tomlinmgt
Lunatic Member
Now THAT would be a treat! For that I'd gladly recap your QLS-1's for you!
With such a strong recommendation, I'll make it a priority to hunt down the Lorenna McKennitt material you speak of.
Just curious are some genres of music better on different speakers?
- Thread starter Ken Boyd
- Start date
Now THAT would be a treat! For that I'd gladly recap your QLS-1's for you!
With such a strong recommendation, I'll make it a priority to hunt down the Lorenna McKennitt material you speak of.
I know tubed stated, that any good pair of speakers should do a good job reproducing all recordings. But what I am getting at as much as I think the QLS and the RS-1's do a good job, no, excellent job, some types of music sounds better on one pair over the other. If you had the two pairs side by side and spent some time listening to different genres of music you would witness just what I am saying. Not that the QLS would not do an excellent job but on some types the RS-1's sound much better and vice a verse on the QLS.
Now back to mowing the yard!
barredowl
Before and after Science
I would say my B & W Matrix sound best on vocals, classic, and small jazz groups, and my Tannoy System 800s best on dynamic music like rock, percussive world music, etc.
Both sound *good* on any genre, but the Tannoys are more dyanamic IMO and the B & W more rich sound sounding with more mid bass and smoother rolled off treble and great imaging and detail that lends itself to classical.
Both sound *good* on any genre, but the Tannoys are more dyanamic IMO and the B & W more rich sound sounding with more mid bass and smoother rolled off treble and great imaging and detail that lends itself to classical.
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Well that doesn't do me any good!
Sure it does. I know where you can get some.
Anyway, the question was (paraphrasing) "can a pair of speakers do everything right?" not "are there any speakers that I can easily acquire that do everything right?" :yes:
Love-Vinyl
It's about the Music
While I love my vintage systems and the sound I also frequent a lot of the brick and mortar stores still around seeing what's out there. How does it compare to what I have? Is it worth it to upgrade/change what I have? I have yet to find anything I'd really like within budgetary reason. MANY of the newer speakers I've heard come close but also are in the 5 figure range. The improvement in quailty of drivers, crossovers and the understanding of the underlying basics through scientific modeling makes your mind boggle at the possiblities but in essence it still comes down to who is doing the listening.
One of my favorite moments was participating in an impomptu discussion with 2 different salespeople and another customer while listening to various systems and making comparisons. All of us liked something but not one of us agreed on all. I did have to laugh inadverently when I heard and saw some literature on a new speaker, from Spendor if I recall that looks like a 901 that's been ironed and put on steroids. A huge tower of I think 4.5" drivers in a line source configuration with equalizing for about 70-80K. I've never been all that impressed with 901's since hearing the first models but some folks love them. I keep coming back to my RS3b's because they get so much right and live well in my smallish listening room.
Smaller monitors do sound amazing on certain pieces but I have yet to hear any capable of the full dynamics of an orchestra at fever pitch. I haven't heard the Harbeth's so can't speak to that. I do know that while looking for other speakers, I did spring for some Paradigm 60's when they were on sale, but nothing else to date. Now I wish I would have used that money for other stuff...
I don't do room treatments, don't put the speakers in the middle of the room to defuse possible room boundary issues, or otherwise waste a lot of time worrying about "proper placement." If it doesn't sound good where I want it I don't want it. This seems simple enough for me but gets me in all sorts of trouble with supposed experts. What's ideal about a showroom anyway? Is it anything thing like my room? Have the same amp? The same preamp? Turntable? I can bring my own vinyl if I wish but I'm still listening to YOUR room not mine.
There may be other speakers out there I'd like for certain genre's but I haven't found them yet that will make me spring for them again. If the stuff nowadays was all that great I suspect we'd be doing that instead of this but then for the money involved what would we be listening too? Would it have the same magic?
I think not...
One of my favorite moments was participating in an impomptu discussion with 2 different salespeople and another customer while listening to various systems and making comparisons. All of us liked something but not one of us agreed on all. I did have to laugh inadverently when I heard and saw some literature on a new speaker, from Spendor if I recall that looks like a 901 that's been ironed and put on steroids. A huge tower of I think 4.5" drivers in a line source configuration with equalizing for about 70-80K. I've never been all that impressed with 901's since hearing the first models but some folks love them. I keep coming back to my RS3b's because they get so much right and live well in my smallish listening room.
Smaller monitors do sound amazing on certain pieces but I have yet to hear any capable of the full dynamics of an orchestra at fever pitch. I haven't heard the Harbeth's so can't speak to that. I do know that while looking for other speakers, I did spring for some Paradigm 60's when they were on sale, but nothing else to date. Now I wish I would have used that money for other stuff...
I don't do room treatments, don't put the speakers in the middle of the room to defuse possible room boundary issues, or otherwise waste a lot of time worrying about "proper placement." If it doesn't sound good where I want it I don't want it. This seems simple enough for me but gets me in all sorts of trouble with supposed experts. What's ideal about a showroom anyway? Is it anything thing like my room? Have the same amp? The same preamp? Turntable? I can bring my own vinyl if I wish but I'm still listening to YOUR room not mine.
There may be other speakers out there I'd like for certain genre's but I haven't found them yet that will make me spring for them again. If the stuff nowadays was all that great I suspect we'd be doing that instead of this but then for the money involved what would we be listening too? Would it have the same magic?
I think not...
Copa1934
My ears are bleeding
Personally, when I first listened to a pair of Sennheiser headphones on my first Kenwood separates with Dual TT I was shocked at what I was missing. I found certain albums really sounded amazing on those headphones, vs speakers. So I've often used the same particular recordings when auditioning or "judging" a speakers performance. If something was amiss I knew right away being familiar with how it sounded with the headphones.
I missed a chance on a pair of QLS-1 speakers. Since I was a teen I've lusted over them. Can't say I've heard anything better, but only because I never get to audition something I'm intimately familiar with so I have no baseline to work from.
I agree with the more conservative thoughts, i.e. yes there is likely something out there that comes close to do it all. I'm not that particular, not because I can't tell the difference I just don't care. I grew up on live music, multiple members in my family were professional performers. I'm not going to fool myself into thinking the "magic bullet" is out there. I'm totally comfortable with compromise, I'm not searching routinely for that magic bullet, I'm kicking back enjoying my tunes. The quality of my speakers has grown exponentially in only two years time. But it was all chance, accident and just being in the right place at the weirdest time. I wasn't "looking" for it.
Geez, we're continent-ally at polar opposites. Sure would like to pop in and check out them Infinities of yours.
Going back to the first Carver speakers that I own the Phase Linear's, its strange that I sometimes I am a bit embaressed to admit just how good they sound to me. Bob Carver is probably a person who is very knowledge and is quite respected for his years of designs and equipment that he has engineered, but sometimes I am wondering if the Phase Linear III's are some kind of trick, smoke and mirrors to make a less than acomplished pair of speakers to sound better than what they should, and by somehow using the huge soundstage reflective audio waves makes them sound better than what they really do. Either that or they are just shear genius in their design.
I recall an article which I read how he was able to do some tricks regarding his amps regarding a wager with the Audio magazines in the 70's. He wagered that he could use one of his low priced amps to sound better to the Audio magazine reveiwers in a blind test to prefer his amp over the TOTL tube amp (I think a big pair of Conrad Johnson tube amps). The audiophile reveiwers all picked the Carver amp over the big Conrad Johnson in a blind folded audition. It wasn't that his amp was a better amp he just did some kind of tweaks that made them sound better to the ears of the reviewers.
I don't know what it is about the Phase Linear Andromeda's or III's that make them sound so good overall, and it worries me that its some kind of trick over being just a really good pair of speakers. Unlike some of the later models the Carver Amazings and the Carver Platinums I have heard a few people who didn't care for them. But of the few people here on Ak that own the first pair of Carver's design I have had no one say one thing bad that I recall. Most all of the owners state they are some of the best speakers they have ever heard or owned. One recording that I have listened to for many years on every speaker I own simply doesn't sound near as good on them as the Phase Linear and that is 4 Non Blondes "Bigger Better Faster More", the first track is Train and the harmonica on that track is so great, no speaker I have reproduces those constant harmonica rifts better than the Phase Linears. That first song never stood out to me as that good of a song until I put it on the Phase Linears.
I recall an article which I read how he was able to do some tricks regarding his amps regarding a wager with the Audio magazines in the 70's. He wagered that he could use one of his low priced amps to sound better to the Audio magazine reveiwers in a blind test to prefer his amp over the TOTL tube amp (I think a big pair of Conrad Johnson tube amps). The audiophile reveiwers all picked the Carver amp over the big Conrad Johnson in a blind folded audition. It wasn't that his amp was a better amp he just did some kind of tweaks that made them sound better to the ears of the reviewers.
I don't know what it is about the Phase Linear Andromeda's or III's that make them sound so good overall, and it worries me that its some kind of trick over being just a really good pair of speakers. Unlike some of the later models the Carver Amazings and the Carver Platinums I have heard a few people who didn't care for them. But of the few people here on Ak that own the first pair of Carver's design I have had no one say one thing bad that I recall. Most all of the owners state they are some of the best speakers they have ever heard or owned. One recording that I have listened to for many years on every speaker I own simply doesn't sound near as good on them as the Phase Linear and that is 4 Non Blondes "Bigger Better Faster More", the first track is Train and the harmonica on that track is so great, no speaker I have reproduces those constant harmonica rifts better than the Phase Linears. That first song never stood out to me as that good of a song until I put it on the Phase Linears.
I think speakers for a genre of music comes down to particular taste, and what part of the music you want to hear,
I my house system, it needs to play anything from rap, heavy metal, classic rock, and surround, so I look for a well rounded, that can handle all of the above, without being overly critical of aspects, now in my shop, my personal listening area I need it to be able to play at a loud volume, without making my ears tired, and good sound quality,
that being said, my shop is where I get my alone time, to enjoy my music, and work on projects, so some of the time it is background noise, and others it is just for the music
if I was just listening to one type of music, I would find that one pair of speakers that made that sound the best, pulling all the parts of the music out I put emphasis on,
just my opinion, for I have been interested in the quality of my music for a little while, used to be how loud it would get
I my house system, it needs to play anything from rap, heavy metal, classic rock, and surround, so I look for a well rounded, that can handle all of the above, without being overly critical of aspects, now in my shop, my personal listening area I need it to be able to play at a loud volume, without making my ears tired, and good sound quality,
that being said, my shop is where I get my alone time, to enjoy my music, and work on projects, so some of the time it is background noise, and others it is just for the music
if I was just listening to one type of music, I would find that one pair of speakers that made that sound the best, pulling all the parts of the music out I put emphasis on,
just my opinion, for I have been interested in the quality of my music for a little while, used to be how loud it would get
Here's one taken by Andy_H at the fest. The ones on top are the Little Eriks that just got a thread in Speakers. The Big Bobs are a fairly standard 3-way. They were a challenge by Ozmoid a few years ago to make a speaker that looked "vintage" and sounded "modern". I'll see if I can find one with more of a side view to show the veneer. They're oiled teak.
TMHutson
speekerz iz kewl
I like to own multiple sets of speakers, and change my set up once in a while. It makes listening to my catalog of music more fun. For example, I played a song on my currently refurb'd (but not done) speakers and was blown away by how they sounded on one particular song. But other songs sounded worse than my old speakers. I know my music somewhat well, and enjoy hearing the differences in various speakers and set ups. I wouldn't define it as "better", maybe just different... I like synth based music (but have an extremely diverse and eclectic collection), so I have to have clean, bass and midbass.
I have found room effects the quality of the sound more than the speakers by themselves. The first time I sound deadened a basement I was living in, it blew my mind. It was eery and creepy how the sound stage was after I was done.
Yes, I believe some types of music sound better on certain types of speakers. But then, if the engineers mixing the recording used the same room and system I have, maybe I wouldn't notice the differences in music so much? I would rather have a system a crappy style of song sounds good on, than a crappy system that can only play classical, or only hip-hop, yo....
P.S. I had a car with a 15" inch sealed sub, 8" midbasses, 5.25" mids with 1.5" tweet with huge caps on the crossover and 1200 watts RMS total in the system. I had no rattles in the car, and I had everything set to be rather balanced (not too bass heavy for rap) and everyone complained that my car was not loud enough. How can a single 10" speaker with 150 watts be lounder than my car? Oh, yeah... No rattles
It sounded good to me, that's all that matters, right? Thankfully, some friends into SQ got into my car and were astounded. I didn't feel so stupid after that
One last entertaining note. The first car I put a big system was design for the best quality I could afford (with huge employee discount) and car limitations. My Mom was not happy to hear about what I had spent on the stuff. I was an adult and living on my own, but she didn't understand my logic. So, I said to her, "go grab your favorite CD and we'll go for a ride
What did she come back with? Yanni live at the acropolis. I sighed, and played it anyways. When the music came on her jaw dropped. She was in *gasp* Yanni heaven. When we got back she asked me to put a system like that in her car. I moved away before I had the chance, and I don't think she had room for the subs So, if she could love Yanni in my system that also played Underworld and Diamond D... I am happy
I have found room effects the quality of the sound more than the speakers by themselves. The first time I sound deadened a basement I was living in, it blew my mind. It was eery and creepy how the sound stage was after I was done.
Yes, I believe some types of music sound better on certain types of speakers. But then, if the engineers mixing the recording used the same room and system I have, maybe I wouldn't notice the differences in music so much?
I would rather have a system a crappy style of song sounds good on, than a crappy system that can only play classical, or only hip-hop, yo....P.S. I had a car with a 15" inch sealed sub, 8" midbasses, 5.25" mids with 1.5" tweet with huge caps on the crossover and 1200 watts RMS total in the system. I had no rattles in the car, and I had everything set to be rather balanced (not too bass heavy for rap) and everyone complained that my car was not loud enough. How can a single 10" speaker with 150 watts be lounder than my car? Oh, yeah... No rattles
It sounded good to me, that's all that matters, right? Thankfully, some friends into SQ got into my car and were astounded. I didn't feel so stupid after that
One last entertaining note. The first car I put a big system was design for the best quality I could afford (with huge employee discount) and car limitations. My Mom was not happy to hear about what I had spent on the stuff. I was an adult and living on my own, but she didn't understand my logic. So, I said to her, "go grab your favorite CD and we'll go for a ride
What did she come back with? Yanni live at the acropolis. I sighed, and played it anyways. When the music came on her jaw dropped. She was in *gasp* Yanni heaven. When we got back she asked me to put a system like that in her car. I moved away before I had the chance, and I don't think she had room for the subs
So, if she could love Yanni in my system that also played Underworld and Diamond D... I am happy
I like to own multiple sets of speakers, and change my set up once in a while. It makes listening to my catalog of music more fun. For example, I played a song on my currently refurb'd (but not done) speakers and was blown away by how they sounded on one particular song. But other songs sounded worse than my old speakers. I know my music somewhat well, and enjoy hearing the differences in various speakers and set ups. I wouldn't define it as "better", maybe just different... I like synth based music (but have an extremely diverse and eclectic collection), so I have to have clean, bass and midbass.
I have found room effects the quality of the sound more than the speakers by themselves. The first time I sound deadened a basement I was living in, it blew my mind. It was eery and creepy how the sound stage was after I was done.
Yes, I believe some types of music sound better on certain types of speakers. But then, if the engineers mixing the recording used the same room and system I have, maybe I wouldn't notice the differences in music so much?
P.S. I had a car with a 15" inch sealed sub, 8" midbasses, 5.25" mids with 1.5" tweet with huge caps on the crossover and 1200 watts RMS total in the system. I had no rattles in the car, and I had everything set to be rather balanced (not too bass heavy for rap) and everyone complained that my car was not loud enough. How can a single 10" speaker with 150 watts be lounder than my car? Oh, yeah... No rattles
It sounded good to me, that's all that matters, right? Thankfully, some friends into SQ got into my car and were astounded. I didn't feel so stupid after that
One last entertaining note. The first car I put a big system was design for the best quality I could afford (with huge employee discount) and car limitations. My Mom was not happy to hear about what I had spent on the stuff. I was an adult and living on my own, but she didn't understand my logic. So, I said to her, "go grab your favorite CD and we'll go for a ride
What did she come back with? Yanni live at the acropolis. I sighed, and played it anyways. When the music came on her jaw dropped. She was in *gasp* Yanni heaven. When we got back she asked me to put a system like that in her car. I moved away before I had the chance, and I don't think she had room for the subs
Not that big of a Yanni fan, but the wife and her girlfriend forced me to go see Yanni "The Event" concert, I have to admit it was a great concert! The battle of the violins and the flute guy, and their was a guy on the harps, were some of the highlights of the concert. They just saw him again in April and tried to get me to come with them, but due to work schedule I was unable to be at home to see him.
marc mc
Super Member
As well as being the best speakers i have ever heard, I consider my Delta 15's excellent with every style of music at all volume levels. It's funny that the week I got them I decided that they defied the common thinking that all speakers are or have to be a compromise. Well at least Mr Teich certainly never heard that.
The Delta's inspired me to build an entire system from the speakers back to the source. That is the one and only time I have ever done that. They are brilliant.
Marc mc
The Delta's inspired me to build an entire system from the speakers back to the source. That is the one and only time I have ever done that. They are brilliant.
Marc mc
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JimPA
Distinguished Member
Could one of these be the driver in question? None of those pro sound drivers have a low Fs
http://www.usspeaker.com/eminence 15-1.htm
http://www.usspeaker.com/eminence 15-1.htm
I go with whatever seems to suit the driver and design goals at the time. For this one I wanted to go deep so I went ported. They have an F6 of about 28Hz.
Tweeter is Hiquphon OW1. The mid is Dayton RS52 and the woofer is Dayton RS270. That tweeter is super sweet.