I round it to be gorgeous tonally but it didn't boogie enough. The 6e floated my boat but the wife vetoed them. The smallest footprint floor stander that is really small that I've liked is the Totem Hawk. It's only 6.75" x 9.5." |
Since I am assuming you are going to stand mount them, why not go with a spendor s5e. The profile it presents is no diferent than a bookshelf on stands and you get much better bass extension |
What about Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor? I have auditioned them against a pair of 805 and there was no competition really. You will have to wait a bit to find them used. |
Dynaudio Focus 110 or 140
ACI Sapphire XL ( can actually hit the 30's)
Totem Acoustic Rainmaker
All sport great tone, are listenable over an extended period of time, and sport excellent bass response that is both quick and tuneful. |
I have owned B&W N805's and now the PMC's which utilize Dynaudio drivers and generally agree with your assessment on the 140's. The bass of my PMC bookshelves is surprisingly full and belies its dimensions. My PMC's which are TL design stays clean all the way to the bottom whenever I blast my music at high volume levels. At certain point of time I am worried the drivers might blow up but I'm impressed that nothing burns as yet. The N805's are losing control on the lower octaves in comparison and don't sound as tight and controlled. I don't use a sub to complement my speakers anymore in 2-channel and use it solely for HT duties.
However, floorstanders that are able to go down to 25-30Hz will always render a more full and complete sound compared to bookhshelves.
Good to hear you've found your right speakers in the Dynaudio. |
2nd Update:
Heard the 805's tonight and although they do some things very well they are not my cup of tea. They are very smooth, extended and have sufficient bass energy. They drew me into the music. But when it came to the PRaT it was not there. Maybe it was the bass loading into the room but they sounded growly and just didn't do what I would have liked for $3k with stands.
Then I tried the Dynaudio Focus 110, Paradigm S2 and finally Focus 140. The 110's were ripe, organic and had much better bass energy than I would have expected for their size(they are -3db at 45 hz). The S2's were detailed and were beautifully finished but they just didn't have the natural bloom of the Dyn's.
When the 140's went on it took very little time to realize I had found my speaker. Rich midrange, organic sounding, very smooth and extended on top and incredibly full on the bottom for their dimensions. Driven by a 50 watt Nait they filled the room and played as well on Stravinsky as U2 as the English Beat. Nice cabinetry too although the B&W and Revel (and Paradigm) are a little nicer there. Pushed into a corner I have to admit there are a few speakers that do PRaT a little better but these are no slouch.
Thanks to everyone for their help here. |
I heard a pair of M22's last night driven by Lexicon electronics. I did not realize they have a tapered cabinet and have a position switch for near wall or free standing placement - a nice touch. The fit and finish were excellent.
They had only about 1 hour on them but even so were very refined, sweet sounding, detailed but not at all bright. The bass extended down far enough for me but was uneven - probably due to lack of break-in. There was a light haze over everything and PRaT was a little weak. I'm not sure it was the speaker - I'd be a little more likely to attibute these qualities to the front end which is voiced for Home Theater. This just points to the need for auditioning in the home instead of in an unfamiliar room with unfamiliar gear.
Tonight I'll hear the 805's and on Saturday Dynaudio Focus 140's and possibly Totem Model 1 Signature's. The bonus check came in and I'm hot for my living room 2 channel. |
Thanks for all of the replies. Based on this thread and some PM's I will be searching for the following: Dynaudio 140's, Revel M22's, Proac 1sc, B&W 805, Totem 1 Signature. Hopefully these can all be found in Chicago. |
I re-read your message - one downside to the M-22s is that the stands are not that great. I would look for stands from another source if I went for the Revels.
As for an amp, I would go for something in the 100+ w/ch range at least. I'm using the new Onkyo A-9555 (85 w/ch) and really like it with the Revels in my 12x14 room, but with a larger room I might look for something with a bit more power. |
I agree with the assesment of the Revel M-22s. They have really good base performance in my setup. revel is also closing out the Maple finish, so if you like that color you can get them for a good price. |
I agree with Aball. I wanted the Contour s1.4's, but they were beyond my budget. I bought the Focus 140's and the bass is what you are looking for. Make sure you have enough power to drive them. I started with a Musical Fidelity a3.2 integrated, which proved too weak to do the 140's justice. I upgraded to the a308 integrated and the bass is full. |
Dynaudio Contour S1.4 gets my vote. If it is just out of your budget, check out the Dynaudio Focus 140. |
These may not meet your bass requirements, but they sound worth investigating. I have not heard them myself, but they seem worth checking out, plus they come with a 30 day money back guarantee.
Here is a thread with a link. I am not affiliated, just an interested reader.
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hug/messages/120970.html |
You might want to check these out.
http://www.humanspeakers.com/human/61text.htm
45 Hz to 26kHz - $625 a pair - Hand built by Huw Powell, who takes his "sweet time" about built speakers, but nevertheless delivers a quality product. Seriously thinking of getting a pair of the 61s myself or perhaps one of Rick Craig's Selah bookshelf/monitors. |
You should consider the new Mark and Danil Maximus Monitors.
I am a dealer so please take that under consideration, but I would also advise you to check out the Sixmoons review on them and the buzz forming around these speakers, they are sensational!
In my humble opinion and I have been professionally selling gear for 20 years, this is one of the most exciting new companies to come out in a very long time.
The Mark and Daniel speakers sound more like a Wilson Watt Puppy and in a good way and will literally outperform many much more expensive speakers!
The engineering is impecable as well as the build quality:
1: unique design heil air motion transformer with a low crossover point of 800hz=very coherent
2: unique long excursion woofer
3: synthetic marble composite cabinet=low coloration
4: optional omni directional supertweeter
5: very deep tight rhythemic bass
6: big soundstage
7: very coherent
the Bad:
1: needs lots of power
2: plays loud but not extremely loud
3: new company
4: only one year warantee
5: good treble detail without the supertweeter amazing with!
If you are in my neck of the woods come on by, they are really something. |
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Try a Marchand Bassis, you can get up to 2 octave extension in the bass. Also you can change the Q and it features switchable 20hz and rumble filters for you LP fans out there.
http://www.marchandelec.com/wm8.htm
Bob |
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You should also check out the Silverline monitors. The SR-15 and SR-16s both reach 40HZ and are a little less than $2K new. The SR-17s go even lower. I recently purchased a pair of the SR-15s and am enjoying them quite a bit. God luck with your search. |
If you can find a used pair of Celestion SL700s, they may fit your needs. |
if you can negotiate a bit on the monitor vs. floorstander issue, Totem Arros at 5"*7"*34" go down to 40Hz, disappear like no other, can be placed anywhere and are less intrusive than any monitor-stand I can think of with this kind of freq response....and at $1,000 a pair in gorgeous real veneer finish, that leaves you plenty of cash for a decent tube amp or hybrid and flowers for Ze Lady of Ze House. If she sees a pair in person, she will be sold...I know no female that can resist to a pair of Arro, look and sound. |
Thanks for all of the great suggestions. The goal is a solid 42 hz output so bass guitars can be properly rendered but flat to 42 is not necessary. I could add a sub and may end up going that route but would prefer a properly matched and aesthetically pleasing speaker/stand combination like the 805 or some of the Sonus Fabers.
In general I prefer the look of floor standers but a 36x10x12 inch speaker is now considered too bulky for our 15x28 room. Yeah, it does sound a little crazy but since my den is exactly what I wanted I'm not going to argue in her living room. |
I have to second the Dynaudio 1.3SE's. I have heard soooo many speakers that claim 40hz or lower and they seem to disapoint. I bought a pair of 1.3SE's and then sold them going on a search for a new monitor or floorstander. Two years later, I rebought the 1.3SE's. If you have more cash the Special 25's are fantastic, but you really need some great outboard to support them. I think between the Focus 140, S1.4 and the 1.3SE....... the 1.3SE is a freakin bargin! Oh, and not to mention, you gotta love the size! (I have owned the S1.4 as well as hearing the 140's at a local dealer) |
the test specs and the reality on loudspeakers are truly different things....just go by the way they sound to you, in your room. |
Silverline sr-16 or sr-17 - believe it was speaker of the year or something like that a few years ago. Best bookshelves I've heard & great bass. |
I run Revel M22's full range with no sub and personally have no desire to add one. They reproduce the full range of bass guitar in my setup very accurately and clean. If aesthetics are a concern, the Revels are very elegant looking with the two-tone cabinet finish. |
Personally I think may floorstanders look better than monitors on stands, unless the stands are exceptionally well integrated with the speakers.
Would she go for narrow baffle floorstanders like AP Virgos ?
One other question is how far from rear and side walls will the speakers have to be placed ? If very close to rear walls then rear ported monitors with low frequency response could sound quite boomy. |
I have a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 2 speakers. They're rated to go down to 42Hz and, when placed in certain spots, seem to actually do so, according to Stereophile's Editor's Choice CD.
I generally like them, although I've found it hard to optimize soundstaging, bass extension, and tonal balance. It seems like a trade-off among those three.
They retail for $400/pair - seem like a bargain. |
The Dynaudio Special 25's go to 30hz according to the manufacturer and 25hz according to Stereophile magazines' testing. The SE 1.3 Specials are a bargain at less than $2k used. Check it out. I'm not selling any but, I do own the Special 25's and have been very happy with them for over 2 years.
Good luck |
If you can live with an extra inch of height, the Dali Helicon 300s might be in the mix for you--spectacular finish as well. The less expensive Dali Icon IIs are also a possibility, but they are the same height as well. I was very impressed with both of these speakers, though they are a bit warm in the bass area. Not a problem for classical, not sure about rock. You might also check out the Dynaudios, both from the Focus and Audience series, I think they reach down low enough to give you your 40 hz with some authority. |
How about Tylers and a DK Design Integrated?
well the Linbrook Signature Monitor goes to 35hz, You could do both of these for your budget with nice stands. Another great speaker I love is the Green Mountain Callisto, but that is -3db at 47hz so ignore me:) |
The 805's (like most stand mounts) won't be flat to 42hz. There is only so much you can get from a 6" driver.
One suggestion that will get you pretty close: Ellis 1801b.
But because Dave Ellis' waiting list is pretty long; you might call Jim Salk and have him build you a pair. Any finish you want. He might even be willing to build matching stands.
Match them up with the new AVA integrated and you'll be happy. So will your wife.
www.ellisaudio.com
www.salksound.com
www.avahifi.com
WEEZ |
