Most forgiving high end speaker 10k-20k?


Better high end speakers are typically so high in resolution that, while they sound superb with great and maybe even good recordings, they sound mediocre to plain bad with average recordings. Given that many people have average recordings that they enjoy, and would wish to be able to listen to most if not all of their music library, what speakers in the roughly $10k-20k realm (new price) would provide an extraordinary listening experience across the spectrum (average to good recordings especially)? Does such an animal exist?
jeffkad

Showing 3 responses by jeffkad

Sounds real, sorry, been working like crazy, traveling all over east coast. Have dropped in to read responses quickly but no time to chat.

I'm going to give a listen to the Sonus Faber and the Zu Def Mk4 (if I can find it to listen to). Like some others have stated, while I would likie to find some forgiving speakers, I dont want to be put to sleep. I still want musicality (toe tap inducing),tonality (the wood in woods, the resonance) and a forward "they are in the room" sound (not recessed, mid hall, and similar descriptions). If I dont get the last word in accuracy or detail, I'm fine with that.

Personally, I think the audio community, manufacturers and buyers alike, have become way too obsessed with absolute accuracy and to-the-last-degree detail. In fact, I'll go so far as suggesting that "absolute" accuracy is unattainable (at least at reasonable price points), and maybe many confuse pristine clarity without substance or body as some form of this accuracy. This is of course just my very humble opinion (no need to flame me if you think otherwise). Perhaps the opposite is true, maybe I confuse a little added distortion or midbass hump or tubiness/loose bass as "musicality" when in fact it just represents pleasant inaccuracy. It is what it is, but based on what I'm reading in mags, I do believe we are in an accuracy/clarity/detail fad of amp/speaker building. Again, JMHO.
PS- Sounds_real, now dont take me to task if I disappear for awhile, lol)
Hesson11: Hey Bob, I agree about the tone controls. In fact, maybe that's an answer all by itself. Maybe all we need is old fashioned "tilt" or "presence" boost to make the unlistenable once again listenable, even on a very revealing, unforgiving speaker. McIntosh preamps always had tone controls, no? The new Classe CP-800 preamp has tone controls AND parametric EQ, AND bass management. Perhaps the answer is to keep the ruthless speaker for all it does with great recordings and just EQ the bad/mediocre ones?
Hah, newbee, I think your right. Audiophiles would be EQ'ing every song, LOL!!! However, I agree it could be an answer to the issue at hand. What is the so-called "presence" region frquency-wise?