There are significant differences between horns and others. Someone telling you something is better than another without knowing your preferences is a moot point. I wouldn’t shoot yourself in the foot by saying ‘no subs’ especially when you mentioned pressurizing the room. There are so many benefits from a pair of subs from imaging to room pressure to integration. Based off what you have written, I wouldn’t sleep on LaScalas with a pair of good subs. Best of luck and let us know where you land.
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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@jrdavisphd sounds like a road trip! Thx Those Joseph Crowe speakers are pretty amazing and unique. |
You can try to listen to Coherent Audio model 18. It is made in Canada. I visit Montreal Audio Fest every year, and nothing there sounds as good. I also use an Altec 604E that is a little bit similar to your current speakers. I personally don't like mainstream low sensitive tower audiophile speakers (that people recommend you here). They never impressed me. They always sound artificial and boring to me. I also think Coherent Audio model 18 is much better than any Klipsch I heard. It is a different league in terms of naturalness and accuracy. I also recommend you to listen to Fyne Audio speakers. But they are not as good value for money as Coherent Audio. |
My advice would be the B&W 801 D4. Why? With the current equipment, preferred music genre and resale value/demand the iconic 801 D4 makes sense. Don't worry about the 800 series critics no loudspeaker is even close to perfection. Both Sonus Faber and Wilson Audio are much more critical with placement and electronics. Despite what some might claim Sonus Faber is not the best choice for Classic Rock when compared to B&W, Wilson, the less resolving Klipschorn or even the clinical sounding Kef Blade. |
- 109 posts total