Speaker suggestions for a lakh and half

Spidey

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I am looking for suggestion for stereo speakers in range of a lakh to a lahk and half..

This is a feasilbility study for upgrade.

Possible candidates : Dyna contour/excite series, Spendor A5/6, MA Gold GS10, B&W 683(?)...

I would like to avoid speakers that are difficult to drive.
 
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I have found that after 1.5 lacs, as the price increases by manifolds the "overall satisfaction" of speakers increases only marginally.
I am using a subjective term overall satisfaction and not quality, build etc..

A 1.5 lac speaker will delight you but you would be disappointed by a 4lac+ speaker.

This i have come to know after audtioning Thiel, Proac, Linn, Dali helicon,Cadence .. and they were paired with "best" of electronics like bryston, accuphase, plinius..
 
I have found that after 1.5 lacs, as the price increases by manifolds the "overall satisfaction" of speakers increases only marginally.
I am using a subjective term overall satisfaction and not quality, build etc..

A 1.5 lac speaker will delight you but you would be disappointed by a 4lac+ speaker.

This i have come to know after audtioning Thiel, Proac, Linn, Dali helicon,Cadence .. and they were paired with "best" of electronics like bryston, accuphase, plinius..

Agreed, But could you decide any specific speaker after suditioning?
 
I honestly believe you need to put Emerald Physics on that list.

And the Usher BE718 on the same list as a Proac:rolleyes:

Selah Audio makes some decent stuff too at your price range.
 
If you are not averse to experimentation, audition a few single driver speakers from Lyrita, Audire and other companies.

Cheers
 
Care to explain the nature of your disappointment?

Caution : highly personal opinions -

I had a demo of ProAc and Linn at Banglore with their matched electronics...
but to my ears they sounded totally flat and un-exciting. (most of them tri-wired with heavy gauge spk cables size of a snake)
I would give them *** 3 stars out of 10.

Then I audtioned Cadence VA1-HP with floorstanders..
again i would give ***3 stars out of 10.

Monitor Audio Gold GS10 : ******* 7 stars out of 10

Dali Helicon 400 : ****** 6 stars out of 10.

Theil floorstanders : ****** 6 stars out of 10.


Among electronics i found Plinius and Bryston too un-inviting and neutral.
Accuphase was better in same range.

I know these findings are VERY SUBJETIVE.

So i came to know :
  • Your ears are your first judge and decide on that.
  • Dont go by prices alone.
  • Dont go by brand names alone.
  • Consider the used market also.
  • If you like a bit colored sound dont search them in high end audio.
  • You will be satisfied with lower budgets.
  • Consider room size, placement, room treatment extra also..
  • Have repeated audittions of same combos.
 
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If you like a bit colored sound dont search them in high end audio.

This point explains the enigma around hi-end stuff imo. I want to believe that an audiophile (would've put music lover - but its too generic) would upgrade to more expensive gear for better music reproduction in its purest form possible. This purity at times come at a cost called neutrality - something most might not appreciate due to the very way their ears are trained/used to hearing music; in systems that projects music between warm to bright variations.

As the editor of Gramaphone once mentioned - "It's very simple: if you think the performance justifies the price, buy it; if you don't, don't."

Cheers.
 
In fact, listening to some high end stuff, cured my upgraditis.
So what should a audiophile yearn for ....
only a hundred audtions will answer that .
Till then trial and error, buying and selling, search and search.
 
Hi,

Try Acoustic portrait (Corrson). They are selling all scan speak MTM configuration at very attractive price.

rgds,
Venuy
 
Spidey, did you audition ProAc Floorstanders or Standmount (ProAc 1SC)? I have listened both in Bangalore. The Floorstanders were unimpressive but 1SC was satisfying. Just shared my experience.

Caution : highly personal opinions -

I had a demo of ProAc and Linn at Banglore with their matched electronics...
but to my ears they sounded totally flat and un-exciting. (most of them tri-wired with heavy gauge spk cables size of a snake)
I would give them *** 3 stars out of 10.

[/LIST]
 
Caution : highly personal opinions -

Monitor Audio Gold GS10 : ******* 7 stars out of 10

Dali Helicon 400 : ****** 6 stars out of 10.

Theil floorstanders : ****** 6 stars out of 10.
[/LIST]

Hmmm. I have to listen MA GS10.
 
If i had to guess from this list, you probably like a bit more excitement in your sound - the GS10s are a bit forward too. I would highly recommend EP CS3 as well, however that would be a bit outside your budget. The Usher Mini-dancer 1 would be on the borderline as well. If I remember right, you were looking for equipment in Dubai (from a previous post)...if this is the case then I dont believe the Ushers or the EPs are available in Dubai.
Of all the points you posted below, #5 is not true...this is where a dealer should work with you to find out how to get components together to match the sound you are looking for. Remember you arent listening to the speakers in all these cases, you are listening to the system !

cheers
[email protected]

Caution : highly personal opinions -

I had a demo of ProAc and Linn at Banglore with their matched electronics...
but to my ears they sounded totally flat and un-exciting. (most of them tri-wired with heavy gauge spk cables size of a snake)
I would give them *** 3 stars out of 10.

Then I audtioned Cadence VA1-HP with floorstanders..
again i would give ***3 stars out of 10.

Monitor Audio Gold GS10 : ******* 7 stars out of 10

Dali Helicon 400 : ****** 6 stars out of 10.

Theil floorstanders : ****** 6 stars out of 10.


Among electronics i found Plinius and Bryston too un-inviting and neutral.
Accuphase was better in same range.

I know these findings are VERY SUBJETIVE.

So i came to know :
  • Your ears are your first judge and decide on that.
  • Dont go by prices alone.
  • Dont go by brand names alone.
  • Consider the used market also.
  • If you like a bit colored sound dont search them in high end audio.
  • You will be satisfied with lower budgets.
  • Consider room size, placement, room treatment extra also..
  • Have repeated audittions of same combos.
 
May be a few remember me. I am being slowly drawn back into the world of music and sound.
Looking for speakers at the indicated price of Rs 1.0 lakh (-1.5) is a bit vague unless you have similarly priced source and amplification upstream of it as the speaker is only going to reproduce what comes into it. Can we then take it that the honorary member has a decent source and amplifier(s) instead of using a Rs5000 DVD player and a Rs 10000 home theater receiver? I am forced to ask this after seeing the very low and disappointing rating given to Thiel floorstanders.

Cheers.
murali
 
I agree to Murali, and it is not just about the price range, the components have to match to produce the sound you want.

For instance, I found the Cadence floor standing speakers heavenly, when paired with their valve amp. I know someone who paired them with a high end Marantz amp(PM-11S1) and CD player(SA-11S1), despite contrary advice from Prithvi and others. Now I find the highs to be too harsh and the lows too bloated. Each of the equipment is great by itself but together they do not work.

Thanks,
Sharad
 
Do listen to the Focal Electra floorstanders. Presence, punch and energy were not lacking. However I only listened to them for about 20 minutes.
 
I would suggest for Dynaudio contour or Proac D28 response speakers. both are amazing in detail and have very good soundstage. having said that, Dynaudio is famous to be very open in nature of sound. therefore, a bad recording will always sound bad in the them. they just do not have coloration (ofcourse this is my opinion and also what experts have to say about them) the excite series from them is not good at all. so my suggestion would be to stay from that model. Now comes to proacs. they are very good company and make some really really nice speakers. one more company you can try is PMC. they make really really good speakers as well.

I hope it helps.

swatantra
 
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