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Gripped By Upgrade Fever

I’m sure that 99 percent of the people reading this have suffered from the same syndrome before. So please show some empathy.

I’m two months into my ownership of KEF LS50s. Only a fool would be in a hurry to replace those speakers. I am that fool. It’s just that now that I’ve had a taste of what’s possible . . .


This is a long term plan. First, of course, is a new apartment so that a decent listening position is possible. Next, I spend about $5,000 on speakers and I make the big jump from bookshelves to floorstanders. Because this is all so hypothetical, I won’t mention any specific models and I’m not looking for advice on that point. Instead, let me start somewhere more basic.

A lot of of tower speakers, even the relatively small ones you get for 5K, cram a flotilla of drivers into the available space. Not unusual at all to see a tweeter, two mids, and three woofers. Not hard to find more. Right now, with the LS50, I’m looking at a single apparent source that’s five inches wide. All these drivers look like trouble to me. More crossovers, more timing issues, more phase issues, more I-don’t-know-what.


Is this fear rational? Am I crazy? I notice that at the 5K price point, KEF only uses 2.5 drivers—one Uni-Q and one woofer. Everything else is a passive radiator. While I don’t know what passive radiators actually do, I know that they are not independent sources of sound, that they are somehow just passing along energy from the woofer. Lots of other companies—Tannoy and Zu among them—claim virtues from one or two drivers that cover the entire audio spectrum or at least a big chunk of it, arguing that the simpler approach avoids the problems inherent in having lots of drivers trying to do the same thing.


For some reason, without any listening experience or technical knowledge, that argument appeals to me. Is my fear justified? Are speaker makers beyond such paltry concerns? Thoughts/comments/criticism?
paul6001
musicbox78
46 posts
 
paul6001

Apartment living and audio usually a bad fit. Floor standers deliver bass and need room to bloom, sound their best. Your better off staying smaller with what you have I feel. 
speakermaster
738 posts
 
You will find that small speakers with small baffles and large floorstanders with narrow baffles all sound small and weak in the musical spectrum in the body range of music which is where most music lives the lower midrange upper bass area. When you move to a large baffle full range speaker or listen to one it is very hard to listen to other types after that experience because so much of the power and body are gone from the music and so is the fun of listening.
chorus
976 posts
 
There is only one argument that should appeal to you.
It comes from your own ears. 
missioncoonery
1,190 posts
 
MC...after looking at that ridiculous system you have I now understand the foolishness of all your post...good grief. 
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
missioncoonery- Comments from actual listeners. Read em and weep:  

The imaging was so good that I felt like the vocalist was performing right in front of me and that I could reach out and touch them.  

My listening impression was all the detail and nuances were presented to my ears in a most unique way. Unique to me because it was so far above any system I had heard including the last set of Monitor Audio Gold with a Prima Luna Integrated. I enjoyed hearing everything but was most shocked at Fleetwood Macs "Landslide"   

Hearing it so many times in the past and then not recognizing the intro because of the detailed soundstage. Then Chuck let Stevie Nicks sneak into the room and begin the vocals dead center right in front of me and the recognition set in.   

Thank you again for spending the afternoon with me and letting me listen to your system. Honestly, the experience was a little overwhelming.   

Clearly, there is a massive, detailed soundstage. 
 Excellent tonal balance and wide, pinpoint soundstage! Bass was tight and articulate and seemed to be coming from everywhere, but well integrated with the music, band, performance. Never boomy or out of control. Crystal clear highs and vocal midrange brought the band into the room, or, when my eyes were closed, I was transported to the venue.  In my opinion, Chuck has achieved audio nirvana- that thing about being drawn into the music and hearing more and more detail, hearing the inflection of the voice whether it's pain, joy, or spite (Cry Me a River). Horns were smooth, never harsh.  The sound was wide and big, speakers disappeared .   


Again, actual listener comments. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367
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