General Speaker Advice and Recommendations

Discussion in 'Speakers' started by shotgunshane, Mar 7, 2017.

  1. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    Yeah that's true ATC is tremendously overpriced to for what you actually get. That's what I'm saying dude that for the price you should be loving it and it should be fighting everything else off like a samurai in a movie versus ten thousand ninjas. You don't like it as it's not a good speaker overall (to you) even if you like some aspects of it. That's how a lot of people (including me) feel about the ATCs they can afford. The brand does everything in house and is stupidly overpriced, just like Harman JBL but at least you can drool over their magnets. Animal magnetism.

    A 6.5" bass woofer is way too small for a three way speaker designed to fill a room with sound. It will lack the extension such a setup should have and the dynamics ATC is known for. Bigger ATCs have bigger woofers (sometimes 2) and huge cabs but cost way more; they're mostly professional tools for guys in big studios to make money with by getting work done faster or often just to plain old flex in front of potential clients as they will often just use something they like better or more suited for the job.

    For the price of decently extending ATCs, you could get the biggest Neumanns or Genelecs along with a used car or three.
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2019
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    That's going to be tough and asking for a lot at the price. And I would distrust specs saying stuff can do that with less than dual 10" drivers, or at least do it well.

    Have you heard ribbons? I generally dislike them, even in a three-way where "integration" is better between a small mid cone / dome and the ribbon.
     
  3. Mystic

    Mystic Mystique's Spiritual Advisor

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    I have not, the only speakers I've had a lot of experience with are my JBL305 I have now and a pair of Sierra 1s that I sold awhile back. Looking around it seems I may just have to settle for a sub or compromise on deep bass response.

    I don't have enough experience with speakers to know if I will like or dislike a specific design. My preferred headphones are made by Sennheiser and ZMF if that tells you anything.

    Found a mint pair of Klipsch Heresy IIIs local for $900. Will probably need a sub but something like the AF or Studio Jr would be able to power them.
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    If Heresy III, I'd go for them. They can be tweaked, and then down the line upgraded with better smoother drivers. I was going to recommend the Heresy, but extension isn't good - the focus is on bass quality and efficiency. Good for home because they are designed to be used close to a wall for best bass. If too bright, hang TP over the top horn.

    Vidar will be fine. Saga (no gain) will be fine too.
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2019
  5. Beam

    Beam New

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    I would listen to the Genelec 8050B, I know it's only two way and although you can set tone controls they are very room dependant and work at their best with acoustic treatment, but for the size they go very low. It's an active monitor so you would save on the cost of the power amplifier, maybe you could get a damaged box from the distributor which usually sells for less 20-25 % or get a used pair, so it may fit within budget. The stands and the stand plates are relatively expensive but they are worth it.
     
  6. Victor

    Victor New

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    Does anybody here ever had the chance of comparing Genelec 8040’s against 8030’s + 7050 sub? I have a really bad 40hz node that I hope to improve with good sub placement. Room acoustics can drive a person mad.
     
  7. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    I'd like to build some newer, bigger, but still desk-able speakers to get a little bit more bass extension than my Overnight Sensations give me so I can go sub-less in my office. I was thinking about the following two kits:

    Bagby/DIYsoundgroup Helix Dome MT: https://www.diysoundgroup.com/helix-dome-mt-kit.html
    Carmody/Partsexpress Classix II MT: https://www.parts-express.com/classix-ii-mt-bookshelf-speaker-kit-with-knock-down-cabinet--300-7112

    I also had in mind due to size the Carmody/DIYsoundgroup S2000 MTM: https://www.diysoundgroup.com/home-...-series/s2000-speaker-kits/s2000-mtm-kit.html But I know bigger is supposed to be better for woofers if I want better bass.

    I'm trying to keep it to $400 all in. I am still an infant when it comes to speakers so I appreciate any advice (other than going any bigger, and yes I know I won't be getting Real Bass TM)
     
  8. philipmorgan

    philipmorgan Member of the month

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  9. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

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    yeah, i dont quite get why the F do ATC build something like a ATC scm40. a 7 inch woofer for a 3 way... just why not use a 12 inch or 10 inch woofer non SL to go with their non SL mid and ask 6k for it and they would sell by the tons.
     
  10. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    Consumer oriented speakers trend for some time has been “tall and narrow” to fit people’s “lifestyle” and go better in their living spaces. Aka, higher WAF. The box has to get a lot wider to fit a 12” driver on the front baffle in a traditional design.
     
  11. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    I'd be interested in that too but a reasonably priced ATC model for what you actually get would reduce ATC's cache as a luxury brand. They do everything in house and don't have any economy of scale. Stuff like ATC SCM 25 (double the price of KH 310 and worse speakers) and 20 (3000 dollar NS10 style bookshelves) are ridiculous.
     
  12. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    I have the passive SCM20... I really them them... but no way would I pay $3k USD for them.
     
  13. Poleepkwa

    Poleepkwa Friend

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    I am looking for thoughts on the room-curve that those in the know aim for with speakers? I have seen Purrin mention the B&K curve a few times, but other than that I seemed to have come up empty. Been playing around with Dirac curve editor and the Dirac basic curve seems pretty good for music, but I find it lacking in bass for movies, unless you crank it to stupid volumes. Other roomEQ's systems uses Audyssey Dynamic EQ or something similar for equal-loudness contours.
    I will try to replicate that manually, since I can store 3 different curves on the processor.
     
  14. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    Turn on double bass for movies (run woofers plus mains as large if they'll play under 80Hz).

    I do bass management post DIRAC in my theater.
     
  15. Luigi Pichardo

    Luigi Pichardo New

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    Which do you have, I have the 8040B's and they are exceptional. No need for sub at least for my tastes when it comes to the 8040's. They had some bass tilt on the dips when I opened them. I have fiddled and don't see me really adjusting them from the factory settings.

    From my impressions of when I did research in order of preference.

    8040's more preferable> 8050's> 8030s.
     
  16. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    I am looking to get a new amplifier for my speakers. I currently have a Myryad MA-120 and a Carver CT-7 driving my speakers with 15" JBL 2226h woofers and altec horns with emilar compression drivers. I want to sell the MA-120 and CT-7 because they are actually worth a bunch on the used market, and I don't really care about their audiophile prestegiousness. I would prefer to replace them with an integrated amp, to make things simpler, but if there is a cheap power amp that is good, that could work as well with a bit of system reconfiguration.
    Any thoughts on something new or used around $150, with 100w or more?


    EDIT: Another option I might be looking for is a powered mixer or mixer amp, to use for parties, and then use the onkyo receiver I have to drive them other times. The idea is to have 2 amps, one for party room, 1 for tv room. Right now I have an onkyo receiver in the party room, and the MA-120 and CT-7 in the tv room, but I could move the onkyo to TV room, and put a powered mixer/mixer amp in the party room
     
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2019
  17. Luigi Pichardo

    Luigi Pichardo New

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    I have a serious question regarding the ELAC Navis ARB-51 to anyone who is quite knowledgeable of speakers.

    These appear to be a bargain in the $2000 price range however I am wondering if there are audiophile speakers in the $4000-$7000 range that are more pleasurable to listen to in terms of refinement and detail. Like as good as Genelec Studio Monitors but for far-range.
     
  18. Victor

    Victor New

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    Hi I don't have any yet, I used to own the 8030's. I got some KEF LS50's quite cheap, but don't have an amplifier yet haha. I'm thinking of getting an Akitika GT-102 to power them. I'm fine with not having 'low-lows', since its a mess down there in my room anyway, better have no information than dis-information.
     
  19. Luigi Pichardo

    Luigi Pichardo New

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    I don't know what your budget is but if you have the money than i suggest the 8341's or 8351's with the GLM kit which apparently does real magic in room correction with DSP. I have not heard them but they are certainly only worth it with the GLM kit. An honestly hilarious review is here that I enjoyed:

    I've never been a bass head and in fact have EQ'd my 8040's for less bass, the 8040's have sufficient bass and low extension for my tastes and I can't see me getting a sub-woofer for near field.

    The 8040's are exceptional for tonality being neutral, they are quite detailed yet not totally unforgiving and not really fatiguing, I would use them for music listening enjoyment and getting a hype off the music, and if you are alright with a flat frequency response as percussion standout as well as the rest of the spectrum.

    I have yet to know how audiophile speakers color the sound in a less honest way which is apparently more enjoyable to the ears than studio monitors.
     
  20. ogodei

    ogodei MOT: Austin AudioWorks

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    Sparkling highs, glowing mids, booming bass, there's an audiophile speaker for every taste.

    Ditto on your comments on the 8040s, great monitors.
     

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