Speaker suggestions for a lakh and half
- Thread starter Spidey
- Start date
Although i have not listened to ProAc Response D2 speaker, but could listen to Proac response 1SC at Prithvi's place. It was amazingly detailed and have very good soundstage. This speaker is an absolute marvel for a small sized room 150-170 sq ft.
I have also listened BE-718 with Leben 600 series Amps. It is no doubt a very good speaker. But somehow ProAc 1SC foumd to be more attractive to me than BE-718. Of couse, it may be my personal choice. Somebody may prefer BE-718 over ProAc 1SC.
BTW where PMC speakers in India can be auditioned? Any dealer of PMC in Delhi area?
I have also listened BE-718 with Leben 600 series Amps. It is no doubt a very good speaker. But somehow ProAc 1SC foumd to be more attractive to me than BE-718. Of couse, it may be my personal choice. Somebody may prefer BE-718 over ProAc 1SC.
BTW where PMC speakers in India can be auditioned? Any dealer of PMC in Delhi area?
reignofchaos
Well-Known Member
To do justice to the Contours, you need amplification which will cost more than what the speaker costs. If you do manage to set them up properly though, they sing beautifully. They'll leave you completely spellbound!
However with cheapo amps, they are no good!
However with cheapo amps, they are no good!
Spidey
What amp and CD player are you using? How large is your room?
Generally, the more expensive the speakers, the more revealing of the quality of the components upstream.
I had been bitten by upgraditis for some time but was worried that the incremental returns I get in terms of sound quality from more expensive speakers may not be worth paying the extra bucks. Boy, was I proved wrong.
About a month back, I moved from Dynaudio Audience 82s to Amphion Prio 620 floorstanders. The speakers are designed by the founder of Gamut and are made in Finland. They are much much more expensive than the Dyns but these speakers are in a different league with truly amazing sound quality. The speakers are a benign load (relatively flat impedance curve and a sensitivity of 90db). I am driving the speakers with the Cayin A88t tube amp (22 W RMS in triode mode) with a Rega Planet CD player. The amp just shines with these speakers. I am now listening to music instead of listening to a music system. These speakers are extremely transparent/detailed across the frequency band and fast with great timing but yet mellow and delicate (including the high frequencies). There is no compression at all at loud volumes and the music just soars without tiring your ears. Just no listener fatigue at all. For want of a better word, they are just delicious and musical. A part of this is due to the low crossover at 1.2khz resluting in the preservation of the midrange frequency signals where most of the critical music (voice particularly) lies. The only downside is that bass in extremely dynamic classical symphonies (10% of my music) does get soft at high volumes. This is due to the low-powered amp which does not have the adequate juice and is not the fault of the speaker. My room is also large (15'x25')
The Amphion Prio 520s could be in your price range but they are floor standers and require a medium sized room atleast.
Some other speakers to consider:
Dynaudio Focus Series: Dyns are a difficult load to drive (I know since I have owned them), but with the right amplifier and CD player they are very good.
Magnepans: Damn good speakers with a beautiful midrange quality but require a high powered amp and harsh with the wrong components. Not sure of their price range though.
PSBs: Good and smooth speakers but some of the floorstanders I have heard (not sure of the model) had a slight mid-bass emphasis resulting in a warmish sound.
Suggest you try the speakers your are finally going for with your components if possible to check for system synergy.
Just my 10 paise.
What amp and CD player are you using? How large is your room?
Generally, the more expensive the speakers, the more revealing of the quality of the components upstream.
I had been bitten by upgraditis for some time but was worried that the incremental returns I get in terms of sound quality from more expensive speakers may not be worth paying the extra bucks. Boy, was I proved wrong.
About a month back, I moved from Dynaudio Audience 82s to Amphion Prio 620 floorstanders. The speakers are designed by the founder of Gamut and are made in Finland. They are much much more expensive than the Dyns but these speakers are in a different league with truly amazing sound quality. The speakers are a benign load (relatively flat impedance curve and a sensitivity of 90db). I am driving the speakers with the Cayin A88t tube amp (22 W RMS in triode mode) with a Rega Planet CD player. The amp just shines with these speakers. I am now listening to music instead of listening to a music system. These speakers are extremely transparent/detailed across the frequency band and fast with great timing but yet mellow and delicate (including the high frequencies). There is no compression at all at loud volumes and the music just soars without tiring your ears. Just no listener fatigue at all. For want of a better word, they are just delicious and musical. A part of this is due to the low crossover at 1.2khz resluting in the preservation of the midrange frequency signals where most of the critical music (voice particularly) lies. The only downside is that bass in extremely dynamic classical symphonies (10% of my music) does get soft at high volumes. This is due to the low-powered amp which does not have the adequate juice and is not the fault of the speaker. My room is also large (15'x25')
The Amphion Prio 520s could be in your price range but they are floor standers and require a medium sized room atleast.
Some other speakers to consider:
Dynaudio Focus Series: Dyns are a difficult load to drive (I know since I have owned them), but with the right amplifier and CD player they are very good.
Magnepans: Damn good speakers with a beautiful midrange quality but require a high powered amp and harsh with the wrong components. Not sure of their price range though.
PSBs: Good and smooth speakers but some of the floorstanders I have heard (not sure of the model) had a slight mid-bass emphasis resulting in a warmish sound.
Suggest you try the speakers your are finally going for with your components if possible to check for system synergy.
Just my 10 paise.
JAMO C809, excellent for music /movies , needs a fair amount of power though -----pair it with vincentSP331MK power amp/ SA31MK pre for outstanding results
square_wave
Well-Known Member
neo
Active Member
@square wave you might have heard the old designs the new one are much better.
@spidey. You do have a long list of components to audiotion but i suggest you mention the rest of your chain, your room size, your prefrence in music. sound, your location etc.
It would be more worthwhile for everyone.
All the best
Regards
Cheers
@spidey. You do have a long list of components to audiotion but i suggest you mention the rest of your chain, your room size, your prefrence in music. sound, your location etc.
It would be more worthwhile for everyone.
All the best
Regards
Cheers
Here is list of some of the speakers i want opinion on :
( I am quoting reviews out of net for rough guideline)
Spendor A6
Spendor A5
Dynaudio Excite X32
For
ATC SCM 11
Dynaudio Focus 110
For
ProAc Studio 110
( I am quoting reviews out of net for rough guideline)
Spendor A6
- Outstanding speakers without any obvious flaws. In fact, they dont have any obscure flaws either. These Spendors are true must-hear hi-fi.
- Rousing musicality on all levels; attractive in a squat kind of way; unfussy about room positioning
Spendor A5
For- A punchy, exciting delivery; deep, powerful bass; great balance and organisation; compact dimensions and excellent build
Against - Only that such sensitivity means youll need a powerful amp when playing music at high volumes
Dynaudio Excite X32
For
- A brilliantly balanced, natural delivery; genuine scale, weight and authority; lovely delivery of vocals
- Lack of clarity at very high volumes
ATC SCM 11
- Youll never tire of listening to a pair of speakers that sound as natural as the SCM11s. A truly remarkable speaker.
- For
- Honest and natural-sounding; beautifully balanced; great detail
Dynaudio Focus 110
For
- Powerful sound; surprising amount of bass authority for little boxes; fine timing; great build and finish
- Against
- Bass can be a touch heavy-handed if care isnt taken with positioning and system-matching
ProAc Studio 110
- With the right system, these speakers are nothing less than spectacular
longshanks
Well-Known Member
I ve heard the ATC SCM 11 and even with an average amp it sounded excellent. It is the only speaker that ive heard which showed a high degree of difference when any component in the chain is changed.
The most neutral and less coloured speakers ive ever heard.
You may want to add the Totem Mani and the JM lab Electra bookshelf to that list. One might love or hate them depending upon their listening preference.
The most neutral and less coloured speakers ive ever heard.
You may want to add the Totem Mani and the JM lab Electra bookshelf to that list. One might love or hate them depending upon their listening preference.
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neo
Active Member
navin advani
Well-Known Member
Sachi I find myself in the same predicament you were in. I used to DIY loduspeakers but that was when I was single, had no real work, and no other family obligations.
So when I need a new pair of speakers I started looking at branded speakers. My living room (about 550 sq. ft.) speaker would see more HT use than 2-ch use so I shortlisted the Focal 836, Paradigms Studio 100 and Monitor Audio RX8. Are there any other floor standers in the 1.5L range you'd recommend? The subwoofer would be Rhythmik's DS1500 CI kit.
I figured for 2-ch duty I'd get another pair (for about 2.5L) for the bedroom (about 270 sq. ft). For this use I thought about Monitor Audio's GX300 or KEF's R900. I even considered stretching and getting the Sonus Faber's Liuto, Tannoy's Definition 8T or maybe even the Spendor A9. What about direct to customer brands like Salk's Veracity? Where in South Mumbai can one even audition Sonus Faber, Tannoy or Spendor? What do these speakers cost in India?
Being a DIYer I started looking at designs from Troels, Zaph and Tony Gee. I figured a good design would only involve me building and that means only 20% of the work and importing only drivers and crossovers would reduce the shipping costs and duty burden. I also considered the OB7 kit from Danny Richie but it did not suit my requirement. Then I stumbled into Selah Audio. More specifically the Selah Peridot, S6, and RC4 (I love those SEAS Excel mids). The advantage of DIYing would be that if I found the tonal balance not to my liking it can be changed (a bit and with assitance from the designer in this case Rick Craig).
I have shortlisted the following Selah speakers.
Living Room: using the NAD 748 with 955 power amp
Front: Peridot
Center: low profile (8" tall x 28" wide) but visually and sonically matching the Peridot
Rear: S6
The Bedroom: using the Arcam AVR400 (or NAD 777)
Front: RC4 (without subwoofer)
Phantom center (due to space limitations).
Rear: S6.
Does anyone on HFV know how Selah's designs compare to the brands mentioned above?
Mods, I figured instead of starting a new thread I could continue on Sachi's thread. If you prefer a new thread please move this post to an appropirate thread. Thanks.
Hi navin,
what kind of music do u listen to. a lot would depend upon that. e.g. a classic rock lover would probably prefer something from the paul carmody stable over something from zaph stable.
You should also check out designs from dennis murphy (he did salk sound speakers), jeff bagby (i have his continuums, they also sell at salk site, awesome bookshelves, need a sub though).
troels also has some real good designs, his new ones (jensen series?) are big monsters, but are supposedly super.
what kind of music do u listen to. a lot would depend upon that. e.g. a classic rock lover would probably prefer something from the paul carmody stable over something from zaph stable.
You should also check out designs from dennis murphy (he did salk sound speakers), jeff bagby (i have his continuums, they also sell at salk site, awesome bookshelves, need a sub though).
troels also has some real good designs, his new ones (jensen series?) are big monsters, but are supposedly super.
panditji
Well-Known Member
Please try and audition the Harbeth Compact 7 ES3 as they are speakers who can work with any electronics and still give you 80% of their potential performance.... They are lively and will make you fall in love with your music.....
navin advani
Well-Known Member
Music itself is broken up about like this...
50% classic rock
20% Jazz
20% Western classical
10% world music
but...the living room system will be 30% music and 70% DVD/Broadcast TV and the bedroom system will be 70% music and 30% DVD/Boradcast TV
I like many of Troels designs. The DTQWT in a superb design and it's not much larger than Selah's Peridot / RC4 (about 4" deeper). The kit however does not contain the bass drivers and the Deltalite drivers (US SPeaker is probably the best source).
I am looking at floor standers.
Usually the 50% classic rock doesnt go very well with the other 50% (classical, jazz etc) in terms of speakers. What you can do is go for classic rock + movies speakers in your hall, but make the bed room system for the other stuff.
Dennis murphy is a performing artist, he also sells speakers at philharmonic audio. His speakers are usually voiced for classical music, i believe so is the case with jeff bagby, zaph and markk. Dont know how troels voices his speakers.
IIRC the dtqwt is a pretty complicated build. I personally prefer sealed, ported or mltl due to the simplicity and lack of faith in most of the carpenter's skills.
Are you considering rick's kits or speakers? You should also check out clearwave from jed k. He also has an awesome seas excel design thats open source. Uses open baffle for dipole mids and tweets. Its called the tombstones, here is the link. http://htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=29944&page=1&pp=35
Dennis murphy is a performing artist, he also sells speakers at philharmonic audio. His speakers are usually voiced for classical music, i believe so is the case with jeff bagby, zaph and markk. Dont know how troels voices his speakers.
IIRC the dtqwt is a pretty complicated build. I personally prefer sealed, ported or mltl due to the simplicity and lack of faith in most of the carpenter's skills.
Are you considering rick's kits or speakers? You should also check out clearwave from jed k. He also has an awesome seas excel design thats open source. Uses open baffle for dipole mids and tweets. Its called the tombstones, here is the link. http://htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=29944&page=1&pp=35
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Hi,
Why don't you consider Heco Speaker. They are fabulous. You can look at Metas XT 701 in your budget.
Heco - Sophisticated Sound: Metas XT
If you can pair this with Exposure Amp, Nothing can beat. Try it.
Why don't you consider Heco Speaker. They are fabulous. You can look at Metas XT 701 in your budget.
Heco - Sophisticated Sound: Metas XT
If you can pair this with Exposure Amp, Nothing can beat. Try it.
navin advani
Well-Known Member
The 757 or 777 would not provide the power I need. The 955 gives me 200W for the front channels and another 100 for the center and still lets the 748 drive the rear.
I am sure the Heco speakers are good but "nothing can beat it" is rather bold statement.
I knwo what you mean but I have used the same pair of speakers for classic rock and classical/jazz etc. My last pair were MTMs using the 18W8546 and 9900. Prior to that were another pair of MTMs using the Focal 8N515 and Morel MDT33. Both worked well for all music (both had subs for the bass the 18W had DV12s at 100Hz and the 8N515 had a 2245 at 63Hz). I believe Danny Richie, Dennis Murphy, Jim Salk or Rick Craig et. al. build speakers for all music.
Absolutely agee that the DTQWT is a mad build. Besides it is way too big. My wife would bury me in them.
I have written to Rick. Lets see what he recommends.
Meanwhile I have also opened a similar topic on diyaudio.
Selah Audio for ex-DIYer. - diyAudio
Many thanks for the tombstones link. I had forgotten about those.
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navin advani
Well-Known Member
Big horns na? then again is Blumenhofer is DIY?
Just kidding The Fun 17 would be up my alley if they priced it right.
For excellent sound that won't break the bank, the 5 Star Award Winning Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Bookshelf Speakers is the one to consider!
