$30K Budget - On the quest for my "end game" speaker

[Newman]

Please read back through this thread for more details.

You’re kidding? 2780 posts?

I asked a couple of questions that you can answer quickly: which of the original eleven did you eliminate due to the assistance you got in this thread? And which of them did you audition?

cheers

 

[Norcal]

You’re kidding? 2780 posts?

I asked a couple of questions that you can answer quickly: which of the original eleven did you eliminate due to the assistance you got in this thread? And which of them did you audition?

cheers

I've followed the saga, and I'm not sure that the OP has eliminated any (or at least many) based on the 'assistance' from this thread. If anything, he eliminates primarily based on availability of measurements, what's in the measurements (if available) and/or the actual listening experience. It seems like the assistance from this thread has, however, added a lot of speakers to the list...

 

[Lsc]

I've followed the saga, and I'm not sure that the OP has eliminated any (or at least many) based on the 'assistance' from this thread. If anything, he eliminates primarily based on availability of measurements, what's in the measurements (if available) and/or the actual listening experience. It seems like the assistance from this thread has, however, added a lot of speakers to the list...

I’ve also followed this saga and it was a good journey. Even got me to buy a couple of things as I was following along. Essentially the salon2 (I also have the salons) was at the top of his list but didn’t pull the trigger because of Legacy Aeris. Then he went to Axpona and found some active speaker that he is now or will be doing an in home audition. No details have been provided for said active speaker. Since I don’t really know much or care about active speakers, it doesn’t matter to me but others are curious.

Also, he isn’t obligated to buy anything because he started a thread. It’s been hijacked by many other topics that were once unrelated- lots of active speaker folks at ASR but now appear to be very relevant.

 

[chouca]

I don’t think so. But, don’t misunderstand, imagining was still very good, just not on par with some of the other speakers I auditioned. Keep in mind there were some very high performing speakers in this first list, and many of my comments were getting to the nit pick level. As I stated, those KEFs I could have just sat and listened to for hours. Very pleasant sound, but lacking in detail and would not be my final choice compared to other top contenders, for MY ears (my sons had same opinion by the way, so six total ears ). But clearly outstanding engineering, an excellent design. Finally, Blade or the big Ref meta floorstanders may be at a different level, but I don’t think so. Same uniQ, sound should not be that much different. Though given the Blade front cabinet design and differences in diffraction (similar to Salon 2 front baffle), I may be fully wrong. Will still try to hear the Blades to confirm.

I know this is an old post, but I wanted to chime in with my very recent Blade demo experiences:

In two different rooms, with different electronics, I heard absolutely, staggeringly coherent imaging from the Blade One Metas and "good but not great" imaging from the Blade Two Metas. I can't explain the difference other than maybe the first demo was more dialed-in with respect to listening position.

 

[Deleted member 57150]

You’re kidding? 2780 posts?

I asked a couple of questions that you can answer quickly: which of the original eleven did you eliminate due to the assistance you got in this thread? And which of them did you audition?

cheers

here here here and here

did some work so you dont have to Newman

 

[richard12511]

Thanks. Why would one design such a large loudspeaker to have narrow dispersion? Doesn’t make much sense to me.

Generally, the larger and more expensive models are designed to have narrower dispersion, as it sounds better at long distances, and most huge speakers are designed to be listened to at great distances.

 

[Newman]

here here here and here

did some work so you don’t have to Newman

Thanks! Fantastic, you are such a clevergirl (pun, and only a pun!).

You have saved me a large amount of effort, and saved the OP about 2 minutes that he doesn’t have time for.

Based on those links it looks like the OP has narrowed his list from:-

Genelec 8351B + W371A
Genelec 8361A + W371A
D&D 8C (plus subs?)
Neumann KH420 (plus subs?)
Kii Three + BXT
KEF Blade Two Meta
Magico A5
Revel Ultima Salon 2
Revel Performa F228Be
Perlisten S7t
Vivid Audio Kaya 45

To:-

KEF Blade One/Two Meta
Revel Salon 2

And added:-

KEF Reference 5 Meta
JBL 4367, S3900, S4700, M2
Legacy Aeris
Zellaton Plural Evo
Acora SRC-2

Of the seven finalists, five are passive and only M2 is true active. Aeris is powered-bass passive, effectively like buying a mid-size passive speaker and putting each unit on its own subwoofer instead of a stand.

Some of the finalists might have no published Spinorama? Not sure which ones.

Also I am curious about how the Magico A5 dropped off the list given the OP’s superlative-ridden audition report?

cheers

 

[Deleted member 57150]

Thanks! Fantastic, you are such a clevergirl (pun, and only a pun!).

You have saved me a large amount of effort, and saved the OP about 2 minutes that he doesn’t have time for.

Based on those links it looks like the OP has narrowed his list from:-

Genelec 8351B + W371A
Genelec 8361A + W371A
D&D 8C (plus subs?)
Neumann KH420 (plus subs?)
Kii Three + BXT
KEF Blade Two Meta
Magico A5
Revel Ultima Salon 2
Revel Performa F228Be
Perlisten S7t
Vivid Audio Kaya 45

To:-

KEF Blade One/Two Meta
Revel Salon 2

And added:-

KEF Reference 5 Meta
JBL 4367, S3900, S4700, M2
Legacy Aeris
Zellaton Plural Evo
Acora SRC-2

Of the seven finalists, five are passive and only M2 is true active. Aeris is powered-bass passive, effectively like buying a mid-size passive speaker and putting each unit on its own subwoofer instead of a stand.

Some of the finalists might have no published Spinorama? Not sure which ones.

Also I am curious about how the Magico A5 dropped off the list given the OP’s superlative-ridden audition report?

cheers

Thanks for that. The list is so much more organized. I think that's about right, but the ones OP is assessing are a mystery brand (someone speculated ex machina) but actives and could do cardioid down to 20hz which eliminates all the others. Funny part is I mentioned actives at the very beginning and it was poo pooed. glad to see people are coming to their senses! Im assuming A5 and others arent mentioned because of the active amp direction. What would be your pick from that list?

 

[Newman]

What would be your pick from that list?

Ugh, what a question! Most of those seven remaining speakers are complete unknowns to me.

Forced to pick right now with what I know right now….probably the M2. Because, with its intended amplification, a lot of tuning is possible. But the looks are counting against it…

FWIW I think @MKR is making a big mistake with the strong weighting he is putting on the soundstage of each speaker he auditions. This is chasing a ghost that is going to evaporate when he gets them home, except by pure chance. On a related point, the dipole mid in the Aeris is going to be a room-dependent nightmare, especially.

cheers

 

[petezapie]

You’re kidding? 2780 posts?

I asked a couple of questions that you can answer quickly: which of the original eleven did you eliminate due to the assistance you got in this thread? And which of them did you audition?

cheers

So apparently the OP is obligated to create an update every time someone new jumps into this post because they are too lazy to do what clevergirl did.

 

[mglobe]

Thanks for that. The list is so much more organized. I think that's about right, but the ones OP is assessing are a mystery brand (someone speculated ex machina) but actives and could do cardioid down to 20hz which eliminates all the others. Funny part is I mentioned actives at the very beginning and it was poo pooed. glad to see people are coming to their senses! Im assuming A5 and others arent mentioned because of the active amp direction. What would be your pick from that list?

I think the conversations about cardioids and actives helped the OP expand his criteria, and this COULD be the biggest contribution this long conversation has made. Some astute observations of the comments in this and other threads can probably narrow down the potential candidates to a very small number.

 

[celo]

Not the right place to recommend this but I’d say buy yourself a used pair of Joseph Audio Perspective2s for $8K and save yourself $22K

 

[Deleted member 57150]

So apparently the OP is obligated to create an update every time someone new jumps into this post because they are too lazy to do what clevergirl did.

What? I think his request for info was reasonable. It actually took me a lot more time than I would like to admit. I only did it because I was curious. I think Newman was saying: rather than op saying go find the info he could have just listed the speakers he started and what the list is now. Or just keep an edited part of the thread. Would take 30 seconds.

 

[symphara]

Not the right place to recommend this but I’d say buy yourself a used pair of Joseph Audio Perspective2s for $8K and save yourself $22K

They're not full range, which is a core requirement.

 

[MattHooper]

They're not full range, which is a core requirement.

Also, after hearing the Joseph Pearl speakers twice he likes other speakers better.

End game for one person isn't end game for another. My Joseph Perspective 2s are pretty much "end game" for me - even as a long time audiophile I'm astonished at what I'm hearing at home. But MKR is playing in a different price bracket, and has different criteria.

 

[chouca]

Not the right place to recommend this but I’d say buy yourself a used pair of Joseph Audio Perspective2s for $8K and save yourself $22K

He listened to the Pearls and strongly disliked them, which I'm curious about given the glowing show reports I read about the Pearls.

 

[MattHooper]

He listened to the Pearls and strongly disliked them, which I'm curious about given the glowing show reports I read about the Pearls.

The most reasonable inference was a poor set up of the Pearls. He heard them later at a show set up by Jeff Joseph and found they sounded much better (though not what he's looking for).

 

[mglobe]

End game for one person isn't end game for another.

True in just about every hobby/passion/pursuit. Frankly, it’s just silly to think otherwise.

 

[celo]

Never heard the Pearls, so can’t say anything but to me Perspectives2s are incredible. Closest to live music IMO.

 

[MKR]

You’re kidding? 2780 posts?

I asked a couple of questions that you can answer quickly: which of the original eleven did you eliminate due to the assistance you got in this thread? And which of them did you audition?

cheers

I would have to go through all of the threads myself to answer your questions. A LOT of water under that bridge, I cannot answer quickly, at least if I want to provide a thoughtful response to you. I will respond, but a little patience please. Thanks