Speaker Quest By Eddie

[fired up]

Greetings,

I started a thread on the HT forum because my A/V Gear was destroyed in a house fire. It is a long post with a great deal of helpful recommendations from the HT community. The bottom line is that I managed to get my wife and twin 6 year old sons out of harms way and then put out the blaze. I injured myself in the process and am on medical leave from burns to both forearms and compressed lumbar spinal vertabrae.

Now for the good news. My wife is 100% supportive of purchasing a new HT on a $15K to $20K budget. Room size is 20"L x 14'W with 8' ceilings. Floor plan is open with triple archways delineating rooms. Reflection is minimal from window glass. Floor is 100% carpeted on top of sound deadening foam insulation. Walls are drywall. No mirrors or paintings. Minimalist.

I am a classically trained musician. My twins study classical piano at a prestigious Music Conservatory in NY and have been playing for 3 years. I have 2 digital pianos in my home, plus one Yamaha acoustic upright piano and one Steinway Grand piano (thankfully all undamaged). The instruments have now been moved to a dedicated Music Rehearsal Room. I also own several electric guitars, basses, amps, and drums.

Now for the challenge. I wish to purchase speakers that are not overly bright or Ultra- revealing. My preference is for a more neutral relaxed system that will be utilized for extended listening sessions. Solo Piano music from the Classical, Romantic and Modern epochs are my preferred choices for music. Think Vladimir Horowitz, Annie Fischer, Earl Wild, Van Cliburn, Marc-Andre Hamelin, Claudio Arrau, as pianists and Chopin, Schumann, Schubert, Beethoven, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Debussy, Ravel, Gershwin and Franck as composers. My wife and I also enjoy Orchestral Music, Piano and Violin concertos, and works for Bassoon, Clarinet, etc.

Jazz is my next most listened to music. Think Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Monk, Tal Farlow, Herb Ellis, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald as a few of my regular spins.

My children and wife likewise enjoy my interests but also prefer silly children's songs, Folk Music, and softer classic rock (Electric Light Orchestra, The Cars, The Beatles, etc)

I am not a videophile looking for a Home Theater system. Categorize me as a professional musician who is first and foremost - A MUSIC LOVER. 80% of the time the new system will be in 2 channel stereo mode for extended listening - I may add the subwoofer at times depending on the piece. 10% of the time will be spent listening to my small but growing collection of multi-channel surround sound SACD's. Finally, 10% of the time will be utilized as a true Home Theater to enjoy concerts and movies with family and friends.

Given the extent of my injuries it has been difficult to audition speakers and I was explicitly ordered by my doctor not to drive or sit down for extended periods, Plus, I am a little loopy from the pain medicine.

I enjoyed listening to a pair of Audio Physic Tempo floorstanders the best so far. I did not care for the Revel models or new top of the line Theil. Likewise a pair of Totem Forrests sounded very (brittle?) - perhaps they all needed more run in time. The Magnaplanar 1.6 were sublime. However, it was the only time my wife said "No!" They were too monolithic for her tastes.

In closing, I turn to you who represent a vast pool of experience and firsthand knowledge about all things Speaker and request some time be spent at this thread to help reassemble a part of my life that was violently taken away by fire.

Thank you,

Eddie

 

[boboi]

Greetings,

I started a thread on the HT forum because my A/V Gear was destroyed in a house fire. It is a long post with a great deal of helpful recommendations from the HT community. The bottom line is that I managed to get my wife and twin 6 year old sons out of harms way and then put out the blaze. I injured myself in the process and am on medical leave from burns to both forearms and compressed lumbar spinal vertabrae.

Now for the good news. My wife is 100% supportive of purchasing a new HT on a $15K to $20K budget. Room size is 20"L x 14'W with 8' ceilings. Floor plan is open with triple archways delineating rooms. Reflection is minimal from window glass. Floor is 100% carpeted on top of sound deadening foam insulation. Walls are drywall. No mirrors or paintings. Minimalist.

I am a classically trained musician. My twins study classical piano at a prestigious Music Conservatory in NY and have been playing for 3 years. I have 2 digital pianos in my home, plus one Yamaha acoustic upright piano and one Steinway Grand piano (thankfully all undamaged). The instruments have now been moved to a dedicated Music Rehearsal Room. I also own several electric guitars, basses, amps, and drums.

Now for the challenge. I wish to purchase speakers that are not overly bright or Ultra- revealing. My preference is for a more neutral relaxed system that will be utilized for extended listening sessions. Solo Piano music from the Classical, Romantic and Modern epochs are my preferred choices for music. Think Vladimir Horowitz, Annie Fischer, Earl Wild, Van Cliburn, Marc-Andre Hamelin, Claudio Arrau, as pianists and Chopin, Schumann, Schubert, Beethoven, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Debussy, Ravel, Gershwin and Franck as composers. My wife and I also enjoy Orchestral Music, Piano and Violin concertos, and works for Bassoon, Clarinet, etc.

Jazz is my next most listened to music. Think Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Monk, Tal Farlow, Herb Ellis, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald as a few of my regular spins.

My children and wife likewise enjoy my interests but also prefer silly children's songs, Folk Music, and softer classic rock (Electric Light Orchestra, The Cars, The Beatles, etc)

I am not a videophile looking for a Home Theater system. Categorize me as a professional musician who is first and foremost - A MUSIC LOVER. 80% of the time the new system will be in 2 channel stereo mode for extended listening - I may add the subwoofer at times depending on the piece. 10% of the time will be spent listening to my small but growing collection of multi-channel surround sound SACD's. Finally, 10% of the time will be utilized as a true Home Theater to enjoy concerts and movies with family and friends.

Given the extent of my injuries it has been difficult to audition speakers and I was explicitly ordered by my doctor not to drive or sit down for extended periods, Plus, I am a little loopy from the pain medicine.

I enjoyed listening to a pair of Audio Physic Tempo floorstanders the best so far. I did not care for the Revel models or new top of the line Theil. Likewise a pair of Totem Forrests sounded very (brittle?) - perhaps they all needed more run in time. The Magnaplanar 1.6 were sublime. However, it was the only time my wife said "No!" They were too monolithic for her tastes.

In closing, I turn to you who represent a vast pool of experience and firsthand knowledge about all things Speaker and request some time be spent at this thread to help reassemble a part of my life that was violently taken away by fire.

Thank you,

Eddie

Considering your price range and taste in music, here's something to look into:

http://www.wilsonaudio.com/product/sophia/

and here's a review of the Sophia's:

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:12KF5x0h1NYJ:www.soundstage.com/revequip/wilson_sophia.htm+wilson+audio+price+sophia&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us

 

[3db]

If your preference is music over HT, I'd suggest looking at PSB's Platinum and Synchrony lines. Paul Barton, the founder of PSB, is a classical trained violinist and it shows with his speakers. I own a complete HT system (I use 50/50 music/HT) comprised of the midrange Image series and I really like their sound. Detailed, subtle with very good imaging and soundstage.

http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/Platinum-Series

http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/Synchrony

 

[Davemcc]

For your musical preferences, I'm still voting Dynaudio.

 

[jaxvon]

I would put the B&W 802D in the running. They are exceptional loudspeakers. If you want a two channel experience that will blow you away, get a pair of MBL111B ($17k/pr) in a room treated for omnipolar speakers. The problem with this is the treatment scheme will not allow for the best HT sound (reflections off the front wall from the surrounds). Still, no monopole speaker (a speaker that radiates one direction) has ever sounded as realistic as my listening experience with an omnipolar speaker.

 

[Davemcc]

get a pair of MBL111B ($17k/pr)

Unless I'm seriously mistaken, the 15-20K budget is for a complete 5.1 system, including the TV, sources, processor, amp and all accessories.

 

[InTheIndustry]

Unless I'm seriously mistaken, the 15-20K budget is for a complete 5.1 system, including the TV, sources, processor, amp and all accessories.

Let me first start out by saying that it's bittersweet to read your story about the fire. Bad things, like fires for example, happen every day to everybody. Bad things, they often don't discriminate and we just have to live with them and accept. But, the part where everyone got out, which you took initiative on and did, that's fantastic! A house and the belongings in them are, in the end, just things which can almost always be replaced with time & money. People, well, they're a little more precious. Anyway, enough of that.....

I have the same question as quoted above (and a several more) as well. You are starting from absolute scratch, correct? We need to advise on literally the entire system from the ground up? This is no problem, as we are all here to help, but I don't want to give you suggestions on things that don't interest you or that you're already set on.

Also, we're talking "in-room" (meaning traditional) speakers here, correct? No in-walls, or anything like that? Is there anywhere that on-wall speakers can be used? Maybe around a plasma/LCD, keeping speakers off the floor (& yes, there are some extremely high quality on-walls out there with a budget like yours)? What about the rear surrounds? Box speakers as well? Or would on-wall, in-wall, or in-ceiling be possible?

From a décor stand point, what is acceptable? Are you and your wife wanting speakers that blend in, stand out, maybe both, depends on design, do you want something unique, what? I know the "monolithic" look is out, but is your taste contemporary, European, country, etc.? I am just not extremely comfortable going on "minimalist" because in my market that's just not incredibly common. What color speaker do you prefer? Gloss Piano Black, Flat black, Steel, Cherry, Maple, etc. does it matter? Maybe you're wide open and all of this comes down to you seeing a few things and the experience being yes I like or, no I don't?

How far away do you sit from your TV? Wall mount OK/possible?

The reason I am asking the questions about esthetics is a sound one (pun). After 9 years of being "InTheIndustry" I have learned that people ultimately have to live with their gear. You experienced this when your wife killed the monolithic speakers (which is great, because now you know to stay away from those).

I usually use this hierarchy to institute a sort of Survival Of The Fittest when whittling down what will and will not be a great system for a client:

Note* While this is in order in terms of steps, they are all equally important. I recognize completely your want for fabulous sound and you can & will have it.... in the end, but this is a great way to start. If going this route doesn't yield a great sounding speaker, then loosen the noose on what is acceptable esthetically a little bit.

1. Find models that fit your install needs
- Every home has different physical traits that allow or disallow certain products being installed-

2.Decorum
-What do you really LIKE cosmetically-

3. Go out and then listen to those choices and see if you are WOWed by anything. If you are... buy and enjoy.

-Fairly self explanatory, but let me warn you against listening to something you've ruled out looks wise when you're seriously shopping and have some coin to drop (like $15K-$20K): You might hear what you feel is the greatest speaker ever. Birds will chirp, the sea will part, whatever. I will call this effect "Ear Goggles". The problem with ear goggles is that a year or two from now when you walk into your room and are picking up your kids toys it'll hit you and hard. Your room will be a hodge podge of big, ugly boxes that you can't stand the look of, and it will eat at you. I get many people a year that have gone through this and it's not fun-

Obviously I/us/we are all going to have different opinions as to how to go about your shopping and you're going to get a lot of suggestions. $15K-$20K is a very healthy budget that's fun to work with. Lots of different things.

So, Eddie, if you'd have a few minutes to type about some of the issues I've raised above, I think some of us (obviously me included), can point you in a more specific direction.

 

[fired up]

Hello,

FURTHER INFO:

Please note that I posted prior on HT thread - however, I really require the Speaker Forum Expertise now.

I have been disabled physically since 1994 with spinal problems. Two unsuccessful surgeries and countless hours of Physical Therapy have not corrected the situation. The fire episode only made things worse.

It physically hurts for me to actually sit down for an extended period of time. I usually listen to music laying down on the sofa, sitting in the loveseat, standing, leaning against various walls, or just plain walking around.

The co-op we live in does not allow for in wall speakers or ceiling speakers. It is against the house rules.

I understand there is no perfect speaker to meet all my requirements. However, you guys know more about this topic than me and I would like for you to put yourself in my place - so to speak. What speaker would work best given my limitations and expectations? I KNOW this is a tough nut to crack.

Music is very important - and I mean critically important to me on a daily basis to help me keep on keepin' on.

Surely there are brands that are noted for a wide sweet spot - sorry for overusing that term. I just wanted everyone to have all the facts.

AS A RE-CAP: Here is what I have planned so far:

Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-110FD 50" Plasma TV - Not to sure about this one now. I have read so many posts about Plasma TV being plagued with buzzing noises. I would flip out if I heard buzzing all the time when I turned on TV. Now I'm looking at LCD with a wide viewing angle.

SVS PB Ultra 13 Subwoofer or B&W PV1

Integra DTC 9.8 Pre/Pro

Panasonic DMP-BD300 Blu-Ray Player or wait for spec 2 to come out in summer by Sony. More than likely I am going to wait until Summer when better BluRay machines hit the market.

Cables by BlueJeanCables or Monoprice

APC or Belkin Power Conditioners or similar

Speakers? After attending a concert today and moving my seating location a few times between pieces and intermission I was better able to hear what is imporatant to me soundwise. I am not a sweet spot guy. I want speakers that will produce a huge soundstage similar to the concert hall where every seat was a great seat - left, right , center. Because of my disability (lumbar spine is shot to hell) I really am physically unable to sit for a long time. When I listen to music I lay down, sit, walk around, lean against walls, etc. What speakers will mimic the huge soundstage of an actual concert hall? Please don't say BOSE. Just kidding! This forum has to think outside the traditional "sweet spot" toed-in equidistant triangle given my special circumstances. MUSIC keeps me going - when many others would have tossed in the towel by now. This THREAD really has to focus on creative speaker solutions/ideas/suggestions for my situation. The co-op does not allow owners to install in-wall or ceiling speakers. The room size size is 20'L x 14'W with 8" ceilings and the floor plan is open. The rooms are connected via open archways that are 3 to 4 doors wide. There are no mirrors, glass covered paintings, on walls. Walls are drywall. Floor is 100% carpeted on top of sound deadening foam. Interior and exterior walls are filled with blown in "pulp/paper" insulation.

Amps? Need something that will do surround sound as well as 2 channel audio. The Emotiva Audio XPA-5 was recommended by a few people through emails and PM's. Someone also recommended Bryston Amps - but I forgot the model number.

Furniture for TV and Components? My wife likes a piece by a company called BDI that is cherry, has doors with a mesh covering for air circulation and a huge spot for a center channel speaker. I think it is the BDI MERIDEN 8127 model. I also know about Sanus and Salamander from other posts. One person suggested having a carpenter design a built in wall unit to house the complete system - BUDGET KILLER!!!

Remote Control for everything? Pronto? Harmony? Universal? Probably go with an easy to use Harmony model so wife and kids can figure everything out easily when I'm not around.

Forget HT seating. We hired a company to clean carpets and furniture of smoke smell from fire. Everything worked out amazingly well. No smell. However, I do want to go to Stressless seating and check out their HT seating. They are supposed to be made for people with bad backs like myself.

I want the option of being able to switch to just 2 channel stereo with sub for enjoying music only on red book CD or CD/R compilations. I want the option to have surround sound audio from SACD.

Finally, I would like a Multichannel SACD/CD/CDR player for my discs that I started buying again. MUSIC IS KEY!!!

Speakers seem to be the sticking point holding the completion back. I'm open for ideas.

Acoustic Zen Adagio?

They do make a center channel speaker and surrounds as well. Someone was kind enough to offer me an extraordinary deal on the Adagios that he no longer needed. The rest of the speakers I would have to purchase through a dealer. They are a transmission line type speaker - whatever that means. They look BEAUTIFUL and are supposed to sound wonderful.

The Acoustic Zen Adagio speakers have my interest and I have printed out every review I could find to read tonight. I have to make a decision quickly or I may lose out on the offer. Wish I could demo them first but that is impossible because half a continent separates us distance-wise. Source is a highly respected member of Audio Community who read my story and allowed me to verify his name, existence, Audio credentials, etc.

What do you guys think?

Thanks,

Eddie

 

[fired up]

To InTheIndustry:

You wrote:

"From a décor stand point, what is acceptable? Are you and your wife wanting speakers that blend in, stand out, maybe both, depends on design, do you want something unique, what? I know the "monolithic" look is out, but is your taste contemporary, European, country, etc.? I am just not extremely comfortable going on "minimalist" because in my market that's just not incredibly common. What color speaker do you prefer? Gloss Piano Black, Flat black, Steel, Cherry, Maple, etc. does it matter? Maybe you're wide open and all of this comes down to you seeing a few things and the experience being yes I like or, no I don't?

We say:

"Light Cherry colored or similar wood that has either a reddish or Golden/Amber hue to the speaker color. I used the term mommalist to apply to our wall decorations which are non-existant. No large mirrors - they freak me out. No pictures or paintings of any kind. Windows are covered by heavy vinyl "temporary" shades that I never replaced because they block out 100% of outdoor light. The only reflective surface is glass doors on a 76"L x 48" W bookcae that are removable. We have contemporary taste - "Shaker" style dining room, "Shaker" style bedroom for kids, "Oriental" Master bedroom, Family room is "Eclectic" with a mish-mosh of pieces as this was where all the musical instruments were once lept and A/V Gear. We are going to redesign room in a more contemporary style with leather Theater seating from Stresslass Seatin or similar and "Shaker style end tables, etc. Pure and simple. We are on a campaign to reduce clutter and make the place look neater. Hard to do with twin 7 tear old boys and all the toys though. We have decided to donate toys, books, clothes, etc. to Salvation Army to help others and clean up our home. Kids agree.

Finally, I want our plasma TV to be placed on top of the BDI Furniture my wife picked out. Speakers CANNOT be wall mouted, ceiling mounted, or in-wall installed per Co-op House Rules. My neighbors would complain and then I would have to remove the speakers. Typical speakers. I am going nuts to get out and audition Dynaudio speeakers. I was also affered a "mercy" deal on a pair of Acoustic Zen Adagio speakers by someone who read my story.

We dd not have fire insurance because we mistakenly thought that the Co-op would pay for any fire damage inside a unit. We were wrong. No use whining about my own ignorance on insurance matters. Basically, we are pulling the money right out of our nest egg to buy the new equipment.

Hope that helps,

Eddie

 

[fired up]

Greetings All,

This is what I am trying to say I want in a loudspeaker: DISPERSION!!!

The following excerpt is from Home Electronic Ideas Winter 2008 magazine article:

"SOUNDSTAGE and IMAGING are inportant concepts in Hi-Fi. DISPERSION refers to how well a loudspeaker can maintain a consistent sound throughout the room. Since we don't a;ways sit in the "sweet spot" of a room, speakers with wide dispersion and a quality soundstage are ideal. Soundstage refers to how clearly and convincingly it reproduces a sense of space encoded on the recording.

SOUNDSTAGE and IMAGING are often used interchageably, IMAGING actually relates how precisely sounds occur or emanate within a sounstage.

Picture a concert hall: This is your soundstage. Now imagine players standing on stage playing their instruments. These are your images."

I did not write the explanations above myself. They were paraphrased from the magazine mentioned earlier.

I, Eddie, am looking for loudspeakers known for their DISPERSION ability as a top priority.

Thanks,

Eddie

 

[Penny]

I'm new to posting here, not new in anyway to the industry (have owned home integration and home theater company), or to a/v forums. Now, I've read through this thread and if I'm not mistaken I've failed to see the one speaker company that I would have almost bet my life on seeing, unrepresented (Dynaudio, B&W, PSB {Platinum}, and Wilson are all fine recommendations) and that would be Von Schweikert.

The VR line would fall right in line with your wants and needs. They have a huge soundstage and are quite possibly one of the 100 greatest built products on the planet, regardless of industry. They are also specifically geared towards the discerning ear, which you appear to have.

They're always on Audiogon in white glove condition if price becomes an issue. From what you've stated you sound like you'd fall in line a little more with the VR 8 or VR 7 line.

 

[jaxvon]

I'm new to posting here, not new in anyway to the industry (have owned home integration and home theater company), or to a/v forums. Now, I've read through this thread and if I'm not mistaken I've failed to see the one speaker company that I would have almost bet my life on seeing, unrepresented (Dynaudio, B&W, PSB {Platinum}, and Wilson are all fine recommendations) and that would be Von Schweikert.

The VR line would fall right in line with your wants and needs. They have a huge soundstage and are quite possibly one of the 100 greatest built products on the planet, regardless of industry. They are also specifically geared towards the discerning ear, which you appear to have.

They're always on Audiogon in white glove condition if price becomes an issue. From what you've stated you sound like you'd fall in line a little more with the VR 8 or VR 7 line.

After I quick perusal of their website, I am reluctant to believe completely in their loudspeaker designs. The cabinets have a weight that would indicate a substantial cabinet to reduce resonances, and this is good. They claim to use heavy bracing and constrained layer damping. These are both great design elements. But they claim that they used a sealed design for 'tight' bass, perpetuating the myth that ported subwoofers offer 'one-note' bass and sealed designs are more musical. They have a rear mounted tweeter, but it is flanked by dials on both sides, severely reducing controlled dispersion in the rear and consequently damaging the benefit you would get from a rear firing tweeter. VS has a lot of good ideas, but I definitely question some of their implementation, and for $60k you would have to shell out for a VR9, I think you could do better.

To the OP, it sounds to me like you want to create a system that will teleport you to the original event. I've only heard one system do this, and it used omnipolar speakers with carefully planned room treatments. If you want to read about my experience, check out this link:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30467

Of course, this might not help you too much. I already mentioned some good candidates in an earlier post. Be aware that the B&W 802D does not have wide dispersion, despite the fact that it is a superb monitor. Okay enough rambling. I'm tired and not thinking too clearly...

 

[Penny]

I spent 25 minutes typing up a response to this with quotes, references and explanations but this silly website won't allow someone with less than 5 posts to post anything with links or any other worthwhile info (that just seems counterproductive to me but I'm sure they have their reasons.) Von Schweikert has won 185+ awards (some very major and some relatively minor in importance) and has had over 200+ positive reviews not to mention that industry professionals are forced to literally stand in line to get face-time with him. I'd be curious to find out what the curators of Audioholics would have to say about his speakers.

Also, I didn't recommend the VR9 so the $60,000 price you quoted isn't even relevant. One more thing, why would a guy who listens from his stomach on the couch want or need the MBL's? Maybe you didn't catch that part of his statement because that's exactly what he doesn't need. He'd like a large soundstage and that is certainly a given, but what good is it if it's 20 feet away and out of his earshot? Seems pointless to me.

I own the B&W 802D's. Those are not the speakers he's after, believe me.

I hope this doesn't seem argumentative but I'm not used to being questioned so publicly, especially when I'm right.

 

[3db]

Greetings All,

This is what I am trying to say I want in a loudspeaker: DISPERSION!!!

The following excerpt is from Home Electronic Ideas Winter 2008 magazine article:

"SOUNDSTAGE and IMAGING are inportant concepts in Hi-Fi. DISPERSION refers to how well a loudspeaker can maintain a consistent sound throughout the room. Since we don't a;ways sit in the "sweet spot" of a room, speakers with wide dispersion and a quality soundstage are ideal. Soundstage refers to how clearly and convincingly it reproduces a sense of space encoded on the recording.

SOUNDSTAGE and IMAGING are often used interchageably, IMAGING actually relates how precisely sounds occur or emanate within a sounstage.

Picture a concert hall: This is your soundstage. Now imagine players standing on stage playing their instruments. These are your images."

I did not write the explanations above myself. They were paraphrased from the magazine mentioned earlier.

I, Eddie, am looking for loudspeakers known for their DISPERSION ability as a top priority.

Thanks,

Eddie

You cannot have huge dispersion and great imaging at the same time. These two characteristics are design opposites and they are s also heavily influenced by room acoustics as well. If you really don't care about imaging, then look an omnipolar designs such as those found in Mirage.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

...I am not a videophile looking for a Home Theater system. Categorize me as a professional musician who is first and foremost - A MUSIC LOVER. 80% of the time the new system will be in 2 channel stereo mode for extended listening...I enjoyed listening to a pair of Audio Physic Tempo floorstanders the best so far. I did not care for the Revel models or new top of the line Theil. Likewise a pair of Totem Forrests sounded very (brittle?) - perhaps they all needed more run in time. The Magnaplanar 1.6 were sublime. However, it was the only time my wife said "No!" They were too monolithic for her tastes...

When it was time for me to upgrade speakers, the most important criteria to me was 2-Channel stereo music performance.

I did not care about how the speakers sounded for home theater or multi-channel music. It was 100% 2-Ch music (Baroque, Classical, Pop/Rock Music).

First, I went with a purist preamp. No tone controls, bass management, or digital signal processing of any kind. This meant absolutely no subwoofers when it comes to 2-Ch Stereo Music.

So then my requirement for speakers was that they had to be absolutely full range speakers on their own, without the use of a subwoofer.

Everyone is different and has different musical and sound taste. For me the Definitive Technology BP7000SCs demonstrates extremely clear and smooth sound for all frequencies: low, mid, and high. The awesome bass is present, but the midrange and high frequency really shines.

I'm sure everyone will prefer the sound of his own personal favorite speakers to all others. If you have not listened to the BP7000SCs, then you might consider it. And yes, Dispersion is top-notch with these bi-polar speakers. They will fill up the entire room no matter where you are.

 

[fired up]

Thanks Penny and 3db! Between your posts I see how difficult it is to desidgn a loudspeaker that truly meets every criteria. I want to err on the side of dispersion given my disability.

My best,

Eddie

 

[fired up]

Thanks for recommending the Definitive Technology BP7000SCs. All the buzz seems to be about the Mythos line nowadays. I like the look of the BP7000SC much better.

Thanks,

Eddie

 

[Penny]

60th Anniversary Klipschorn® Floorstanding Loudspeaker

Maybe you'd be more comfortable with something that utilizes horn technology to help accomplish a wide dispersion.

 

[fired up]

What About Mirage speakers? Any positive (or negative) experiences with that brand and style of loudspeaker? There were a few PM about them. Anyone ever audition Mirage? Just curious.

Eddie

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

What About Mirage speakers? Any positive (or negative) experiences with that brand and style of loudspeaker? There were a few PM about them. Anyone ever audition Mirage? Just curious.

Eddie

I've listened to Mirage OMD towers, and I thought they sounded great.
They are omnipolar speakers so they will sound similar to the bipolar Def Tech speakers-- very room-filling type of sound. Great dispersion.