New Bookshelf speakers u love 3k to 6k

I'm presently breaking in some Clearwave Duet 6 monitors and they're at the $3K range you mentioned. These are some truly remarkable speakers that come across as so naturally balanced, top to bottom, that this is the first time I won't even consider a sub.

In room measurements done with a RatShack SPL meter bears this out and I did it from the listening position and about 1M from the speakers. I'm getting measurable response all the way down to 31.5Hz from these beauties and there's no bloat (this is at comfortable listening levels averaging in the mid 60s SPL) From 1Khz down to 50Hz it's +/-2 db, 60db @40Hz and [email protected].

I know this is a rough example and I only used test tones from an old Stereophile test CD but it goes a long way towards explaining the full and balanced sound I'm getting. I haven't heard sound like this from a speaker, let alone a monitor.

All the best,
Nonoise

After_hrs,

Thanks for the offer but I still have about a hundred hours of break in before I settle on these speakers so as to not kick myself in the rear for not trying something else :-)

I'm curious about something you mentioned on another thread about Tonian Labs and how you feel they are one of the best bargains out there. Do you feel that the Wavetouch monitors have a similar sound to the Tonians? If so, then they are some mighty fine speakers. It's just that I wanted to try a speaker that has the ability to mimic the Tonians (speed, see thru qualities, dynamics, etc.) and add more extension and pack a fuller tone, if you will, on the mids and bass, which the Clearwaves are now doing.

All the best,
Nonoise

My room is on the small side being about 15' X 10' with my speakers along the long wall, about 10' apart, 1 1/2 ' from the front wall and I sit about 7' back from the plane of the speakers with my head about 1' from the rear wall. It opens on one end to the rest of the apartment (kitchen and dining area) and it's just shy of 8' tall.

A true man's cave to say the least. :-)

As to which speaker, I was referring to the TL-D1s.

All the best,
Nonoise

Also, I get your meaning on a speaker that can be too fast. For 5 years I loved the Tonians for what they can do. The music seems to be lit up from within and one can hear all manner of complexities with ease. They start and stop on a dime. They can be quite beguiling.

The Clearwave Duets take a different path by laying on a healthy layer of tone and density in a consistent manner from (what I can gather so far) top to bottom. While breaking in during the first 70 hours or so I thought I'd made the biggest mistake of my life. Then all of a sudden it opened up, and continues to do so.

Side by side with the Tonians, they can at first seem a bit dark, but I'm hearing rather deeply into the recording, like with the Tonians but not as lit up from within. It's the space around the instruments that are taking on a more equal footing with the instruments, if that makes sense. As that happens, the layering is becoming more apparent. It's a totally different approach and perspective and I can see why some love tubes with the Tonians (slow the speed a tad and flesh out the notes) and why SS is the way to go with the Clearwaves.

On thing I had to get used to is the tweeter position as they need to be firing right at you lest the highs drop off. Going from a ribbon to a dome demands accommodations but the rewards are a crossover I really can't detect as of yet.
Jed (the designer) did a great job on this.

More time will tell as they continue to break in.

All the best,
Nonoise

Danoroo, I recently read some favorable reviews on ceramic drivers, specifically Accuton, that got me thinking.
Sarjan Eban's of 6moons.com on the Albedo Apticas.
Scott Hall's from the Parttimeaudiophile on the predecessor to the Duets, the Symphonia 7R.
Jack Robert's review of the Fritz Accuton 6 over at Dagogo.com.

I've heard ceramic drivers a long time ago and wasn't impressed but then I came across these reviews and also noted that some of the best high end makers use some form of Accuton drivers with great results. This led me to try out the Clearwave Duet 6s and found out that these are not same as the earlier drivers as they can be fast, detailed and very evenly balanced, to my ears.

I'd like to get a better response measurement for in room response because so far, they measure quite flat and present a sound that takes some getting used to.
Gone are the soaring highs but when the recording has it, they can go quite high. It's just not exaggerated. The upper mids to upper bass is what gets me. It has the sense of being fully fleshed out which can seem a bit dark sounding (rich?), but they're still breaking in. Until I get my stands for proper isolation, I can't really make a definitive statement. On good recordings they can sound wonderful.

I'm tempted to say "world class" but fear the tag of "hyperbolic". I say this as I'm taken back by the frequency range of these speakers and the fully fleshed out sound. Tone and timbre are wonderful on cello, guitar, vocals, small jazz ensembles. Long term listening will tell.

OTOH, I can be all wet on this. :-)

All the best,
Nonoise

B_limo, yes it's both the mid woofer and tweeter. Jed's done such a great job at integration that I have to say, again, I still can't detect the crossover. I don't know which model of mid woofer but on his site he states that it's the latest with an improved motor/magnet structure, or something like it.

I've been fiddling with speaker cables for the last hour or so and tried some Mapleshade Double Helix and it went in the wrong direction. Next up were an old pair of Clear Day single run SCs with spade connectors and the treble opened up nicely, almost to that of the Tonians, but not quite. The trade off was a lessening of the lower mids and bass a tad but it's a nice trade off for now.

I don't understand just yet how the Tempo Electric SCs ruled the day with my Tonians and had a "hooded" effect with the Clearwave Duets. All I can think of is the gauge. The Clear Day SCs are of a smaller gauge and are easier to toss around but still silver so that may have something to do with it.

Anyway, the speakers are sounding better and better and I feel my obsessive compulsive tendencies returning. Is that a good thing?

All the best,
Nonoise