Philharmonic Audio

Discussion in 'Speakers' started by HitmanFluffy, Oct 23, 2015.

  1. Ninja Pirate

    Ninja Pirate Friend

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    Cheers for the links!

    How was your experience buying the Goldmund clone? No issues with the seller?

    Sorry for getting a bit OT in this thread...
     
  2. uncola

    uncola Friend

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    No issues with the seller.. heh this thread is pretty dead anyway
     
  3. SpaceLaser

    SpaceLaser Friend

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    After reading these impressions, I might try a pair of these. Are most of you using them in a near field configuration, or have any of you tried them in say a small living room setting?
     
  4. SpaceLaser

    SpaceLaser Friend

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    Not exactly a Philharmonic product, but I'm picking up an older speaker from Jim Salk's camp: the Archos. I had a chance to demo it this week from a local fellow who is selling, and I had to jump on it for the price he's offering. Always wanted an open baffle!
     
  5. sfoclt

    sfoclt Friend

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    94db efficiency is always nice
     
  6. SpaceLaser

    SpaceLaser Friend

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    I foresee a SET in my future.
     
  7. Ninja Pirate

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    Finally got a confirmation that the cabinets have been finished for my BMR's!

    Took a bit longer than expected (sounds like Jim has had to focus more on his business recently), but hopefully should have a ship date next week. Can't wait to finally get these in.
     
  8. SpaceLaser

    SpaceLaser Friend

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    Congrats! Salk cabs are a work of art.
     
  9. Ninja Pirate

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    Yeah, his stuff always looks amazing.

    From his recent reddit AMA:

    One of the finishers does high end furniture finishing and introduced us to a line of Italian finishes used in very high end furniture. It is expensive stuff to say the least, but there are no finer finishing materials being made today.

    Normally, we do what are called "filled finishes." You keep shooting sealer costs until you can sand the surface perfectly flat without sanding through the sealer. This can take 12 - 18 coats by the time you are done.

    Many speaker manufacturers use the same kind of conversion varnish that is typically used on kitchen cabinets. You can spray 2 - 3 coats in one day and be done. But the results are nowhere near the same.

    It will take us around 30 days to do our finish, but the result is a finish the would be similar to the finish on high-end furniture. We often get emails from people saying their speakers are the nicest furniture in their home.

    Once the sealer is perfectly flat, our standard topcoat would be about 3 - 5 coats of gloss lacquer followed by one final coat of satin lacquer. The gloss keeps things clear and the satin approximates what the wood would look like with a hand-rubbed oil finish.

    Of course, we can mix aniline dyes (we almost never use stains) with the early lacquer coats to shade or color the finish and we can shoot high-gloss topcoat as well.

    Our most expensive finish would be extra high gloss topcoat hand-rubbed to a mirror finish. This is quite expensive in that it takes one of our guys about 4 days to rub out a pair of cabinets. But the results are like glass.
     
  10. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    I ordered a pair of Affordable Accuracy Monitors and they are arriving tomorrow! I'm excited but also nervous since this is my first pair of okay speakers that aren't studio monitors, and I have never heard Philharmonic Audio's house sound. These are going to hopefully replace Roland DS-50A powered studio monitors bought, I don't know, 15 years ago with a Korg N1 Synthesizer. If I like the house sound I'll probably start saving up for the BMR Philharmonitor.
     
  11. Ninja Pirate

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    Nice!

    Definitely interested to hear your impressions once you get them in.

    My BMR's are fully built now. Just waiting on the shipping notification.
     
  12. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Got my Affordable Accuracy Monitors today. Did some measurements and listening for about 8+hours (off and on, I'm not CRAZY!) and I can't go to sleep! Seriously someone take me away from these things! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
     
  13. sashafuckinggrey

    sashafuckinggrey Acquaintance

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    Does someone have an idea how the Phiharmonitors compare to kef ls 50?
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2016
  14. Ninja Pirate

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    My BMR's have shipped!

    Should be getting them sometime tomorrow.
     
  15. SpaceLaser

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    Congrats, hope you enjoy them. I was debating for a long time about getting the BMR, definitely got the RAAL envy.
     
  16. uncola

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    yeah you need a raal, domes are for peasants
     
  17. SpaceLaser

    SpaceLaser Friend

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    I'll be on my lowly G2 ribbon for awhile longer.
     
  18. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    I got them set up pretty good considering what I have to work with right now. Speaker placement isn't ideal as it's in an office with hard wood and tile floors. Speakers are about 8 inches from each wall. I added a sub with them and got the frequency response pretty linear. There was a boxiness that I noticed when I was directly on axis but would fade as I went inside the "cone". After using them for ~20 hrs so far the boxiness is gone. These also reach pretty deep by themselves and would probably be even better free standing a couple feet from any walls but alas, here is what I'm working with now.

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    Left and Right matching:
    [​IMG]

    The null at 110 Hz was there with my previous setup, caused by current speaker placement. Sound wise, these have definitely surpassed my expectations, especially for $195. BEST DEAL EVER. Compared to headphones, the dynamics and placement of sounds is startling. Some sounds actually make me flinch because they are TOO dynamic compared to what I'm used to. Imaging is quite good as is sound stage depth and height. The thing I'm most impressed with is how these can rip apart a recording and show compression and grain that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. Jazz and classical recording shine with their dynamic range and uncompressed sound.

    My favorite thing about these compared to my powered monitors is the absolute silence when nothing is playing. There is no annoying hiss like the monitors that was basically raising the noise floor substantially. With the AAMs the sounds come out of complete blackness. It will be interesting to see if they change anymore as they are used and loosen up.

    Highly recommended, especially for the price!
     
  19. uncola

    uncola Friend

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    nice to know how great even dennis' entry level speakers are
     
  20. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    I might have to get a pair of those for my office. $195 is practically peanuts in this hobby.
     

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