[music_man]

i was using the little krell. i didn't say they were "bad". i said they had a strong "flavor" and it was not my personal taste. i personally do not hear them as being neutral whatsoever. they impart their color/flavor to every recording. that is of course, imo. as always ymmv. i doubt it was my electronics the krell is very neutral. of course one could make an arguement about a $2,600 amp powering $13,000 speakers. still. i think it was good enough to get an idea.

music_man

 

[music_man]

you know what guys? the va haydn grand have really grown on me. because i home auditioned them. the guy said "if you don't like the mementos, try the auditors. wait, try the haydns."

they are highly colored. not true to the original recording at all. but in a way that i actually like. i never thought i'd like a speaker/source that does not reproduce a true facsimile of what is on the recording.

what really gets me about them is the "prat". these things are smooth and lighting fast. they add "boogie woogie" to every thing. if these things don't make you snap your fingers and tap your toes i don't know what will. the soundstage is small and tight. not what i usually like but they just grew on me.

i know i had mentioned that some $400 speakers had them beat but you know honestly auditioning stuff in a crowded store and at home is two different scenarios. hifi magazine comapred them to the auditor and my utopia be. others have liked them better than the utopia be and i think i might have found a new speaker myself! it is a realitive "bargain" to boot at $1,400usd(pair).

you might have the same experience with them as i did in a store. so if you are serious do yourself a favor and take them home.
i think i will call the store and tell them i am keeping them in a couple more days and be done for a while in the loudspeaker department.

the only draw back is they are bigger then they look once home. the speakers,krell and sony cdp take up my 6' dresser end to end. the veneer on them is top notch though. these are more in the class of sonus faber(cabinet and sound wise) then vons.

music_man

 

[music_man]

i was wrong again. the va's do not have the micro utopia be's beat for me. that be tweeter is just so clear and revealing. plus the utopias are punchier.

i do like the dynaudio special 25's but they are too big for me.
well, this is like "the grass is always greener on the other side". i think i will stop looking at this point and just be content.

i just wanted to comment on something i think mysticaldodo(don't quote me) might have said. i think he said the haydn grands got boomy against a wall even though they are front ported. they were at first and i was largely taken aback by that. however, just as the manual states with 30 hours of break in that dissapeared and a lot of good sound appeared. still, they just didn't please me as do the utopias. i guess thats it.

music_man

 

[ooheadsoo]

Hate to bring this up, but SP Tech has a new "Mini" out that just might fit your bill, music_man.

http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/i...?topic=43286.0
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....oni&1190212596

I'm sure you could also get it in any finish you wanted, with the right money.
From what I know about this speaker, the highs should cream the last speaker I recommended in the old thread because of the much higher end tweeter used in SP Tech's own products, and that other speaker still sounded great, to me. Too bad the Mini is direct sold, only, for the time being. And so, I know you won't be interested in hearing them. Anyway, for the way my tastes run, I thought it was exciting enough to mention, given your need for a small speaker. And the price is certainly right, until it goes dealer wide.

abe

 

[music_man]

thanks for letting me know.

i won't buy something i cannot hear first. if at some point i can hear them i will go do so.

edit: hmm. i didn't look at the link first. those seem darn inexpensive just judging from their looks alone!

music_man

 

[ooheadsoo]

Yes, the current price is killer, although the special ends today, and the lead time is already 8 weeks. Even when the special price ends, it's still a great price, imo, for the engineering you get. I think the price is going circa $2k when it goes dealer wide. They do have the 30-day return policy, but I know you don't like to take advantage of that. Besides, it's a hassle to ship back when each speaker weighs about 40lbs.