A Snell shoot out...
I have C/Vs and EIIs. I've listened to the others - the various generations and variations of Js, Ks, Es, Ds, B Minors, etc. I think they were all very good speakers. It's interesting, I think, to see the way the design approach changed from Peter Snell to Kevin Voecks. I have a pair of Snell Cis still hanging around, and I have the final C-family C/V. Entirely different approach, entirely different character. Those old Cis are still a pretty nice speaker (I'm selling them if anyone's interested...). Looking at the C models in between the original C and the C/V you can watch the approach shift.
I'm having a difficult time right now with the C/Vs. I just moved and they are not liking the new room I've got them set up in. This has happened before. Without resorting to lots of room treatments, I've been VERY pleased with the results by setting up the C/Vs in a space that is far away from corners, has high ceilings, and essentially no or very little wall behind the listener.
This is space that would probably work for many other speakers, too, which I've also found, but the C/Vs seem to be a little harder for me to set up. The C/V is an exciting speaker dynamically, but it's also very finesseful, all good things in my book, so I'm going to keep trying to make them work. Could just be me...
The D, C, and B are all very nice speakers. The C/Vs and Bs have that great low end. Lots of very good quality oomph. The Js and Es have nice LF impact and texture, but aren't as extended. But of all these speakers, I may actually say I like the Ds best. I say this simply because in my experience they come close the the overall impact of the C/Vs but they do the best disappearing act for me of any of these speakers. Plus, they're a little less imposing and less costly.
- SJ
I have C/Vs and EIIs. I've listened to the others - the various generations and variations of Js, Ks, Es, Ds, B Minors, etc. I think they were all very good speakers. It's interesting, I think, to see the way the design approach changed from Peter Snell to Kevin Voecks. I have a pair of Snell Cis still hanging around, and I have the final C-family C/V. Entirely different approach, entirely different character. Those old Cis are still a pretty nice speaker (I'm selling them if anyone's interested...). Looking at the C models in between the original C and the C/V you can watch the approach shift.
I'm having a difficult time right now with the C/Vs. I just moved and they are not liking the new room I've got them set up in. This has happened before. Without resorting to lots of room treatments, I've been VERY pleased with the results by setting up the C/Vs in a space that is far away from corners, has high ceilings, and essentially no or very little wall behind the listener.
This is space that would probably work for many other speakers, too, which I've also found, but the C/Vs seem to be a little harder for me to set up. The C/V is an exciting speaker dynamically, but it's also very finesseful, all good things in my book, so I'm going to keep trying to make them work. Could just be me...
The D, C, and B are all very nice speakers. The C/Vs and Bs have that great low end. Lots of very good quality oomph. The Js and Es have nice LF impact and texture, but aren't as extended. But of all these speakers, I may actually say I like the Ds best. I say this simply because in my experience they come close the the overall impact of the C/Vs but they do the best disappearing act for me of any of these speakers. Plus, they're a little less imposing and less costly.
- SJ