Speaker recommendations, budget $10-15K


I am looking to upgrade my speakers. In particular, I am looking for better low-end extension than my current speakers, Sehring 703s, which the specs say go to 38Hz but seem to roll off above that. I primarily listen to rock. I have to say, I prefer a bit of warmth over ultimate transparency.

Ancillary equipment is a Pass Labs X150.5 power amp, Mystere ca21 preamp, Perfect Wave Mk2 DAC & Transport. Room size is 13x25. Speakers are facing out from the long wall. The speakers will be in my living room, so they cannot be too enormous or push the envelope aesthetically. I would prefer to buy new. While open to buying used, I am wary of shipping damage.

The speakers I plan to audition are:
Marten Django
DALI Epicon 8
Acoustic Zen Crescendo
Aerial 7T
Tannoy Kensington

I have also read good things about Vapor Audio Joule Black, but would have a real hard time auditioning them before hand.

I would appreciate any other recommendations of speakers to audition, as well as any thoughts about the speakers on my current list. Thanks.
mcondon

Showing 3 responses by almarg

I would suggest that you consider the Daedalus Ulysses, which I own, although I believe that their current pricing puts them a little bit above the price range you specified.

They are rated to 28 Hz, which I have found to be a realistic figure. They provide a warm, natural sound, but with surprisingly little compromise in transparency, detailing, and "speed."

They are much more sensitive than all of the speakers you mentioned, and while the power capability of your amplifier is likely a good deal greater than what you'll need, they can certainly handle that much power.

If you search the forums you'll find quite a few comments from very happy owners of Daedalus speakers.

Aesthetically, I don't think you can do better, as they are beautifully constructed with solid natural hardwoods, with many choices of woods available. They are a bit less deep than some of the speakers you mentioned, and when viewed from the front they appear significantly less wide than their modest 11 inch width, due to their curved edges and the narrower width of the grille (assuming you leave it on).

Daedalus offers 30 day in-home audition privileges, less two-way shipping and a $300 restocking fee. Owner/designer Lou Hinkley might also be able to put you in touch with a customer in your area who may be willing to demonstrate them for you.

That said, I would have two concerns with most of the speakers on your list, as well as with the Ulysses, both of them relating to the short 13 foot wall-to-wall distance of the direction in which you are listening:

1)Your ability to sit far enough from the speakers for all of the drivers to blend properly, while at the same time providing adequate "breathing space" behind the speakers.

2)Cancellation of certain bass frequencies due to reflections from the wall behind you. Keep in mind that a null will result from those reflections centered at a frequency (in Hz) equal to approximately 281.5 divided by the number of feet between your ears and the wall behind you.

Good luck!

-- Al
If my ears are 2 feet from the wall behind me, I won't hear frequencies around 141 Hz (281.5/2)?
Yes, that's correct, except that rather than saying you won't hear those frequencies, I would put it that those frequencies will be significantly attenuated.

Reflections from the wall behind you of those frequencies will arrive at your ears approximately out of phase with the direct signal arrival from the speakers, resulting in partial cancellation. The degree of cancellation will depend on how strong the reflections are, which in turn will depend on the reflectivity of the wall material at those frequencies.

Regards,
-- Al
One review of the Ulysses (in Dagogo) said they are not "full-range" and are somewhat lacking in terms of low end extension. Is that at all true?
They are not "full-range" in the sense that they don't go down to 20 Hz or less. As I indicated earlier, though, their 28 Hz specification seems about right in my experience, based both on listening and on measurements I've done using test tones and an SPL meter. My strong impression is that most (but not quite all) owners of the Ulysses use them without a subwoofer.

As you've probably already seen, though, the smaller Daedalus models don't go down quite as far, with the Athena specified to 34 Hz, and the DA-RMa specified to 36 Hz.

Keep in mind, also, that all of Lou's frequency response numbers are +/-2 db. If he had based them on a looser tolerance, as a lot of manufacturers do, the 28, 34, and 36 Hz numbers would all have been at least a little bit lower.

Regards,
-- Al