You have a very nice vintage system!
Out of curiosity, on the right-side shelf, what is the component with a square display (5th component from the bottom)?
Sorry for the non sequitur everyone!
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.
- ...
- 109 posts total
@chris71 If you are in N Cal I’ll be selling a pair of AK6’s in Walnut. |
I would second looking into Fyne speakers. The F703sp is my holy grail speaker at the moment and would be great for your room size. I recently acquired a pair of their new F502s speakers which are astonishing for $3500 USD. I heard the F703sp at a dealer in California and decided to start modestly with the brand. My local dealer has a generous trade in program so I'm already strategizing how to get my wife on board with upgrading to the F703sp's next year. Good thing is she loves the F502s's so she may be open to upgrading as well. I'm also interested in the O Audio Icon's but haven't heard them and my wife may veto based on looks, even though I like how they look. |
I'm late to the party but I've got two suggestions. I am also considering buying my end game speakers (I'm 70). I currently have a pair of Thiel CS6 that are hard to beat. I'm running them with a Krell KSA 300S and KRC-2. 1) I would definitely recommend that you go to an audio show before you plunk down 5 figures on new speakers. AXPONA is coming up and there are several other shows around the country. I've been to three shows and not only are they fun, it's an opportunity to get a good sense of what type of sound you prefer. 2) SVS has come out with a tower called the Ultra Evolution Pinnacle ($5k/pair). I heard these at an audio store recently and they sound disturbingly good. You should be able to find an SVS dealer within reasonable distance and I strongly suggest that you listen to them if for no other reason than to hear what $5k will buy currently. I've heard dozens of high end speakers over the last several years and these are in the top tier. I'm willing to spend a lot more than $5k for speakers but the SVS towers are a benchmark. Let's just say that I've heard a lot of speakers that cost many multiples of the SVS's price and didn't sound as good, at least to my ears. |
- 109 posts total