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

[benanders]

32 days to AXPONA! Countin em down!

Here’s a long-shot:
How ‘bout any AXPONA attendees seeing this bring a tape measure, make note of one (or a few) listening setup(s) that sound(s) great to you, and then tick this poll after you get home and recuperate?

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...r-triangle-in-stereo-speaker-listening.42950/

I’d lead by example but I’m a bit far out for AXPONA. Listener preference-based “best triangle” could be a fun scavenger hunt for those of ya’s who attend this year.

The many regulars on this thread are encouraged to weigh in with your own systems, too. Neither “end game” nor $30K kit required.

 

[MKR]

Here’s a long-shot:
How ‘bout any AXPONA attendees seeing this bring a tape measure, make note of one (or a few) listening setup(s) that sound(s) great to you, and then tick this poll after you get home and recuperate?

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...r-triangle-in-stereo-speaker-listening.42950/

I’d lead by example but I’m a bit far out for AXPONA. Listener preference-based “best triangle” could be a fun scavenger hunt for those of ya’s who attend this year.

The many regulars on this thread are encouraged to weigh in with your own systems, too. Neither “end game” nor $30K kit required.

Mission accepted!

 

[MKR]

I will of course be focused on my own “quest” at AXPONA, and there will be a ton here to check out so time will be limited, but if anyone would like my impressions of a specific loudspeaker while I am there (that maybe I didn’t have any plans to audition), don’t hesitate to let me know and will do best to check them out. Of course would just be one persons subjective opinion in what are typically less than ideal show conditions, so don’t take it as gospel

I should note my sons will accompany me so you will have some extra ear opinions

You can view the exhibitor list below:

Exhibitors - AXPONA

Exhibitor List AXPONA 2024 Exhibitors and Brands List Locations: Listening Rooms: Room Numbers run from 304 to 1645, and also include names (ie Schaumburg, Utopia) Ear Gear Expo: Locations start with the number 8 (ie. 8101, 8201) The Expo Hall: Locations start with with number 9 (ie. 9307...

axpona.com

 

[MattHooper]

I will of course be focused on my own “quest” at AXPONA, and there will be a ton here to check out so time will be limited, but if anyone would like my impressions of a specific loudspeaker while I am there (that maybe I didn’t have any plans to audition), don’t hesitate to let me know and will do best to check them out. Of course would just be one persons subjective opinion in what are typically less than ideal show conditions, so don’t take it as gospel

I should note my sons will accompany me so you will have some extra ear opinions

You can view the exhibitor list below:

Exhibitors - AXPONA

Exhibitor List AXPONA 2024 Exhibitors and Brands List Locations: Listening Rooms: Room Numbers run from 304 to 1645, and also include names (ie Schaumburg, Utopia) Ear Gear Expo: Locations start with the number 8 (ie. 8101, 8201) The Expo Hall: Locations start with with number 9 (ie. 9307...

axpona.com

Please let us know how the latest Synergistic Research tweaks sound! I'm sure I'm not the only one here with money burnin' a hole through my pocket ready to buy! ;-)

Ok, seriously...

I'll throw out some rooms on which I'd enjoy reading your opinion:

Joseph Audio. Jeff Joseph usually shows at Axpona and he's well known for getting his speakers to sound excellent at shows. I'd be curious if your opinion of the Joseph speakers is upgraded upon hearing them at Axpona (or...if they'll sound just as bad to you).

Other than that, if you hear these rooms I'm curious what you think:

MBL
Estelon
Grimm Audio

Have fun!

 

[Laserjock]

I will of course be focused on my own “quest” at AXPONA, and there will be a ton here to check out so time will be limited, but if anyone would like my impressions of a specific loudspeaker while I am there (that maybe I didn’t have any plans to audition), don’t hesitate to let me know and will do best to check them out. Of course would just be one persons subjective opinion in what are typically less than ideal show conditions, so don’t take it as gospel

I should note my sons will accompany me so you will have some extra ear opinions

You can view the exhibitor list below:

Exhibitors - AXPONA

Exhibitor List AXPONA 2024 Exhibitors and Brands List Locations: Listening Rooms: Room Numbers run from 304 to 1645, and also include names (ie Schaumburg, Utopia) Ear Gear Expo: Locations start with the number 8 (ie. 8101, 8201) The Expo Hall: Locations start with with number 9 (ie. 9307...

axpona.com

How old are your sons?

 

[MKR]

Please let us know how the latest Synergistic Research tweaks sound! I'm sure I'm not the only one here with money burnin' a hole through my pocket ready to buy! ;-)

Ok, seriously...

I'll throw out some rooms on which I'd enjoy reading your opinion:

Joseph Audio. Jeff Joseph usually shows at Axpona and he's well known for getting his speakers to sound excellent at shows. I'd be curious if your opinion of the Joseph speakers is upgraded upon hearing them at Axpona (or...if they'll sound just as bad to you).

Other than that, if you hear these rooms I'm curious what you think:

MBL
Estelon
Grimm Audio

Have fun!

Added to the list! And yeah, I am really excited to hear all of the amazing cables and power conditioners that can fully transform a system from meh to amazing!

 

[MKR]

How old are your sons?

Odd question … they are fully launched and all growed up adults

 

[Mart68]

Odd question … they are fully launched and all growed up adults

I think this was in reference to their hearing acuity (younger = better).

 

[Laserjock]

Odd question … they are fully launched and all growed up adults

Sorry, that did come off odd after I posted. As @Mart68 mentioned

 

[MKR]

Sorry, that did come off odd after I posted. As @Mart68 mentioned

Ah, got it … They are young adults, and indeed their hearing is better than mine, as to be expected. Especially the higher frequencies. With that said, my hearing is quite good for an old fart and I typically hear the same issues with speakers as they do, though again they are more sensitive to treble brightness/harshness than I am.

 

[Lsc]

So I went to Abt today to check out a couple of subs - JL G213 vs F212 with the wife and they had the ML Neolith that’s now up to $120k per pair.

Is there anyone here that actually own a pair of those speakers? They sounded very good but I thought the $120k price was a bit excessive regardless of how good they sound and/or how large the speakers were. I heard them a while back when they were $80k so they must have made some improvements or just raised the price.

Also saw the pretty 802D4 that my wife thought looked goofy and said they seem like something out of the 50’s lol.

 

[GXAlan]

the $120k price was a bit excessive regardless of how good they sound and/or how large the speakers were. I heard them a while back when they were $80k so they must have made some improvements or just raised the price.

It’s very interesting. I was talking to my used audio dealer who is pulling out of the used gear market except for very high end. He said it is very hard to move Parasound and Rotel gear, despite them sounding very good but that he is surprised how much easier it is to move Gryphon electronics.

I think the group of Bitcoin millionaires and tech millionaires is spending silly amounts of money in audio right now.

 

[Lsc]

It’s very interesting. I was talking to my used audio dealer who is pulling out of the used gear market except for very high end. He said it is very hard to move Parasound and Rotel gear, despite them sounding very good but that he is surprised how much easier it is to move Gryphon electronics.

I think the group of Bitcoin millionaires and tech millionaires is spending silly amounts of money in audio right now.

I’m thinking it’s because of the margins. But the historically high resale values on used gear will be probably go away like the auto industry.

Also Parasound and Rotel are both not the most popular brands imho. I don’t think I’d ever buy either.

 

[Holmz]

Sorry, that did come off odd after I posted. As @Mart68 mentioned

^I got it^, but sometime after years of solely using iPods their LISTENING is not tuned as good as their hearing.

 

[Laserjock]

^I got it^, but sometime after years of solely using iPods their LISTENING is not tuned as good as their hearing.

And how much interest, if any in the hobby.

 

[zman01]

32 days to AXPONA! Countin em down!

Down to 25 days...

 

[Lsc]

Those are the best test subjects. The ones who don’t know and don’t care can give the most objective responses.

My wife just did that for me with yet another new DAC I bought. So far both music sounds significantly better thru both SMSL DACs I bought vs going directly into my lowly XMC2 and Dirac.

 

[Holmz]

And how much interest, if any in the hobby.

They are the OP’s sons, so one might think that have a similar background...

Interest in the hobby probably only makes it worse.
We do not hear about people falling down speaking in tongues except in the certain churches where the fall down and speak in tongues.
But “where two audiophiles gather“ we hear about all sorts of magic.

Playing music probably makes them better qualified than average.

And interest in the hobby is not a qualification.
Lets take, for example, teenage boys interest in girls… and interest is not a qualification in the same way that an interest in stereo gear is a wank of the mind.

 

[Lsc]

I know the Magico A5 is not on the OP’s list but my buddy has taken an interest in it recently so it’ll be nice to check it out at Axpona. Seems like the specs are close to the salon2 but 3 way and new technology.

 

[MKR]

I know the Magico A5 is not on the OP’s list but my buddy has taken an interest in it recently so it’ll be nice to check it out at Axpona. Seems like the specs are close to the salon2 but 3 way and new technology.

@Lsc The A5 was on my original short list, and I spent extensive time with it. See my previous audition reports. It is a VERY good loudspeaker, I could have easily lived with it. BUT, compared the the Salon 2, no contest for my ears. But again, it is an excellent design, the folks at Magico know what they are doing. It really is not that large of a loudspeaker, but the sound that comes out of those A5s would have you believe it is much larger than it is. Excellent soundstage, dynamics, and really astonishing low freq extension for a sealed design (and as expected, as a sealed design, the low freqs are very taught, crisp, and clean). Again, a great loudspeaker, but compared to others I auditioned, not in the final list. I would also say compared to the “finalist” list, the Magico is not the last word on value, overpriced I would say.