid stage amp (thinking Naim).

Hi
On reading your initial post i was immediately going to suggest the Sonus Faber Venere as it matches very close to the sound you have described. On further reading of your post, you have already heard these and liked them.
So if budget permits beyond 5L i would recommend looking further up the Sonus range like the Olympica which are even better.
Cheers

Thanks for that - will check out the Olympica as well.

Any other brands i should also look at?
 
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If you are feeling adventurous, you could get them made diy, like I did. Mine are huge both physically and sonically. Can blast my ears off, with absolutely zero distortion. I was looking at speakers in the 5L+ category 3 years back, to upgrade from my pmc floor standers. And on a suggestion from a FM, I went down the diy route. I needed a lot of flexibility in the design, with the possibility of going active in the future. So the crossovers for the 3 way design, are external to the speakers. Another criteria which nudged in this direction, is that I like transmission line bass, as opposed to ported and sealed design. So my speakers were designed to exactly compliment my musical tastes, with 10 inch drivers in a TL. If your room is bigger, then the drivers can get bigger accordingly. The absolute limit in my small 11.5 x 15 ft room was 10 inches as per the designer and builder of my speakers. These are a no brand name, but I've been in love with them ever since my first listen.

On the downside, I might never be able to sell them on, as there is no brand weight behind them. So it is not a path everyone will be willing to go. Besides, just beacuse they are DIY, doesn't mean they are cheap. The crossovers alone cost close to 1L to build from imported components. So just an alternative idea to munch over :D
 
I know very little about high end speakers but I have seen Focal Kanta No. 2 being paired with Naim quite a lot on the net.
 
Seems to be a good deal, have a look
 
Hi folks -

Wanted some advice. Been out of the audio game for quite a while (mostly headphones) but am now looking to get a new amp and speakers.

Requirements for the speakers:
- Warm treble and a thick, luscious midrange
- Solid base down to 40Hz at least (can fill in the rest with a subwoofer)
- Floorstanders
- Dynamic sound, capable of re-creating an orchestra going full tilt without getting muddy - nothing analytical, no BBC monitor sound, nothing "airy or clinical" or, heaven forbid, polite.
I had heard a pair of Sonus Faber Veneres a while ago and really liked their sound palette. Looking for other options to consider.

Budget is around 5L or under, although i can go a little more for something truly special.

Also, a couple of other questions:

- I see high end gear prices in India are 50-100% more expensive than elsewhere in the world. Do the dealers negotiate off MRP, as they do with luxury watches, or do we just accept the shaft with a smile?

- Does anyone sell the Klipsch Forte III in India? That might persuade me to get my 2A3 serviced and running again.
KEF R7 or 11. KEF does dynamics and soundstage really well.
 
Hi folks -

Wanted some advice. Been out of the audio game for quite a while (mostly headphones) but am now looking to get a new amp and speakers.

Requirements for the speakers:
- Warm treble and a thick, luscious midrange
- Solid base down to 40Hz at least (can fill in the rest with a subwoofer)
- Floorstanders
- Dynamic sound, capable of re-creating an orchestra going full tilt without getting muddy - nothing analytical, no BBC monitor sound, nothing "airy or clinical" or, heaven forbid, polite.
I had heard a pair of Sonus Faber Veneres a while ago and really liked their sound palette. Looking for other options to consider.

Budget is around 5L or under, although i can go a little more for something truly special.

Also, a couple of other questions:

- I see high end gear prices in India are 50-100% more expensive than elsewhere in the world. Do the dealers negotiate off MRP, as they do with luxury watches, or do we just accept the shaft with a smile?

- Does anyone sell the Klipsch Forte III in India? That might persuade me to get my 2A3 serviced and running again.

I think Fortes are in a new version is IV now. I believe cinebels sells klipsch. you do need a full range speaker for what you are looking for.

yes you can negotiate but dealers do have to pay customs etc as well so do expect at least a 20% premium

Another speaker to consider are by Tekton, they have everything and can also run with your 2A3. While they do not really have a dealer their process are reasonable and ship to india and considering their price, even if you pay full duty of 70% still lower than your budget..

Lowest risk is to buy what you heard ie the sonus faber but then you do need to find a matching amp as well.
 
Sorry for disappearing, guys - i didnt get any notification of replies and was traveling.

I need to check and make sure my 2A3 amp is working, to start with. Need to have it shipped over to Bangalore - will do so and see what happens. If it works, that becomes my office setup.

Arj - thanks for the suggestion of the Tektons. I did some googling - the reviews are a bit mixed. I am a bit hesitant to go chasing the perfect sound again, so i think i will try to buy something that i can audition first. Appreciate the tip re pricing, as well. Dont mind paying a premium - but 50-100% is a bit too much! 20% is more tolerable, even if it is a bit higher than for other luxury goods.

DB1989 - thanks for that suggestion. Will try those KEFs out.

Anshul - whoa, that is very helpful, thank you!!

Manohar - I DIYed my amp. Spent a couple of months putting together all the parts (trannies from Magnequest, premium caps and resistors, etc) and it sounded lovely. Going by parts cost, it would have been the equivalent of a $5k+ amp, back in the 90s and sounded like it. So not opposed to the idea at all... just have doubts about my ability to pull it off, as woodworking is a skill i do not have. And i think judging cabinet resonance and its impact on sound quality requires more technical ability than i possess.
 
Actually, you're the only one that can do it :) Just instigating... There is much to be gained from learning about cabinet sounds and you really only have to spend the time once because once you hear it, you can never Unhear those things. Takes a couple/three hours a couple times and serves you for life. You will begin to find everything unlistenable :) If you are open at all to DIY speakers, I would definitely help steer you (or anyone) to avoid mistakes I made. If you choose a proven project, it can be less-expensive with great chances for success. The "cabinet-stuff" is about refinement. Good speakers now mostly have pretty good cabinets as a rule, but a good deal of what is called "warmth" can be walls radiating (and enough to shift tonal balances).
 
Actually, you're the only one that can do it :) Just instigating... There is much to be gained from learning about cabinet sounds and you really only have to spend the time once because once you hear it, you can never Unhear those things. Takes a couple/three hours a couple times and serves you for life. You will begin to find everything unlistenable :) If you are open at all to DIY speakers, I would definitely help steer you (or anyone) to avoid mistakes I made. If you choose a proven project, it can be less-expensive with great chances for success. The "cabinet-stuff" is about refinement. Good speakers now mostly have pretty good cabinets as a rule, but a good deal of what is called "warmth" can be walls radiating (and enough to shift tonal balances).

Fair enough. I actually have the Loudspeaker cookbook somewhere. Let me pull it out and check out some projects there.
 
I would suggest well-proven ALTEC A7-8 bass horn / twp-ways will probably be your best solution. A professional horn speaker, and not any consumer type. Mine is in a 12 by 15.5 foot listening room. Enclosure plans are published on line. Ask me about a few small but important changes to make, before commencing.

Jeff

 
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Hi folks -

Wanted some advice. Been out of the audio game for quite a while (mostly headphones) but am now looking to get a new amp and speakers.

Requirements for the speakers:
- Warm treble and a thick, luscious midrange
- Solid base down to 40Hz at least (can fill in the rest with a subwoofer)
- Floorstanders
- Dynamic sound, capable of re-creating an orchestra going full tilt without getting muddy - nothing analytical, no BBC monitor sound, nothing "airy or clinical" or, heaven forbid, polite.
I had heard a pair of Sonus Faber Veneres a while ago and really liked their sound palette. Looking for other options to consider.

Budget is around 5L or under, although i can go a little more for something truly special.

Also, a couple of other questions:

- I see high end gear prices in India are 50-100% more expensive than elsewhere in the world. Do the dealers negotiate off MRP, as they do with luxury watches, or do we just accept the shaft with a smile?

- Does anyone sell the Klipsch Forte III in India? That might persuade me to get my 2A3 serviced and running again.
I listen to quite a bit of symphony and orchestra (Mahler, Beethoven, Stravinsky), both at home and in halls whenever I travel.
My speakers are Dali Rubicons. They do immense justice in scale, treble, soundstage. Fast and tight bass, easily going down below 40 Hz. It could be more resolving at the upper registers, but I feel the problem is with my amp. They are anything but polite, (lots of LZ, Sabbath, AC/DC), inspite of being paired with a Marantz (PM8006).
Most importantly its extremely tonally accurate. Martha Argerich's piano or Oistrach's violin is tonally rich, textured and with very accurate timings.
And I haggled till the price was lesser than what is listed at richersounds.com.
I'm waiting for ladyluck to shine on me to get a Luxman or similar, as those speakers can take in much more than Marantz.
 
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Thanks for the suggestions - as an update, i have a temporary placeholder in the form of Sonus Faber Lumina IIs and a sub. They are great little speakers and while they have their limits at high volumes, they have taken away the urgency of finding the end game system. Lack of time to audition stuff has been a big issue.

I finally did get my 2A3 serviced and plan to go listen to Indiqs and also Klipsch Heresy/Fortes in the next few weeks. I suspect my end game system will come whenever i can find speakers for it. @drlowmu - Thanks for that tip. The Altec project also intrigues me (i think that would get me closest to my much-missed Klipschorns) although i will need to source both drivers and find a source who can make the cabinets with a level of finishing that is good enough for the living room.

That said, i do want to get a decent solid state rig as well for times i want to crank Metallica or Sabbath. @Lizard King I have heard that Dali’s tend to be a bit bright - has that been the case for you?
 
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