$3-5k, floorstanders or monitors?

[saeyedoc]

BTW...there have been reports of company "reps" trying to persuade potential customers in private messages.

I can't verify this as being true...but be careful of it.

Thanks for the heads up, none yet, at least on this forum.

 

[saeyedoc]

some pics

Here are some pics of the space:
Was hitting about 90-95db peaks at loud, but comfortable levels on my radioshack meter.

 

[saeyedoc]

I've eased my wife into liking some of the exotic veneers like the burls, which opens up a few options.
That said, I'm leaning towards the Selah Tempestra if I stick with a standard veneer or piano black. With what they charge for the upgraded veneers, it's getting close to the price of the Salk Soundscape M7 monitors.
The build quality of the Cirrus does look really good and there's been alot of buzz, but I'm a little concerned about spending that much money with a company that hasn't been around very long and has had some trouble filling orders in a reasonable time frame. Vapor's other offering also look good, I've seen great reports on the sound of the Aurora. I do like the look of the Cirrus in some of the exotic veneers with the custom stands.

 

[GranteedEV]

Why exactly aren't you considering the Philharmonic 2 speakers? They'd be very nice in that room with those bookshelves behind them. I'd rather have them than an M7 or a Selah Tempesta, that's for sure.

 

[templemaners]

Why exactly aren't you considering the Philharmonic 2 speakers? They'd be very nice in that room with those bookshelves behind them. I'd rather have them than an M7 or a Selah Tempesta, that's for sure.

Had my wife look at pictures of some of the contenders. She wants something that will blend in and not stick out so much. Didn't like the wood veneers I showed her either.
Phils did not make the cut, neither did most of the Salks.

WAF strikes again...

 

[Ricardojoa]

With a room that big i would consider something with higher sensitivity unless you have enough juice to power those 84.5 tempesta.

 

[saeyedoc]

WAF strikes again...

Hey, she's put up my Vandys for 25 years so I'll cut her a break.
I think the Phils are a great bang for the buck (maybe the best), but I don't really like the looks of them, the interface between the upper and lower cabinets just doesn't seem very well integrated. If it was solely up to me, the Phils would still be a top contender. It's function over form for me, but I don't live alone.
I'd be fine with the Tempestas in a basic black cabinet, but I may have to go with some nice veneers to please my SO. At least if that's her choice, I can justify the extra expenditure easier.

 

[templemaners]

Hey, she's put up my Vandys for 25 years so I'll cut her a break.
I think the Phils are a great bang for the buck (maybe the best), but I don't really like the looks of them, the interface between the upper and lower cabinets just doesn't seem very well integrated. If it was solely up to me, the Phils would still be a top contender. It's function over form for me, but I don't live alone.
I'd be fine with the Tempestas in a basic black cabinet, but I may have to go with some nice veneers to please my SO. At least if that's her choice, I can justify the extra expenditure easier.

Fair enough with trying to find a compromise. At least she doesn't want you to downsize all the way to Orb speakers or something like that (or maybe she does... ).

Of course, you could say "Well, you put up with my Vandy's for 25 yrs, so just think of it as if we're just swapping one box you don't like for another! "

 

[norml4721]

Floor standing Vs Monitors

Hi ;

If your looking for monitors there is a pair of used Focal Mini Utopia's for sale on Ebay for adout $2700,00 You can probably pick up the stands for them from the same person for about $200.00,They way about 80 lbs so shipping will be about $200.00. That is $3100.00 the bottom end of your 3 to 5K.

If you want something a little bit better you can pick up Focal Utopia Diva's used for around $5000.00 The top end of your price range. These loudspeakers are concidered to be among the best in the world. Not just my opinion but held by many.

You can tell I am a big Focal (JMLabs) fan. I have a 7.1 system of there Chorus line and a pair of Cobalt there older midrange line. I would LOVE to have a pair of Utopia (Any of the Utopia line especialy the Utopia Grand's. Check them out. Focal.com

Best of luck in your speaker selection and above all enjoy them.

Norm L

 

[saeyedoc]

Hi ;

If your looking for monitors there is a pair of used Focal Mini Utopia's for sale on Ebay for adout $2700,00 You can probably pick up the stands for them from the same person for about $200.00,They way about 80 lbs so shipping will be about $200.00. That is $3100.00 the bottom end of your 3 to 5K.

If you want something a little bit better you can pick up Focal Utopia Diva's used for around $5000.00 The top end of your price range. These loudspeakers are concidered to be among the best in the world. Not just my opinion but held by many.

You can tell I am a big Focal (JMLabs) fan. I have a 7.1 system of there Chorus line and a pair of Cobalt there older midrange line. I would LOVE to have a pair of Utopia (Any of the Utopia line especialy the Utopia Grand's. Check them out. Focal.com

Best of luck in your speaker selection and above all enjoy them.

Norm L

Thanks for that lead, but I need 3, most likely going to have Selah, Vapor or Salk make them for me.

 

[norml4721]

Your welcome

Hi :

Your welcome. i have a wife as well she often wonders why i need 8 speakers in our living room. As well as a pioneer Elite over the fireplace. which often displays Oppo on the screen.

You can't go wrong with any of the speakers that you selected. i am just a Focal Addict been listening to JMLabs for years and keep coming back for more. Good luck with whatever you select and enjoy your new toys.

Best,

Norm L

 

[saeyedoc]

Hi :

Your welcome. i have a wife as well she often wonders why i need 8 speakers in our living room. As well as a pioneer Elite over the fireplace. which often displays Oppo on the screen.

You can't go wrong with any of the speakers that you selected. i am just a Focal Addict been listening to JMLabs for years and keep coming back for more. Good luck with whatever you select and enjoy your new toys.

Best,

Norm L

You mean like this:

 

[norml4721]

Fireplace

Hi :

Nice setup miine is a little bit different. I put stone tile over the bricks in the fireplace then mounted the TV direct onto the tile. I do not have a mantel.

On the left side of fireplace I made a custom shelf 4 tiers loaded with gear. Top shelf. Pioneer Elite vsx-52 receiver. 2nd shelf down. Focal CC speaker. next shelf Pioneer Elite media receiver(Electronics for my Elite Plasma, I have the Elite that has off board electronics ) On top of this I have an Oppo 93 Blu Ray. Next shelf Verizon cable box on top of it a wireless router, next to it on same shelf an NAD cd player on top of it I have a sony media player ( for apps) and off course my Pioneer Elite Plasma mouted on the fireplace.

Then next to the rack on left side Focal towers, On the right side is the right Focal tower and in front of it a Focal sub. Sides are bookshef Focals on stands then the rears are wall mounted Focal rears/surrounds, So I have a 7.1 system in the living room and a set of Focal bookshelfs, on stands, in the dinning room, set up on the speaker B of my vsx-52.

Then in my bedroom another complete system. It would be easier to show pictures if I was not to lazy to take and post them. Anyway you get the idea . I may have gone a little over board, I have a Denon 5.1 setup in the bedroom.

Actualy its all set up tastfully and compliments the rooms .My next house I will definatly have a dedicated HT. room.

Pictures are worth a thousand words is not that the saying.

Best'

Norm L

 

[saeyedoc]

So your CC is not centered? How does that sound?
I too have the separate media box for my Elite. You can see the equipment on the shelfs left of the FP.
Top shelf has Oppo 93, Airport Extreme, External HD connected to the extreme for backups, Cable modem, Elite media receiver and Cable box.
Lower shelf has Anthem MRX300 and Parasound HCA2205A amp.
My Vandersteen V2W sub is on the lower shelf in the left corner.
I'm thinking about getting 3 identical stand-mount speakers and just putting the center in front of the FP. It's gas, doesn't generate much heat and only gets used a few times a year since we live in S. Texas.
Eventually I'll have to replace the screen and not having the CC on the mantle will leave room for a bigger one.

 

[norml4721]

Fireplace CC speaker placement

Hi ;

Nice set up. Yes the center channel speaker is on the left side a little but I hardly notice it to be honest. I do have a cc stand for the speaker as well and if I have company over I set it up on the fireplace harth. But very seldom I am to lazy and my wife refuses to have it there all the time. I sit on the left side of the couch so again I hardly notice it.

My speakers really fill the room with sound. actually quite impressive with action flicks.

Which Eilte plasma do you have I have the 1130HD 50 inch display

Norm L

 

[saeyedoc]

Which Eilte plasma do you have I have the 1130HD 50 inch display

Norm L

I have the same one!
I hear no one even makes a plasma right now as good as they are, despite not being 1080p.

 

[norml4721]

Elite Plasma's

Hi :

I think you may be correct. Although I wish that I had waited one more year to by the 1080P version. I think right now Panny does a fair job with there VT series the 65VT30 is a great set especially for $2400 on Amazon. The thing is our sets have lasted a long time and still great picture quality. I am not shure that the Panny's will be the same(You could buy a few for the price that I paid when the Elite was new.

The new Elite (Sharp ) not a Plasma but still a great picture. You can pick one up for about $4500 for a 60 and about $6500 for the 70. We still have a couple of years left on our Elite's by then who knows. My picture imroved quite a bit running thru the HDMI signal path on my new Elite VSX-52 receiver ( the Marvell video processor works great )

I absoulutly love my Focal speakers (My second set and I am shure not the last) and of course what can you say about Oppo.

Best,

Norm L

 

[saeyedoc]

Has anyone heard any of the Pioneer EX series?
Uses TAD drivers in a well built cabinet.
The S2-EX lists for about $8700/pr with the stands, but can be had for about $5k + shipping.

 

[saeyedoc]

Jim Salk will finish speakers in any way you want. He is very good at matching veneer or paint colors to samples provided by his customers.

If blending in with other furniture, floors, or fabric colors is important to your wife, involve her in the veneer and finish selection. I know of people who sent him sample blocks from a furniture manufacturer and he matched them perfectly. Don't rely only on the pictures on the web site.

Talk to Jim Salk about this, he's done this many times before.

Jim and I exchanged several emails today. I'm now looking at a pair of SCSTs, will let my wife help pick the veneer, probably a burl or waterfall bubinga. He's going to come up with a supercharged CC custom built to fit in the space between my mantle and plasma screen, I'll just get that in black.

 

[Swerd]

I saw on Audiocircles that you placed an order for a pair of Salk SCSTs and custom center with similar drivers made to fit your space. I haven't heard the SCST yet, but I know the ST and the HT2-TL and I can pretty easily imagine what they're like. Great choice ! They will be worthy replacements for your Vandersteens.

That spalted beeswing Makore veneer looks really good. I have found the standard cherry veneer that Jim Salk did on my STs is easily the best looking wood furniture I have. Your speakers should look spectacular.