Classical speakers that do violins well??

hi duke:

i must differ with you regarding the 1.6s. i own them. they have no dip. if anything, they have a peak in the upper mid/lower treble. this a very difficult speaker to work with. the treble is over emphasized. this definitely not a speaker for reproducing strings.

you need a good electrostatic speaker to accomplish this, or perhaps an apogee duetta signature or analysis audio omega.

the original quads are the least timbrally inaccurate.
i am looking to replace my magnepan 1.6, because th treble is overpowering and there is a slight dip in the lower midrange.

it is a somewhat lean sounding speaker.

i'm sorry i can't offer a suggestion for under $2000.

gentlemen:

I use 4 ohm resistors and still have a problem. I am using a tube amp, passive preamp and tube cd player.

i realize we all hear differently. i suspect its a case of perception. I probably perceive a spectral balance which emphasizes an exaggerated treble response more often than most.

in order to do a definitive test of a speaker's ability to reproduce timbre accurately, it is necessary to record an instrument in one's living room and compare the recording to a musician's presentation of the same music.

of course one will need a musician who is willing to particpate in this experiment as well as a way to method for recording, such as an open reel tape deck, a dat, or a cd recorder. hopefully, the quality of the recording is sufficient to make a meaningful comparison.

i actually performed a simple experiment myself. admittedly not ideal, but here it is:

i used a cymbal as an instrument. you can purchase a decent cymbal for under $100.

i visited my friend who has a cd recorder. we recorded a cymbal and then compared the recording played through his stereo system to the sound of the cymbal.

yes there are flaws and the comparison is subjective.

the lesson to be learned is that there are obvious differences between the sound of an instrument and what you observe when you hear a recording of that instrument.

hi dcstep:

you are correct. one records an instrument in one's listening room using a microphone and any recording device, such as open reel, dat, cd recorder, etc. .

the tape or cd then is an input to the stereo system.

i would say that there would be a significant difference between the sound of the instrument and what you hear coming out of your speakers.

you can't use a recording without a reference, if you want to assess the "accuracy" of a stereo system.

i still maintain that the difference between real and recording would be obvious to an experienced listener.

dave, would you be up for a wager ?

if you lived near by, i would identify the source, namely either your trumept playing or a recording of your trumpet played through your stereo system.

i would bet $100 that i could tell the difference.
i have two advantages, namely the dispersion pattern of the trumpet, vs the dispersion of the sound emanating from the speakers and the difference in spl, between the recording and your playing the trumpet.

i still maintain that one would want to find a speaker which minimizes errors in reproducing timbre. regardless of the instrument, certain driver technologies are more likely to be effective in this regard. cones are not the answer. i would look for a ;light and fast driver, such as a ribbon and electrostat. in fact, i am looking for a speaker myself.
i started my search yesterday with an audition of the analysis audio omega. i do not plan to audition cone designs, but may consider a hybrid, namely the piega tc 70x, which has a ribbon mid and tweeter and 2 8 inch drivers. the cones are crossed over at 200 hz.
i am a little concerned about coherence, but i am willing to listen, noetheless.

as much as a musician has exposure to an instrument, either playing it or listening to another musician playing, aural memory is the issue. it is not reliable.

so, you need a reference. a memory is not a reference. it is a collection of experiences stored in the brain.
i would not rely on someone's memory as to what an instrument sounds like. i would prefer to hear the instrument.

if the instrument is not available, preference and opinion takes over.

hi krellm7:

if you like the iiz, you will like their newest speaker, the clx, arriving in august, to sell between $7000 and $9000. it will be more dynamic and play deeper than your speaker. call the company to get some information.