End Game Speakers - The Quest Continues

[hvbias]

Are Soundfield Titan from the owner AJ Soundfield? If so I remember his posts on ASR back in the day, if you told him liquid water was wet he'd beat you into a pulp saying it wasn't. I'd personally prefer to buy boutique/small company speakers from someone that was stable. ASR has lost a lot of super knowledgeable contributing members since 2016/2017 era, AJ was not one of them. He must have caused so much work for poor Thomas.

 

[speedygonzalez]

Are Soundfield Titan from the owner AJ Soundfield? If so I remember his posts on ASR back in the day, if you told him liquid water was wet he'd beat you into a pulp saying it wasn't. I'd personally prefer to buy boutique/small company speakers from someone that was stable. ASR has lost a lot of super knowledgeable contributing members since 2016/2017 era, AJ was not one of them. He must have caused so much work for poor Thomas.

What is the history here? Who is Thomas?

 

[Mart68]

What is the history here? Who is Thomas?

The original moderator.

 

[speedygonzalez]

The original moderator.

Thank you. I did find in older comments argumentative banter that lead nowhere.

 

[steve59]

Last I checked in MKR was having a pair custom made for his requirements by soundfield...I guess that fell thru?

 

[TLEDDY]

With total commitment to my below tag line, I have, at 83 years of age, acquired my “End Game” speakers…

Sanders 10e - hybrid electrostatic speakers

Elsewhere in my scrivenings, I note that I have been a fan of electrostatic speakers, beginning with Quad ‘57s,
KLH 9s, stacked Quads by Mark Levinson etc. etc.

I am seriously satisfied with the Sanders - especially their ability to play music at what I consider concert volume*
and not damage the panels.

I cheerfully recognize that I have not auditioned a great many highly praised speakers; that said, I am happy.

*Refers to classical instruments, not “Grateful Dead” Wall of Sound level!!

 

[Penelinfi]

With total commitment to my below tag line, I have, at 83 years of age, acquired my “End Game” speakers…

Sanders 10e - hybrid electrostatic speakers

Elsewhere in my scrivenings, I note that I have been a fan of electrostatic speakers, beginning with Quad ‘57s,
KLH 9s, stacked Quads by Mark Levinson etc. etc.

I am seriously satisfied with the Sanders - especially their ability to play music at what I consider concert volume*
and not damage the panels.

I cheerfully recognize that I have not auditioned a great many highly praised speakers; that said, I am happy.

*Refers to classical instruments, not “Grateful Dead” Wall of Sound level!!

Yep no one can listen to every single speaker. It really comes down to the person deciding that they are happy, assuming a reasonable level of performance.

 

[chouca]

Has Wisdom come up at all in MKR's search? I'm way too contented with my KEF Blade 2 Metas to consider anything else (other than maybe the big Blades?), but long ago I demoed Wisdom tower speakers that sounded absolutely sublime. I have no idea how they measure or how well-regarded they are.

 

[AudioJester]

Has Wisdom come up at all in MKR's search? I'm way too contented with my KEF Blade 2 Metas to consider anything else (other than maybe the big Blades?), but long ago I demoed Wisdom tower speakers that sounded absolutely sublime. I have no idea how they measure or how well-regarded they are.

Yeah, I listened to Wisdom towers and D&D 8c - very hard to pick between them, but the towers could go way louder

 

[steve59]

Has Wisdom come up at all in MKR's search? I'm way too contented with my KEF Blade 2 Metas to consider anything else (other than maybe the big Blades?), but long ago I demoed Wisdom tower speakers that sounded absolutely sublime. I have no idea how they measure or how well-regarded they are.

I've got the original Blades and tho I'm tempted by discounts on the blade meta's online I listen to mine and try to imagine how they could sound better.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I'm way too contented with my KEF Blade 2 Metas to consider anything else (other than maybe the big Blades?)

I would consider only active, DSP-enabled Blades.

 

[Purité Audio]

Me too, Jack…
Keith

 

[MKR]

Last I checked in MKR was having a pair custom made for his requirements by soundfield...I guess that fell thru?

Nope, didn't fall through, only delayed ... see post below for updated status

 

[MKR]

Has Wisdom come up at all in MKR's search? I'm way too contented with my KEF Blade 2 Metas to consider anything else (other than maybe the big Blades?), but long ago I demoed Wisdom tower speakers that sounded absolutely sublime. I have no idea how they measure or how well-regarded they are.

Hello sir ... Indeed Wisdom has come up a few times and briefly discussed. I have been a Wisdom fan from WAY back. First heard the $1M (early 2000s dollars!) Wisdom Infinite Wisdom Grande ($700k, with $300k all Rowland electronics) early 2000's at CES (when that was the venue for high-end audio show). There was a lot of cable and other snake oil silliness happening that I really didn't recognize at the time, but of course I know better now. But all these years later I still remember the sound of that system, etched in my auditory memory. To this day the level of dynamics and realism of a full orchestral concert has yet to be reproduced like that by any other system I have heard. It was a massive presentation. Certainly not a system for reproduction of an intimate acoustic guitar singer/songwriter type performance, but nonetheless incredible and special. That was my first true exposure to a large form factor planar system. No, never saw any measurements, probably were never done for all I know, but whatever, was again a positively revalatory experience and I appreciate the effort Tom Bohlender and crew went to to make that happen way back when.

Anyway ... Wisdom could be on the short list, but were dropped many months ago as the LS4 is way over my budget ($90k, https://www.wisdomaudio.com/product/wisdom-series-ls4/), plus still need subwoofers! Sadly, not even in the realm of possibility. I do hope I get a chance to hear a Wisdom system again someday.

Found a pic of that system at CES all those years ago! ...

 

[MKR]

Hello folks! Sorry for the long period of quiet ... life got in the way. New job, move to another state, new home ... My quest has had to take a back seat for a time, but back on track. Last status was choice down to Soundfield custom solution vs the upcoming larger D&D (8C "big brother"), but new D&D seems to be continually delayed and I am ready for the end game now ;-) ... should also add that in the new home the listening space is much smaller than originally planned (and such my budget will now be well below $30k ... just don't need as much speaker SPL simply put), and the larger D&D likely overkill for such a space. Therefore, now working with Soundfield on some different prototypes to determine what works best in new room acoustics and also personal preference. Basically, the low bass design is already decided (full range cardioid, that was an easy decision), but what is still open is the mid to high freq design ... Coaxial or planar. Soundfield is working on both demos/protos now and will ship to me next 2 weeks or so. Will be same bass cab with interchangeable mid/high freq "heads", with switchable DSP of course to account for the different designs (fully active via Hypex Fusion). What better way to decide what works best than an in-home demo of different designs. Huge kudos to Soundfield for working with me on this, incredible customer support. More to come once I receive the demos. Stay tuned ;-)

 

[Mr. Widget]

Hello folks! Sorry for the long period of quiet ... life got in the way. New job, move to another state, new home ... My quest has had to take a back seat for a time, but back on track. Last status was choice down to Soundfield custom solution vs the upcoming larger D&D (8C "big brother"), but new D&D seems to be continually delayed and I am ready for the end game now ;-) ... should also add that in the new home the listening space is much smaller than originally planned (and such my budget will now be well below $30k ... just don't need as much speaker SPL simply put), and the larger D&D likely overkill for such a space. Therefore, now working with Soundfield on some different prototypes to determine what works best in new room acoustics and also personal preference. Basically, the low bass design is already decided (full range cardioid, that was an easy decision), but what is still open is the mid to high freq design ... Coaxial or planar. Soundfield is working on both demos/protos now and will ship to me next 2 weeks or so. Will be same bass cab with interchangeable mid/high freq "heads", with switchable DSP of course to account for the different designs (fully active via Hypex Fusion). What better way to decide what works best than an in-home demo of different designs. Huge kudos to Soundfield for working with me on this, incredible customer support. More to come once I receive the demos. Stay tuned ;-)

Sometimes waiting really pays off.
Just think if you had bought your ultimate speakers for the last house and then discovered that they were not the ideal solution in your new place.

Nice to see that the journey continues...

 

[AudioJester]

Hello folks! Sorry for the long period of quiet ... life got in the way. New job, move to another state, new home ... My quest has had to take a back seat for a time, but back on track. Last status was choice down to Soundfield custom solution vs the upcoming larger D&D (8C "big brother"), but new D&D seems to be continually delayed and I am ready for the end game now ;-) ... should also add that in the new home the listening space is much smaller than originally planned (and such my budget will now be well below $30k ... just don't need as much speaker SPL simply put), and the larger D&D likely overkill for such a space. Therefore, now working with Soundfield on some different prototypes to determine what works best in new room acoustics and also personal preference. Basically, the low bass design is already decided (full range cardioid, that was an easy decision), but what is still open is the mid to high freq design ... Coaxial or planar. Soundfield is working on both demos/protos now and will ship to me next 2 weeks or so. Will be same bass cab with interchangeable mid/high freq "heads", with switchable DSP of course to account for the different designs (fully active via Hypex Fusion). What better way to decide what works best than an in-home demo of different designs. Huge kudos to Soundfield for working with me on this, incredible customer support. More to come once I receive the demos. Stay tuned ;-)

Keep the different "heads", might be fun to switch around in the future.
What drivers are the bass cabs using?

 

[steve59]

For me, with regards there's so much fun and knowledge to be had in the assembly of a great sounding system I like to take my time.