Hi All,
Obviously speaker listening tests are very opinionated so I've gone for a relative approach. I've owned all these speakers in a relatively short amount of time and here I offer what my ears are telling me.
First up my DAC is custom built Texas/BurrBrown. It takes SPDIF and outputs a 134db/A balanced signal. I'd be surprised if anything can beat it, but it's possible. Anyhow, it's really, really good.
My ears are working well, no issues hear (pun intended). I'm after full spectrum and honest quality. All speakers are placed about 3 foot away left/right and 1 foot back. The mid or high is roughly at ear level. Speakers are about 1 foot from the wall. The room is about 3M x 5M and has sound absorbing panels.
All speakers tested at 0.0db gain and no +/- gain on the low/mid/high amps.
T5V
Exceptional top end and very good mid-range. Weak on the bass but nothing that's not expected from a small driver and enclosure (and it's great considering those limitations. Could I listen to them all day and live with them? No. The lack of low end eventually got to me. Great for what they are, but it's like watching a band live and the bass guitar has snapped some strings - you know it and it niggles you.
T5V + T10S
I thought this might resolve the above, but it didn't. Some say the sub will have phase issues, I'd somewhat agree but it's to be expected because it's not part of the speaker and good luck resolving it. What I also determined was the sub is not musical, it's lazy. It lacks power and is unable to fill in what the T5V couldn't go down to.
T8V
In order to resolve the above I bought T8V. Immediately I noticed the mid-range had taken a small hit, however my goodness is the bottom end there (32Hz, -10db/A) and fantastically controlled. Distortion is well controlled at the top-end of volume but evident however for sitting close they do the job. Could I live with these day in day out? Yes! For sacrificing a little of the mid-range the sound is much more engrossing. Playing Teddy Swims Bad Dreams with the artificial bass extensions they mixed in (listen with low speakers and you'll know what I mean) is room shakily good with these speakers.
I would say the T8V plays a little bright on the top end likely to try and make up for the mid. For this reason I would say they aren't as neutral as the T5V but as a package they are worth the cost difference. You're in the middle of the soundstage with these speakers and you're enjoying the show.
T8V + T10S
Not only did the T10S not offer anything the T8V couldn't manage it muffled the low end sound with it's uncontrolled flabby bass. Less is more, the T10S was then sold. Good riddance.
S3V
I always wondered if this speaker would bring the qualities of the T8V together with that of the T5V, with a lot more volume for headroom. So I bought two.
According to Adam Audio's graphs the S3V also manages an identical 32Hz at -10db/A. Hmm, listening says the exceptional low punch of T8V isn't quite there, or maybe it's more relaxed with greater roll off. That said I can still hear those bass extensions in Teddy Swims Bad Dreams so it can do it and I don't feel confident to be factual about it. Perhaps it's placement. There's not much in it anyhow and that's the problem, I almost can't determine it. Slight edge to T8V at lower volume levels.
High end isn't as bright as the T8V but is beautifully controlled and the mid-range is very much back and equally as well done. After a while I realised the soundstage is not quite as good as the T8V either, you don't feel like the band is in the room with S3V, the imaging is different, it's a little more 'mono' than 'stereo' if that makes sense.
There isn't a huge jump between the T8V and S3V to justify the price difference (x4) so it comes down to whether you need the volume. I don't, but I've still decided to keep the S3V and sell the T8V because S3V brings back the mids and the money I've spent has to have a placebo effect, right? If anything it exposes just how good the T8V is as an all-rounder.
Can the AES3 input beat my exceptional DAC? I'll report back on this one...
Well AES3 has changed my opinion. It's brought these speakers to life, a genuine jump. Feeding digital into the DSP is the way forward! They oh so slightly don't have the bass extension of the T8V at low volume but murder it at everything else.
Obviously speaker listening tests are very opinionated so I've gone for a relative approach. I've owned all these speakers in a relatively short amount of time and here I offer what my ears are telling me.
First up my DAC is custom built Texas/BurrBrown. It takes SPDIF and outputs a 134db/A balanced signal. I'd be surprised if anything can beat it, but it's possible. Anyhow, it's really, really good.
My ears are working well, no issues hear (pun intended). I'm after full spectrum and honest quality. All speakers are placed about 3 foot away left/right and 1 foot back. The mid or high is roughly at ear level. Speakers are about 1 foot from the wall. The room is about 3M x 5M and has sound absorbing panels.
All speakers tested at 0.0db gain and no +/- gain on the low/mid/high amps.
T5V
Exceptional top end and very good mid-range. Weak on the bass but nothing that's not expected from a small driver and enclosure (and it's great considering those limitations. Could I listen to them all day and live with them? No. The lack of low end eventually got to me. Great for what they are, but it's like watching a band live and the bass guitar has snapped some strings - you know it and it niggles you.
T5V + T10S
I thought this might resolve the above, but it didn't. Some say the sub will have phase issues, I'd somewhat agree but it's to be expected because it's not part of the speaker and good luck resolving it. What I also determined was the sub is not musical, it's lazy. It lacks power and is unable to fill in what the T5V couldn't go down to.
T8V
In order to resolve the above I bought T8V. Immediately I noticed the mid-range had taken a small hit, however my goodness is the bottom end there (32Hz, -10db/A) and fantastically controlled. Distortion is well controlled at the top-end of volume but evident however for sitting close they do the job. Could I live with these day in day out? Yes! For sacrificing a little of the mid-range the sound is much more engrossing. Playing Teddy Swims Bad Dreams with the artificial bass extensions they mixed in (listen with low speakers and you'll know what I mean) is room shakily good with these speakers.
I would say the T8V plays a little bright on the top end likely to try and make up for the mid. For this reason I would say they aren't as neutral as the T5V but as a package they are worth the cost difference. You're in the middle of the soundstage with these speakers and you're enjoying the show.
T8V + T10S
Not only did the T10S not offer anything the T8V couldn't manage it muffled the low end sound with it's uncontrolled flabby bass. Less is more, the T10S was then sold. Good riddance.
S3V
I always wondered if this speaker would bring the qualities of the T8V together with that of the T5V, with a lot more volume for headroom. So I bought two.
According to Adam Audio's graphs the S3V also manages an identical 32Hz at -10db/A. Hmm, listening says the exceptional low punch of T8V isn't quite there, or maybe it's more relaxed with greater roll off. That said I can still hear those bass extensions in Teddy Swims Bad Dreams so it can do it and I don't feel confident to be factual about it. Perhaps it's placement. There's not much in it anyhow and that's the problem, I almost can't determine it. Slight edge to T8V at lower volume levels.
High end isn't as bright as the T8V but is beautifully controlled and the mid-range is very much back and equally as well done. After a while I realised the soundstage is not quite as good as the T8V either, you don't feel like the band is in the room with S3V, the imaging is different, it's a little more 'mono' than 'stereo' if that makes sense.
There isn't a huge jump between the T8V and S3V to justify the price difference (x4) so it comes down to whether you need the volume. I don't, but I've still decided to keep the S3V and sell the T8V because S3V brings back the mids and the money I've spent has to have a placebo effect, right? If anything it exposes just how good the T8V is as an all-rounder.
Can the AES3 input beat my exceptional DAC? I'll report back on this one...
Well AES3 has changed my opinion. It's brought these speakers to life, a genuine jump. Feeding digital into the DSP is the way forward! They oh so slightly don't have the bass extension of the T8V at low volume but murder it at everything else.
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