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  • If Someone Was Just Starting Out

    and looking for a speaker under $2000, what would you recommend? (Bose notwithstanding )

    ELAC Debut 6 or F5?

    KEF LS50?

    Maggie 1.7?

    Any others you've heard that have caught your ear and fancy?
    Myles B. Astor, PhD, Administrator
    Senior Editor, Positive-Feedback.com
    ________________________________________

    -Zellaton Plural Evo speakers
    -Goldmund Telos 440 and 1000 Nextgen mono amps
    -Goldmund Mimesis 37S Nextgen preamplifier
    -Doshi EVO and Goldmund PH3.8 phonostage
    -VPI Vanquish direct-drive turntable
    -VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy dual pivot tonearm, VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy gimballed and SAT LM-12 arm
    -Lyra Atlas SL Lambda, vdh Colibri Master Signature, Mutech Hayabusa,
    -Technics RS1506 with Flux Magnetic heads, Doshi V3.0 tape stage (balanced)
    -Assorted cables including Skogrand, Kubala-Sosna, Audience FrontRow; Audience FrontRow, Genesis Advanced Technologies , Goldmund and Ensemble Power Cords
    -Accessories including Stillpoint Aperture panels, Cathedral Sound panels, Furutech NCF Nano AC receptacles; Silver Circle Tchaik 6 PLC, Symposium ISIS and SRA Craz 3 racks, Audiodharma Cable Cooker, Symposium Ultra and assorted SRA OHIO Class 2.3+ platforms.

  • #2
    I guess I would want to know what type of music they listen to, how loud, what their expectations are for bass and size of the soundstage, and what gear it was going to be mated to. How's that for dodging your question?
    Micro Seiki SX-8000 table with flywheel, SME 3012R arm, SME 312S arm, Lyra Etna SL and Dynavector XV-1S cartridges, ARC Ref 3 phono stage, Otari MX-55 tape deck, Ampex 350 repros, Roon Nucleus Plus server, PS Audio DSJ DAC, ARC Ref 6 pre, ARC Ref 75 amp, Parasound JC5 amp, JBL 4345 speakers, and Def Tech Ref subs.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by mep
      I guess I would want to know what type of music they listen to, how loud, what their expectations are for bass and size of the soundstage, and what gear it was going to be mated to. How's that for dodging your question?

      Perfectly reasonable. And say in the case of Magies, can they move them out from the front wall.
      Myles B. Astor, PhD, Administrator
      Senior Editor, Positive-Feedback.com
      ________________________________________

      -Zellaton Plural Evo speakers
      -Goldmund Telos 440 and 1000 Nextgen mono amps
      -Goldmund Mimesis 37S Nextgen preamplifier
      -Doshi EVO and Goldmund PH3.8 phonostage
      -VPI Vanquish direct-drive turntable
      -VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy dual pivot tonearm, VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy gimballed and SAT LM-12 arm
      -Lyra Atlas SL Lambda, vdh Colibri Master Signature, Mutech Hayabusa,
      -Technics RS1506 with Flux Magnetic heads, Doshi V3.0 tape stage (balanced)
      -Assorted cables including Skogrand, Kubala-Sosna, Audience FrontRow; Audience FrontRow, Genesis Advanced Technologies , Goldmund and Ensemble Power Cords
      -Accessories including Stillpoint Aperture panels, Cathedral Sound panels, Furutech NCF Nano AC receptacles; Silver Circle Tchaik 6 PLC, Symposium ISIS and SRA Craz 3 racks, Audiodharma Cable Cooker, Symposium Ultra and assorted SRA OHIO Class 2.3+ platforms.

      Comment


      • #4
        $2000 or less? I would always look to go as full range as possible, to better cover whatever type of music they might want to play. Never been a big fan of small stand mounted speakers with limited bottom end.

        1. Tekton Enzo XL (currently on sale for $1900/pair)
        2. SVS Ultra Tower ($1999.98/pair)
        3. Tekton Lore ($999/pair)
        4. Elac Debut F5 ($559/pair)

        The Tektons have the advantage of both high efficiency and high power handling capability, so you get to use any type of amp you want,
        The SVS are extremely transparent and have bass response that won't require a sub.
        The Elacs are just plain amazing for the price.

        Would also add whatever Goldenear speakers fit their final price range.
        Steve Lefkowicz
        Senior Associate Editor at Positive Feedback
        -
        Analog 1: Linn LP12 (MOSE/Hercules II), Ittok, Dynavector 10X5 MK.II Low, iPhono2/iPowerX; Analog 2: Pro-Ject RPM-1 Carbon, Talisman S, iFi iPhono.
        Digital: Geekom Mini PC (i5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, JRiver Media Center 29, Tidal HiFi, Qobuz Studio), iFi NEO iDSD, iFi iUSB3, iPurifier2, Audioquest Jitterbug FMJ.
        Electronics: Khozmo Stereo Passive with AMRG Ladder Attenuator and "NewClassD" Active Stage, Antique Sound Labs MG-SI15DT-S, Burson Timekeeper Virtuoso
        Speakers: Tekton Perfect SET 15, Tekton Lore, Magneplaner .7, GoldenEar BRX
        Interconnects: Morrow Audio MA1, Vermouth Audio Black Pearl, Audioquest Evergreen
        Speaker cables: Morrow Audio SP4, Vermouth Audio Red Velvet, Audioquest Type 5
        Digital cables: Aural Symphonics USB, iFi Gemini twin-head USB.
        Accessories: Sound Organization turntable shelf, Mondo racks, Pangea Audio Vulcan rack, AV Room Services EVPs under the speakers, Pi Audio Group Über BUSS, Monster HTS2000 power conditioner, Kinetronics anti-static brush, Pro-Ject VC-S record cleaner, Spin Clean record cleaner.
        Headphones: Schiit Valhalla amp, Burson Conductor Virtuoso Amp, Meze Audio 99 Classic and 99 Neo, Beyerdynamic DT770Pro 600 ohm, 1More Triple Driver Over Ear, 1More Triple Driver IEM

        Comment


        • #5
          Elacs for sure. Liked them at RMAF, and I have Andrew Jones' Pioneer budget speakers. Great value for the price!
          Kronos Sparta -> Trinity Phono -> Trinity Pre -> CH Precision A1 -> Magico S7s

          Comment


          • #6
            Wharfedale Diamond 230 for $799 or Diamond 240 for $1199.
            Both are floorstanders, and incredible for the price.
            There's another brand that's not yet available in the US, but it's quite popular elsewhere, and incredibly good for the price: Q Acoustic.


            Disclosure:
            Alma Music and Audio - La Jolla, CA
            Aqua Hi-Fi - Audio Research - Audioquest - Audionet - Audiopax - Auralic - Aurender - Bergmann - Brodmann - D'Agostino - darTZeel - Devialet - DEQX - ELAC - Evolution Acoustics - Hegel - iFi - Innuos - IsoTek - Kii Audio - Koetsu - Kronos - Kubala Sosna - Kuzma - Larsen - Linn - MSB Technology - Music Hall - Ortofon - Solid Steel - Technics - Wharfedale - Wilson Audio - YG Acoustics
            [ http://almaaudio.com ]

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Alex Siufy
              Wharfedale Diamond 230 for $799 or Diamond 240 for $1199.
              Both are floorstanders, and incredible for the price.
              There's another brand that's not yet available in the US, but it's quite popular elsewhere, and incredibly good for the price: Q Acoustic.


              Wharfdale used to have a great reputation, then dropped off the face of the US.
              Myles B. Astor, PhD, Administrator
              Senior Editor, Positive-Feedback.com
              ________________________________________

              -Zellaton Plural Evo speakers
              -Goldmund Telos 440 and 1000 Nextgen mono amps
              -Goldmund Mimesis 37S Nextgen preamplifier
              -Doshi EVO and Goldmund PH3.8 phonostage
              -VPI Vanquish direct-drive turntable
              -VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy dual pivot tonearm, VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy gimballed and SAT LM-12 arm
              -Lyra Atlas SL Lambda, vdh Colibri Master Signature, Mutech Hayabusa,
              -Technics RS1506 with Flux Magnetic heads, Doshi V3.0 tape stage (balanced)
              -Assorted cables including Skogrand, Kubala-Sosna, Audience FrontRow; Audience FrontRow, Genesis Advanced Technologies , Goldmund and Ensemble Power Cords
              -Accessories including Stillpoint Aperture panels, Cathedral Sound panels, Furutech NCF Nano AC receptacles; Silver Circle Tchaik 6 PLC, Symposium ISIS and SRA Craz 3 racks, Audiodharma Cable Cooker, Symposium Ultra and assorted SRA OHIO Class 2.3+ platforms.

              Comment


              • #8
                I would stir him/her more to a vintage setup.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Ki Choi
                  I would stir him/her more to a vintage setup.
                  Vintage may be good for some. I went that way setting my son up for his college years (mid 70s Luxman integrated amp and Large Advents, though his source was his iPod Classic in a docking station). But for many people starting out, vintage will lack the convenience and modern features they would expect. Plus, when vintage goes south, it is much harder to get repaired or serviced. When my son’s roommate blew out a tweeter in one of the Advents, it took several weeks and much aggravation to finally find a good condition replacement on ebay.
                  A good modern integrated amp, (Rega Brio, Wyred4sound Mint, the new Elac when it’s available) or something that has a DAC and phono stage (if needed) built in, with remote, will serve many newcomers better, even if we would look more fondly at the vintage gear.
                  Steve Lefkowicz
                  Senior Associate Editor at Positive Feedback
                  -
                  Analog 1: Linn LP12 (MOSE/Hercules II), Ittok, Dynavector 10X5 MK.II Low, iPhono2/iPowerX; Analog 2: Pro-Ject RPM-1 Carbon, Talisman S, iFi iPhono.
                  Digital: Geekom Mini PC (i5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, JRiver Media Center 29, Tidal HiFi, Qobuz Studio), iFi NEO iDSD, iFi iUSB3, iPurifier2, Audioquest Jitterbug FMJ.
                  Electronics: Khozmo Stereo Passive with AMRG Ladder Attenuator and "NewClassD" Active Stage, Antique Sound Labs MG-SI15DT-S, Burson Timekeeper Virtuoso
                  Speakers: Tekton Perfect SET 15, Tekton Lore, Magneplaner .7, GoldenEar BRX
                  Interconnects: Morrow Audio MA1, Vermouth Audio Black Pearl, Audioquest Evergreen
                  Speaker cables: Morrow Audio SP4, Vermouth Audio Red Velvet, Audioquest Type 5
                  Digital cables: Aural Symphonics USB, iFi Gemini twin-head USB.
                  Accessories: Sound Organization turntable shelf, Mondo racks, Pangea Audio Vulcan rack, AV Room Services EVPs under the speakers, Pi Audio Group Über BUSS, Monster HTS2000 power conditioner, Kinetronics anti-static brush, Pro-Ject VC-S record cleaner, Spin Clean record cleaner.
                  Headphones: Schiit Valhalla amp, Burson Conductor Virtuoso Amp, Meze Audio 99 Classic and 99 Neo, Beyerdynamic DT770Pro 600 ohm, 1More Triple Driver Over Ear, 1More Triple Driver IEM

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by MylesBAstor


                    Wharfdale used to have a great reputation, then dropped off the face of the US.
                    True... They moved to China, so that took a lot of their "street cred"... But it's been quite a while, and they managed to produce a couple of very good lines, taking advantage of a fully integrated production line in China.
                    They're currently distributed in the US by MoFi Distribution, and there are quite a few positive reviews out there, in Stereophile, etc.


                    Disclosure:
                    Alma Music and Audio - La Jolla, CA
                    Aqua Hi-Fi - Audio Research - Audioquest - Audionet - Audiopax - Auralic - Aurender - Bergmann - Brodmann - D'Agostino - darTZeel - Devialet - DEQX - ELAC - Evolution Acoustics - Hegel - iFi - Innuos - IsoTek - Kii Audio - Koetsu - Kronos - Kubala Sosna - Kuzma - Larsen - Linn - MSB Technology - Music Hall - Ortofon - Solid Steel - Technics - Wharfedale - Wilson Audio - YG Acoustics
                    [ http://almaaudio.com ]

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Alex Siufy

                      True... They moved to China, so that took a lot of their "street cred"... But it's been quite a while, and they managed to produce a couple of very good lines, taking advantage of a fully integrated production line in China.
                      They're currently distributed in the US by MoFi Distribution, and there are quite a few positive reviews out there, in Stereophile, etc.


                      And weren't they and Quad somehow involved together or owned by the same company? Or am I hallucinating?
                      Myles B. Astor, PhD, Administrator
                      Senior Editor, Positive-Feedback.com
                      ________________________________________

                      -Zellaton Plural Evo speakers
                      -Goldmund Telos 440 and 1000 Nextgen mono amps
                      -Goldmund Mimesis 37S Nextgen preamplifier
                      -Doshi EVO and Goldmund PH3.8 phonostage
                      -VPI Vanquish direct-drive turntable
                      -VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy dual pivot tonearm, VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy gimballed and SAT LM-12 arm
                      -Lyra Atlas SL Lambda, vdh Colibri Master Signature, Mutech Hayabusa,
                      -Technics RS1506 with Flux Magnetic heads, Doshi V3.0 tape stage (balanced)
                      -Assorted cables including Skogrand, Kubala-Sosna, Audience FrontRow; Audience FrontRow, Genesis Advanced Technologies , Goldmund and Ensemble Power Cords
                      -Accessories including Stillpoint Aperture panels, Cathedral Sound panels, Furutech NCF Nano AC receptacles; Silver Circle Tchaik 6 PLC, Symposium ISIS and SRA Craz 3 racks, Audiodharma Cable Cooker, Symposium Ultra and assorted SRA OHIO Class 2.3+ platforms.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by mep
                        I guess I would want to know what type of music they listen to, how loud, what their expectations are for bass and size of the soundstage, and what gear it was going to be mated to. How's that for dodging your question?
                        While this may sound odd, I would also ask if they have any cats -- Maggies might have great sound, but, to kitties, they resemble nothing so much as giant scratching posts! Same with Vandys. (In fact, I would also recommend against any floorstanders that have grills that reach to within two feet of the floor, unless you were fine with using them without grills.)

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by regnaD kciN

                          While this may sound odd, I would also ask if they have any cats -- Maggies might have great sound, but, to kitties, they resemble nothing so much as giant scratching posts! Same with Vandys. (In fact, I would also recommend against any floorstanders that have grills that reach to within two feet of the floor, unless you were fine with using them without grills.)
                          After which one need only worry about cute pokey toddler fingers!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by regnaD kciN

                            While this may sound odd, I would also ask if they have any cats -- Maggies might have great sound, but, to kitties, they resemble nothing so much as giant scratching posts! Same with Vandys. (In fact, I would also recommend against any floorstanders that have grills that reach to within two feet of the floor, unless you were fine with using them without grills.)

                            I had two pieces of 1/4-inch Plexiglass cut, one for the front and one for the back of the speaker and fastened them together to prevent kitties from climbing the Maggics or Martin-Logans. Coast me around $100.
                            Myles B. Astor, PhD, Administrator
                            Senior Editor, Positive-Feedback.com
                            ________________________________________

                            -Zellaton Plural Evo speakers
                            -Goldmund Telos 440 and 1000 Nextgen mono amps
                            -Goldmund Mimesis 37S Nextgen preamplifier
                            -Doshi EVO and Goldmund PH3.8 phonostage
                            -VPI Vanquish direct-drive turntable
                            -VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy dual pivot tonearm, VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy gimballed and SAT LM-12 arm
                            -Lyra Atlas SL Lambda, vdh Colibri Master Signature, Mutech Hayabusa,
                            -Technics RS1506 with Flux Magnetic heads, Doshi V3.0 tape stage (balanced)
                            -Assorted cables including Skogrand, Kubala-Sosna, Audience FrontRow; Audience FrontRow, Genesis Advanced Technologies , Goldmund and Ensemble Power Cords
                            -Accessories including Stillpoint Aperture panels, Cathedral Sound panels, Furutech NCF Nano AC receptacles; Silver Circle Tchaik 6 PLC, Symposium ISIS and SRA Craz 3 racks, Audiodharma Cable Cooker, Symposium Ultra and assorted SRA OHIO Class 2.3+ platforms.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by JackD201

                              After which one need only worry about cute pokey toddler fingers!

                              Got that right. I'll never forget my neighbor who had the little Apogee Stages. One day his three year old walked up and punched the midrange driver. Had a dent in it forever after.
                              Myles B. Astor, PhD, Administrator
                              Senior Editor, Positive-Feedback.com
                              ________________________________________

                              -Zellaton Plural Evo speakers
                              -Goldmund Telos 440 and 1000 Nextgen mono amps
                              -Goldmund Mimesis 37S Nextgen preamplifier
                              -Doshi EVO and Goldmund PH3.8 phonostage
                              -VPI Vanquish direct-drive turntable
                              -VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy dual pivot tonearm, VPI 12-inch 3D Fat Boy gimballed and SAT LM-12 arm
                              -Lyra Atlas SL Lambda, vdh Colibri Master Signature, Mutech Hayabusa,
                              -Technics RS1506 with Flux Magnetic heads, Doshi V3.0 tape stage (balanced)
                              -Assorted cables including Skogrand, Kubala-Sosna, Audience FrontRow; Audience FrontRow, Genesis Advanced Technologies , Goldmund and Ensemble Power Cords
                              -Accessories including Stillpoint Aperture panels, Cathedral Sound panels, Furutech NCF Nano AC receptacles; Silver Circle Tchaik 6 PLC, Symposium ISIS and SRA Craz 3 racks, Audiodharma Cable Cooker, Symposium Ultra and assorted SRA OHIO Class 2.3+ platforms.

                              Comment

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