[swt61]

Glad to hear it. I love that company. He was the brainchild behind Audio Alchemy.

 

[soloz2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swt61 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Glad to hear it. I love that company. He was the brainchild behind Audio Alchemy.

yes, so I've heard. That was a little before my interest in hi-fi. I've talked with Mark on the phone a couple times and he has a new headphone amp coming out with his x-series electronics that I'm supposed to be able to get my hands on one of these days.

I can't wait for my ULW 10's to come! I need some bass in my HT now! That and I'm interested in one of their new digital amps to replace the sonic impact t-amp gen 2 I'm using with my Ref .5's in my office.

 

[TheAnomaly]

i'm currently thinking i'll hold off for the X-LS SWG. MLS said he thinks April, but obviously there's no guarantee. anybody think the SWG is worth the waiting and another $100? i understand you're gaining some bass response and a little treble clarity/smoothness in crossover to the woofer. i'd be getting a subwoofer at some point regardless, so, perhaps the better woofer and cabinet wouldn't really make that much of a difference.

on the other hand, perhaps i would hold off more on the sub purchase if i had a more robust bookshelf to begin with. baaah, such decisions... -_-

 

[zachary80]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachary80 /img/forum/go_quote.gif My Mascarey Rosa Satin XLS (also got in on the black friday deal) and BPA-1 arrived and they sound/look great from my 3 minute test. I almost bit on an av123 subwoofer but am glad I didn't because it would have been overkill for the small room they will be in. Just one more week for legitimate use

After a little more time with them I've become less fond of my XLS.

The BPA-1 has more than enough power, and I have only turned it up to half while playing soft classical recordings louder than normal.

The veneers on the XLS look very good (although not like the pictures) but the seams are rough and look poorly done; I had too much hope for a budget speaker.

They sound nice for a budget speaker and earlier I would have sworen they were better than the monitors I use with my computer system. However, in a quick and dirty test with the XLS right next to my Samson Resolv 65a's they didn't fair very well - if I could only keep one pair from the result of that test I would keep the Samson's, although the XLS did have some advantages. The biggest flaw in the test was that the Samson's were on Auralex MoPad's (isolation foam). I think this may have accounted for some of the very congested/muddy response in the lower-midrange and bass of the XLS

 

[TheAnomaly]

well, the original X-LS cost a fair bit less than the Resolvs; for a while they were retailing for like $130. the new Encore goes for $300 starting price, and has a new tweeter and crossover. i'm sure the new model fairs a lot better, but there's not a whole lot of info about the Encore's performance right now, aside from a few listening tests that have been posted on forums here and there.

it is an interesting thing to consider though, for me, because my amp is a not-very-good Onkyo, and perhaps some cheaper active monitors would do the job better for my case (computer listening as well).

also, how would i hook up some active monitors to a computer setup? would i need a preamp? i've got Beresford TC-7510 Mark VI (i think) coming out of my computer, and then from there i'm a bit confused.

 

[zachary80]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAnomaly /img/forum/go_quote.gif well, the original X-LS cost a fair bit less than the Resolvs; for a while they were retailing for like $130. the new Encore goes for $300 starting price, and has a new tweeter and crossover. i'm sure the new model fairs a lot better, but there's not a whole lot of info about the Encore's performance right now, aside from a few listening tests that have been posted on forums here and there. it is an interesting thing to consider though, for me, because my amp is a not-very-good Onkyo, and perhaps some cheaper active monitors would do the job better for my case (computer listening as well). also, how would i hook up some active monitors to a computer setup? would i need a preamp? i've got Beresford TC-7510 Mark VI (i think) coming out of my computer, and then from there i'm a bit confused.

I don't want anyone to think I'm trashing the XLS. This is just from a quick and dirty test on new speakers (I'm not adjusted to yet) that I assume are not burned in

The Samsons are active (bi amped) and $300, the non-sale price of the XLS was $200+the cost of an amp ($130 BPA-1). So cost is roughly the same

I am now considering a subwoofer to take the low-end strain off of the XLS although the added volume is unnecessary. First I'll have to try some isolation methods

Most active monitors have a volume control on the back of each monitor, so some form of an external volume control would be extremely helpful especially with your setup straight out of a DAC. As far as connection goes, most monitors have XLR/TRS/RCA connections so you should be fine.

One thing to look at with active nearfield monitors with a computer setup is that they are front ported. The XLS for example benefit from having a foot of space behind their rear port, whereas with the Resolv's front port there are far more options for placement

----
Just a note, the forum changes "P R" to Page Ranking

 

[1ceman]

soloz2 did you get a chance to listen to the Paradigm Atom Monitor V5? I was in a similar situation to you and chose the Paradigms over the X-LS because I opted to buy local (I live in Canada where Paradigms are made!). So really I'm just curious about how they stack up.

 

[soloz2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1ceman /img/forum/go_quote.gif soloz2 did you get a chance to listen to the Paradigm Atom Monitor V5? I was in a similar situation to you and chose the Paradigms over the X-LS because I opted to buy local (I live in Canada where Paradigms are made!). So really I'm just curious about how they stack up.

Yes, I did listen to the atom, mini monitor and titan monitor. I liked the x-ls better than all 3, although I will admit that the titan has better lows, but it's also quite a bit larger and 2x the price!

 

[Austin 3:16]

Paradigm. Quest solved.

 

[nightfire]

Heh... I also have a set of Infinity RS2s and god are they awful.

Especially considering what I paid. I bought them for $500 almost 10 years ago at a big box store when I knew nothing about high quality audio.

A couple years ago I was at Layton audio in Montreal listening to some e3c's (after I ordered and was woefully disappointed with the e5c). I happened across the Titan v3 set up there, and was blown away. I was figuring they ran similar to the RS2's ... about $500-600. When he told me they were $199, I flinched (thinking they made an error) and calmly picked up the one remaining set, paid and left.

I dunno if it's just that technology has changed in the last 10 years or if I just got screwed the first time around. But I'm happy now.

I did however change the capacitors in the tweeter crossover to Panasonic polypropylene caps (2x2.2uF) and added a 50ohm load to the tweeter. It brightened them up a touch as I found the midbass a little excessive. Also removed the slight haze at the very top end.

I'm powering them with a homebuilt Amp5.

Anyway, great speaker.

 

[soloz2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightfire /img/forum/go_quote.gif Heh... I also have a set of Infinity RS2s and god are they awful. Especially considering what I paid. I bought them for $500 almost 10 years ago at a big box store when I knew nothing about high quality audio. A couple years ago I was at Layton audio in Montreal listening to some e3c's (after I ordered and was woefully disappointed with the e5c). I happened across the Titan v3 set up there, and was blown away. I was figuring they ran similar to the RS2's ... about $500-600. When he told me they were $199, I flinched (thinking they made an error) and calmly picked up the one remaining set, paid and left. I dunno if it's just that technology has changed in the last 10 years or if I just got screwed the first time around. But I'm happy now. I did however change the capacitors in the tweeter crossover to Panasonic polypropylene caps (2x2.2uF) and added a 50ohm load to the tweeter. It brightened them up a touch as I found the midbass a little excessive. Also removed the slight haze at the very top end. I'm powering them with a homebuilt Amp5. Anyway, great speaker.

Hmm... I think I paid $25 at a garage sale for my RS2's. The original owner's daughter said that her dad used them as decorations and they were never even hooked up. lol.

They are actually pretty decent. I was never very happy with them when I had them in my office, even after I bought some nice stands for them, I was using low powered amps, but when I put them in my living room which has much better acoustics and gave them 100w they sang pretty good. I was very, very happy with them for the price I paid. From what I've heard in the sub $400 price range I think they are still somewhat competitive, although they were probably much more competitive back when they were new.

And you got a good deal on those Titans! they are priced about $500 now.

 

[zachary80]

Soloz2, do you have a similar impression of the XLS as I expressed earlier? IIRC, they are only your rears, although at some point you compared them against the Ref .5

As I was listening to the XLS and then my HD650 (which blow them away in most ways), I realized the volume on my left and right channels of the XLS was not equal. I'll have to swap speakers to determine if it is an amp or speaker issue, although I am guessing it is a low-quality volume pot in the Emotiva that could have offset my listening since I tend to listen to volumes lower than most.

If there is a low quality volume pot, would turning it louder help balance the channels? I've been keeping it around 9 o'clock which is enough except for my classical and some jazz

 

[soloz2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachary80 /img/forum/go_quote.gif My Mascarey Rosa Satin XLS (also got in on the black friday deal) and BPA-1 arrived and they sound/look great from my 3 minute test. I almost bit on an av123 subwoofer but am glad I didn't because it would have been overkill for the small room they will be in. Just one more week for legitimate use

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachary80 /img/forum/go_quote.gif After a little more time with them I've become less fond of my XLS. The BPA-1 has more than enough power, and I have only turned it up to half while playing soft classical recordings louder than normal. The veneers on the XLS look very good (although not like the pictures) but the seams are rough and look poorly done; I had too much hope for a budget speaker. They sound nice for a budget speaker and earlier I would have sworen they were better than the monitors I use with my computer system. However, in a quick and dirty test with the XLS right next to my Samson Resolv 65a's they didn't fair very well - if I could only keep one pair from the result of that test I would keep the Samson's, although the XLS did have some advantages. The biggest flaw in the test was that the Samson's were on Auralex MoPad's (isolation foam). I think this may have accounted for some of the very congested/muddy response in the lower-midrange and bass of the XLS

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachary80 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't want anyone to think I'm trashing the XLS. This is just from a quick and dirty test on new speakers (I'm not adjusted to yet) that I assume are not burned in The Samsons are active (bi amped) and $300, the non-sale price of the XLS was $200+the cost of an amp ($130 BPA-1). So cost is roughly the same I am now considering a subwoofer to take the low-end strain off of the XLS although the added volume is unnecessary. First I'll have to try some isolation methods Most active monitors have a volume control on the back of each monitor, so some form of an external volume control would be extremely helpful especially with your setup straight out of a DAC. As far as connection goes, most monitors have XLR/TRS/RCA connections so you should be fine. One thing to look at with active nearfield monitors with a computer setup is that they are front ported. The XLS for example benefit from having a foot of space behind their rear port, whereas with the Resolv's front port there are far more options for placement ---- Just a note, the forum changes "P R" to Page Ranking

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachary80 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Soloz2, do you have a similar impression of the XLS as I expressed earlier? IIRC, they are only your rears, although at some point you compared them against the Ref .5 As I was listening to the XLS and then my HD650 (which blow them away in most ways), I realized the volume on my left and right channels of the XLS was not equal. I'll have to swap speakers to determine if it is an amp or speaker issue, although I am guessing it is a low-quality volume pot in the Emotiva that could have offset my listening since I tend to listen to volumes lower than most. If there is a low quality volume pot, would turning it louder help balance the channels? I've been keeping it around 9 o'clock which is enough except for my classical and some jazz

I wouldn't say that I have a similar impression of the x-ls per say. Let me first point out a couple things that I caught after rereading some of your posts.

1. You purchased your x-ls from the av123 black Friday sale. All the speakers were b-stock.
2. You later complained about the cosmetics and how the veneer was 'rough' and that they did not meet up with your expectations for a budget speaker.

To this I just want to reiterate that you purchased a b-stock speaker and as such you can't expect to receive a cosmetically perfect speaker. Of the Pair of X-ls I received, one was flawless, it looked absolutely amazing. The other did have a raised seam that ran over the top and down one side. It felt like a slight bump there and if you looked closely it was visible. After a couple weeks the bump went down and it was very hard to see, however you could still slightly feel it if you knew where to look.
Of the other speakers I got, all of which are b-stock: Ref 1, Ref 100, Ref .5 All are simply stunning. I have no idea why the ref 100 or ref .5's were b-stock. I did find a tiny cut in the veneer on the rear of one of my Ref 1's, but that is it.


Alright now on to listening impressions:

We tried my x-ls in several different situations. Shortly after receiving my speakers I tried each pair in the front main locations playing some music I am familiar with. My wife was present. I also did the same thing a few days later when a friend came over.
Speakers were mounted on 24" Atlantis stands filled with sand. I used my Marantz SR7001 receiver, Marantz CD5001 and modded Zhaolu

All the gear is located in my living room, but I need to rearrange because the speakers do not have enough air around them so they all sounded slightly congested with a limited soundstage. The ref .5's actually were the most airy since they are much smaller and had a lot more air around them.
The reference speakers are for obvious reasons the Ref 1's.

Compared to the Ref 1's the x-ls do not extend as high or low. They seem to have a bit of a hump in output (probably port frequency) before the bass drops off. The highs are nice and sweet, but not terribly detailed or extended. The mids are really what this speaker has to offer. The overall sound is slightly warm and engaging. This is just a fun speaker. We tried several kinds of music, but mostly listened to Diana Krell and everyone who listened to the x-ls really liked them.

The Ref .5's are lean on bass compared to the x-ls and are not as inviting, but the highs are a bit more extended and more detailed. It gives a bit more of a clinical sound, that I would not call bright as some say.

Stage two:

I brought my x-ls over to my friend's and we did an A/B session between the ref .5's and x-ls.
We used a budget setup that my friend put together for a mutual friend.
source: Denon DVD player (not sure the model)
amp: Pioneer SX650 vintage receiver
stands: some Target cheapos.
cables: old homegrown silver IC and one of my Resolution ICs, cheap speaker cables 12awg from Lowes I believe.

We moved all the speakers into the main lounge of the dorm (friend is an RD) so we had lots of room. The speakers were about 15' apart and we were about 15' back when we listened.

We heard the same exact things from the two speakers. We both felt that the Ref .5's were more detailed, but that the x-ls had a more 'full' sound that would appeal to most people. Both of us felt that the Ref .5's would be best suited in a 2.1 setup where the x-ls would be better in a 2.0 situation.
We also felt that the silver IC was a better match for the x-ls, bringing out more detail, but was too bright with the ref. 5's. The Resolution cable made the x-ls sound very fun, but was a little too warm for either of us. Paired with the ref .5's the Resolution IC was a very nice fit.

In the end we decided that the best setup for the person the setup was intended for was the x-ls with the silver IC.

I traded my x-ls for another pair of ref .5's because I felt the highs were a better match for my front end and since I'm getting a sub I don't think I'll miss the low end of the x-ls since they were only used as surrounds. Plus my wife thinks the ref .5's are cute and they match the cosmetics of my reference mains and center.


In regards to my Senn HD580 v x-ls. yes, the Senns are better, but we're talking about a pair of speakers that are roughly equal in cost to a pair of headphones... I hardly think that is a fair comparison.

 

[zachary80]

If I mislead, that is my fault. I should have made it more clear that they were b-stock, and that I made a false assumption about the seams. I expected the amount of damage (dings, chips) to the rest of the veneer was what differentiated the B-stock from the regular. The veneer is consistently off on both speakers, not to a huge degree, but enough to disappoint. After searching the av123 forums, it appears this is not isolated (nor widespread), and may be related to the age of the speakers.

Thanks for your impressions. Your testing seems well thought out.

The isolation pads seem to help with some of the sonic issues I mentioned earlier, but the rest might be related to the port, as you suggested, which would make sense. Stands look to be a better choice if I can make the room.

Quote:

Originally Posted by soloz2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1. You purchased your x-ls from the av123 black Friday sale. All the speakers were b-stock. 2. You later complained about the cosmetics and how the veneer was 'rough' and that they did not meet up with your expectations for a budget speaker. ... Compared to the Ref 1's the x-ls do not extend as high or low. They seem to have a bit of a hump in output (probably port frequency) before the bass drops off. The highs are nice and sweet, but not terribly detailed or extended. The mids are really what this speaker has to offer. The overall sound is slightly warm and engaging. This is just a fun speaker.

 

[soloz2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachary80 /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I mislead, that is my fault. I should have made it more clear that they were b-stock, and that I made a false assumption about the seams. I expected the amount of damage (dings, chips) to the rest of the veneer was what differentiated the B-stock from the regular. The veneer is consistently off on both speakers, not to a huge degree, but enough to disappoint. After searching the av123 forums, it appears this is not isolated (nor widespread), and may be related to the age of the speakers. Thanks for your impressions. Your testing seems well thought out. The isolation pads seem to help with some of the sonic issues I mentioned earlier, but the rest might be related to the port, as you suggested, which would make sense. Stands look to be a better choice if I can make the room.

Yeah stands make a huge difference. My biggest problem is getting enough space around the speakers to breath. My apartment isn't huge and the living room is mostly taken up by a patio door and then a door the same size going into the kitchen... and then a couple 'windows' that open into the kitchen as well. So even though the room is about 12'x25' I don't have a lot of wall space for speakers and stuff.

I'm sorry to hear about how bad the veneer is on your x-ls. I guess the worst I had ever seen was the pair I received and they really weren't that bad.