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Advice on buying a used speaker up to 3k

You all here on agon helped a lot in buying an amp (went with pass labs xa30.5 with you advice and my research) under 3k that I want your help again!

I love what the pass labs amp has brought that I have an upgrade inch again. My other components are an NAD m51 dac which has a 35 bit volume control and hdmi so it seconds as the preamp too.

My source is an oppo 103d which I use strictly for digital files and high resolution downloads used on a the flash drive on the oppos input. Also like dvds and blu rays on the system.

I have some Kef 104/2 that I really dig but I believe I am missing some higher frequencies with some of the new tweeters technology thats out. I have been impressed with what I have heard about the Raal ribbon tweets but there may not be a lot of choices at the price point.

The pass labs needs high efficiency speakers above 87 db. I also would rather want a tower over monitor but am open. I may be wrong but monitors seem to not be able to sound full range or complete as I think of it???
freemand
freemand OP
225 posts
 
John, whats GR research?

Ironically, I kept my Kef out about 5 to 6 feet a few years ago and read something by Piere in Mapleshades magazine which talked about moving speakers back to the wall for better bass. I did that and it kept getting more bass the closer I put them. They are now a half foot from the wall. The kefs are about 4 to 5 feet from the side walls.

So I have no problem bringing them out that far. My audio rack is about 4 or 5 feet from the wall.

Sounds like when OB is set up right that box cannot compare for imaging.

Who else makes open baffle? Open baffle speakers are new to me until this thread, though I guess maggies are OB.

I may check out that thread as I have no idea where to start when DIYing a OB speaker.
jdoris
972 posts
 
Mapleshade notwithstanding, many speakers (exceptions like Northcreek noted) are designed to play some distance from the walls, and many of us find they sound better that way.

You probably picked up more bass with boundary reinforcement with your KEFs, but you might have lost out with things like soundstage, air, and imaging. If your room or kit is very bass shy it might still sound a net gain to you.

GR Research makes OB speakers and can be found on audiocircle.com, another good audio site with more emphasis on DIY. Trading is free there, so many folks list their stuff there before trying here.

John
jdoris
972 posts
 
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?board=90.0

A place to start on OB.
freemand OP
225 posts
 
John, you may be right. I was so enthusiastic about getting bass that the last thing I was thinking of was the imaging. Though, I dont recall any negatives after moving them back. The room is hyper treated so that may help perhaps.

I will go check out gr research some more.
freemand OP
225 posts
 
Just signed up at audiocircle. Never thought about it before but there seems to be a plethora of things to research and do. Someplace to spend more of my time!

However, can seem to find a place where I can start a post and there is nowhere to contact anybody. Anyone familiar with that?
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