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Time, Wear, and Technological Evolution

Hi, all. I only recently got into high fidelity audio more seriously, and have gotten my system to a place where I am fairly happy with it. The configuration:

SMSL DO100 DAC, balanced XLR to

PS Audio GCC-100 integrated, "control," amp output to

SVS SB-3000 subwoofer from the sub outs and

80Hz in-line high-pass filters and then JM Lab Electra 926 floorstanding loudspeakers

 

Long story short the high-pass filters and subwoofer are a room compensation configuration because I do not have a dedicated listening space, just have everything set up in the family room/home office, and the Electra 926s produce a massive room gain between 40-50Hz which I was able to overcome by filtering everything out in that range from the floorstanders and using my EQ'd sub to fill in the bottom end in their place. If I adjust the loudspeakers' placement at all, I will be giving up something in the uppers and mids, both in terms of tonality and imaging.

Anyhow, the speakers are house-warming hand-downs from my dad (who, in turn, had purchased them second hand from a friend of his many years ago) from when we bought this house back in 2012. They were not used extensively until very recently when my dad handed down his control amp to me, and concurrently I had begun to dabble with portable high fidelity audio (a separate topic all together). All that being said, the point is that the speakers are almost two decades old, as well as the amp.

So here's my question: do I just leave well enough alone because I am happy with the sound now, or do I consider replacing the aging loudspeakers with something more modern like, say, KEF's LS50 Metas (and continue to use them in conjunction with my subwoofer)? How far has speaker technology come in the nearly two decades between those speakers' releases? My primary concern being longevity of my current loudspeakers (will they wear out in short order due to materials aging?)  or are loudspeakers fairly durable?

What would you do, if you were in my listening seat, so to speak?

-Ed

eddnog
eddnog OP
45 posts
 

@soix ​​​​@yoyoyaya I did more experimentation with placement today, like dramatically pulling them away from the back wall, and still no dice. Then on a whim, I also tried something new. The Electra 926 are designed for biwire, with the lower posts driving the woofers and the upper posts driving the tweeters and mids. I tried removing the in-line, high-pass filters between the speakers and the amp, and then the jumpers at the back of the speakers, and only driving the upper posts, then disabling the low-pass filter entirely on the subwoofer to fill the gap left by the unpowered woofers in the main loudspeakers. I managed to get response flat through the crossover band, but the quality of the upper bass in the 200Hz range coming out of my sub is complete poo compared to the woofers in the Electras (yeah, no surprise, right?), so I've once against reverted it back. I felt an improvement in soundstage without those high-pass filters in place, so either the filters are creating a bit of a veil, and/or the amp only driving the mids and tweeters gives it less work, enhancing quality there, but the completely muddy upper bass in that configuration just kind of killed the entire vibe.

The experiment continues...

-Ed

kingbr
269 posts
 

If you're happy stay put. I got into the higher end of audio 24+ years ago. I went through so many speakers until I came across Dynaudio Audience (back then it was their entry line but even that was stretching my budget). Soon as I heard them I was done. Once I had them I was as content as I have ever been even to this day so many years later. I had to sell off my Danes after my divorce. Ony within the last few years have I gotten back to a point where I could afford to get back in the game. I started right where I left off - Dynaudio, Emit entry level. stepped up to Excite, then Evoke. Now while the Evokes were closest to what I remember from Audience, I have yet to hear any speaker than makes me feel like those Audience 82's did. I am currently running Revel Be (and they are magnificent), but they aren't "magical" like those Audience speakers were 24 years ago...nothing I've auditioned is....

 

Point is newer technology and updates, etc does not mean better...Just my opinion...

yoyoyaya's avatar
yoyoyaya
611 posts
 

@OP - good experiment but the results are what you would expect.

Do try blocking the ports and moving the speakers closer to the wall and let us know how you get on with that.

 

eddnog OP
45 posts
 

@yoyoyaya i was able to source a pair of LS50 Metas just an hour North of my home, picking them up Tuesday night. Let’s see how it goes! Sort of a birthday gift to myself (turning 42 tomorrow). Ordered a pair of 26” stands as well, arriving Tuesday via Amazon.

-Ed

yoyoyaya's avatar
yoyoyaya
611 posts
 

@OP Ed. Excellent. I would start with them 2ft from the wall and gradually move them out until you find the best balance of soundstaging and bass response. Let us know how it goes. And happy birthday!

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