What makes a *great* rock speaker?

[SY]

The upside of forest fires is that you can find morels there the next year. The mushrooms, not the drivers.

My nomination for The Greatest Rock Speaker of All Time: Altec A-7 Voice Of The Theater.

 

[leadbelly]

Luckily, though, I'm in the city so there is no immediate danger. Still, those of you in the affected areas, you have my best wishes. Years ago, I drove through an area about a day after it was roasted by forest fire and let me tell you, I don't wish that on anybody.

I spent the weekend in Kananaskis. You could smell smoke and see the water bombers from some trails. A friend is still stuck in BC because of road closures. Dawson Creek (the town) is out of gas! Nuts!

alway thought that good speakers are good speakers, regardless of the sounds they have to play. My tastes are extremely wide so if the speakers can't play rock, metal, blues, jazz, soul, funk, pop, disco, electronica, classical and DVD movies, then they aren't for me.

Sorry, don't agree. I think that if you are capable, you can hear the differency between a speaker that tries to optimize tonal accuracy with one that tries to optimize dynamic response.

 

[leadbelly]

Pending your budget, is it worth throwing together a mid-level DIY that might somewhat meet your criteria just to know?

I'm trying to avoid that. My goal is to actually build an existing design, turn the key, and love it right away. I've got enough speakers relegated to garage/basement duty for years to come(upgrading an 6.1 HT system can do that).

 

[Sandy H.]

I'm trying to avoid that. My goal is to actually build an existing design, turn the key, and love it right away. I've got enough speakers relegated to garage/basement duty for years to come(upgrading an 6.1 HT system can do that).

I can definately agree. I'm not in that position, so a gamble is not so much of a gamble for me.

I look forward to seeing what your decision is and, since my interests are very similar, might find my next project from your quest.

Sandy.

 

[leadbelly]

I look forward to seeing what your decision is and, since my interests are very similar, might find my next project from your quest.

I hope I do actually find something too!

If there were a perfect rock speaker, then the forum would constantly be abuzz with listener results, but tunes differ (Korn or Stevie Ray Vaughn? Metallica or Neil Young? etc.)

Well, yes and no. I mean, rock basically uses 4 basic instruments plus voice. Sure effects and synthesizers spread things around, but if we build a speaker with great dynamics optimized for reproducing those 5 things, is that not a speaker optimized for rock? Forget the bass on DSOFTM and Jethro Tull's flute...

 

[pinkmouse]

Forget the bass on DSOFTM and Jethro Tull's flute...

Please let's forget Jetro Tull's flute...

 

[SY]

OK, pm, that's it. No matter how much you beg, I'm not going to pull my flute out and run through "Nothing is Easy."

 

[Brett]

Re: Don't use the word 'flames' around me, I'm here in British Columbia.

Luckily, though, I'm in the city so there is no immediate danger. Still, those of you in the affected areas, you have my best wishes. Years ago, I drove through an area about a day after it was roasted by forest fire and let me tell you, I don't wish that on anybody.

My best wishes to all those over there. My home was within 10m of being lost 18 months ago, and I'm a veteran of lots of large bush fires now (volunteer fireman) so I understand only too well.

Please let's forget Jetro Tull's flute

Yes, please!

 

[purplepeople]

I'm trying to avoid that. My goal is to actually build an existing design, turn the key, and love it right away. I've got enough speakers relegated to garage/basement duty for years to come(upgrading an 6.1 HT system can do that).

I would be interested to know what's been demoted to the basement...

I can definately agree. I'm not in that position, so a gamble is not so much of a gamble for me.

I look forward to seeing what your decision is and, since my interests are very similar, might find my next project from your quest.

Sandy.

Me too. Money is always tight so gambling is not really an option for me either. I think we are all agree on this point, just that our approaches differ. My approach below...

I think that if you are capable, you can hear the differency between a speaker that tries to optimize tonal accuracy with one that tries to optimize dynamic response.

I was under the impression that tonal accuracy requires good dynamics.

Seriously, have you ever given the pro studio monitors are real listen? If not, you should. I think they will shock you with their price and performance. I'll put my YSM-1Ps against any combo of $2000 of amp and passives any day. I may not win, but it'll be an entertaining drag race, guaranteed.

Personally, I think it would be great to "copy" the design of a good pair of studio monitors. The only reason I didn't DIY my L/R mains is that I can actually afford "entry-level" monitors and cannot possibly match their performance with my own first speaker project. I too want to turn the key and love them.

ensen.

 

[purplepeople]

Hey, what's wrong with Jethro's flute? I kind of like. Now, Zamfir, yuk. That's music only my father would love....

ensen.

 

[tbla]

I wonder what Alan Parsons uses in his house, workshop, studio, office and car...

.....he's using ATC......

 

[Kilentra]

Just to poke in...

Adire makes a couple kit speakers for under $400 that are probably good for rock music. The HE12.1 can't be bad... 12" Eminence coaxial woofer with their horn tweeter mounted in it... 96db efficiency or something. I'm using the Kit281 (Audax fabric tweeter and two of their 8" midwoofers) and it can rock pretty well, though the low efficiency is a problem. Both of these speakers are supposedly in the same quality class as the Studio 100s, PSB Stratus, etc.