Agree with the above posters you must audition/home demo in order to make an educated decision.
End Game(ish) Speakers - Help Deciding
Hi folks,
Long time lurker, posting for input on upgrading my speakers to an end game(ish) purchase - famous last words I know. I’m middle aged, and listen to a broad range of music, predominantly classic rock.
Current core system:
- Altec Lansing Model 14 speakers (similar to LaScalas)
- McIntosh MA9000 integrated amp
- Vinyl (Project X1 Bronze 2M) and digital media (Mc DAC)
I’m looking to upgrade my speakers. I’ve done a significant amount of research, which has - in some ways - left me more confused than certain. There are many choices and exponentially more opinions.
One of the key things I am looking for is a floorstanding speaker with sufficient bass and presence to not require subs. I am also looking for a speaker which can pressurize the room and provide that visceral feeling you get from the right combination of components. My room is 14’x34’. Decently dampened in terms of floor and reflectivity - however it’s also my living room and I do need to consider my (tolerant) wife’s aspects of decor as well.
I grew up hearing friends’ parents’ speakers like Klipschorns - which made a BIG impression on me. We didn’t know what they were at the time, only that they absolutely rocked. Same with the Altecs. So I had some influences there in terms of horns and large speakers.
I have found that many of the newer floorstanding models that I’ve heard in demos lack that presence - other than the top models where you typically find woofers in the 8"+ range and hence you get what I would call a full dynamic range (say below 40Hz-20KHz). It’s unfortunate that the larger woofer options aren’t provided in lower end models, but I suppose this is how they market the top tier models and differentiate them.
I’ve narrowed my list down to the following, and would welcome comments and suggestions. I live in Canada, my budget is around $20K CAD - give or take, and I am fine with used equipment vs. new and for this list I’m mostly assuming used.
- Klipschorn AK6 or 7
- B&W 801/802 D3 or D4
- Sonus Faber Amati (Tradtion or G5)
- Wilson Sasha or similar
- Kef Blade Meta (or similar model)
An issue I have is that I haven’t been able to audition some of these in person. I would aim to do so before purchasing. My research thus far has been academic, and also some subjective listening on YouTube to various channels and samples and piecing that together.
Thanks for your time/interest.
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- 109 posts total
From your list, I prefer the Wilson Sasha. It should rock your room with plenty of bass, plus, you will also get lots of detail, and a great sound stage. I have a much bigger room with a cathedral ceiling and I am running Wilson Watt Puppy 8 and they rock the room. I used to have Martin Logan Electrostats with a subwoofer in the room, and I got rid of the subwoofer when I bought the Wilson W/P 8 (used). Subwoofer not needed. I am also running McIntosh gear (pair of Mc275 tube monoblocked) and your McIntosh amp should pair well with the Sasha. I really like the way the McIntosh amps sound with the Wilsons. Note: My system is posted under my profile. |
Thank you all for the feedback so far. @ghdprentice thank you, that's helpful. From what I've gathered, the Amati's are warmer than say the B&Ws. I'm hearing the auditioning advice loud and clear and will make that a condition of any purchase. @hjdca thanks - another strong contender. There are some sets of all of the speakers I've mentioned for sale, new and used, in areas around where I live - including some Watt Puppy & Sasha's. I'm trying to narrow the field a bit to focus my search as it will take time and planning to travel and audition them. |
@parkergetdean yes, open to suggestions. Trying to also narrow the field practically. I didn't use a specific methodology other than the broad information I provided - full response, presence and within that rough budget (new or used). Thanks! @deep_333 those Jubilees are monsters! I did consider them briefly but then reality tapped my shoulder...;) Not for me, at this time. Thanks. |
The Wilsons by a mile. Distant second place to the B&E Diamonds which are awesome with and only with your Mac amplifier. The rest do not compete. If you want a smoother more elegant and natural sound try the Rosso Fiorentino Sienna 2 or Arno 40. Uncanny, spooky realism without a trace of recorded artifact. Also the O Audio Icon 12 is a phenomenal sounding speaker. It is too bad you cannot audition. |
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