• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

All these speakers - my head is spinning!

There's been a lot of great advice in this thread. I think I'm finally through (or at least nearly through) the constant buying phase... although I've made a few purchases lately, I've slowed down a lot... and I think long and hard about where I'm going to use something or if my purchase will replace something I've already got. That's mostly worked, although I've still managed to put together four setups (of varying size, of course) and I have enough extra stuff tucked away to put together another one! I also try to think about my exit strategy if something I buy doesn't work out as I hope... I bought a DAC the other day, but before I bought it, I checked with a friend to see if he would want it if I don't end up wanting to keep it! So far, it's still in the living room, but I'm not trapped. Don't trap yourself with too much stuff... it can certainly get overwhelming. It's good to have spares and variety, but it can get out of hand pretty quickly.

In the end... as long as it's still fun and it's not putting you in the poorhouse or the doghouse, just go with it! You'll figure out what you like and narrow your focus soon. I've found that smaller speakers (and really, small gear in general) are the easiest to tuck away when they're not in use and you can get some pretty great sound if you're willing to compromise a little on the low end (or supplement with a subwoofer). Have fun and enjoy!
 
Krosya said:
Hi all,
About a year ago ( or slightly more) I got back into Vinyl and vintage audio in general. Since then it has been a rollercoaster of amps, receivers and most of all speakers. And this forum is where I get most of my information about the equipment. Pouring over the reviews and opinions. Slowly I even learned how to re-foam speakers - something I never thought I'd do. I didnt venture into re-cap yet - mostly because I dont know much about soldering not am I fully sold in a real need for it. But maybe one day.....
But anyway, I would like to thank everyone for your help and opinions - it really helped me to get off the ground and start enjoying this hobby.
Now begins the long and boring part, so some of you may want to move on to a different thread. ;)
If anyone is still here - following are my thoughts on things in general and in some cases more specific.
While find it to be fun to try different speakers, - with different amps/receivers, in different rooms, different music, positioning, etc, I find myself more and more confused and at times frustrated.
First, there are so many different things I read about here and it would be nice to try - where I live there are practically no places to do so. While I know we do have some people around that know some serious audio (based on few rare posts on local CL), it's really hard to find most of the things I hear about from forum members.
But even if I do find something interesting (I did get lucky a few times since getting into this hobby), with most vintage stuff - I always wonder if speakers sound as good as they could. I mean, I may like them very much - but in a back of my head I think - maybe they can sound better. And sometimes they do - in a different room or hooked up to a different receiver. By now I have developed this GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) and have several pairs of speakers as well as amps/receivers, - just enough to keep myself busy switching things back and forth. And as got one of my friends into this hobby as well, he does the same thing, so we periodically borrow each others "toys" to see how they sound. All this makes my head spin!
I keep telling myself - I should just find something I like and stick to it, stop upgrading or switching things around, yet I keep doing it. I even try to make some rules to my illness - not buy certain brands or sizes of speakers (doesnt always work - sometimes I just cant say no to a good deal).
Even with well regarded speakers, like Klipsch KG4 I cant figure them out - they sound great in one room, but with CD/DVD or as HT, but not near as well with TT. In a different room and different amp - it's like a whole different speaker! - nothing sounds right with it. Yet in a third location - it's yet another sound.
I just want a set of speakers that sounds good with everything and in any room! Is that possible? I do have a couple that came close - Mirage M360 and Realistic Optimus 5b. These seem to be my most universal speakers. Advent Heritage are not too bad. But others (and some I really like in those setups/locations, I just stopped messing with them anymore), like my rare Synergistics or Jensens, are very particular as to what drives them and where they are located.
So, if someone is still reading this - let me ask you - Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Is there a set of perfect speakers that I can just hook up to anything , place in any room and just focus on music and not moving things around and drive my wife crazy with yet more speaker acquisitions?
Click to expand...
I have such speakers as you talk of, I learned and then built my own.
I moved them out of my bedroom because they are big and I wanted to try a smaller speaker in the room, it is 18 x 20.
I moved my Klipsch Khorns in the room and they just don't have as good of sound .
I call my speakers the frankensteins, Altec 511 horns with Altec 808 drivers on them, on too the cabinet ,5 foot tall , 32 inches wide and 22 inches deep, double 15 inch vintage drivers.
One pair of klipsch Khorn drivers and a pair of JBL 2035 drivers, I believe that's the right model.
The horns are mounted on top and have a slight angel down,these speakers make everything sound great and are not fatiguing to listen too.
Room environment has a lot to do with how speakers sound more than you may think.
I have a lot of receivers but my favorite solid state is a Kenwood model 11, it is a tank and is a great sounding receiver, especially if you can get one that has all it's original caps.
My best tube receiver is a Fisher 500C that is original and sounds fantastic!
Were are you located, it is tuff to find people around nearby that share the hobby.
I met a guy on craigslist that was selling some nice tube amps and now we go back and forth listening to each others gear,hopefully we can get something going around here .
I'm in Augusta Georgia, good luck with your search.
 
sunrayjack12 said:
...
I call my speakers the frankensteins, Altec 511 horns with Altec 808 drivers on them, on too the cabinet ,5 foot tall , 32 inches wide and 22 inches deep, double 15 inch vintage drivers.
One pair of klipsch Khorn drivers and a pair of JBL 2035 drivers, I believe that's the right model.
The horns are mounted on top and have a slight angel down,these speakers make everything sound great and are not fatiguing to listen too...
Click to expand...
heh, heh, heh

DSC_3091 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
DSC_6120a by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
DSC_6383a by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
DSC_6933 (2) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
DSC_6846 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
 
I'm not, FWIW, much of a 511B fan -- although I am OK with the 811B.

And I'll defer comment on the EMILAR EH500-2 -- until I've managed to source a pair of my own.
For now, let's just say that they sound terrible.

;)
 
Another aspect to add to my previous list:

7. Good amplification, preamp and source may make or break what you think about a speaker. my main system makes a lot of speakers sound pretty darn good. Sometimes they don't perform nearly as well on another rig so be careful assuming the speaker is the issue. Make sure your gear is as good as you feel you can afford. And actually having both a nice tube rig and a solid state system allows you a much bigger range of options with speakers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom