@la10slgr:
I commend you on your thoughtful approach to making your choice(s) and for reaching out to other members for feedback and guidance.
My advice will match some points that have already been made, and will be contrarian in other ways. These are some things I wish I had impressed upon myself 20 years ago!
If you find this too direct, I encourage you to consider that: This is also a letter of advice to myself. : ) Which I hope makes it less personal.
1. Only you know your musical and sound performance preferences. Your room is unique. Your current system is also unique to you. How you utilize it, is also specific to you. How your partner’s sound, music and aesthetic preferences factor in are also unique.
Therefore, whatever is said, including what I am about to, should be unwaveringly evaluated through your own filters and situation.
2. Expect your sound and audio related IQ / EQ to move forward and higher (hopefully) over time and with experience.
a) Don’t get hung up on this speaker purchase being a life-time long one. Did you say that to yourself when you got the PSBs? If so, it’s a trick we often play on ourselves to justify the spend and keep the partner happy.
b) You are 43! You’ve got another 40 plus years of good hearing left in those ears of yours. Likely more with medical and tech advancements over that time period.
c) As you get more established, the discretionary spends (on anything really) generally get easier.
3. If audio is something you truly love and ARE INTO: I would, when the time is right, skip past the analogies with your ’betrothed’ and have a conversation about what you love, and enjoy, and dream of, so she realizes, IF THIS IS THE CASE, how important and essential it is to you. There will be lifelong benefits from doing so.
4. Most audio equipment is good. In fact most, even at the lowest of price-points, is remarkably good.
a) We (and I am exhibit 1.) expend a lot of time trying to figure out what is better. This isn’t necessarily a ’waste’ of time, though it depends on how the one goes about it. But it most certainly can get in the way of listening enjoyment. Figure out what balance works best for you.
b) Understand what ’enjoyment’ is and means to you.
5. Conventional advice, especially in the short history of electricity based audio, has been that the speaker is the most important component in the audio chain. Linn is known for it’s historically opposite approach.
a) I started with a full embrace of the conventional approach at the time (which btw is fracturing, or is, at the very least, not as rigid now). I wish I had not.
b) There is a very, very long chain that the electrical signals pass through before reaching the speaker.
c) Think and reflect about point b), perhaps even read up on these areas so you can decide for yourself....if it were my money, I’d spend it on the source and power supply/cabling, and see how your current speakers perform. If you are still not happy with the PSB system, then go with new speakers...your ’upgraded’ speakers will appreciate and reward you for the enhanced front end and power.
d) You may be very surprised how your PSBs (or any other reasonably priced speaker) will sound with a much higher performing front end and cleaner power. Take yours to one of your local dealers and hook them up so you can make that call for yourself.
5. The room, the room, the room. Treat it, well. : )
6. Speaker placement and seating positions.
7. Speaker isolation.
8. Speaker Cable.
9. You want to change your speakers, but you haven’t truly clarified why!!! This is from your original post (I apologize if you have clarified this further into the thread): "I recently decided to explore the option of upgrading/updating my speakers".....)
a) Your post is mainly about value, spend, and performance to price ratio. If you can dig down into WHY your are replacing the PSBs, etc., I think members will be able to give you more specific and perhaps more useful feedback.
b) The ’why’ may also help you in realizing that it might not entirely be a speaker issue.
-----------------------------------------
Despite my indirect efforts to dissuade you from a speaker spend, let me state, For full disclosure and disclaimers know and unknown, that I do own the Tekton Double Impacts and am very happy with them.
I’ll close with how I started: These are some things I wish I had impressed upon myself 20 years ago!
BUT THEN THERE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THE JOURNEY.
Happy travels. Best wishes and good luck.
I commend you on your thoughtful approach to making your choice(s) and for reaching out to other members for feedback and guidance.
My advice will match some points that have already been made, and will be contrarian in other ways. These are some things I wish I had impressed upon myself 20 years ago!
If you find this too direct, I encourage you to consider that: This is also a letter of advice to myself. : ) Which I hope makes it less personal.
1. Only you know your musical and sound performance preferences. Your room is unique. Your current system is also unique to you. How you utilize it, is also specific to you. How your partner’s sound, music and aesthetic preferences factor in are also unique.
Therefore, whatever is said, including what I am about to, should be unwaveringly evaluated through your own filters and situation.
2. Expect your sound and audio related IQ / EQ to move forward and higher (hopefully) over time and with experience.
a) Don’t get hung up on this speaker purchase being a life-time long one. Did you say that to yourself when you got the PSBs? If so, it’s a trick we often play on ourselves to justify the spend and keep the partner happy.
b) You are 43! You’ve got another 40 plus years of good hearing left in those ears of yours. Likely more with medical and tech advancements over that time period.
c) As you get more established, the discretionary spends (on anything really) generally get easier.
3. If audio is something you truly love and ARE INTO: I would, when the time is right, skip past the analogies with your ’betrothed’ and have a conversation about what you love, and enjoy, and dream of, so she realizes, IF THIS IS THE CASE, how important and essential it is to you. There will be lifelong benefits from doing so.
4. Most audio equipment is good. In fact most, even at the lowest of price-points, is remarkably good.
a) We (and I am exhibit 1.) expend a lot of time trying to figure out what is better. This isn’t necessarily a ’waste’ of time, though it depends on how the one goes about it. But it most certainly can get in the way of listening enjoyment. Figure out what balance works best for you.
b) Understand what ’enjoyment’ is and means to you.
5. Conventional advice, especially in the short history of electricity based audio, has been that the speaker is the most important component in the audio chain. Linn is known for it’s historically opposite approach.
a) I started with a full embrace of the conventional approach at the time (which btw is fracturing, or is, at the very least, not as rigid now). I wish I had not.
b) There is a very, very long chain that the electrical signals pass through before reaching the speaker.
c) Think and reflect about point b), perhaps even read up on these areas so you can decide for yourself....if it were my money, I’d spend it on the source and power supply/cabling, and see how your current speakers perform. If you are still not happy with the PSB system, then go with new speakers...your ’upgraded’ speakers will appreciate and reward you for the enhanced front end and power.
d) You may be very surprised how your PSBs (or any other reasonably priced speaker) will sound with a much higher performing front end and cleaner power. Take yours to one of your local dealers and hook them up so you can make that call for yourself.
5. The room, the room, the room. Treat it, well. : )
6. Speaker placement and seating positions.
7. Speaker isolation.
8. Speaker Cable.
9. You want to change your speakers, but you haven’t truly clarified why!!! This is from your original post (I apologize if you have clarified this further into the thread): "I recently decided to explore the option of upgrading/updating my speakers".....)
a) Your post is mainly about value, spend, and performance to price ratio. If you can dig down into WHY your are replacing the PSBs, etc., I think members will be able to give you more specific and perhaps more useful feedback.
b) The ’why’ may also help you in realizing that it might not entirely be a speaker issue.
-----------------------------------------
Despite my indirect efforts to dissuade you from a speaker spend, let me state, For full disclosure and disclaimers know and unknown, that I do own the Tekton Double Impacts and am very happy with them.
I’ll close with how I started: These are some things I wish I had impressed upon myself 20 years ago!
BUT THEN THERE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THE JOURNEY.
Happy travels. Best wishes and good luck.