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Most forgiving high end speaker 10k-20k?

Better high end speakers are typically so high in resolution that, while they sound superb with great and maybe even good recordings, they sound mediocre to plain bad with average recordings. Given that many people have average recordings that they enjoy, and would wish to be able to listen to most if not all of their music library, what speakers in the roughly $10k-20k realm (new price) would provide an extraordinary listening experience across the spectrum (average to good recordings especially)? Does such an animal exist?
jeffkad
jeffkad OP
211 posts
 
Hesson11: Hey Bob, I agree about the tone controls. In fact, maybe that's an answer all by itself. Maybe all we need is old fashioned "tilt" or "presence" boost to make the unlistenable once again listenable, even on a very revealing, unforgiving speaker. McIntosh preamps always had tone controls, no? The new Classe CP-800 preamp has tone controls AND parametric EQ, AND bass management. Perhaps the answer is to keep the ruthless speaker for all it does with great recordings and just EQ the bad/mediocre ones?
hesson11
237 posts
 
Thanks, Jeffkad. But I'm afraid that, among audiophiles, we are doomed to remain a minority! Given the wide range of sound quality among my recordings, being without tone controls just makes no sense. Not if you love the sound of music more than the sound of equipment. I also couldn't live without a balance control. Recording L/R balances are all over the place.

-Bob
johnk's avatar
johnk
1,973 posts
 
Many loudspeakers are undersized with to small a cabinet with to narrow a baffle and to small a driver for proper bass or mid bass. Plus we have made much progress in tweeters. So you end up with a thin sound that emphasizes the upper range. On great recordings this may just add extra air but if recordings poor this over emphasis can cause listening fatigue. If loudspeakers are of proper design ie not over compromised
for WAF and profits and the music has merit even if recordings poor the music should still be enjoyable.
newbee
4,751 posts
 
FWIW I think a well executed tone control, such as an equalizer or, better yet, a simple three band (bass/mid range/highs with mids centered on 1500 to 2000 hz) could be just the ticket for you and many critical audiophiles provided that you use it in a tape loop where you can disable it with the flick of a switch. Down side on an equalizer is that many audiophiles would be moving sliders about continually trying to optimize every recording (anal?, perhaps. Nah not an audiophile:-).
jeffkad OP
211 posts
 
Hah, newbee, I think your right. Audiophiles would be EQ'ing every song, LOL!!! However, I agree it could be an answer to the issue at hand. What is the so-called "presence" region frquency-wise?
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