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Best floorstanders <£5k/$6k
- Thread starter DLxP
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- #22
I virtually only buy used actually, as I prefer someone else to take the hit!
Just googled them and, with a speaker that size, the performance would have to be good enough to justify the necessary divorce.
I was thinking the same thing. I'm not sure what the F228bes do that is measureably better than the 208s, and the 208s can be had at some pretty deep discounts right now.
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- #26
Not that easy to get hold of in the UK at a discount, but I'm keeping an eye out. The F208/F206 certainly tick a lot of boxes.
The UK equivalents seem to be the KEF R7/R11, which look nicer and seem to measure at least as well.
One additional factor to consider is I'll use them partly for home theatre. I wonder if there are any traits that make a speaker better/worse for that application. For example, from memory, the F208 vs KEF R series measurements suggest the Revels have wider dispersion. That seems to be associated with a more expansive image, which I can see being suited to home theatre.
The UK equivalents seem to be the KEF R7/R11, which look nicer and seem to measure at least as well.
One additional factor to consider is I'll use them partly for home theatre. I wonder if there are any traits that make a speaker better/worse for that application. For example, from memory, the F208 vs KEF R series measurements suggest the Revels have wider dispersion. That seems to be associated with a more expansive image, which I can see being suited to home theatre.
Conversely, narrower, controlled dispersion tends to be associated with speech intelligibility. I honestly think that the KEF and Revel are both at the same level and preference will be based on recording choice, room acoustics, sweet spot size rather than any property intrinsic to the speakers.
Check eliteaudiouk.
Hephaestus
Active Member
They have even better deals for 208 & 206 in their newsletter... Harman must have had excessive stock of these?
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- #30
Agree. There's probably not much more the relative measurements/data can tell me, other than that I should listen to both back-to-back if at all possible (and even then, the typical variables/caveats apply). Maybe a home demo if I can arrange that.
Excellent info, thank you! I'll have a look.
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- #32
I've been hovering over those 8cs as it happens, as a wildcard. The discount is significant but it does look like they've been sold.
Look, going to say some stuff that ppl are not going to like...but...
Amir has tested 2 speakers recently that measure extremely well on the spinorama test, yet one has extremely low distortion motors, and the other average.
Subjectively, for amir at least, the low distortion won out hands down.
The human ear is most sensitive to the 700-7khz range.
The big ATCs use the SM75 mid dome. (Or SM75s for higher efficiency)
That dome measures very low in distortion and is capable of big SPL cleanly.
It's a monster. I have measured it, but do not have the measurements available as it was on my old dead PC. I know it has been measured by others, so will take a look for it.
It plays from about 400hz to 4.5khz (ish?) if memory serves.
From my tests (I bought and sold many speakers to try out + measure over 10 years), my own preference correlated with low HD.
Uneven Freq response on axis can be EQd, distortion cannot.
I'm not saying ignore the spinorama, I just have the feeling you might be in my boat, so just make sure you listen to somthing before you buy it, because you will struggle to get significantly lower distortion than your current speakers.
*Edit*
There you go!
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/ATC-SM75-150.htm
If that really is at 110db, it's VERY clean....unbeatable?
1)Can the revel meet that? At that SPL? Ask amir, but I would guess not.
2) What could? Perhaps the new celestion AX radial compression driver? Or a JBL 2450SL. You will need a huge horn for these though, and I assume we're stuck with a small boutique design or DIY build for these.
All things considered, unless your SPL requirements are that high, The safest blind purchase would be a Revel IMO. The 3 way Focals are worth checking out though.
Having bought and sold everything from SCM35's to Quad ESL63's, R600's, L100 century+others, Trangle, Tannoy, B+W, paradigm, monitor audio, Dynaudio, and Maggies, I settled on some focal Electra Be's. They also measure well in term of distortion (and dispersion) , and had the SPL abilities that I needed (as it turned out I needed more SPL than most)
The only ones I could live with out of all that and many many others are the ATCs or the Focals.....I went DIY in the end though myself. Note, the ATCs needed EQ as they had 'enhanced' false detail (peak) in the non active ones if I remember right.
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Higher breakup mode, so pistonic motion to 20khz.
Translation: the top end of cymbals and 'air' on the very top end are smoother.
It's a generalisation, but that's all. Unless it's a 4 inch compression driver, it's not a massive difference.
You will see it in the phase graph when tested.
Interesting as I have yet to hear a KEF that I've subjectively been impressed with. Whereas I've yet to hear a revel that I have not! Prob my bias.
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- #36
Thanks @Lbstyling for the replies. Very interesting to hear your thoughts on the ATCs as an owner.
I suppose to an extent I'm falling into the trap of spending too much time reading speaker reviews, and chasing the elusive ultimate performance! I am actually happy with the SCM40s. I'm certainly never likely to test them to anything like their limits. I do occasionally push them when they're on movie duties, but generally listen to them at sane volumes.
That said, I could resell the ATCs such that any move would be fairly cost-neutral, so I can't help but consider my options. Currently they are (other than keeping the ATCs):
KEF Rsomething (probably R7): Pros: measures well and looks great. Cons: never heard a KEF speaker that impressed me. I prefered the ATCs to the R7 during a shop demo, but that carries little weight.
Revel F206 (in white - F208 doesn't come in white and its wood finish doesn't work for me). Pros: universal praise; excellent measurements; geared towards use with a sub (which is what I'll do). Cons: never heard a Revel speaker and there's nowhere near me I can demo one.
Genelec 8351. Pros: likely to measure better than anything else I'd consider; I've heard it and liked it; looks awesome on this stand; active. Cons: price (although can sell my amp to offset).
I suppose to an extent I'm falling into the trap of spending too much time reading speaker reviews, and chasing the elusive ultimate performance! I am actually happy with the SCM40s. I'm certainly never likely to test them to anything like their limits. I do occasionally push them when they're on movie duties, but generally listen to them at sane volumes.
That said, I could resell the ATCs such that any move would be fairly cost-neutral, so I can't help but consider my options. Currently they are (other than keeping the ATCs):
KEF Rsomething (probably R7): Pros: measures well and looks great. Cons: never heard a KEF speaker that impressed me. I prefered the ATCs to the R7 during a shop demo, but that carries little weight.
Revel F206 (in white - F208 doesn't come in white and its wood finish doesn't work for me). Pros: universal praise; excellent measurements; geared towards use with a sub (which is what I'll do). Cons: never heard a Revel speaker and there's nowhere near me I can demo one.
Genelec 8351. Pros: likely to measure better than anything else I'd consider; I've heard it and liked it; looks awesome on this stand; active. Cons: price (although can sell my amp to offset).
Fortunately not, I got lucky and bought them for 2,5k $ in immaculate condition. I don't think the previous owner could make them work properly because one of the tweeters were connected out of phase and since they are on wheels and therefore taller, the standard delay between the drivers creates a pretty big hole around the crossover frequency in normal seating height.
All very easily fixed with a microphone, REW and some adjustments to the standard settings intended for the original M2.
I like them alot. Punchy, smooth, velvety, detailed and dynamic as hell. My girlfriend almost went into shock when she saw them, but now she loves them!
That's a 65 inch tv btw.
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