Quad, Magneplanar, or Ohm. |
Its true that really good speakers, when matched properly to the rest of the system, will sound good with all genres of music and types of recordings.
Classical, particularly large orchestral arrangements, and some would say piano, is generally one of the harder genres for a speaker to deliver fully. I've found Big Band music to be perhaps the hardest genre of all for speakers to really deliver fully. |
DCstep,
No doubt.
But interesting, nonetheless. |
My ultimate reference for what a system should sound like is live performances.
When I owned Maggies ($900/pair new in 1986) and was able to have them set up properly, they never disapointed with classical music. What I heard was a most accurate reproduction of what I heard when attending a live symphony.
The only other speakers I've owned that I can say that about are my current Ohms. |
I'm thinking one of the keys to a good speaker for classical is that they are "fast" and able to keep up with all the details inherent in large scale classical recordings, symphonic or orchestral recordings in particular. Rigidity is another factor.
Planars and electrostats probably have an inherent advantage in regards to speed and rigidity, but I have heard "box" speakers that are fast and detailed as well, though the fact is that many box designs are not, so you may have to be more careful.
The Triangle speakers I have heard come to mind as a good example of a fast box speaker design. The material used in the cone of the bass driver is a key factor as I understand it. Lighter materials are inherently faster and more re-active.
I think the polymer woofers used in many B&W bass drivers and the paper cones used in Triangles are representative of the two ends of the spectrum in regards to the physical properties inherent in bass driver cone materials. Paper drivers can be lightweight and fast, as in Triangles. Polymer is not perhaps as light weight but perhaps more rigid? |
Shadorne, your comments seem consistent with what I've observed with several different speaker makes and models over the years, I believe.
When I owned B&W P6s, with the B&W polymer (I believe) drivers, they struck me both physically and audibly as rigid but not fast. They sounded pretty good at higher SPLs, but not clear to the extent of the Maggies I also owned at low volumes. They never impressed me for classical or anything else at low volumes though they sounded pretty good in a larger room at higher SPL.
Of course the amp I was using at the time (Carver m4.0t) may not have had the current or damping factor needed to really handle the B&Ws optimally, so that may have been a factor as well.
On the other hand, my Triangle Titus's were as fast, clean and transparent as the Maggies at lower volumes and held up pretty well at higher SPL as well, but did not have the authority in the bass to match the B&Ws.
The maggies were fast, authoritative and transparent at all SPLs. They were not perhaps the ultimate though in dynamics and low end extension, though a different amp might have help here somewhat as well. Also, I was not able to position them correctly in my current quarters as I had been able in the past, so eventually I decided to change.
Bottom line is that doing classical well is hard. A good design can cut it, box or otherwise. A poor or inferior design will not. |
Atmasphere,
A valid point.
Most speakers that do all the other things well may well crumble when it comes time to reproduce lifelike orchestral dynamics.
This is a weak area for Maggies and electrostats that require significant power to drive yet still do not displace a lot of air.
Same true with certain large scale Jazz pieces, like Big Band. |
Atmasphere,
Had never heard of Classic Audio Reproductions and their horn designs.
Very interesting!
I've been drooling over the Jadis Eurythmies in one agoner's system here for quite a while mainly because they look gorgeous and I also have had an interest in Khorns for ages.
I no longer have issues with detail and dynamics with my current set-up, but high efficiency horns is an area where I've believed significant upside might still exist for my system somewhere down the road. |
I don't know if tube electronics are inherently superior or not, but from his description and some reviews I've read, I would very much like to hear Atmasphere's particular design and approach properly implemented in a matching system!
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It would be pretty boring in this site if all high end stuff sounded the same. |
Putting on my "green" hat:
Hey, we're starting to be forced to move away from gas guzzling cars, maybe we should be moving away from inefficient speakers and power guzzling amps as well?
I say this being a very proud and happy owner of some fairly inefficient yet great sounding speaks (the Ohm Walsh 5's) and an amp (MF A3CR) capable of driving them very nicely to reasonable SPLs in my listening room, yet I know that a bigger, beefier amp could up the SPL ante further if desired!
Class D amps seem to be a step in the "green" direction ie higher efficiency and lower power consumption to power our gas, I mean watt guzzling speaks, like my Hummer-like Ohms! |
"A live orchestra can reach 115db peaks BTW"
Is that standing among the musicians in front of the brass and percussion or out in the seats?
In that I am a spectator not a musician, my perspective may be different. I usually like to sit back from the stage a bit so I can soak everything in with a perspective that matchs that when I listen on my system so I can compare. I think my ears would hurt at 115Db so I'm not sure it gets quite so loud there.
I have been to some rock concerts though right in front of the speaks where I do not doubt it was that loud. The volume was also quite uncomfotable and I suspect unhealthy as well. |
I looked it up on the American Hearing organization website that symphony orchestra can in fact peak at over 115Db, however they also say that to listen to 115DB for more than 15 minutes per day is not recommended.
Of course, this certainly should not stop any devoted audiophile from wanting to be able to achieve it! |
Vienna Acoustics are very attractive options to B&W for classical.
Linkwitz design is an intriguing option as well and have heard some good things about them, but never actually heard them. |
"They certainly do not record orchestras nowadays anywhere near as well as they did in the 50's and 60's. "
There are a lot of amazing orchestral recordings from that era on original vinyl and remastered beautifully to CD. Today's recordings are a different breed for sure! |
"quantitatively, a most impressive work"
I must give this a listen. Surely must sound better in digital/CD format than in phono/analog!!! I'd also like to run a sum check on the file and compare the total to other works!!!!
Now I think I've discovered how to truly quantify the merits of any partilular piece of art, as long as its in digital format! |
Guido, sorry for the off-point commentary on my part Your choice of words to describe the work mentioned by Atmasphere just struck a silly bone in me.
Cheers! |
Dynamics are the main limitations of Quads and Maggies for that matter when it comes to accurately reproducing large scale symphonic works.
My current Ohm Walsh speakers are the best I've owned at that. |
