$2400 speakers vs my $150 speakers

Yeah I've heard good things about Tekton. I don't like towers in general tho, the companies that still make the monkey coffins are freaking expensive like Harbeth, Devore, and ATC, I've demo'd ATC SCM 150's now those were impressive.

 

It's difficult to do because frankly there aren't many (if any). Interestingly, most current speakers that fit your specification (e.g. Cerwin Vega SL-12) are low end offerings clearly not intended for discriminating listeners. I guess it says something about modern speakers (and the market) that you can't find what you want in your price range.

John K.

 

It isn't good to enough to merely accept and enjoy low fidelity sound. Everyone else should too. It is unacceptable that the informed audiophiles claim to be enjoying an exceptional experience.

Most of us who have a hi end gear profile didn't just wake up one morning to find tens of thousands of dollars under the pillow to blow on random crazy priced gear. Take it or leave it but 20 years of incremental progress in this hobby is actually worth something.

 

There's a real benefit in pro-audio monitors that'll surprise and delight those on a budget looking for a quality speaker that'll do the duties with distinction. You don't need to pony up the big bucks, just be smart about your buying choices. There are plenty of good pro-audio active speakers to choose from that'll deliver a non-studio monitor sound. I love what Genelec do, but lower priced models from the likes of Yamaha, KRK, Mackie Adam or Event will all do the honours.

If you like a good bass, then do check out the Mackie 624 or 824. Review from the excellent Sound on Sound website below:-

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep07/articles/mackie_hr824mk2.htm

The 624 Mk2 comes in at around £900 a pair.

 

Seems weird to me in a store like that, that the employee would automatically pick the music. Seems if you're trying to sell $2,500 speakers, you let the customer test them on whatever music he or she wants.

 

Firstly, I submit that since the music selection was not the OP's primary listening material, thereby severely compromising the evaluation from the start. I have no idea what good is demonstrating a pair of loudspeakers with material and/or a specific recording unfamiliar to the listener.

Secondly comes the matter of simply becoming accustomed to a given loudspeaker's sonic characteristics.

Simply because one speaker may outperform another in all measured specification, does not necessarily follow it will sound "better" to any given individual.

 

Arn't Golden Ears like unicorns, an imaginary thing?

But seriously, a speaker demo without the OPs power amps, and without music you are very familiar with, is like pi**ing in the wind.

 

One word in this department: Tubes.

 

I have heard much more expensive speakers that I would not trade for my ZU Omen Defs. The ops old speakers may be the right set for his particular listening space. He could take those speakers and move them to the showroom where the Golden Ears were and not like them as much. After moving to an old 1920' house with thick walls, hardwood floors, wood windows, I really appreciate what a room or space brings to the table sound wise. For some reason, my set up has really come together and sounds really wonderful. This last year has been the first that I have not researched or desired new audio equipment. Of course, that could change

 

Brc

Excellent point. Often overlooked are these types of monitors/speakers. There is a lot of misinformation about them being too revealing etc, which is a bunch of BS. Some of these speakers will blow away a lot of the so called hifi äudiophile" type speakers. And, as you say, the price is definately right. I have some Quested H108's in my studio, I think they are around $1500. I also use them for general listening. Nobody has been anything but blown away listening to anything in there.

 

Difficult. I tried. The Tektons are not a good design. They may sound somewhat vintage but the tweeters (SB acoustics ring dome, see this link https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.c...sb29rdcn-c000-4-neo-magnet-ring-dome-tweeter/ ) run out of gas below 15oo Hz and those woofers are probably good up to (maybe) 400 Hz.
So you hear this lower midrange "gap" or suckout which could be "vintage" sounding.
I have PSB Image T6 towers which sound as close to vintage bass monkey boxes as I could find under $25oo.00.
I really like them but the sound from dual ported 6-1/2' woofers is just not the same or as good as that of a larger woofer- 8", 10" or 12". The bass from a larger woofer (not a subwoofer) is what I prefer.
I just spec'd a set of drivers that would match very well-
a 12" SB acoustics driver, 27Hz to 400 Hz, 90db,
2- Fountek 3" midrange drivers, 400Hz to 5Khz,
1- Scanspeak dome tweeter, 5Khz and up.
Total cost of drivers for a pair of speakers = $520.00.
I will build these and they will sound better than anything under $2500.00. The woofer box will be a separate enclosure that will serve as the base of the thinner midrange / tweeter tower. Sears towers.

 

Thanks, we are on the same wavelength. I still wish I had my Ohm L's from when I was a kid, they were amazing speakers but my Altec's have a leg up on them due to the larger woofer and box. They are so impactful which I just can't find in a modern speaker unless I spend like 10k or so. To put things into perspective I demo'd the Bowers and Wilkins CM series top to bottom and was not impressed, the top end sounds great but even the towers lacked mid bass and bass, the bookshelf CM didn't even have much of a noticeable difference with the tower CM's. (Which actually made me respect the bookshelf CM). Seems like these speakers are designed to impress on strings etc... and leave the rest to a sub to pick up the bottom, to me that sticks out like a sore thumb. The mains need big drivers also to sound full. Theres just no substitute.

 

I never actually pulled the trigger on the pair I had been looking at, but I got the impression they could be had easily.

 

you know what they say about opinions, everyone has one.

 

That's a great song and it's very well recorded. Glad you preferred what you had at home though.

 

I know this was a thread resurrect but judging speakers based on price is tricky, especially when comparing used speakers to brand new ones. Not saying Golden Ear speakers are this way, but barring examples I can come up with offhand, speakers in many cases are seen as much as furniture as they are purpose-built tools (aka WAF). With that said, my $1500 net-to-me speakers beg to differ about new speakers being cold.

 

Says you

 

I have a similar story.. I was buying a pair of headphones in Amsterdam. The store also had huge audiophile looking speakers. Big green and kinda mean. It screamed audiophile somehow. As A newbe and never having experienced "Hi-Fi" before. I politely asked if I could have a listen. Granted I could only listen to songs streamed by a denon-streaming-service that's probably lossy quality. But this service had almost everything I knew. And knowing how certain tracks from which album sound like you can get a good idea of how high-mids-lows compare to what you know from those tracks compared to the trusty (lo-fi) home-setup.

Post is useless without a picture:


To shorten the story, out of my head, this is ehat I chose listened to;

Meters - look-a-pye pye (drums, grit, rhythm guitar)
Wandah de sah - tem do (classic guitar, orph perc, female voice)
Carl carlton - shes a bad mama jama (gritty synthbass, disco thump)
Jerry butler - mechanical man (fender rhodes, soul voice)
Grand funk railroad - inside looking out (live) (rock guitar, deep bass, gritty hard drums)
? - bushes (derrick carters first recreation) (house, contrabass)

Impression; I did not like the sound from the start. Think budget-hifi sound that's not even Hi-Fi worthy, with the usual (somewhat) recessed mids and highs (kinda round overall sound usual to hi-fi) but bigger regarding volume, add lotta bass thump because of 6 bass drivers that can shake the room obviously. Add a splash of cheap 'metallic sound' (think guitar amplifier) to it. And its what they sounded like to me.

Nothing special.

Granted Aside from not liking the awful sound, I did enjoy the sound-experience. Because after leaving the store I caught myself humming and (softly) singing the tunes I just played. Theres a difference between what you ideally like to hear+ enjoying (at home), and just plain enjoying, because the speakers just blow an acceptable but large soundstage. just my 2c.

After some research, it seemed they are the 'Linn Klimax 350A '
http://www.soundgallery.nl/linn-klimax-350-a-actieve-luidspreker-zilver

Price € 39.326,00
($42717) !!

My home-setup are cheap Yamaha hs80m <cheap Art phono plus 2-DAC <pc
Btw. My yammies are experiencing some sound-trouble sfter 8 years of service. Not sounding the way I like or how they used to. Bit of a heartbreak actually.

hm...

 

You heard those $42K Linns in Amsterdam. You can get drugs legally there, right?

 

Whew...wrong thread to stumble into - I'm covered in whitewash....

Carry on.

 

Haha, I don't use drugs. Can't stand the sour smell of weed which, is the only drugs that is semi-legal here, and when lit, can smell like poopooh coming out of a strangers lungs. No, really I do believe the speakers are legit and not copies. However................ it is Amsterdam. Hm..

 

I have had more bad experiences in Audio stores than good. God forbid you go in looking for something they do not stock, the attitude they hit you with is just offensive.

when I was looking for a phono stage I stopped into a shop when I was out of town for work and they guy just started going off about how bad vinyl is an I was getting fooled by wasting my time with it. He then (unsolicited) took his IPhone and plugged it into a Classe connected to the Diamond B&W speakers and gave me a demo of the lamest Yanni like spa techno you could imagine. He then went on to explain the reason it sounded so good was because of the $200 usb cable he was running from the phone. I let him know that when I was ready for the $15,000 speakers and the $30,000 amp I would come back for that cable. I though about telling him that when I turn into a 15 year old girl I would start using my phone as my primary source for music.

Last week while out of town I stopped in at a shop over lunch see if they had a 16.5 RCM. They did not and apparently I was a fool for even asking. "we have the spin clean and that is really all you need, anything else is just wasting money" coming from a guy that was selling Macintosh, I found that a very odd position. And what a toolbox he was. I was dressed for business appointments, full suit and tie and there was no interest on the salesman's part to do a demo or have much of a conversation about the equipment he did carry. He did love talking about himself, his 38 years in the industry and some major sales he has made recently.

I could go on but the point of it all is that what ever they have is what you need. Whether it is a Golden Ear speaker, Spin Clean or a USB cable. I find salesmen often get upset that you have anything of value in your system that you didn't buy from them. they can be downright insulting when you like something they do not carry.

It is nice to have a relationship with a local retailor, that is really the only way I have found to get good service and advice. The other big thing you can do to make the experience better is to schedule an appointment. Rarely do you fine more than one or two guys working in the shop, they are just not set up for any volumes of retail business.

 

As a 15 year old girl, I find the above post offensive.

 

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, I just haven't made that transition myself.