I am in a position to overhaul my setup this year. Looking for some opinions. I don't think I'll be in a position for much room treatment, if any. Owing to apartment living in Asia, I don't miss <35Hz, and my listening peaks are roughly 83dB at a listening position of ~2m away for a stereo pair. Nothing too demanding, but I would want something with tons of headroom relative to the SPLs I listen to, if only to ensure distortion and compression is minuscule at the SPLs I listen to. I currently own a lightly-modded pair of SEAS Idunn that I'm trying to sell, as well as a Marantz PM6004. I require Tidal and Spotify, and strongly prefer Volumio for its open-source origins. I have a few options:
1. ATC SCM11/19 + Topping PA5 + DAC/streamer (TBC which, but likely PecanPi or Topping EX5 + an Allo streamer)
- I know I haven't been the biggest fan of ATC on this forum, but I can get the domestic ATCs for the cheapest prices I've ever seen in the world and it would be a shame not to capitalise that. The local authorised reseller is incredible. It's not like the speakers are highly objectionable from my auditioning, they are good for the usual 2-way flat baffle format, they just don't transcend it. Much of my previous comments apply to the US/European context, where there are many superior speakers available at the massively marked up prices of ATCs. Different story here. I can get a pair of new SCM19v2s for around $2500 - about $2k cheaper than US MSRP. Yet I don't have many forum-recommended options like Neumanns available at a sane price locally. And the logistics of getting most Internet-direct/factory-direct brands to Asia make it a non-starter - believe me, I've tried. The ATC option is alluring for good enough sound, robust build, solid depreciation (~70% value retention on resale), pride of ownership yada yada. Hell, I might even be able to stretch to used SCM40As (new lute-shaped cabinet) if a set turns up on the market.
2. Neumann KH120A + DAC/streamer
- My problem with this is size and age. It's a decade old (though still arguably SOTA in its form factor). I worry about buying into it only for a next-gen KH120 to come out, or even better, a 6.5-inch speaker from them within a year. 5.25 inch gives me pause, but I have found even LS50s (which have an effective midbass radiating area of a 4.5-inch midwoofer) quite satisfactory SPL and extension-wise. I really prefer a 6-inch 2-way or something.
- The other problem is price. MSRP here (never seen it discounted) is much more than what importing from Thomann would cost. I find that absurd. I could import from Thomann, since last I checked Neumann has a 2 year international warranty. But not buying from local distributors and supporting a local business does give me pause. KH80DSP is still priced within reason but I keep thinking about how its too small (even though its dedicated midwoofer is about the same size as the LS50's midwoofer once you subtract the space taken up by the coaxial tweeter).
- The mark-up for Genelecs are even more ridiculous and they have no international warranty, so the option is a non-starter for now. I was considering an 8030C or even an 8050B at a stretch, but I'm not a fan of paying $400-500 more vs Thomann prices. And before someone mentions it... I can buy into used Magicos for how much the Genelec Ones go for here, so not exactly an option.
3. KEF R3 + Topping PA5 + DAC/streamer
- KEF is marked up slightly from the prices I see in US/UK and because (IIRC) Gold Peak distributes KEF directly round these parts, they pretty much never go on sale. Can't go wrong with KEF engineering but I'm not a big fan of the prices, especially compared to the ATC prices I can get.
5. Downgrade to Kali LP-6 mk2, because I have DCA Aeon 2s now for headphone listening, and work from home means I can't really play the speakers as much with family around.
- Worried about the hiss. Hiss just reminds me of the purgatory of budget monitors like KRKs. Worried about the distortion and compression coming down from SEAS drivers as well.
4. Various used speakers + used high-end amp + DAC/streamer
- Sonus Faber, ATC as mentioned, KEF, Revel are all options. And just to scratch an itch, used Levinson, McIntosh or Rowland are kinda within reach.
- I don't intend to go into the purgatory of samey China-made IAG speakers that depreciate like mad, such as Wharfedale.
5. Most left-field option: another custom-build... but a better one, in a design format not available on the retail market.
- My Idunns were made by the local SEAS distributor with great parts. But his woodworking wasn't amazing. I would find someone else to do the woodwork this time round. But I've been thinking of a speaker with an 8-10 inch woofer crossed 400-700Hz to a great widebander. Most likely the Scanspeak 10F/8414G10. That widebander has exceptionally smooth response and directivity for its diameter. It only starts rolling off around 15kHz, which is more than enough IMHO. Narrower directivity up top is a worthy sacrifice for a directivity match with a larger woofer and better dynamics in a 2-way format. More people should exploit it. Let's say if such a speaker were designed, would anyone be interested? I might have some contacts and leads for this...
1. ATC SCM11/19 + Topping PA5 + DAC/streamer (TBC which, but likely PecanPi or Topping EX5 + an Allo streamer)
- I know I haven't been the biggest fan of ATC on this forum, but I can get the domestic ATCs for the cheapest prices I've ever seen in the world and it would be a shame not to capitalise that. The local authorised reseller is incredible. It's not like the speakers are highly objectionable from my auditioning, they are good for the usual 2-way flat baffle format, they just don't transcend it. Much of my previous comments apply to the US/European context, where there are many superior speakers available at the massively marked up prices of ATCs. Different story here. I can get a pair of new SCM19v2s for around $2500 - about $2k cheaper than US MSRP. Yet I don't have many forum-recommended options like Neumanns available at a sane price locally. And the logistics of getting most Internet-direct/factory-direct brands to Asia make it a non-starter - believe me, I've tried. The ATC option is alluring for good enough sound, robust build, solid depreciation (~70% value retention on resale), pride of ownership yada yada. Hell, I might even be able to stretch to used SCM40As (new lute-shaped cabinet) if a set turns up on the market.
2. Neumann KH120A + DAC/streamer
- My problem with this is size and age. It's a decade old (though still arguably SOTA in its form factor). I worry about buying into it only for a next-gen KH120 to come out, or even better, a 6.5-inch speaker from them within a year. 5.25 inch gives me pause, but I have found even LS50s (which have an effective midbass radiating area of a 4.5-inch midwoofer) quite satisfactory SPL and extension-wise. I really prefer a 6-inch 2-way or something.
- The other problem is price. MSRP here (never seen it discounted) is much more than what importing from Thomann would cost. I find that absurd. I could import from Thomann, since last I checked Neumann has a 2 year international warranty. But not buying from local distributors and supporting a local business does give me pause. KH80DSP is still priced within reason but I keep thinking about how its too small (even though its dedicated midwoofer is about the same size as the LS50's midwoofer once you subtract the space taken up by the coaxial tweeter).
- The mark-up for Genelecs are even more ridiculous and they have no international warranty, so the option is a non-starter for now. I was considering an 8030C or even an 8050B at a stretch, but I'm not a fan of paying $400-500 more vs Thomann prices. And before someone mentions it... I can buy into used Magicos for how much the Genelec Ones go for here, so not exactly an option.
3. KEF R3 + Topping PA5 + DAC/streamer
- KEF is marked up slightly from the prices I see in US/UK and because (IIRC) Gold Peak distributes KEF directly round these parts, they pretty much never go on sale. Can't go wrong with KEF engineering but I'm not a big fan of the prices, especially compared to the ATC prices I can get.
5. Downgrade to Kali LP-6 mk2, because I have DCA Aeon 2s now for headphone listening, and work from home means I can't really play the speakers as much with family around.
- Worried about the hiss. Hiss just reminds me of the purgatory of budget monitors like KRKs. Worried about the distortion and compression coming down from SEAS drivers as well.
4. Various used speakers + used high-end amp + DAC/streamer
- Sonus Faber, ATC as mentioned, KEF, Revel are all options. And just to scratch an itch, used Levinson, McIntosh or Rowland are kinda within reach.
- I don't intend to go into the purgatory of samey China-made IAG speakers that depreciate like mad, such as Wharfedale.
5. Most left-field option: another custom-build... but a better one, in a design format not available on the retail market.
- My Idunns were made by the local SEAS distributor with great parts. But his woodworking wasn't amazing. I would find someone else to do the woodwork this time round. But I've been thinking of a speaker with an 8-10 inch woofer crossed 400-700Hz to a great widebander. Most likely the Scanspeak 10F/8414G10. That widebander has exceptionally smooth response and directivity for its diameter. It only starts rolling off around 15kHz, which is more than enough IMHO. Narrower directivity up top is a worthy sacrifice for a directivity match with a larger woofer and better dynamics in a 2-way format. More people should exploit it. Let's say if such a speaker were designed, would anyone be interested? I might have some contacts and leads for this...