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Advice about warm, gentle speakers...


Help. I need to use a home theater system for 2 channel music. The system is based on a mid-level Denon DVD player and a Denon receiver and right now the ONLY variable I can change is the brand of front left and right speakers (presently Paradigm Titans). I would like to get something that can soften the digital glare (besides turning down the treble!). The speakers need to be either monitors or small floor standers and I am aiming for a price less than $4,000 new or used. Finally, I am not in a location where I can audition different brands so I hope to narrow it down to a few choices for in-home trials. I listen to all types of music but not louder than about 80-85 db. From reviewing the forums it appears that more “serene” brands include Green Mountain, Spendor, Sonus Faber and Vienna Acoustics. I really appreciate any input on this—thanks in advance for the advice.
aitchnu

Showing 3 responses by drseid

drseid
201 posts
 
I have heard most of the speaker brands you are looking at and I think you are on the right track... I have specifically heard both speakers from Vienna and SF on a Denon 3805 and I had very different results... The SF Grand Piano Homes (the model line before SF switched to the new Domus lines) surprisingly sounded *very* good with the Denon, and I can easily recommend that combo. The VAs by contrast (I think the model was Mozart) sounded lifeless and dull... definitely a bad combo to my ears at least.

As for Spendor and GMA, I love both brands, and highly recommend them (the Spendor 3/1Ps and GMA Callistos are particular favorites of mine). That said, I heard them both powered by high-end tube amps, so I don't know how they would fare with a Denon receiver.

---Dave
drseid
201 posts
 
They are warmer, but they aren't more forgiving IMO. I have tried my various Tylers on several pieces of electronics at various price points and manufacturers... Each time the speakers revealed differences in the electronics feeding them to my ears, at least. As such, I am not saying Tyler/Denon is a bad match (as that is not a combo I tried), but only to be careful there as the Tylers will reveal the Denon's character through them, and that may or may not be a good thing.
drseid
201 posts
 
I hope you did not misinterpret my post as an attack on your analysis Jerry... That definitely was not my intent. My point was that a Denon/Tyler combo may not give the results the OP is looking for, as the Tylers will reveal the character of the source electronics quite readily. The same can be said of GMAs, I am sure (and I too am a big fan of those as well). I have only heard the Callistos on a Manley Steelhead (that was a perfect match, I might add), but have no experience as to their sound differences on various electronics as I don't own them and only heard them on one system. No offense or attack was intended.

---Dave
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