help picking new speakers

[Jolida302]

Quote:

Originally Posted by falang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Question: How could one hook up a sub to the A2s when they have no sub-out?

a problem indeed

 

[dreamwhisper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinp6301 /img/forum/go_quote.gif no one's recommended the headroom's audiophile's desktop yet?

maan

headroom's gear seems overpriced to me
(ouch generalizations -_-)

I'm not saying they're not useful,
I for one have bought Senn HD25-1's, and HD650's from them, but this was mainly because of their fast shipping and customer service.

For the best pricing I look elsewhere.

 

[warpdriver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinp6301 /img/forum/go_quote.gif no one's recommended the headroom's audiophile's desktop yet?

Headroom's setup is quite amazing but very very pricey, it's really at the top end of the market chasing after that last 3% of missing accuracy and musicality, in a cool looking extremely tidy and compact setup. I think you could do pretty well at half the cost if you were to sacrifice the compactness of that system, and do things like build DIY stands.

For example, you could choose a $500 Cambridge Audio integrated amp, and pair it with any number of speakers like Dynaudio Focus 110, NHT Classic 3, B&W CM1, Epos M5si, etc. Add a Musical Fidelity XCan V8. Commission a builder to make some solid wood stands. For around $2000, I think it would be a worthy alternative to the Headroom system in terms of sound alone (but not the tidyness of the HR system)

 

[MfiveM]

I tried the Era speakers, they were nice but the wood look really did not fit the office so I have now decided to get the REL R-205 sub for the set-up since they are my favorite sub company and the dynaudio's since I know I will love. I just need to figure out how I am going to connect everything up to my Mac. I wish I bought the dynaudio C1's I could have gotten 6 months ago for a little more then the MC15's...

 

[warpdriver]

Cool. Let us know how you like them. The REL/Dynaudio combo should be killer once you get them set up correctly (take your time with that, I took an hour trying all the different settings to blend them with my Microvee sub)

 

[TheAnomaly]

i think i am *nearing* the end of my speaker quest as well. i'm leaning towards the icon + S-1 combo, along with the velodyne VX-10 to round out the bass. or possibly some other combo involving the JB3 or maybe the KEF iQ1, and the kingrex or the icon. i'm really attracted to the icon because it functions as a preamp and a headphone amp as well as a dac and speaker amp.

 

[MfiveM]

^ I just ordered my icon in black. The S-1's look interesting.

 

[TheAnomaly]

i thought you were going for the Dynaudios?

 

[MfiveM]

I ordered the NuForce Icon, too many things with the same names.....

 

[TheAnomaly]

yes, but what are you using them for? the Dynaudios are active??

 

[warpdriver]

The Dynaudios are active but they don't have a volume control. So the Icon could function as a DAC + volume controller/preamp + input switcher. I ordered my Icon before I knew I would buy the Dynaudios, so that's how I'm using the Icon. It does seem kind of weird to have an Icon but not use the amp portion

 

[TheAnomaly]

oh i see. i didn't realize they didn't have a volume..

 

[Operandi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAnomaly /img/forum/go_quote.gif yes, 6 moons in particular loves the KingRex, they gave it an award for the most tube-like solid state amp. my only misgiving about this potential setup is, let's be frank, the 3" drivers may not be up to the task when it comes to more complex orchestral or rock arrangements. i'm sure they do fine with simpler or less frenzied material, but i have reservations with regards to my electronica, rock, and rap selections. i need something that is a great all arounder; somewhat ironically, the wide-band speaker may not be suited to this! so i'm still considering other things...particularly that KEF iQ1. it looks to be quite good, reasonably efficient too. though the appeal of the JB3 is there, if only i knew that it could handle what i would put it through. the same sort of concerns apply to the Nuforce S-1 -- which i'm sure is a good speaker, under certain listening standards. heh...there's a good question. according to the 6moons article, people who back the SDL (single driver loudspeaker) do so because they think that crossovers and what not "chop up" the sound too much, also citing phase coherence as an issue. of course you can use a concentric array like in the KEF, so that concern would go out the window. then you've got the issue of the crossover...at any rate, another review i read said that the JB3 delivers headphone like detail in a speaker setting, so this thing is clearly pretty competent if you feed it the right kind of power and playback material. you're right, the actual enclosure is not mind boggling small, although i think most of that is to improve the bass response; apparently the driver gains 40 hz extension by being in the cabinet.

I would be pretty hesitant about full range designs. All speakers make compromises to meet their goals but getting a driver to produce full range sound, results their own special compromises. To get a flat response into 20Khz region with somewhat decent low-end extension unusually means the driver will not be any larger than 4". They also tend to sacrifice sensitivity for xmax. Small size and low xmax means not so hot bass performance (which is why you see a lot of the higher-end tower full range designs in transmission line configurations) and relatively low output . Probably not the best choice if you listen to modern types of music, rock, hip-hop, electronica (ect.) unless you plan to integrate them with sub. Full range drivers also have very narrow sweet spots, move off axis and the HF response drops like a lead balloon.

Coaxial drivers are not without their own issues but they largely address the above issues. I haven't head the new Q line but I have heard a previous generation q driver in a custom build (85lb towers with actively crossed integrated bass bins) and it was pretty impressive. The new KEF uni-q driver looks like it's pretty cutting edge and the new speaker looks like a lot of speaker for the money. Cast frames and faraday rings for example are all things associated with high-end drivers.

 

[TheAnomaly]

well i headed over to Flanner's today and checked out their monitor audio lineup. i was fairly impressed with the RS-1 -- it was a very articulate and well built little monitor. i might be leaning toward something like that for my purchase. it's small enough to be feasible for my room, and the efficiency makes it very suitable to the T-amp (kingrex or Icon).

oh, they also had definitive technology there. i'll just say there was nothing "definitive" about their sound, though...

 

[Operandi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAnomaly /img/forum/go_quote.gif well i headed over to Flanner's today and checked out their monitor audio lineup. i was fairly impressed with the RS-1 -- it was a very articulate and well built little monitor. i might be leaning toward something like that for my purchase. it's small enough to be feasible for my room, and the efficiency makes it very suitable to the T-amp (kingrex or Icon). oh, they also had definitive technology there. i'll just say there was nothing "definitive" about their sound, though...

The RS-1 is probably a really good speaker (whats with the gold tweeter though?) and it is pretty compact. The main issue I could foresee is you are dealing with a 6.5" woofer pretty big baffle in a nearfeild configuration.

These are probably ideally meant to be used on stands with a fair amount of open space. If you use them in too near of a nearfeild position you'll have timing issues due to distance between between the woofer and tweeter relative to your listening position.