Although I like to design and build speakers I really want a commercially available speakers. Since there really are no brick and mortar stores anymore my primary channel of purchase is preowned or from online retailers. However I recently watched a video of Danny Ritchie absolutely lambasting Vienna Acoustics speaker. It scares the crap out of me that I would spend 6 or 7k on a speaker that is worse than I can make, and I am only a hi level beginner lol. I am looking for a mid size floor stander to use with my GR Research Subs. I will be using CJ premier 12 tube mono blocks. room is 14x22x7. I am looking for a relaxing sounding speaker nit uber detailed. I want detail of course but not the absolute last word in detail. Having a tube amp helps. Also I am wondering if I should consider only 8 ohm versions as tube amps dont deliver huge amounts of current. Again I am mostly interested at looking in to BRANDS. Then I can drill down into models. Thanks
Take a look at the Revels I also DIY and use a pair of Performa F206's as a reference pair. Love them!
Rob 🙂
Rob 🙂
Since you live in the USA... spend some time going through "Craigs List" in your area. In most cases, you can drive to the owner and listen/discuss before you purchase.
Since you enjoy the sound of Tube Amplifiers, look for JBL M2 speakers.(M2 = horn type)
Since you enjoy the sound of Tube Amplifiers, look for JBL M2 speakers.(M2 = horn type)
Since everything is going online and few people can hear before buying its changed the game really.
If, by Highly respected brands, you mean traditional speakers that can be sold and bought on the used market because there’s a brand attached; the best, to me is:
Sonos- good enough sound for 90% of the population
Salk Sound and Philharmonic Audio
R&D- KEF
Active speakers- Genelec, Klein & Hummel (now Neumann)
Harman group (JBL, Revel)
Polk Audio
all these groups can do crossovers, at any budget level.
If, by Highly respected brands, you mean traditional speakers that can be sold and bought on the used market because there’s a brand attached; the best, to me is:
Sonos- good enough sound for 90% of the population
Salk Sound and Philharmonic Audio
R&D- KEF
Active speakers- Genelec, Klein & Hummel (now Neumann)
Harman group (JBL, Revel)
Polk Audio
all these groups can do crossovers, at any budget level.
Depends in which circles. To buy and resell bowers and Wilkins. Lots of marketing and respect on the streets.
To buy and listen yourself Boston acoustics are great for the money. T1030 I believe. They have t830, then t930 and I think t1030 are the best ones. Neutral and very clean. At the moment these are sleeper speakers. Can be found for free or extremely cheap. Unbelievably cheap. But sound better than many multi trillion diamond and gold speakers
Paradigm speakers neutral and decent. All I am mentioning above are average or best value.
Vienna are soft , smooth. Annoyingly mellow.
Usher speakers are good. When friends come by they will definitely complement on them.
To buy and listen yourself Boston acoustics are great for the money. T1030 I believe. They have t830, then t930 and I think t1030 are the best ones. Neutral and very clean. At the moment these are sleeper speakers. Can be found for free or extremely cheap. Unbelievably cheap. But sound better than many multi trillion diamond and gold speakers
Paradigm speakers neutral and decent. All I am mentioning above are average or best value.
Vienna are soft , smooth. Annoyingly mellow.
Usher speakers are good. When friends come by they will definitely complement on them.
I'd take anything he said with a large grain of salt. Just because he doesn't like them, doesn't mean you won't and they're a competitor of sorts, so not the most reliable in that regard.
I don't know what city you live in, but in the US there are still plenty of brick and mortar stores where you can hear and audition speakers. Most of the BestBuy stores have a Magnolia Room with the upscale brands. And in major metropolitan areas there are numerous independent high end audio stores.
So to say that there are no brick and mortar stores anymore doesn't really hold true. There may be fewer than they were at one time, but they are still there if you look.
So to say that there are no brick and mortar stores anymore doesn't really hold true. There may be fewer than they were at one time, but they are still there if you look.
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If you are looking for something to use as a reference against your diy designs, then I'd look at a speaker with a reasonable on and off-axis response. Of course, that doesn't mean they will sound good, but it's a good place to start.
How about looking through this lot to try and separate the good from the bad.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?pages/SpeakerTestData/
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/
https://www.stereophile.com/category/floor-loudspeaker-reviews
https://www.hifitest.de/marken
How about looking through this lot to try and separate the good from the bad.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?pages/SpeakerTestData/
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/
https://www.stereophile.com/category/floor-loudspeaker-reviews
https://www.hifitest.de/marken
I hadn't looked at those reviews, but I see what you mean, the 100Hz hump is pretty much identical between them. Still, I'd rather read measurements without the commentary and make my own performance evaluations from that, that's why I like Yevgeniy's site so much. It's only drivers not complete systems though.
In that case Pierre's site is the one to beat in terms of sheer size...
https://pierreaubert.github.io/spinorama/
Erin's Audio Corner is the best because he does distortion testing and dynamic compression testing...
As I said several times, buying 2nd hand speakers (from well known brands), is the most cost effective buying method. With carefully shopping you can resell the speakers at roughly the same price, so in fact if you're not satisfied with those speakers what you did is simply an extensive free evaluation. It worked for me in the past with some B&W, Acoustic Energy, ProAc and Wharfedale speakers.
I won't suggest any brand, as the matter is highly subjective, but probably you are after a British sound. Simply put a price level and search something that has the characteristics you want (dimension, F6, SPL, nominal impedance).
Don't really know what the original question has to do with DIY though...
Ralf
I won't suggest any brand, as the matter is highly subjective, but probably you are after a British sound. Simply put a price level and search something that has the characteristics you want (dimension, F6, SPL, nominal impedance).
Don't really know what the original question has to do with DIY though...
Ralf
I hadn't heard of it and will look into it. Cheers.
On individual drivers? Or only complete systems?
Not to me know. But like anything else it would be good to hear a pair. They are well balanced and an easy listen. I am primarily a horn compression driver DIY guy. My avatar was one of my builds. It a JBL 1400 clone.
Rob 🙂
You can purchase them and use alternative DSP. You can also purchase the components and DIY for a lot less that the purchase price. I did a passive version using a large format compression driver as opposed the the ring radiator.
Rob 🙂
Attachments
OK. I know you can get JBL spares for almost anything, but didn't think they'd sell M2 parts without a S/N like KEF do.