Need warm speakers for home theatre

[William Lemmerhirt]

Maybe try something from RSL or svs with free in home trial?

 

[dlaloum]

Thanks. This issue almost always seems to be with metal tweeters (and recently ribbon), so soft dome at least seem to be the way to go and are used on all the speakers I have that don't hurt my ears. My problem is there is nothing close to me to be able to audition. The days of hifi shops where I live are gone. I suppose I will have to drive 3 hours to Chicago... Thanks.

In days of yore and unEQ'd stereo - I would always avoid the metal tweeters... same reasons as yours... I fond soft dome tweeters were fine, stats were fine, Magneplanars, ribbons were not so common at the time (last century).

Some tweeter designs get nasty when they reach close to their limits... the metal ones tend to go harsh ... I assume that is the profile of their distortion.
But really that is only applicable when getting close to their SPL limits - so part of the equation may be what SPL's you are aiming for.

Most speaker measurements are taken at around 95db SPL @1m but won't tell you much about what happens with transient peaks at 105db...

 

[shadyJ]

It sounds to me as if you have hyperacusis. This is a symptom that should always have careful audiological evaluation. It has a wide range of causes, from aging, blast injuries and prolonged noise exposure. However it is always present in otosclerosis and this is a cause you don't want to miss, as it is curable by stapedectomy.

I think before you look to solve your problem by a speaker search you should have expert audiological and ENT evaluation. For one thing you can not be certain which frequencies are bothering you. So, an audiogram will give you vital information and perspective.

You are not going about this correctly.

I was thinking something along the same lines, some kind of sensitivity to sound altogether. Cantons are not known for being bright.

 

[Georgethedog]

It sounds to me as if you have hyperacusis. This is a symptom that should always have careful audiological evaluation. It has a wide range of causes, from aging, blast injuries and prolonged noise exposure. However it is always present in otosclerosis and this is a cause you don't want to miss, as it is curable by stapedectomy.

I think before you look to solve your problem by a speaker search you should have expert audiological and ENT evaluation. For one thing you can not be certain which frequencies are bothering you. So, an audiogram will give you vital information and perspective.

You are not going about this correctly.

I do not have any of the other symptoms of that issue as shown by the Cleveland Clinic website, and I can play music loud if it isn't harsh. I go to concerts a lot and rarely have issues. Also, a Stapedectomy is not performed with people that have Hyperacusis. Hearing loss from otosclerosis is what is fixed with that surgery. I'm 61 so there is no harm in having them checked to see if certain frequencies bother me or if anything else is wrong, so thanks for that heads up. I had my ears checked about 5 years ago when I developed Tinnitus, but that was because there is a certain high frequency that I can barely hear now and my Dr. said that the mind is trying to compensate which is why I have Tinnitus. However, it is not real bad and I don't notice it most of the day... only at night when I'm in a quiet room. Thanks for you caring!

 

[mtrot]

Another brand that is generally viewed as on the "warmer" side of neutral is Sonus Faber. You might check out their Lumina and Sonetto series. I own the Lumina V's and I don't find them bright at all, although I can't hear much above 9,500 kHz. The Lumina V:

Lumina V Floorstanding Loudspeaker | Sonus faber

Sonus faber's Lumina V floorstanding speaker, featuring electro-acoustic solutions, producing natural, emotional sound for an immersive listening experience.

www.sonusfaber.com

Also, that Wharfedale EVO series may be "listenable" for you. I did try out an EVO 4 C center speaker and I didn't find the folded motion tweeter bright or harsh at all. If anything, I felt I might want a little more clarity. The EVO 4.4:

Evo4.4 - WHARFEDALE

www.wharfedale.co.uk

 

[TLS Guy]

I do not have any of the other symptoms of that issue as shown by the Cleveland Clinic website, and I can play music loud if it isn't harsh. I go to concerts a lot and rarely have issues. Also, a Stapedectomy is not performed with people that have Hyperacusis. Hearing loss from otosclerosis is what is fixed with that surgery. I'm 61 so there is no harm in having them checked to see if certain frequencies bother me or if anything else is wrong, so thanks for that heads up. I had my ears checked about 5 years ago when I developed Tinnitus, but that was because there is a certain high frequency that I can barely hear now and my Dr. said that the mind is trying to compensate which is why I have Tinnitus. However, it is not real bad and I don't notice it most of the day... only at night when I'm in a quiet room. Thanks for you caring!

Hearing loss always should have a full professional evaluation by ENT and audiology. You just can't predict what will turn up. I have experience of finding acoustic neuromas. Our best friends son had symptoms like yours and I insisted he be evaluated. An acoustic neuroma already too large for surgery was found. Fortunately it was able to be dealt with by a proton beam accelerator.

My experience is that if you don't follow protocol then bad things can happen. It always seemed to be the same guys names turning up with this sort of thing. A close colleague referred to them as "being wrong more often than by chance!"

 

[lovinthehd]

Still seems in OPs case eq could be more effective than speaker shopping....

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Still seems in OPs case eq could be more effective than speaker shopping....

Yeah. System setup (EQ, speaker placement, room acoustics - rugs/carpets) is usually the quickest, simplest, and most cost-effective way.

 

[TLS Guy]

Still seems in OPs case eq could be more effective than speaker shopping....

You are absolutely correct. Setting the Eq to the inverse of his audiogram curve would be a huge benefit. This is exactly what skilled audiologists do when setting up modern digital hearing aids.

Haphazardly trying to find speakers the inverse of his hearing condition is a total lost cause.

 

[mtrot]

It is what it is, guys. We can either help him identify some "warm" speakers, or not. Maybe he's not interested in EQ.

 

[lovinthehd]

It is what it is, guys. We can either help him identify some "warm" speakers, or not. Maybe he's not interested in EQ.

Seems just a silly way to approach his needs.

 

[lovinthehd]

Seems just a silly way to approach his needs.

Besides various opinions as to what is "warm" just often gets in the way of actually addressing acoustic issues....

 

[Georgethedog]

Two things...
1. I'll make an appointment with ENT to check things.
2. I am going to attend then AXPONA show in Schaumburg, IL to demo some speakers. The two I will make sure to listen to are Wharfedale and Sonus Faber which were identified above by mtrot, and have been recommended to me by others. Both of these brands appear to have "warm" characteristics according to multiple sources and expert reviewers.

Thanks to everyone for their input!

 

[lovinthehd]

Is there a listing of speaker companies and what they're bringing to Axpona? Might be interesting to get comments for a few other brands than just Wharfedale and SF....

 

[mtrot]

Is there a listing of speaker companies and what they're bringing to Axpona? Might be interesting to get comments for a few other brands than just Wharfedale and SF....

Exhibitors - AXPONA

Exhibitor List AXPONA 2025 Exhibitors and Brands List Locations: Listening Rooms: Room Numbers run from 304 to 1645, and also include names (ie Schaumburg, Utopia) Ear Gear Expo: Locations start with the number 8 (ie. 8101, 8201) The Expo Hall: Locations start with with number 9 (ie. 9307...

axpona.com

 

[lovinthehd]

Exhibitors - AXPONA

Exhibitor List AXPONA 2025 Exhibitors and Brands List Locations: Listening Rooms: Room Numbers run from 304 to 1645, and also include names (ie Schaumburg, Utopia) Ear Gear Expo: Locations start with the number 8 (ie. 8101, 8201) The Expo Hall: Locations start with with number 9 (ie. 9307...

axpona.com

Hmmm, using their filters and choosing "speaker" and "manufacturer" not even Wharfdale or SF showed up (or many results at all)....even if I changed those to dealer or distributor hard to know what they're bringing....

 

[mtrot]

Hmmm, using their filters and choosing "speaker" and "manufacturer" not even Wharfdale or SF showed up (or many results at all)....even if I changed those to dealer or distributor hard to know what they're bringing....

Yes, I noticed that when I selected "Speaker", Acora Acoustics no longer appeared. Looks like the only way to see everything is to not filter the results at all. Some speakers will be there even if they don't appear in this list because various audio shops will also have their own rooms and demo certain speakers in them. I'd be shocked if there's not a room with SF. When I was there, I think they had a room with the Aida's. Probably the same with Revel and Paradigm speakers.

 

[TankTop5]

Ascend Accustics Sierra V2 should have the frequency response you’re looking for and are considered an excellent speaker. They even publish specs on their website, something virtually no speaker company will do

SIERRA TOWER V2 PAIR

Introducing our new V2 Tower "The midrange on the Towers...is a main event. Inner detail is fantastic even on large-ensemble recordings, and they are free from distortion and retain a hefty amount of dynamic headroom when played at spirited levels." -Enjoy the Music.com Combining the most...

ascendacoustics.com

 

[Bobby Bass]

Ascend Accustics Sierra V2 should have the frequency response you’re looking for and are considered an excellent speaker. They even publish specs on their website, something virtually no speaker company will do

SIERRA TOWER V2 PAIR

Introducing our new V2 Tower "The midrange on the Towers...is a main event. Inner detail is fantastic even on large-ensemble recordings, and they are free from distortion and retain a hefty amount of dynamic headroom when played at spirited levels." -Enjoy the Music.com Combining the most...

ascendacoustics.com

Great company with excellent customer service. Designed, built (with imported components) and tested in California. They acoustically match pairs and even provide the testing results. Highly recommend!

 

[Jeff R.]

I really enjoy my Focal Aria bookshelves. Very warm and the tweets are mellow in my opinion.


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