New Speakers to Choose

[scangle]

Of the following choices, which are the superior speakers for my new stereo system.
B&W 683
Golden Ear Triton 3
Martin Logan Motion 40

 

[zieglj01]

Of the following choices, which are the superior speakers for my new stereo system.
B&W 683
Golden Ear Triton 3
Martin Logan Motion 40

Maybe none of them - have you auditioned any of them?

 

[ImcLoud]

I am going to have to say not one of them would be on my long list in that price range... sorry, demo them and pick the one that grabs you..

 

[walter duque]

Golden Ear, you can't serious, worst than Def Tech and that's like going from bad to worst..

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Of the following choices, which are the superior speakers for my new stereo system.
B&W 683
Golden Ear Triton 3
Martin Logan Motion 40

I would get AE Triton-3 or RBH SX-6300 (street price under $2K).

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Golden Ear, you can't serious, worst than Def Tech and that's like going from bad to worst..

Well, Walter, to be fair, it really depends on how the speakers sound to the BUYER, not how the speakers sound to us or anyone else.

 

[walter duque]

Well, Walter, to be fair, it really depends on how the speakers sound to the BUYER, not how the speakers sound to us or anyone else.

I just hate them cheap plastic tops, what a turn off. By the time you get them home they seem to fall apart.

 

[Cos]

I just hate them cheap plastic tops, what a turn off. By the time you get them home they seem to fall apart.

I can understand your frustration with the tops, I see them everyday on my 7s, my Aon 2s Aon 3s and now Triton Ones..what I hear though are great sounding speakers. I have yet to read a bad review on them and they have been reviewed by a lot of places. Of course, if cosmetics is one of your primary factors, there are definitely better looking speakers. I will also add, I have never had an issue with the tops falling apart on any of the speakers I have.

Your posts made the baby jesus cry

After I did some research on the Triton 3s vs the 7s, I still recommend the 7s with a separate sub as I suggested in your beginners foum post on the same topic.

 

[GranteedEV]

Of the following choices, which are the superior speakers for my new stereo system.
B&W 683
Golden Ear Triton 3
Martin Logan Motion 40

I feel like you're making me play russian roulette, except there're six bullets in the revolver. Well, I guess that goldenear might be... Okay?

.... Magnepan. EMP. Revel. Salk. Ascend. Soundfield. PSB. SVS. Aperion. ARX. KEF. JBL LSR. RBH. Harbeth.

.... Just explore plenty of options. Audition with your best source material and try not to be too influenced by what your eyes tell you or what salesman in their fantasy worlds tell themselves and you. Take notes. Are S's lingering? Is the treble lively? Is the midrange natural? Is the bass tight? Hoe is the placement?

 

[markw]

Aren't you glad you asked this question?

Would you depend on others to tell you which woman you should marry without your ever having met her?

Speakers are a personal preference. Only you can tell what you will like.

All you mentioned are good but which one (if any) is for you, only you can decide.

Incidentally, you were asked some clarifying questions on your previous post in order to more specifically answer your questions. Your failing to bother to answer them and then start another vague thread is a bit rude, if not puzzling.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I just hate them cheap plastic tops, what a turn off. By the time you get them home they seem to fall apart.

Not for everyone for sure.

Does not turn me on either.

I know what I would get. You know what you would get. But there are many factors.

One factor is that many people will not buy speakers they have never heard or cannot buy locally. Some people don't like to deal with Internet Direct companies or shipping from out of state. Some people can't wait 8 weeks to get their speakers. So if they can listen to the speakers nearby and purchase the speakers right then and there, they may just do that.

In the end, although we may not buy those speakers, if the person is utterly happy with the sound, aesthetic, service, price, etc., then that's just fine too.

 

[Cos]

Not for everyone for sure.

Does not turn me on either.

I know what I would get. You know what you would get. But there are many factors.

One factor is that many people will not buy speakers they have never heard or cannot buy locally. Some people don't like to deal with Internet Direct companies or shipping from out of state. Some people can't wait 8 weeks to get their speakers. So if they can listen to the speakers nearby and purchase the speakers right then and there, they may just do that.

In the end, although we may not buy those speakers, if the person is utterly happy with the sound, aesthetic, service, price, etc., then that's just fine too.

And some people, audition speakers for a few months and make a decision what sounds best for them. I have to say sometimes I get a little frustrated reading people's comments on a particular speaker, but I respect the fact that everyone is entitled to their opinion.

This post is a prime example of what I am talking about. People will give positive or negative feedback on a particular brand, but provide little substance as to why they like/dislike the brand.

"Would not be on my list"
"Golden Ear, worse than Definite Tech"
"Try XYZ Brand (online or retail) instead)"

Everyone has their opinion, and sound to a certain degree is subjective, but as of late replies like this is why I have spent more time going over to AVSForum to review the individual speaker manufacturer's fourms to get the feedback of people who own the speakers, because I tend to get a little more information as to why they like/dislike a particular brand"

When I made the decision to go with GoldenEar, it was as I gradually was transitioning from another brand. I spent numerous hours listing to different speakers at multiple locations. I for one, don't buy speakers from online vendors, because I want to know what I am buying, before I buy. Just like if I am buying a car, I am not going to buy it from an online vendor, no matter what claim they make. It's a pain in the ass to have to go through a 30 day trial only to have to ship back something you don't like. I know, I had to pack up my Paradigm's and it wasn't fun. That's not to say online vendors don't sound better, worse or the same.

If all speakers sold at Home Audio Stores were crap, then maybe that would different. I did a lot of listening tests to come up with what sounded best for me. You can go to multiple review websites and find a lot of positive feedback on a particular brand and see measurements. I know that I am happy with my selection, not only because they were reviewed, measured, well, but they sound great in my house.

If you really don't like a speaker, why don't you express why you don't like it to a person who is asking questions about it. They may or may not end up being the same reasons as the person asking the question, but it would be a lot more helpful.

At least Walter expressed his dislike for the quality of the tops, looks. AcuDefTechGuy has pointed out he doesn't like built in subs. The rests of the posts really provided no relevant information as to why any of those are bad selections.

A am a relative noob compared to a lot of people on this forum and I look for people's opinions and have made changes based on feedback here.

"Off of Soap Box"

Short Version: You can feel free to bash any selection I or anyone else make on a particular brand, but there is little value from comments that provide little or no substance as to why XYZ Brand is Good or Bad.

I also apologize for this long post.

 

[GranteedEV]

...all I suggested was to go auditioning plenty of different speakers, because it sound like OP is investing over a thousand dollars. I never said to avoid anythint like the plague or to blindly buy anything else. Even ID companies tend to have owner networks for auditioning... I know anyone in the Southern Alberta area who wants to hear some Dennis Murphy speakers is always welcome to give my Philharmonics a listen for example.

I don't want to influence OP's perception with commentary unless there's some "steer clear" option a la Zu Audio or Bose. All that I recommend is auditioning with high quality source material and a notepad. No one would want to listen to me anyways if I tell them the midband frequency response on the golden ears is full of low Q peaks and dips which should certainly be audible departures from neutrality. I know people don't want to read that even if it's the most objective commentary one can make.

 

[Cos]

Why wouldn't people want to hear about that? that's the type of information I would look for when evaluating speakers. My comment were not to single anyone out and I apologize if anyone took offense from my post.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

And some people, audition speakers for a few months and make a decision what sounds best for them. I have to say sometimes I get a little frustrated reading people's comments on a particular speaker, but I respect the fact that everyone is entitled to their opinion.

This post is a prime example of what I am talking about. People will give positive or negative feedback on a particular brand, but provide little substance as to why they like/dislike the brand.

"Would not be on my list"
"Golden Ear, worse than Definite Tech"
"Try XYZ Brand (online or retail) instead)"

Everyone has their opinion, and sound to a certain degree is subjective, but as of late replies like this is why I have spent more time going over to AVSForum to review the individual speaker manufacturer's fourms to get the feedback of people who own the speakers, because I tend to get a little more information as to why they like/dislike a particular brand"

When I made the decision to go with GoldenEar, it was as I gradually was transitioning from another brand. I spent numerous hours listing to different speakers at multiple locations. I for one, don't buy speakers from online vendors, because I want to know what I am buying, before I buy. Just like if I am buying a car, I am not going to buy it from an online vendor, no matter what claim they make. It's a pain in the ass to have to go through a 30 day trial only to have to ship back something you don't like. I know, I had to pack up my Paradigm's and it wasn't fun. That's not to say online vendors don't sound better, worse or the same.

If all speakers sold at Home Audio Stores were crap, then maybe that would different. I did a lot of listening tests to come up with what sounded best for me. You can go to multiple review websites and find a lot of positive feedback on a particular brand and see measurements. I know that I am happy with my selection, not only because they were reviewed, measured, well, but they sound great in my house.

If you really don't like a speaker, why don't you express why you don't like it to a person who is asking questions about it. They may or may not end up being the same reasons as the person asking the question, but it would be a lot more helpful.

At least Walter expressed his dislike for the quality of the tops, looks. AcuDefTechGuy has pointed out he doesn't like built in subs. The rests of the posts really provided no relevant information as to why any of those are bad selections.

A am a relative noob compared to a lot of people on this forum and I look for people's opinions and have made changes based on feedback here.

"Off of Soap Box"

Short Version: You can feel free to bash any selection I or anyone else make on a particular brand, but there is little value from comments that provide little or no substance as to why XYZ Brand is Good or Bad.

I also apologize for this long post.

Now you know the real reason I sold all my Definitive Tech speakers (BP7000SC, BP7001SC, CLR3000, SC Trinity).

There is a lot of bashing towards Definitive Tech, Golden-Ear, B&W, and Paradigm. With the exception of Paradigm, most of the bashing is towards speakers that don't measure very well with on-axis and off-axis frequency responses, including Magnepan, Martin Logan, Totem, ZU Audio, Wilson Audio, etc.

Regardless of measurment, I think the DT BP7000SC & BP7001SC are very good sounding speakers. I think Sandy Gross's Triton towers are also good sounding.

 

[Cos]

This is why I also enjoy the opportunity to learn new things about speakers. So I have a question, what qualifies a speaker having bad off axis performance. I will use the review from Stereophile.com as an example in its review of the Triton 7?


GoldenEar Triton Seven tower speaker Page 3 | Sound & Vision

It states it has good off axis, based on measurements how would a novice be able to tell about off axis? I am using this as a frame of reference because this is a resource I used when buying those for my bedroom.

If you have a link to better understand that is fine too.


Thanks

 

[Swerd]

… what qualifies a speaker having bad off axis performance. I will use the review from Stereophile.com as an example in its review of the Triton 7?

GoldenEar Triton Seven tower speaker Page 3 | Sound & Vision

It states it has good off axis, based on measurements how would a novice be able to tell about off axis? I am using this as a frame of reference because this is a resource I used when buying those for my bedroom.

If you have a link to better understand that is fine too.

Your link didn't show any frequency response graphs. But these speakers were also measured by the National Research Council of Canada.

SoundStageNetwork.com | SoundStage.com | NRC Measurements: GoldenEar Technology Triton Seven Loudspeakers

There are 3 curves in their first graph (also shown below). The measuring microphone was directly in front of the speakers, on axis (top curve), the same distance but 15° off axis (middle curve), and 30° off axis (bottom curve). Notice how the higher frequencies drop first. When two curves are more than 3 dB apart, especially in the mid range (roughly 200 to 3000 Hz) you will begin to hear a loss in off axis performance.

As you can see, these 3 curves are very close to each other. This speaker has very good off axis response. Their next graph shows the curves for 45°, 60°, and 75° off axis. See the website for that graph.

Here is the list of the speakers the NRC has tested. Look at as many as you want to get a feel for off axis performance among different speakers.

SoundStageNetwork.com | SoundStage.com | SoundStageNetwork.com | SoundStage.com

 

[Cos]

I really appreciate the explanation and links. Thank you

 

[ImcLoud]

"Would not be on my list"

This one may have been aimed at me, lol My original post was "I am going to have to say not one of them would be on my long list in that price range... sorry, demo them and pick the one that grabs you.."

I don't think that is too bad, lol, the wouldn't be on my list, because there is better for less, the OP has hopefully poked around the internet and know there are a lot of speakers in that price range... For all I know he only has access to them 3 and has to pick between them, so the best way to choose is to demo...


Anyway, I have heard all 3, the Ml's seem to be heavy on the bottom and light on the top, but not enough bass to not need a sub, for my taste.. The B&Ws are , well over priced for what you get and the HF00655 tweeter is as bad as some horns I have heard {just in a different way}... As for the Golden ears I have heard the 2's which is a step up from the 3's and the low end was yucky, lol.. The mids and highs seemed very capable but that power boosted oval bass driven system just did not make me happy.. You don't plug in the bass and maybe you will be onto a nice upper end system, but eh' not in my taste...

And that is the problem with what I think about them speakers, my taste may not and probably is not his... So who cares what I think individually, the point of my earlier post was to say, keep looking unless you are locked into them or already looked around a lot {which I doubt, because them 3 are pretty different, if he did look, he may not know what he likes yet}, and if you are locked into them {best buy credit card or used market ect} thenlisten to all 3 and make a decision based on them 2 things hanging on the side of your head below your ear line...

I honestly like my first post much better than this one...

You want to spend $1500 on speakers? I do agree with Cos that maybe I should give you a few options that would be on my list in your price range above them 3..
Magneplanar 1.7's, depending on your room, these can sound fantastic...

Monitor audio Silver 8's, heard these Today actually, I heard them before but not sure if these are a new version, very nice speaker for the cost, I have to say classical, this speaker sounded really really good, maybe because I am used to 2 ways, not sure...

Klipsch Heresey 3's, they look so fun, they sound good too, only klipsch I ever liked was the retro stuff...

Boston acoustic m350's you can get awesome deals on these lately, like half price, its a nice sounding speaker, reminds me of the psb t2 imagines that I love for less money...

And of course for the top of my list would be ascent sierra towers {base can be bought for around 2K}... maybe salk songs???

But personally I would rather have a pair of bookshelfs {ribbon loaded} and a pair of sealed subs to most towers...

But the OP would have to do a lot of listening to make sure all them speakers above aren't better for the money than what he has on his list... The above speakers all do smonething special in one way or another... The 3 he listed are kind of eh'

 

[Mr_Owlow]

The Boston A250 is good, Tannoy makes nice speakers. XTZ 95.44 is very good for the price, good driver, horn loaded ribbon tweeter. for $1600 you can get the 99.36, which better, and has a higher finish.