The Two Channel Advice Thread

Discussion in 'Advice Threads' started by purr1n, Nov 10, 2016.

  1. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

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    this should blow you away. right in your budget
    https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/fs-akitika-gt-102-stereo-speaker-amp.8539/
     
  2. Carlos CPA

    Carlos CPA Friend

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    Does anyone have thoughts on omnidirectional speakers, particularly Ohm Walsh speakers? I have searched, but there doesn’t seem to be much written about this topic on SBAF.

    I am intrigued by reviews I have read elsewhere online that cite a very broad sweet spot, good imaging and the ability to place the speakers close to walls. This would be ideal for my home office, where the speakers are against a side wall and sitting directly between them would be very impractical. Is there something I am missing?
     
  3. Type35

    Type35 New

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    Thanks for the recommendations. This confirms what I suspected around $500 for Pre+Amp, it's either second-hand EL34 / EL84, JLH69 clone, or LM1875 / LM3886 gaincard. Aegir+Saga or Akitika would be great around $1K. I'll first try the old trusted NAD 3020 and go from there.
     
  4. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

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    if you like room coloration, go for it. but technically, omni's are by design flawed badly.

    especially without room treatment, what you want in a speaker is more controlled dispersion to reduce room coloration. omni's are exactly the opposite
     
  5. shanchandi

    shanchandi Acquaintance

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    I'm looking at this at the moment for my own set up since I can't DIY for shit: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/328...m=a2g0o.store_home.promoteWysiwyg_494568863.0

    Still debating whether it'd be better than the receiver I have from the 80s but at $120 US with shipping I'm thinking its worth a shot
     
  6. Carlos CPA

    Carlos CPA Friend

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    Thanks, Murphy! This is very helpful.

    My main prejudice against omni speakers had been that they are very inefficient. I would like to move my Vidars and LS50s together to the basement, so purchasing omnis would necessitate buying another high power amp.

    A better solution for me might be either a pair of Klipsch Fortes or the new Cornwall IV. Very tempting to try running these out of my Af’s speaker outputs, or possibly biamped with my Af and an Aegir/First Watt amp.

    Do efficient horn speakers like these Klipsch’s have narrow sweet spots, or will good imaging be retained at non-centralized listening positions in a small/medium sized room?
     
  7. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

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    ive never heard the new klipsh forte. efficient wise it would work with your AF. do you like how thee klipsh's sound?

    personally with your amp, id get a used pair of 96db efficient Seas Exotic F8 wideband driver with the Seas recommended coil to tame the rising response and build a 100l cab.

    https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.c...as-exotic-x1-04-f8-4-ohm-8-full-range-driver/

    https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/assembled-crossovers/exotic-full-range-crossover-each/

    https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649568729-seas-exotic-x1-04-f8-4-ohm-8-full-range-driver/
     
  8. crazychile

    crazychile Eastern Iowa's Spiciest Pepper

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    [QUOTE="Carlos CPA, post: 279568, member: 4777]

    Do efficient horn speakers like these Klipsch’s have narrow sweet spots, or will good imaging be retained at non-centralized listening positions in a small/medium sized room?[/QUOTE]

    The sweet spots with big Klipsch are somewhat narrow, but no worse than a lot of speakers. The bigger issue is that even with speakers that are 100+ dB efficient, I still feel that you need at least 8 watts to allow a little headroom. Yeah, most of the time you’ll only be using 2 or 3 watts but to sound right you want that extra bit on reserve
     
  9. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

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    This is a vague request but my dad asked me for new speakers for his living room for <$500-1k if possible (if this isn't enough $, then he will just save and buy later). Used is OK. Subwoofer or subwoofer plus woofer, amp, dac, and/or receiver/source will be priced separately. Neutral to slightly laid back sound preferred. Nothing like more on edge like a Focal house sound or bright like the typical Klipsch sound. No DIY for now. No bigger than about 14" x 14" base and not taller than 5 feet. He most likely won't do room treatment, etc. Parents doesn't listen that loud.

    If it matters living room is about 20x20 x 10ft tall general square shape with the bottom edge of the square being open on the right side and the bottom of left side and top left side having walkways into the living room. Couch in middle of living room.

    If bookshelf speakers I was thinking of starting him on some Micca PB or MB42 or Elac Debut (well under $500) if he wants something cheap to work up from. KEF LS50 mini monitors $700-800 if he wants something nicer to start with. Don't know enough about tower speakers to help him much there.
     
  10. zonto

    zonto Friend

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    Magnepan LRS or used 0.7? Don’t think you can beat those for the cost. Six years ago, I paid around LRS prices for my 1.6QR.

    Otherwise I’d search USAM and Audiogon and filter by zip code and see what comes up. Would be good to give a couple local dealers a ring too for ideas, and to see if they have any demo or trade-ins available in that range.
     
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2019
  11. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    Have you heard the LS50s? IMO they’re bright and they won’t fill a large room. They’re also not laid back unless you use some smoothed over tubes or electronics which will prob sound like crap with them anyhow.

    I like @zonto recco of the LRS. Other than that, get the biggest ELACs he can afford (6.2 or larger if you can) I think would be a pretty good choice. Forget the Miccas they can’t fill a room like that either. Wharfedale Diamond 225 are great for the price too if you want a laid back top end (and they look nice for a low cost bookshelf too).
     
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2019
  12. supertransformingdhruv

    supertransformingdhruv Almost "Made"

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    Just a quick note re: the LRS, current wait times if you order from Magnepan are 8-10 weeks. You might be able to get around that if a dealer nearby has them in stock, but I wouldn't bet on it-- my local dealer has been sold through on them since they came out.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2019
  13. Forza AudioWorks

    Forza AudioWorks MOT: Forza AudioWorks

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    LS50 sound bright/piercing/brittle/metallic with mismatched setup and boomy if not positioned right. But these boxes are flexible, you can do lots of things with them if you have powerful electronics and a DAC with some emphasis on texturing. My buddy had LS50 for some two years or so and what he was able to do with them was respectable. Point source dispersion has its advantages as well.

    What I'm saying is that LS50 isn't the best speaker out there, far from it, but for the money it's really good.
     
  14. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    That’s the thing - you have to put so much and be so careful with what’s in front of them to get them to sound great IMO (although some people say pairing with the Ragnarok 1 was a good match). They’re not a low cost speaker that can drop into almost any system (esp with low priced amps and sources) and sound great and/or fill a room with anything close to full range sound. There are way more well rounded and easier to work with speakers for a “starter” system. Going straight to LS50s to build a system is exactly what I did, and I swapped and upgraded a lot of electronics and sources in front of them before I gave up and moved on - literally every speaker I’ve tried since (a fair number of similar sized or slightly bigger) I have preferred over the LS50s, with similar gear driving them.
     
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2019
  15. zonto

    zonto Friend

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    Those people either don't listen at moderately loud to loud volumes (e.g., 85 dB or more) or are deaf. The Ragnarok is underpowered for the LS50, just like it's underpowered for Magnepans. My Ragnarok was hotter driving it than my Magnepan 1.6QR at the same volume, and was better ventilated at the dealer's with the LS50. Stereophile and The Audiophiliac don't know what they're talking about. Not only that, the tonality of the Rag wasn't a great match with the LS50 either.
     
  16. m17xr2b

    m17xr2b Friend

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    Please elaborate. And I guess you'd recommend HEDD 07 over them?
     
  17. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

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    the only good thing about the ls50 is the imaging. Ive had in my room at the same time atc scm7, kef ls50 and harbeth p3esr. everyone thought the ls50 were the worst of the gang, by a large margin.

    at 1.5k, a pair of reference 3a decapo i would be my choice
     
  18. pLuhhmm

    pLuhhmm New

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    Not sure if its actually asking for advice, but...

    When I first got my 150m speakers I and others experienced a very noticeable effect. Almost like surround sound I'd say. Maybe it was? The only thing I can think of is that my desk with the speakers were against wall 1 and wall 2 behind me wasn't too far away. Id say between my chair and the couch next to wall 2 was 4-6 feet.

    Any ideas how to reproduce or what happened? Would be awesome to feel this again. Was really neat.
     
  19. Riotvan

    Riotvan Snoofer in the Woofer

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    Maybe an equalateral triangle and then move forward a bit so you're well into the point of it. Tweeters crossing 50cm ish behind your ears. That's how i like it anyway, might seem a bit wider than normal but it has this enveloping effect i really like.
     
  20. StageOne

    StageOne Friend

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