To enjoy Pink Floyd...

[shibashis]

This is my very personal experience, the opinions reached here in this post are also the result of possibly lesser experience in the field than many others, but I wish to share them and get some pointers.

I listen to classic rock, blues-rock, Rabindrasangeet, Suman and some Anjan Dutta in Bengali and Indian classical. I am in the hunt for a stereo setup than what I already posses. About 10 months or so back I picked up my beloved Zensor 1s, back then I auditioned Wharfedale 10.1, Dali Lektor, Zensor, Jamo (606 I think it was) and Triangle Colors. The KEF Q300 were out of my budget so did not audition them, could not find Monitor Audio in Kolkata and so could not.
I have found that in my collection of music it is most difficult to represent Pink Floyd properly, in other words the setup (amp + speaker) which handled everything else almost perfectly (the strings of Neil Young, the baritone timbre of Leonard Cohen's voice and the soulful guitar of B B King), failed in Pink Floyd. Either it was too bright or it was confusing to follow the music. The instruments get lost, so do the rhythm as the music is so very complex in certain cases. The at-your-face aggressive presentation has never worked with Pink Floyd. The only time I was actually 'wowed' with Pink Floyd was with the Triangle Colours and Cambridge Audio 651A + CA Azure CD player. The Lektors were not bad either but I settled for the Zensor 1s as they fell in my budget.

Since then the Zensor 1s have given me great pleasure and these are little pieces of diamonds at this price (no pun to the Wharfe Diamond line!), I love them, I really do.

As I am leaning to a better quality stereo setup, I am looking for speakers again.
Budget : 30K
Source: Flacs mostly / 320 Kbps mp3, Foobar, Dell laptop with Fiio Andes as DAC. Perhaps should mention that the Fiio is a smooth sounding DAC at a very cheap price point, it is smooth to the point of being unexciting, but quite detailed. I have to push both bass and treble a little to make it sound exciting, but can not complain the detailing revealed at meager 7k.
Room size: 10 x 11
Amplifier: At the moment Sonodyne Sia 320, will upgrade 3-4 months down the line, leaning toward CA Azur 651A.

I have heard now,

PSB Image B6: liked them, paired with NAD 326. Forceful, wide sound stage and exciting, but perhaps was missing the refinement I am looking for.

PSB Alpha B1 : Smaller brother to the B6, impressive sound stage again especially considering their size. Seemed to have been running out of steam with more complex interplay of instruments. Decent but that is about it. Both with B1 and B6 nice top end, slightly rolled off, not harsh and pleasing, more open with the B6 of course. This could be due to the NAD amp.

Elac BS : Forgetting the model number, but has to be their very entry level model, priced at 18000/pair, this had great beautiful lucid top end but the rest of it all was sheer disappointment. Not even in my consideration.

Polk RTi A3 : Spacious imaging, gives you an impression of fullness in the music, liked that. But missed the lucid mid range that I am wishing for. At ProFx it was paired with Denon amplifier and a Pionner LX series AVR. With old hindi numbers the pairing with Pioneer LX sounded quite nice, enveloping and detailed, but again lot to be desired when Shine on You Crazy Diamond was played. I think they go quite low albeit a little on the muddier side, but mids were recessed and the top not as open and airy as I would like, for example the strings at the start of Wish You Were Here did not take a hold of you as they did with Image B6.

Even then if I am to choose from what I have heard, I would go with the Image B6 and Polk in the second place. My issue is and this is the biggest one, my Zensor 1 sound as good as the Image B6 if not better! So I have not really found anything that can tell me precisely that this is money well spent.

So I am looking for suggestions from you as to what else to hear, which way should I go, suggest me some names and models. Long post, sorry about that. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[reignofchaos]

You should try to listen to an ATC SCM7 which is the cheapest ATC loudspeaker one can buy. Not cheap compared to the rest of the stuff you are auditioning but maybe could could find a good deal on a used/demo piece. Floyd was mastered on ATC and sounds best on them.

Also make sure you get to pair it with a good amp/source.

 

[mpw]

How about a good pair of headphones and a sansa flac player ?

 

[asliarun]

I love listening to Floyd in audio shows too instead of jazz and classical that everyone plays.

I heard Tyler Acoustics Highland H3s that sounded stunning. While the speakers are not available outside the US or even in the price point, they had scanspeak drivers which I think contributed a lot to the sound.

So my long winded way of saying that you could consider scanspeak based speakers. Perhaps a kit??

 

[shibashis]

How about a good pair of headphones and a sansa flac player ?

I know what you mean and to be honest Floyd probably sounds the best with my ATH-M50 at the moment in conjunction with the Fiio DAC/headphone amp.
The ATH-M50 certainly is not the best out there, but it sounds well for me.
However I do wish for a proper stereo system, the inclination toward this stereo system has other contributing factors as well. For example this will be kept in the bedroom so that wife can enjoy occasional oldies, and since this will be a stereo setup I wish it to serve my purpose.

 

[shibashis]

You should try to listen to an ATC SCM7 which is the cheapest ATC loudspeaker one can buy. Not cheap compared to the rest of the stuff you are auditioning but maybe could could find a good deal on a used/demo piece. Floyd was mastered on ATC and sounds best on them.

Also make sure you get to pair it with a good amp/source.

No idea where to hear or get the ATC, that makes things difficult, I would be willing toward a used piece. For that matter I am willing to go with used gear if that fits the bill.

 

[shibashis]

I love listening to Floyd in audio shows too instead of jazz and classical that everyone plays.

I heard Tyler Acoustics Highland H3s that sounded stunning. While the speakers are not available outside the US or even in the price point, they had scanspeak drivers which I think contributed a lot to the sound.

So my long winded way of saying that you could consider scanspeak based speakers. Perhaps a kit??

I am not a DIYer (sad smile), so if I am to get a kit then that would be quite a project, not saying that I could not, but that will be a long-drawn and involving project. At the moment can not devote such time. Thanks for the suggestion though something to keep in mind for the future.
Perhaps I am looking for instant gratification, as bad as that sounds that is the case!

 

[Cherian]

Maybe a bit off topic, since I have no stereo set up suggestions. And do ignore if this is redundant info.

The Immersion Box Sets (DSOM, WYWH and The Wall) may give a significantly more dramatic output compared to stereo from a good 5.1 surround set up. There are original Quadrophonic and 5.1 mix options in the box

I tried some of them through my low end Onkyo AVR but did not seem an improvement over open-backed headphones.

 

[soulforged]

For Floyd, I'd prefer a slight warmish setup that is capable of producing big, airy sound...

I used to have a single-driver DIY setup using Fostex 206e in a BiB enclosure, it used to put up a huge immersive show! Pulse or Delicate Sounds...sounded mega!!!

Now I have a pair of Harbeth and they have a very airy presentation...combined with the Naim bite, the floyd sound just eats you up...would love to listen to them with a good tube amp...see what that does :licklips:

 

[Ambio]

Maybe a bit off topic, since I have no stereo set up suggestions. And do ignore if this is redundant info.

The Immersion Box Sets (DSOM, WYWH and The Wall) may give a significantly more dramatic output compared to stereo from a good 5.1 surround set up. There are original Quadrophonic and 5.1 mix options in the box

I tried some of them through my low end Onkyo AVR but did not seem an improvement over open-backed headphones.

I agree. I used demo DSOTM in multi channel SACD and it sounded so much better than the stereo.

 

[reignofchaos]

No idea where to hear or get the ATC, that makes things difficult, I would be willing toward a used piece. For that matter I am willing to go with used gear if that fits the bill.

Call up cinema focus chennai and find if they have a dealer in Kolkata.

 

[prem]

Hi Shibashis

I am not familiar with the model reignofchaos is recommending but normally ATC will demand top of the line electronics. A Cambridge Audio amp and the DAC you are using will normally not cut ice with an ATC speaker

 

[reignofchaos]

Hi Shibashis

I am not familiar with the model reignofchaos is recommending but normally ATC will demand top of the line electronics. A Cambridge Audio amp and the DAC you are using will normally not cut ice with an ATC speaker

Yes totally agree with you. However the scm7 is the smallest and easiest to drive ATC. Might just about work with basic amps and will scale well when electronics are upgraded.

 

[shibashis]

For Floyd, I'd prefer a slight warmish setup that is capable of producing big, airy sound...

I used to have a single-driver DIY setup using Fostex 206e in a BiB enclosure, it used to put up a huge immersive show! Pulse or Delicate Sounds...sounded mega!!!

Now I have a pair of Harbeth and they have a very airy presentation...combined with the Naim bite, the floyd sound just eats you up...would love to listen to them with a good tube amp...see what that does :licklips:

Agree completely about the need for slightly warmish setup with big sound, that would be just ideal and just what I would want, but as you can imagine I can not afford Harbeth or Naim or some of the other names being mentioned here. Well, that is the truth for the moment, maybe a couple of years down the line...what can I then do at this moment to satisfy my Floydian urges?

 

[shibashis]

@reignofchaos : Thanks for the suggestion but probably there is no point because I think I will hardly get a used piece form a dealer, and can not afford a new ATC.

@prem: Thank you for pointing that out, but as you can see I am on fairly limited strings here, at this point at least am limited to 30K, perhaps can stretch another 5K but not more.
Oh there has to be something for poor souls like me, have mercy!

 

[soulforged]

You could look at speakers/amp made by Viren of Lyrita audio...single driver plus tube sound might just do the trick. Or look at something like the DIY build here...

Also Seranata audio by Satyaki...

 

[prem]

Hi Shibashis

I dont think the problem is with your speaker.
Check your source material again. Try another Flac or wav rip. With Floyd, its important that all the layers of music get separated. To do that you need a good dac. I am not familiar with your dac. But try another dac in your system. If both your source material and source seem fine, look at your amp. The amp could be your shortcoming. Pl understand if anywhere in the chain the layers are not separated then you will experience brightness. I think the problem is somewhere else in the chain and not with the speakers

 

[dheerajin]

as others indicated, there will be no immediate upgrade with any of the component...
but as you know your system better...go with your gut feeling..go with speaker upgrade considering first your room size..
..for source try to listen your with headphones and try to get another amp to check the difference..

for small scale ,check each component with headphone if possible..
I know people with amps like sonodyne and smaller bookshelves are much satisfied as compared to bigger amp and speaker
with same room dimensions ..so whatever you have is the best at the moment as you described..

so wait for the used bookshelf or audition in your city lugging your amp and source...you will definitely
get the results much better...

for listening to pink Floyd system(source+amp+spkr) should have good sound-stage..

just for a change in your city try speakers with aluminium enclosure(sonodyne-check website)...best to sound with pink Floyd..IMO..

decision is yours..
cheers

 

[Nikhil]

As I am leaning to a better quality stereo setup, I am looking for speakers again.
Budget : 30K
Source: Flacs mostly / 320 Kbps mp3, Foobar, Dell laptop with Fiio Andes as DAC. Perhaps should mention that the Fiio is a smooth sounding DAC at a very cheap price point, it is smooth to the point of being unexciting, but quite detailed. I have to push both bass and treble a little to make it sound exciting, but can not complain the detailing revealed at meager 7k.
Room size: 10 x 11
Amplifier: At the moment Sonodyne Sia 320, will upgrade 3-4 months down the line, leaning toward CA Azur 651A.

Given the above criteria, I would recommend the Usher S-520.
It comes in bang at your price point of 30K from ARN, Bangalore

Loudspeaker_S-520

Good luck with your search!!

 

[asliarun]

Hi Shibashis,

I just remembered that one of the forum members, Suman Jana, who also lives in Kolkata, had designed a Scanspeak based kit. He was selling his kit design in Madisound. But most relevant for you, he was also offering fully assembled and fully builtup speakers at cost. He had also created a thread about the same.

Usually, the sound quality from these kinds of assembled speakers far outperforms most commercial options as the quality of components is higher (and less overhead, of course).