Have Slim Floorstanding Speakers "Had Their Day?"

[AdamG]

Slim floorstanders are better suited to smaller rooms and apartments etc. and surely have their place in the market. I prefer floorstanders either thin or fat over bookshelves on stands.


JSmith

Paired with competent Subwoofer(s) they can be amazing performers and fit for purpose. Aesthetics are important to some. Not to mention typically less expensive to purchase and ship.

 

[Platypus20]

I hope they have not had their day, I’m going Wednesday to possibly buy a pair

 

[MattHooper]

The Spendor Classic 200 is there if the slimmer A and D series don’t wow you.

View attachment 350642

I’ve always wanted to hear the Spender 200s!

Presumably, a giant heaping of the spender sound, which I really like.

 

[dlaloum]

I think a set of 20 or 30 year old B&O Penta's or Beolab 1's would make excellent and attractive surround speakers for a Dirac ART setup, which could leverage their bass capabilities for correction, while having an attractive and high quality surround speaker (and depending on the model, active or powered)

 

[wunderkind]

Despite the trend towards slim towers, I find Tannoy has always kept with their "plus-size" speakers while offering just a sprinkle of slender models.

See their line-up.

 

[Jaxjax]

That brings back fond memories of having those Virgo speakers in my home. They really set a standard in many of the things I was looking for in the sound of a speaker. I personally felt that subsequent models, while improving on various areas, never quite recaptured the particular mid/highs character I liked in the Virgo.

Unfortunately in my room they had a midbass emphasis (also identified by Fremer in his review) that I found I couldn't quite hear past after a while. I followed them with the Audio Physic Libra, which sounded more powerful and linear (and later the Scorpios, even bigger sounding). But they didn't quite have the magic I heard in the mids/highs with the Virgos.

I still run a pair of Audio Physics Tempo in my bedroom...narrow lil buggers
Joe

 

[Deleted member 48726]

I think a set of 20 or 30 year old B&O Penta's or Beolab 1's would make excellent and attractive surround speakers for a Dirac ART setup, which could leverage their bass capabilities for correction, while having an attractive and high quality surround speaker (and depending on the model, active or powered)

Hose are excellent speakers. Penta's can be had from about 200 USD and will beat most in frequency range and design.

 

[dlaloum]

Hose are excellent speakers. Penta's can be had from about 200 USD and will beat most in frequency range and design.

Australia is a much, much, smaller market .... I haven't seen any for sale under AU$3000...

But I figure, with some patience.... I don't expect to have Dirac ART "in house" for at least another year.... so I keep an eye out!

 

[Deleted member 48726]

Australia is a much, much, smaller market .... I haven't seen any for sale under AU$3000...

But I figure, with some patience.... I don't expect to have Dirac ART "in house" for at least another year.... so I keep an eye out!

Phew almighty what a price!

 

[dlaloum]

Phew almighty what a price!

Yeah - But I live in hope - and I would happily house a pair of Penta's... Not sure I want them for my mains, as I am very happy with my Gallo's - but in a world where the surrounds bass can be fully leveraged... with a speaker that meets all the "WAF" criteria....

 

[bec143]

Very old thread, but since this is my last day after 20 years with my original Audio Physic Virgos 1, I thought I would share!

 

[Axo1989]

Very old thread, but since this is my last day after 20 years with my original Audio Physic Virogs 1, I thought I would share!

Nice. What are you replacing them with?

 

[bec143]

Nice. What are you replacing them with?

Something wildly unpopular here but sound great- ATC SCM40

 

[Axo1989]

Something wildly unpopular here but sound great- ATC SCM40

They look great. I wouldn't worry about the popularity contest, tbh, but it looks like you haven't in any case.

 

[Anton D]

Best wishes for your new sonic adventure!

 

[Robin L]

My current speakers are Infinity Primus 250s. They're 36" high, 7" wide and 12" deep. 2-way, with dual 5 1/4" bass drivers. I'm listening to them in a small room at a distance of about a meter, the 3/4" tweeters about 57" apart from my listening position. I really like the stereo imaging but in particular I like the lack of lower midrange bloat that I've experienced with most wide baffle speakers. I'd guess the lower limit is restricted to around 60 hz, even with a Sonance Son of Sub. I'm finding these speakers better than just about all the other speakers I've had in the past, with the exception of the Primus 250s larger brother, the 360s. I really notice the difference in quality with solo piano recordings, with a clarity and a lack of hang-over missing in the past.

 

[Ze Frog]

It does seem in the UK that short fat stand mounts just don't sell like they used to. No doubt the Dovedale will be a very good speaker indeed under the retro skin, but the Linton Heritage hasn't sold that well here I gather and five grand a pair bridges two markets really, the lower priced small boxes together with the huge used market and on the other foot, the silly price high end.

Me? For retro I'd get some original KEF Concerto's, update/restore the crossovers, stick 'em on 12" or so stands and grin from ear to ear (and arguably drive them with a restored Quad 33/303 which suits them so very well) I've got the amp........

Yeah, apparently the Wharfdale Linton's for instance do far better beyond UK shores. Not surprising really, new builds these days are getting smaller and smaller at the affordable property level, lol, although the term affordable is ever changing.

 

[bec143]

Thsi sound like the ideal setup for narrow baffles.
My Virgos are absolutely amazing near field- the holographic and disappearing reputation is totally correct.
It's just that who listens like that for 95% of the time. I am tempted to keep them since they have lost almost all value, but I just don't ever see me using them in the application again. Someone else will enjoy them and I can finally get rid of that massive box after 20 years.

 

[bec143]

My current speakers are Infinity Primus 250s. They're 36" high, 7" wide and 12" deep. 2-way, with dual 5 1/4" bass drivers. I'm listening to them in a small room at a distance of about a meter, the 3/4" tweeters about 57" apart from my listening position. I really like the stereo imaging but in particular I like the lack of lower midrange bloat that I've experienced with most wide baffle speakers. I'd guess the lower limit is restricted to around 60 hz, even with a Sonance Son of Sub. I'm finding these speakers better than just about all the other speakers I've had in the past, with the exception of the Primus 250s larger brother, the 360s. I really notice the difference in quality with solo piano recordings, with a clarity and a lack of hang-over missing in the past.

This sounds like the ideal setup for narrow baffles.
My Virgos are absolutely amazing near field- the holographic and disappearing reputation is totally correct.
It's just that who listens like that for 95% of the time. I am tempted to keep them since they have lost almost all value, but I just don't ever see me using them in the application again. Someone else will enjoy them and I can finally get rid of that massive box after 20 years.

 

[Jaxjax]

Thsi sound like the ideal setup for narrow baffles.
My Virgos are absolutely amazing near field- the holographic and disappearing reputation is totally correct.
It's just that who listens like that for 95% of the time. I am tempted to keep them since they have lost almost all value, but I just don't ever see me using them in the application again. Someone else will enjoy them and I can finally get rid of that massive box after 20 years.

I run Audio Physics spark III or Tempo in bedroom , can't remember exact model. They have always been great in there. I'm an ATC fan to be sure. I bet your happy to get them.