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What is the best HEAVY METAL speaker?

I know totally blasphemy question here on Audiogon. But you like what you like, right? Anyway, I know most metal music is totally compressed and recorded horrible (aka Metallica) however there is a new age of metal bands out there that are starting to change that (Opeth started with Blackwater Park). So what speakers out there can take the pounding of a double bass drum kit hitting at full throttle and give the roar of metal guitar justice. There has to be a set up that would make Glen Tipton turn his head and say hell ya!
128x128lizzardkingseattle
mjcmt's avatar
mjcmt
709 posts
 

I was cranking out Albert King w/ Stevie Ray Vaughan "IN SESSION" today at party volumes on my Klipsch Forte powered by a 40 watt tube amp and getting down with it.

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lonemountain
415 posts
 

Do the ATC 150s I sold Mettallica count? 

Brad

 

jon_5912
579 posts
 

I've got a pair of ATC 110s and it's hard to imagine anything better for loud, amplified music.  They can play very loudly without distorting.  I doubt anything can compete with their combination of high volume, low distortion, and excellent in-room behavior. 

I also think they make a tradeoff that other companies should make.  They don't use the port to lower the -3 db bass frequency.  They let the bass roll off slowly starting at a higher frequency.  It means they don't excite room nodes as badly as a typical ported, -3db at 30 hz speaker.  It doesn't make for good marketing but practically speaking, it's better if you want top quality bass and don't want to mess with equalization.  I think it actually increases dynamics, the punch is great, and if you want more bass get a sub to fill in anything you want.  

ag3__
47 posts
 

Transient speed becomes an issue for modern metal given the tight distortion profile of the guitar intended to be percussive. The type of speaker that falls apart with funk will fall apart with this sort of metal. 

 

Other than that, older or more classic sounding "heavy metal" isn't much different than rock in terms of play back needs. 

mournbladeiv
33 posts
 

Although pretty inexpensive, I am using Polk Reference R700's, with a Michi X5. My preferred genre is Metal (Maiden, Megadeth, Anthrax, Opeth etc) and for sub 2k for the pair, they kick. Dual 8 woofers around 30 hz (with room acoustics) low range, I played Stinkfist and Justin's bass sounded amazing. Good detail and nice driver integration, decent off axis listening, kind of meh in the looks, not ugly, just not very exciting.   a picture of the setup, I had just put up the bookshelves, so the speakers are not in their normal space  (out another foot each way is where I usually have them) (The picture is from my review on Polks website)

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