Speakers are as we all know are very personal. And given your history of Spendor and Harbeth speakers it seems you need BBC type reproduction albeit with more dynamics. If I were you I'd be wary of going for non-BBC style speakers. There's a good chance if they at first appeal but are not BBC sound you'll end up being unhappy in the long run. Stick to looking at Spendor Classic, Harbeth, Graham, etc. speakers for auditioning.
Something other than Harbeth SHL5
Don't get me wrong. I love my Harbeths, but they're all I've owned for a long time and it was Spendor before that. I've got the itch to try something new.
Budget around $8000 new.
Room size is 14.5 feet x 25 feet. Listening "area" is in one half the room.
Amplifier is Audio Hungary Qualiton A5i. Tube amp, 50 wpc
Primary source is FLAC and DSD files to PSAudio DirectStream Dac
Subwoofer is MJ Acoustics Reference 100 set at a roll-off of 34 Hz.
My musical tastes are classical, large-scale choral works, symphonies, along with solo piano, also organ (rumbling the floor). Some jazz, female voices, and a little opera, again female voices. I love good imaging, life-like sound, large soundstage, and the disappearance of the speakers. I like the feeling of being there, without going deaf. I feel like I have to play the SHL5s loud to make them come alive. I'm very sensitive to upper frequencies going too harsh/bright.
I auditioned Audio Note AN-J in a studio and they blew me away in the way that they disappeared. Detail, and soundstage were magnificent. However, I thought I heard a little graininess is the mid-range at one point.
I've also read a lot of reviews and did hear some samples on YouTube (I know, I know) of Audio Solutions Figaro M, and they did sound magical. They're simply not available in South Florida, so I will not be able to audition them. But there is definitely something going on with those speakers.
Has anyone heard all 3 or two out of 3 to give me some opinions? Thank you!
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- 29 posts total
- 29 posts total