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The Defense For Multiple Pairs of Speakers

Onwardjames,
I think it's awesome that you've been able to acquire such top notch speakers such as the xrt's. I too have several sets of speakers and I enjoy each and everyone. I'm only 33 an only really started exploring this hobby just a few years ago. Fortunately for me my wife is very embracing of my hobby and enjoys listening to music( mainly vinyl) as well. I follow a lot of your threads and really enjoy your contributions to this site an several threads as well. I've never heard, let alone even seen some of the equipment you all talk about in some of these threads and would love to experience them myself someday. I live in Louisville myself and have always hoped that this region would have an AK getogether someday. With all the speakers, recievers, etc that I've had the pleasure to own some have been picked up intentionally by hearing about them on this site. But I tell you the ones that I really enjoy an love to hear are the ones that I just simply come across. Right now I'm running a little Nikko integrated with a pair of freshly refoamed RCA spk 500t's and absolutely love them. So I guess with being somewhat new to the hobby and yet to experience all the vastly different, yet amazing speakers out there (new or old) there's no way I could ever just settled on one single pair right now. I mean I would be doing myself a huge disfavor by cutting myself short lol. Anywho right now I have about 8 running pairs in and out of rotation and with many years to come, there's gonna be hundreds of more pairs of speakers to come! (I hope) :D cheers my friends!
 
chodad said:
Seven systems, four with multiple speakers. Like many others I like to hear different flavors/combinations.
Click to expand...

Now there's a man after my own heart. I think I have eight or nine Chromecast Audio zones now. Lost count. Usually have just four or five running at once. There's moderation for ya! I really really like filling the place with sound, even though purists will scoff.

Granted, much of it is arranged in support of just a couple of 'sweet spots' for serious listening.
 
onwardjames said:
Hello everyone!

Some of you may know that I recently became the owner of some McIntosh XRT 20 Line Arrays, in pretty good shape, and successfully refoamed all drivers, and replaced 2 faulty tweeters.

I'm no tech, so for me, that was Olympic.

I have reached what many would consider the end of the line, or at least for a man of humble means such as myself. These speakers are, by any litmus, the best I own, or have owned.

So why did I start this thread? Last night, I pulled out my tiny little NHT Super Zeros, which are the size of a Game of Thrones Season 1-6 box set, or in other words, a TRUE bookshelf. Tiny little things.

Hooked them to my Marantz PM84D, a nice 80 wpc amp (first 30 are in Class A) and played Rumours on cd.

What I heard was a soundstage and depth of field unlike much of anything I've experienced.

What they do is nothing short of astounding, and this was without the sub (which I have, but was too lazy to connect).

What I'm getting at, is this - past a certain level of quality, I'm pretty much okay with what I hear. I enjoy the different presentations. I love how my Epicure Model 20's create a WALL of nice, easy on the ears sound.

I find the SDA effect on my Polk SDA 1-B's to be pure magic.

My Yamaha NS690III's reveal details that are impossible with other speakers.

My Vandersteen 2C's were my first real "audiophile" quality speaker, and those will never leave, as well.

Hell, can't get a much more FUN sound than the Bose 601 Series 2 I restored and sold (may buy back, that was the caveat when I sold, that I'd get dibs).

Even my 2 way Marantz Imperial 6's create music that is simply pleasant.

It's like Baskin Robbins, or women, or cars. There IS NO BEST, only various flavors. Me? I love most all of them. Even considering taking some Christmas boxes and playing around with Open Baffle, thanks to Poultrygeist's unending love affair (thank you, sir). And I lament missing out on some W90 Warfedales I once had a chance to buy, with respect to Gangtwanger, wherever he is.

I'd love to hear what others have to say. Do you have a single pair of speakers that make you forgo all others? This is of course leaving out necessity (small house, WAF, etc). Or do you, as I, love the different tonal colors we get by mixing it around?

Opinions welcome, want to see what others think on this.
Click to expand...

Wow ! I feel like I wrote this !
I know exactly what you mean... I've A/B eed so many speakers that I have at least 10 different sets of speaker cables made up. They are all 15 feet long, 10awg and each has a different connector on the end... banana - RCA - ring terminal - spade terminal - tinned - ferruled - XLR - 1/4" stereo plug , and various pin and old-school 3 pin...

Then... a while ago I found some B&W Matrix 1 "bookshelf-ish" speakers...then that led to me seeking out some Matrix 3s that I rebuilt. I'm done. ...for a good while at least :)

However, as I try to wade through the speaker hoard, I find that little something in all of them that I fell in love with. Sometimes its just pathetic, because this is indicative of hoarding, just can't let go. YES, I have a single pair or two that make me forgo all others, but the forgoing is hard, man... its hard.
 
Judas Priest said:
Sure you got enough Vegas in that room ? :)
Click to expand...
Room for one more ?
1971-chevrolet-vega-2300-photo-254499-s-1280x782.jpg
 
Wow, that Vega doesn't even look so bad, considering its awful rep.

But then styling and build quality are two entirely separate things.
 
onwardjames said:
Honestly, Superlead100, it was more of a "thought experiment" as to why I don't relinquish speakers that aren't as good as my McIntosh.

Now, speakers that hurt my tinnitus? They had to go. But those I enjoy? I still enjoy them, even if they don't best the mighty McIntosh's.

I figured many of us were like this. We enjoy finding the magic of well-matched components.



Hell, I'm always asking where the beer is!
Click to expand...
Oh no, I know what you meant...I was just joking around based on your thread title...;)
 
onwardjames said:
Hello everyone!

Some of you may know that I recently became the owner of some McIntosh XRT 20 Line Arrays, in pretty good shape, and successfully refoamed all drivers, and replaced 2 faulty tweeters.

I'm no tech, so for me, that was Olympic.

I have reached what many would consider the end of the line, or at least for a man of humble means such as myself. These speakers are, by any litmus, the best I own, or have owned.

So why did I start this thread? Last night, I pulled out my tiny little NHT Super Zeros, which are the size of a Game of Thrones Season 1-6 box set, or in other words, a TRUE bookshelf. Tiny little things.

Hooked them to my Marantz PM84D, a nice 80 wpc amp (first 30 are in Class A) and played Rumours on cd.

What I heard was a soundstage and depth of field unlike much of anything I've experienced.

What they do is nothing short of astounding, and this was without the sub (which I have, but was too lazy to connect).

What I'm getting at, is this - past a certain level of quality, I'm pretty much okay with what I hear. I enjoy the different presentations. I love how my Epicure Model 20's create a WALL of nice, easy on the ears sound.

I find the SDA effect on my Polk SDA 1-B's to be pure magic.

My Yamaha NS690III's reveal details that are impossible with other speakers.

My Vandersteen 2C's were my first real "audiophile" quality speaker, and those will never leave, as well.

Hell, can't get a much more FUN sound than the Bose 601 Series 2 I restored and sold (may buy back, that was the caveat when I sold, that I'd get dibs).

Even my 2 way Marantz Imperial 6's create music that is simply pleasant.

It's like Baskin Robbins, or women, or cars. There IS NO BEST, only various flavors. Me? I love most all of them. Even considering taking some Christmas boxes and playing around with Open Baffle, thanks to Poultrygeist's unending love affair (thank you, sir). And I lament missing out on some W90 Warfedales I once had a chance to buy, with respect to Gangtwanger, wherever he is.

I'd love to hear what others have to say. Do you have a single pair of speakers that make you forgo all others? This is of course leaving out necessity (small house, WAF, etc). Or do you, as I, love the different tonal colors we get by mixing it around?

Opinions welcome, want to see what others think on this.
Click to expand...

Well, if you like everything you'll never be disappointed. :)
 
Naw, I'm with James--I like most everything but even I've encountered a pair of speakers I couldn't abide.
They were from that infamous brand that everyone loves to hate. Not mentioning any names :)
 
Archguy said:
Naw, I'm with James--I like most everything but even I've encountered a pair of speakers I couldn't abide.
They were from that infamous brand that everyone loves to hate. Not mentioning any names :)
Click to expand...

I've never heard them. I'd like to. I mean, damn, there just has to be something good about them...?
 
Todd Dodds said:
I've never heard them. I'd like to. I mean, damn, there just has to be something good about them...?
Click to expand...

As one who has at least sampled from some of the best speakers available to the average joe, I will go on record as saying that the brand we shall not mention did create at least ONE great pair of speakers, the ???? 601 Series II.

Those are very VERY fun speakers.
 
onwardjames said:
As one who has at least sampled from some of the best speakers available to the average joe, I will go on record as saying that the brand we shall not mention did create at least ONE great pair of speakers, the ???? 601 Series II.

Those are very VERY fun speakers.
Click to expand...


But I'd still be advised to rent some, eh? ;)
 
Bdbras84 said:
Onwardjames,
I think it's awesome that you've been able to acquire such top notch speakers such as the xrt's. I too have several sets of speakers and I enjoy each and everyone. I'm only 33 an only really started exploring this hobby just a few years ago. Fortunately for me my wife is very embracing of my hobby and enjoys listening to music( mainly vinyl) as well. I follow a lot of your threads and really enjoy your contributions to this site an several threads as well. I've never heard, let alone even seen some of the equipment you all talk about in some of these threads and would love to experience them myself someday. I live in Louisville myself and have always hoped that this region would have an AK getogether someday. With all the speakers, recievers, etc that I've had the pleasure to own some have been picked up intentionally by hearing about them on this site. But I tell you the ones that I really enjoy an love to hear are the ones that I just simply come across. Right now I'm running a little Nikko integrated with a pair of freshly refoamed RCA spk 500t's and absolutely love them. So I guess with being somewhat new to the hobby and yet to experience all the vastly different, yet amazing speakers out there (new or old) there's no way I could ever just settled on one single pair right now. I mean I would be doing myself a huge disfavor by cutting myself short lol. Anywho right now I have about 8 running pairs in and out of rotation and with many years to come, there's gonna be hundreds of more pairs of speakers to come! (I hope) :D cheers my friends!
Click to expand...

First, thank you for your kind words. Louisville isn't that far away, and should you need an AK "friend" deal on some gear, I'm your man.

Also, when my life slows down a bit, I hope to get all the Louisville to Nashville (and other parts here and there) AK clan gathered one day for an afternoon of merriment and tuneage.

Don't be a stranger, and take care!

biscuithead said:
Wow ! I feel like I wrote this !
I know exactly what you mean... I've A/B eed so many speakers that I have at least 10 different sets of speaker cables made up. They are all 15 feet long, 10awg and each has a different connector on the end... banana - RCA - ring terminal - spade terminal - tinned - ferruled - XLR - 1/4" stereo plug , and various pin and old-school 3 pin...

Then... a while ago I found some B&W Matrix 1 "bookshelf-ish" speakers...then that led to me seeking out some Matrix 3s that I rebuilt. I'm done. ...for a good while at least :)

However, as I try to wade through the speaker hoard, I find that little something in all of them that I fell in love with. Sometimes its just pathetic, because this is indicative of hoarding, just can't let go. YES, I have a single pair or two that make me forgo all others, but the forgoing is hard, man... its hard.
Click to expand...

Those B&W Matrix 1's are nice. I owned a pair, but one tweeter was bad, and I threw in the towel, traded them or something.

I think part of it is the fact that with patience, even now, there's still a chance to experience so many of the things we were denied as kids (Gen X, I mean, and some boomers as well).
 
Alobar said:
I'd love to have more speakers, more amps, more of everything. The nagging question arises however. Would one not be better served by spending their audio funds on the best SINGLE system he can afford?
Click to expand...
Actually, the best bang for the buck is to build the speakers and amplifiers yourself. Speakers are marked up about 10 times the cost to build. Amplifiers are about 5 or 6 times the cost to build them. So on meager means, build my friend, BUILD.
 
PRESSON100 said:
Actually, the best bang for the buck is to build the speakers and amplifiers yourself. Speakers are marked up about 10 times the cost to build. Amplifiers are about 5 or 6 times the cost to build them. So on meager means, build my friend, BUILD.
Click to expand...
I have considered building my own subs from plans, but that's about as far as my interest will allow me to go. From the input from others on this forum who have built speakers my take is that unless you really know your stuff it is best to buy speakers already built or build from plans. If I knew I wanted a specific speaker design, and could get the right matching drivers, such as a large JBL then I might be tempted tho.
 
zebra03 said:
I run multiple speakers every chance I get . Been doing it forever . It's just the way I like to listen to music .
Click to expand...
I can relate to your way of listening to music. I have my room set-up with Frazier Model 7’s on one side and Infinity WTLC’s on the other side. It sounds awesome to me and I guess that is what counts.
 
I just received my 20th pair of speakers, the JBL Studio 530s. Many of my pairs are scattered about the house, vinyl room with 9 pairs, the digital room with 4 pairs, others in other rooms or in storage. I try to play all of them from time to time.
 
Let's see; 3 pair of AR's, 3 pair of NHT's, 3 pair of Infinity's, 2 pair of Monsoon's, several center speakers, 2 subs, and a single pair of studio monitors. Lot's to choose from.

My OB Monsoon's if I want open and spacious, or my AR's if I want relaxed, the Infinity's for detail, and the NHT's for surround. All upstairs, as I wouldn't clutter the rest of the house, even though my wife doesn't mind. :)
 
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