Are smaller high end speakers really better


I have gone the route of small Dynaudio etc....Small speakers(Standmount) that the various companies try to get to sound big. In the long run I find them fatiguing to listen to. I have even had a pair of Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage! I came back to a simple set of Boston Acoustics A200's(80's vintage!!!!) I'm sorry!!! But I like them alot. They have great imaging, are very flat and very open sounding. I found the high end speakers of today are almost too revealing, too clinical, not as smooth, too much information. I know it's subjective but that's how I feel. I know I'll take heat for this but all I can say is trust your ears and really stand up for what you like, not what all the reviews say. Look at me from a pair of 8000.00 Guarneri I ended up choosing a set of 700.00 Boston Acoustics A200's(A great speaker in it's own right)that sound great to me. Especially when you consider the price difference!!!!!!!By the way I listen to all kinds of music from classical to fusion to the Stones, perhaps that's the key, the old vintage high fi speakers do everything well. Now it's like speakers are too specialized in one category. If all I listened to is violin I would have stayed with the Guarneri, but they came up short when I listened to the Stones etc.....The A200's don't. Makes you wonder if we're really making head way or just making really expensive limited speakers! By the way my electronics are two Tandberg 3009A monoblocks with a Tandberg 3008A preamp. Once again very smooth sounding vintage gear, and built like tanks. Anyway good listening and remember, less is sometimes more.

Cheers,
Nocaster
nocaster
Nope, nothing satisfies like real bass.
King of the subs, (tight subs) quad 15's mated to maggies or custom monitors.

No bass, no bloom, and not real, simple as that, image specifity is fun but gets old and images don't rock!

Simple as that,

loon
If you think the Sonus Faber is fatiguing, I'd have to wonder about the source and amplification upstream compared to you Boston Accoustics. Sometimes, better equipment/speakers reveals flaws. Like putting a magnifying glass on things. They look fine in normal resolution, but magnify it and wow, I never noticed that before.

Some cases things sound great, in others, you just highlight the bad stuff...

I've heard those speaker and liked em...something else in going on in your listening experience I bet.

Or sometimes, it's just a preference. And that's ok to!
I'm beginning to see this hobby like wine tasting. You sample all the expensive stuff to learn your own tastes, then the goal is to satisfy youself for the fewest bucks.

Congrats on your good find.
I remember very vividly the '67 Mustage I drove in H.S. Driving School. That car was a blast to drive. The way it drove, rolled, and accerated was wonderful. Nice forum topic. I liked the way Mfkeleher put it. I've been putting together systems together lately using older stereo components (which have costed a song). I was really shocked when I heard the $35(inc. s/h) 60's Electro-voice bookshelf spks I bought on E-bay. They sounded great! The all important midrange was right-on. Bass/highs weak, but such an enjoyable spk. to listen to. Hooked it up to a mint Kenwood KR-2120 Rec.($20 inc. s/h), AQ type 2 (used '26, $10), 80's Hitachi CDP and presto...music. My dad really enjoys this little system. (He likes analog tuners and the Kenwood is able to pull in station w/o even an antenna!) One area where I found newer stuff really beats out older stuff is IC's and Spk. wires. Of all the bookshelf spks. which I've owned, I regret selling my Spendor S3/5's. Bill
I guess there are parts of the performance that attract us (me). Yes, I got big buck stuff; I also have these 15year old 2way sealed cabinets (Infinitys). They just sound so sweet and pure. Get this;driven by a receiver. Who da thunk?