Musical speakers in the $1k-$1.5k range

[DSkip]

I'm starting to look at getting new speakers since none of the ones I own really do it for me musically. I'm partial to Polk, but the only thing in my budget that I would consider would be the 703, and I'm worried about that being just a tad bit too laid back for me. I'm going to be giving Totem another listen soon, particularly the Rainmaker. The local shop that carries them is willing to let me bring in my Jolida to see what kind of chemistry they have since the amp they were using appears to have been a really bad match.

So what else should I be looking at? I am leaning more towards new speakers at this point, but still look in the local used market daily. These would be 100% music; I've got HT covered fairly well.

[gdb]

Lsi line not a possibility ? Fire sale prices on them lately with the intro of the newbies.

[VR3]

Salk, Odyssey, Tyler, Focal, Dynaudio, etc etc - all can be found used.

Good luck

[DSkip]

Lsi line not a possibility ? Fire sale prices on them lately with the intro of the newbies.

Nope. I've had my share of their sound and I'm looking for something else. Like I said, the 703 is the ONLY Polk offering I'd consider at this point, but I'm kind of wanting to spread my wings some, so to speak. In addition to the Totems, I should be getting my ears on some Maggies in short time as well.

[organ]

Is this going to be connected to the Jolida you just purchased? If so, try to go for VERY efficient speakers. They usually work best with tubes. You'd want to look at something that is 8 ohms nominal without too much of a dip (tube amps prefer a linear impedance) and sensitivity in the mid 90's to 100 or more. Yes, many tube amps have 4 ohm output taps but the 4 ohm don't sound as good as the higher imp taps.

If you're open to used speakers, I would recommend the Klipsch La Scala. YOu can find nice used ones fromt he 90's for $1500 if they're in excellent shape. Tubes and horns goes together like peanut butter and jelly.

[leroyjr1]

I'm starting to look at getting new speakers since none of the ones I own really do it for me musically. I'm partial to Polk, but the only thing in my budget that I would consider would be the 703, and I'm worried about that being just a tad bit too laid back for me. I'm going to be giving Totem another listen soon, particularly the Rainmaker. The local shop that carries them is willing to let me bring in my Jolida to see what kind of chemistry they have since the amp they were using appears to have been a really bad match.

So what else should I be looking at? I am leaning more towards new speakers at this point, but still look in the local used market daily. These would be 100% music; I've got HT covered fairly well.

I wouldn't classify the LSIm's as laid back. The totems are more laid back then they are.

[zingo]

I think horns are very musical as they are dynamic with a lot of impact. Klipsch speakers are awesome with tubes, and horn speakers usually have a pretty good used market. La Scalas are a great suggestion, but they only go to 50ish Hz if that works with your system. Either Klipsch Forte I or II is great, so is the Chorus II, and both dig into the high 30 Hz. Two-way coaxial speakers with horn loaded woofers are also awesome.

[falconcry72]

...I should be getting my ears on some Maggies in short time as well.

Have you not heard Maggies? I think they offer a ridiculous bang for the buck brand new, but especially on the used market. I'd say the 1.6's are the best value out there. You could get a couple year old pair for 800-900 bucks easy. You could also score the new 1.7's for around 1500 used.

I rotate my 1.6's into my 2-channel setup regularly because they outperform my Dancer Mini-2's in a lot of ways... and those Mini 2's retailed for over 4k.

[Drenis]

You didn't like the 705's at LSAF?

I hear/read better things about them then the 707's for pure music. Has me curious.

[zingo]

Other musical suggestions in your price range bases off my local CL: KEF, Tannoy, Focal. All would work with your tube amp as well.

[DSkip]

You didn't like the 705's at LSAF?

I hear/read better things about them then the 707's for pure music. Has me curious.

The 705's are superb and so are the 703's. I've had my ears on all three offerings. Part of this search is trying to branch out and see if there is something else out there before I jump on 703's. Their silky smooth top end is just a tad laid back for what I like. The LSiM's are leagues above the LSi series IMO and it wouldn't break my heart in the least to own a pair.

Unfortunately, I've never heard a pair of horns I like. There is a pair of Tannoy bookies on the local CL that caught my eye, but I've never spent enough time with Tannoy to get a feel for their sound.

[cnh]

I like a lot of what VR3 and zingo have listed. Focal, Dynaudio, Tannoy and I know that classic Klipsch love "tubes" so that would be a consideration although I'm not a fan of tubeless Klipsch's.

Maybe the newer KEFs as well. You guys think KEFs are laid back? Really? Can't see that!

I honestly don't know what the Jolida will sound like with anything but the Tannoy. That's the only combo I've actually heard. And I loved that--they pair up well!

I tend to think that the Jolida would also "like" many metal dome tweeters from the experience I've had with my JBL L80ts.

Other than that. Your idea of taking the Jolida in and testing it is an excellent approach.

Have you had a chance to run the Jolida on any of the speakers you own yet? And your thoughts?

Have fun!

cnh

[VR3]

My KEF experiences suggest they are laid back

[DSkip]

I've tried the Jolida with the LS70's, RT55's and RT3000 satellites so far. The LS70's just couldn't pull me in at all, even after playing around with various placements. The RT55's sound great tonally, but tended to be very muddy. The satellites were my favorite, showing great detail but rather shrill without the subs to pair with them. They also don't have very much slam, something I don't have to have much of, but would prefer more than they can give. I don't think I'd mind using those musically once the subs were back in action, but I'd prefer having a separate rig and not worry about switching cables any time I want to listen to anything.

Whatever I end up going with, it will have to dethrone the 703 as that's my reference right now. With all the talk about KEF lately, they do pique my interest some. Trey, I looked at some of your recommendations and they definitely look interesting. A few of those I'd never heard of, which was the whole point of this thread.

[audiocr381ve]

My KEF experiences suggest they are laid back

+1

I have a pair of KEF Q300's. When I swap in my Dynaudio Audience 70's it's like the music moves forward 10 feet. Crazy.

To the OP, get your ears on some Dynaudio speakers and see what you think. They're balanced and have tons of detail AND a ridiculous soundstage. The Audience 70's were entry level speakers in their day (still retailed for $1,600) but I like them enough to want to hear what happens higher in the line.

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/dynaudio-audience-82-rosewood-mint--2

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/dynaudio-contour-1-8-mkii-rosewood

[heiney9]

Or he could just wait 24hours and buy yours when you put them up for sale. We all know you hang onto gear for like 3 days and then sell it and everything sounds fantastic to you because you never evaluate it long enough to pass sufficient judgment.

:razz::wink:

[audiocr381ve]

Or he could just wait 24hours and buy yours when you put them up for sale. We all know you hang onto gear for like 3 days and then sell it and everything sounds fantastic to you because you never evaluate it long enough to pass sufficient judgment.

:razz::wink:

He doesn't have to wait, they're up for sale already silly ;)

Btw, their is absolutely nothing wrong with knowing what you want (or don't want) and going for it. You do it your way, I'll do it my way :)

[Erik Tracy]

I'm starting to look at getting new speakers since none of the ones I own really do it for me musically. I'm partial to Polk, but the only thing in my budget that I would consider would be the 703, and I'm worried about that being just a tad bit too laid back for me. I'm going to be giving Totem another listen soon, particularly the Rainmaker. The local shop that carries them is willing to let me bring in my Jolida to see what kind of chemistry they have since the amp they were using appears to have been a really bad match.

So what else should I be looking at? I am leaning more towards new speakers at this point, but still look in the local used market daily. These would be 100% music; I've got HT covered fairly well.

The new Paradigm Studio 20 V5s may be up your alley for new and in your budget. Recent reviews seem positive.

[heiney9]

He doesn't have to wait, they're up for sale already silly ;)

Btw, their is absolutely nothing wrong with knowing what you want (or don't want) and going for it. You do it your way, I'll do it my way :)

You obviously don't know what you want since you've been through so much gear in a very short period of time. That can indicate you don't know what you are looking for or how to find it. 1/2 the time you aren;t even comparing the same gear with multiple speakers. I have no idea how you judge one over the other when nothing is consistent. You let one piece go only to immediately miss it and buy another one of the same thing to replace it.

I just find it extremely entertaining and not in a derogatory way, just have a hard time wrapping my head around some one as schizophrenic as you when it comes to swapping gear. It's an audio frenzy.

I will do it my way and you continue to do it yours. No problem with that.

[zingo]

DIY kits from places like Madisound can also save good money over "new" if you want to go that route.

[audiocr381ve]

You obviously don't know what you want since you've been through so much gear in a very short period of time. That can indicate you don't know what you are looking for or how to find it. 1/2 the time you aren;t even comparing the same gear with multiple speakers. I have no idea how you judge one over the other when nothing is consistent. You let one piece go only to immediately miss it and buy another one of the same thing to replace it.

I just find it extremely entertaining and not in a derogatory way, just have a hard time wrapping my head around some one as schizophrenic as you when it comes to swapping gear. It's an audio frenzy.

I will do it my way and you continue to do it yours. No problem with that.

Typical Brock sharing an opinion that no one asked for. Like a true coward your last sentence is "I will do it my way and you continue to do it yours. No problem with that" after you got your two cents in.

Not everybody is like you, man. Your methodology is not mine. The core of my method is have fun and try new things and be happy. Yours is buy once and be happy. Neither of them is wrong so get a clue already and quit being the forum grump.

[heiney9]

Like a true coward your last sentence is "I will do it my way and you continue to do it yours.

I believe you said it first here:


You do it your way, I'll do it my way :)

[DMara]

Please cut the bickering, we got plenty of that already at other threads. Let's continue this thread in peace, I'm learning from it.

[heiney9]

Yours is buy once and be happy.

That's simply not true. I have been evaluating a couple dac's for about a month now, that's what I feel it takes to find out the nuances of the two units and flesh out what's good and bad on a variety of music, moods and settings. I do this with different tubes, rectifiers, cables, tube amps, room treatments, new placement of speakers, etc., etc. So it's not at all a "buy once and be happy".

H9

[leroyjr1]

Back to the topic at hand. I think for $1000 it'll be hard to find a speaker that'll dethrone the 703's. For music I did like the Totem rainmakers for medium to smaller size rooms.

[heiney9]

The OP might want to check into what Von Schweikert is offering today. The last couple pairs I heard were very, very nice. I haven't kept up with used prices so I'm not sure if something fits in your budget. It's a name that was popular around here awhile back, but no one seems to mention them anymore.

H9

[brianle]

What about Ascend Acoustic Sierra 1 (non NRT upgrade) version? I think they will blend well with your tube amp.

[steveinaz]

I think it's important to understand there's a few definitions of "laid back." Depending on who is talking it can mean:

a) Less treble energy
b) Easier going in a general sense over all frequencies (little less slam)
c) Deeper, more distant soundstaging

Skip, which definition are you talking?

[Joe08867]

My guess is he is looking for a bit more slam. 703's are silky smooth but I wouldn't call them laid back.

[DSkip]

My guess is he is looking for a bit more slam. 703's are silky smooth but I wouldn't call them laid back.

In reference to the treble. My terminology might not be correct as they aren't laid back in the slam dept. at all. I'd prefer a little more in the highs. I like for them to stand out a bit, but the balance between standing out and being non-fatiguing seems to be very delicate for me.

[leroyjr1]

When you heard the 703's was it on tube gear or SS?

[coolsax]

What about Ascend Acoustic Sierra 1 (non NRT upgrade) version? I think they will blend well with your tube amp.

this is good choice I enjoy mine quite a bit, had them at the Dallas GTG last year if dskip remembers them at all.

[DSkip]

When you heard the 703's was it on tube gear or SS?

I'm pretty sure I've heard them on both, but I know for certain I've heard them a few times on tubes.

[DaveMuell]

I'll toss in my suggestion - listen to some Vandersteens. Models 2Ci and 2Ce are available in that price range on the used market. Many seem to prefer the 2C, which I have. I've had my share of Polks in here, the SDA's are a different animal, but the LS 50 and 90's are of a similar tonal quality with the Vandersteens being "cleaner" sounding. I know I won't roll them out of here for another set of 90's any time soon.

[DSkip]

Anyone have thoughts on the Zu Omen? Seems they're at $1k/pair right now.

[bobsauto49]

I traveled up to 160 miles to audition different types of speakers for my $2000 budget. I listened to Polk RTI,RTIA,Monitor,And LSI line,as well as some by Focal,B&W,Klipsch,and Paradigm. I ended up with KEF Q series,and couldnt be happier,without spending double the price i paid for them! And They were had for around the top of your budget!I find them to be a hair on the bright side,but not fatiguing,which I like! The rest of spectrum is so clean,clear and spot on! To the OP,you'd be doing yourself a great injustice not to give these a listen before you pull the trigger! IMHO,I'd have to spend in excess of 4G's,to get a substantial improvement!
My .02! Different strokes,for different folks! Good Luck on yer search!

[doctor r]

I was going to suggest looking at the Zu line. Very efficient loads and if you buy from Zu they have a 60 day full return policy so you can try them in your own system. I have used their cables for years and they are a great group of people to work with. Also they are made here in Ogden Utah.

Rick

[coolsax]

I've heard lots of good things about the Zu line as well.. There is a dealer in the Austin area for them... haven't had a chance myself to check them out though

[newrival]

Too bad you just missed out on te Emerald Physics CS2's on the gon for a steal at $950. Also those fortes that were FS here a little while back wouldve been awesome. OK enough of "you should've..." and I recommend highly that you look at a pair of Anthony Gallo's Strada that have a street price of around $1500. Gallo himself even says that a pair of strada with a well integrated sub a hands down better tan the reference 3.5 towers that sell for $6k. One of the best deals in audio as far as I'm concerned. And VERY musical.

[EDUBAG]

I am quite happy with my kef r300' i beleive that they would be a good option to audition as well

Good luck

[chandler9a]

I will second Von Schweikert, probably one of the only "high end" speakers I have heard that really gave me the wow factor. Not sure you can find them in your price range used but if you can, definitely give them a listen.

[falconcry72]

I think for $1000 it'll be hard to find a speaker that'll dethrone the 703's

Dude, used Magnepan 1.6's. I'm surprised they're not getting more advocates... too common? Anyway, that'll be my last plug.:biggrin:

[leroyjr1]

Dude, used Magnepan 1.6's. I'm surprised they're not getting more advocates... too common? Anyway, that'll be my last plug.:biggrin:

Love me some Magnepans big time. Just wish I could get the Maggy sound out some tradition floorstanders.

[DSkip]

Would Maggies be able to do much in a 12x14 room? They are on my list which might be why they haven't gotten much mention yet.

[EndersShadow]

Would Maggies be able to do much in a 12x14 room? They are on my list which might be why they haven't gotten much mention yet.

Yes as long as you can give them room out from the walls. Also factor a sub in as the Maggie's have bass but not visceral enough for me honestly. And I would look at the MMGs and a really good sub instead of the 1.6s. Although not sure how well they will sound with the jolidas wattage

[falconcry72]

Would Maggies be able to do much in a 12x14 room?

Yep. Just keep'em a couple feet off the back wall and you're good.


Also factor a sub in as the Maggie's have bass but not visceral enough for me honestly.

If the 703's have enough bass for him, then so will the 1.6's. Polk says the 703's are flat to 50hz. The 1.6's are flat to 40-45hz depending on the room, with usable bass to 30hz and lower.


I would look at the MMGs and a really good sub instead of the 1.6s.

I disagree big time. The taller Maggies do more than just produce lower notes. They fill the room with that "this is real live music feeling" in a way that the smaller Maggies can't. The extra surface area goes a long way. Plus, Maggies disperse sound vertically very poorly, so, ideally, from the listening position, you'd have a couple feet of Maggie both above and below your ears... this is almost impossible with the MMG's since they're so short, and trust me, it makes a HUGE difference. Night and day.

[EndersShadow]

I disagree big time. The taller Maggies do more than just produce lower notes. They fill the room with that "this is real live music feeling" in a way that the smaller Maggies can't. The extra surface area goes a long way. Plus, Maggies disperse sound vertically very poorly, so, ideally, from the listening position, you'd have a couple feet of Maggie both above and below your ears... this is almost impossible with the MMG's since they're so short, and trust me, it makes a HUGE difference. Night and day.

Eh agree to disagree. I heard the 3.6QR, 3.7s, and MMGs. I liked them all but the MMGs are the cheapest to start in and the others just didn't add enough on top to justify the added cost to me. Add to that the o bigger you get the more they like lots of wattage. The jolida Won't provide enough wattage IMHO.

[falconcry72]

Eh agree to disagree.

OK. And don't get me wrong, MMG's with a sub will make awesome 2-channel music.:cool:


I heard the 3.6QR, 3.7s, and MMGs. I liked them all but the MMGs are the cheapest to start in and the others just didn't add enough on top to justify the added cost to me.

This is kinda apples and oranges. The 3.7's cost 10 times what the MMG's cost, whereas a used pair of 1.6's only costs a couple hundred bucks more.


Add to that the o bigger you get the more they like lots of wattage. The jolida Won't provide enough wattage IMHO.

The 1.6's aren't nearly as power hungry as the 3-series speakers.

What model Jolida is it? I didn't see it listed here...

[DSkip]

SJ-302A. 50 wpc push pull design.

[EndersShadow]

OK. And don't get me wrong, MMG's with a sub will make awesome 2-channel music.:cool:

This is kinda apples and oranges. The 3.7's cost 10 times what the MMG's cost, whereas a used pair of 1.6's only costs a couple hundred bucks more.

The 1.6's aren't nearly as power hungry as the 3-series speakers.

I will agree it is apples and oranges. I will also agree that those other speakers sounded better than the MMG's. The other thing the MMG's have in their favor is if your going to go all new you can trade in the MMG's toward the cost of a higher line so your not having to resell them provided you like the sound.

So if he liked the MMG's a bunch and wanted to move up I believe you get the full amount (500) toward the purchase of the next model up.

But I also am not sure if I will start with the MMG's or the 1.6's when I finally get my set. They (Magnepan) are actually the first speaker my wife has kept mentioning she wants a pair of (specifically the MMG's but I could talk her up a bit if needed).... which I like because I need seperates to drive them properly so I could finally get a good pre-amp and amp out of that :smile:.

Either way Maggies are addicting but if you want a nice punch/slam you will need a sub. They will fill your room with bass, but not in the same way something like say an SDA will.

[audiocr381ve]

I'd say if you're going with Magnepans, the MMG's are a good place to start as they'll give you the overall feel of a Magneplanar. I've owned the MG12's and the 1.7's but have demo'ed the MMG's several times (as well as the 3.7's & 20.1's) and you get a feel for what they do even with the little guys. You can put more of your budget towards a great sub which is something I never tried with my Maggie's which may be the reason why I ended up hating them :)

[thsmith]

In reference to the treble. My terminology might not be correct as they aren't laid back in the slam dept. at all. I'd prefer a little more in the highs. I like for them to stand out a bit, but the balance between standing out and being non-fatiguing seems to be very delicate for me.

You may like Maggies then but not sure your Jolida can do justice driving them.

[marvda1]

skip, read this then think two models above, the flagship of the line:wink: when you last heard them they were connected to the virtue m901 integrated with battery power supply. not enough bass energy, that's why i sold the amp. enter the 50 watt yaqin and bamm, bass. bring the jolida by for a listen. anyone wondering, i'm talking about the dali ikon 8.

Sorry for the size of the pic. i could not remove it.

how do you delete an attachment?

[falconcry72]

You may like Maggies then but not sure your Jolida can do justice driving them.

hmm. My first thought is that 50WPC of good tube power would have no problems whatsoever driving 1.6's or smaller, but I don't have experience with that unit, so hopefully someone else can chime in.

As far as their impedance, they're rated at 4ohms, but there are no dips at all below 4ohms like there are with other speakers rated at 4. The lowest dip is more like 4.5, but it's pretty constant throughout.

edit: it looks like that Jolida has an outout for 4ohms, so the impedance would not be a problem at all. The only problem would be their sensitivity, but again, it doesn't take much good power to get things going.

[gdb]

Tyler Linbrook-used monitors....

http://www.tyleracoustics.com/used_equipment.html

[brianle]

skip, read this then think two models above, the flagship of the line:wink: when you last heard them they were connected to the virtue m901 integrated with battery power supply. not enough bass energy, that's why i sold the amp. enter the 50 watt yaqin and bamm, bass. bring the jolida by for a listen. anyone wondering, i'm talking about the dali ikon 8.

Sorry for the size of the pic. i could not remove it.

how do you delete an attachment?

Not sure about this model but I had the Dali Helicon 400 Mk II before and they were definitely not my cup of tea. They sounded thin and bright. I did drive them with a solid state int amp.

[marvda1]

skip, this is local. sell the speakers you don't want.
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/usher-audio-speakers-cp-6311-x-718-x-616

[EndersShadow]

^Holy crap that looks like a steal!

[DSkip]

skip, this is local. sell the speakers you don't want.
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/usher-audio-speakers-cp-6311-x-718-x-616

Those were on CL a week ago for $1200 for the set. I was told by the previous owner that he'd hold the 6311's for me so I hit the road, drove 1.5 hours one way, only to see them getting loaded up in that bastard's car. I won't touch those based on principal alone.

[adb3da@yahoo.co]

Although I have not personally heard them, I think the NHT Classic 4 would be in your price range and they are well reviewed.

[EndersShadow]

Those were on CL a week ago for $1200 for the set. I was told by the previous owner that he'd hold the 6311's for me so I hit the road, drove 1.5 hours one way, only to see them getting loaded up in that bastard's car. I won't touch those based on principal alone.

Ouch! And I thought sniping on CL was bad here.......

[nooshinjohn]

I have been veggin' out in front of a set of maggies now for a week, running 12 to 14 hours a day. These speakers have done more to reduce the !!!SEVERE!!! pain of my surgery than the vicodin has. These speakers have a way to put you inside the music in a way impossible to describe. My vote would actually be to stretch the budget a bit and get yourself a pair of 1.7's. If your listening habits are anything like mine, you won't need a sub either. You can also basically steal 1.6's for less than a grand, but the 1.7's just seem to be a bit faster and more articulate.

Once you free yourself from the box spaker, it will be almost impossible to go back.

[EndersShadow]

I have been veggin' out in front of a set of maggies now for a week, running 12 to 14 hours a day. These speakers have done more to reduce the !!!SEVERE!!! pain of my surgery than the vicodin has. These speakers have a way to put you inside the music in a way impossible to describe. My vote would actually be to stretch the budget a bit and get yourself a pair of 1.7's. If your listening habits are anything like mine, you won't need a sub either. You can also basically steal 1.6's for less than a grand, but the 1.7's just seem to be a bit faster and more articulate.

Once you free yourself from the box spaker, it will be almost impossible to go back.

Over the 10k post John.... its now a new rule once you go over 10k you need to Karma something awesome off.. to me :wink:.....

Glad the Maggies make the pain better. I can tell when we talked you felt like I look most days: like Crap :biggrin:

[EndersShadow]

Skip, dont know if you saw these, and personally dont know much about them, but they look like a pretty good speaker:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/vbclassified.php?do=ad&id=16693

[newrival]

2.9's are good, but when the 3.5's are just a couple hundred more, I would hold out. The 3.5's are fantastic. But the the Evolution t6 are even better. I think those can sometimes be found for 1.5k

[madmax]

I was going to suggest looking at the Zu line. Very efficient loads and if you buy from Zu they have a 60 day full return policy so you can try them in your own system. I have used their cables for years and they are a great group of people to work with. Also they are made here in Ogden Utah.

Rick

I was going to suggest the Zu as well. Right now you can get the Zu Omen speakers on sale for $999 plus $60 shipping. Thats where my money would go should I have to go out today and pick one pair of speakers to live with. I REALLY love the Zu Def speakers I currently use but they are a little more expensive.

[falconcry72]

...I was told by the previous owner that he'd hold the 6311's for me so I hit the road, drove 1.5 hours one way, only to see them getting loaded up in that bastard's car...

motherfricker...:evil:

[DSkip]

motherfricker...:evil:


To add insult to injury, this was on Mother's Day too...




The Zu is actually on the top of my list right now. I kind of want them to be a statement piece, and the Zu definitely fits the bill. Other brands listed do as well for the most part, but something about them is intriguing. Max, can you liken their sound to anything more commonly distributed?

[falconcry72]

...My vote would actually be to stretch the budget a bit and get yourself a pair of 1.7's. If your listening habits are anything like mine, you won't need a sub either. You can also basically steal 1.6's for less than a grand, but the 1.7's just seem to be a bit faster and more articulate...

I agree that the 1.7's are "faster and more articulate". I think you nailed it... plus they have slightly more visceral bass impact... BUT, the 1.6's are like 95% of the way there, so, whatever works works. I've got a pair of both in the house now, and I'd be happy with either for a pretty long haul. That's rare for me to say about a speaker. I guess I'm a maggie guy...

As far as prices, you should be able to find a used pair of 1.7's for around 1500, and like John said, the 1.6's should go for under a grand.

[nooshinjohn]

There is somthing to be said for trashing the box and going planar or open baffle. The sound is so much more natural and open to my ear.I can even walk BEHIND the speakers while the are playing and I get the feeling of being on-stage with the artist. Kind of cool to feel that you are so close to the music that you could shake John Lennon's hand to say thanks for the music.

Maggies are here to stay in my house. Everything else can be swapped and changed, but in my two channel, this is about as good as it gets without spending 20k. For me, the law of diminishing returns kicks in. I don't think I can do better.

[audiocr381ve]

I agree that the 1.7's are "faster and more articulate". I think you nailed it... plus they have slightly more visceral bass impact... BUT, the 1.6's are like 95% of the way there, so, whatever works works. I've got a pair of both in the house now, and I'd be happy with either for a pretty long haul. That's rare for me to say about a speaker. I guess I'm a maggie guy...

As far as prices, you should be able to find a used pair of 1.7's for around 1500, and like John said, the 1.6's should go for under a grand.

It's sounds like you haven't been that enthusiastic about the Usher's lately, or am I reading you completely wrong? Do you prefer the Maggies to them?

[falconcry72]

It's sounds like you haven't been that enthusiastic about the Usher's lately, or am I reading you completely wrong?.

I love the Ushers. They are among the best speakers I've heard, and I enjoy them everyday. That said, over the last six months, I've got everything out of them that I'll ever get out of them. I'm ready to move on.


...Do you prefer the Maggies to them?

Yes.

That word took me six months to cough out. It was hard for me to swallow the fact that I preferred a pair of speakers that I paid 800 bucks for to a pair a speakers that I paid 3000 bucks for. Nonetheless, what I decided (literally yesterday), is that, if I had to pick one pair for life, it would be the 1.6.s.

Like I said, I guess I'm a maggie guy.

[EndersShadow]

I love the Ushers. They are among the best speakers I've heard, and I enjoy them everyday. That said, over the last six months, I've got everything out of them that I'll ever get out of them. I'm ready to move on.



Yes.

That word took me six months to cough out. It was hard for me to swallow the fact that I preferred a pair of speakers that I paid 800 bucks for to a pair a speakers that I paid 3000 bucks for. Nonetheless, what I decided (literally yesterday), is that, if I had to pick one pair for life, it would be the 1.6.s.

Like I said, I guess I'm a maggie guy.

Once you go Maggie its all over for you :smile:... I know my 2 channel system will be a set of MMG's or the next model line up with a good sub because I am a bass head and like to feel the punch of bass......

But Maggies are the first speaker my wife is like "Babe, we need to get a pair"... and thats after hearing Johns SDA's, LSi's, LSiM's, Paradigm's as well.....

So I will be getting a set with utmost haste when I can afford to get the gear to run them right :smile:

[nooshinjohn]

I never thought about anything but SDA's for my rig, but the Maggies changed that for me as well. Driven right and positioned properly, the imaging is off the charts. MY MG-20's also have a ribbon tweeter that is 66" tall. They are reproducing details within a recording that I never new existed.

Listening to them tonight is better than an oxycontin buzz.:cool:

[EndersShadow]

I never thought about anything but SDA's for my rig, but the Maggies changed that for me as well. Driven right and positioned properly, the imaging is off the charts. MY MG-20's also have a ribbon tweeter that is 66" tall. They are reproducing details within a recording that I never new existed.

Listening to them tonight is better than an oxycontin buzz.:cool:

Well after having one of the oxycotton buzz's I now need to hear your 20's to compare it too :smile:....

[organ]

Skip,
You've gotten a lot of suggestions for Maggies. Don't know if you're headed that direction. But if you are, bring your Jolida to the dealer and demo first.
I had a pair of 1.6 for about a year and was only happy feeding them high power SS (200w/ch into 8 ohms and 400 into 4).

[audiocr381ve]

Once you go Maggie its all over for you :smile:... I know my 2 channel system will be a set of MMG's or the next model line up with a good sub because I am a bass head and like to feel the punch of bass......

But Maggies are the first speaker my wife is like "Babe, we need to get a pair"... and thats after hearing Johns SDA's, LSi's, LSiM's, Paradigm's as well.....

So I will be getting a set with utmost haste when I can afford to get the gear to run them right :smile:

Man, this just did not happen for me at all. I heard so many great reviews and comments about Maggie's that I actually bought a pair of MG12's on consignment. Those had a slight rattle when low bass notes hit so I didn't even have more than a few weeks with them. I decided to move up and get the 1.7's purely based on hype (the speakers JUST came out). I auditioned the 1.7's at the dealers in a treated room on electronics that were in the 15-20k range, and I hated it. The dealer convinced me they needed to break in so I took a pair home. They absolutely never sounded good in my apartment (yea, 1.7's in an apartment!) and I returned them after a month. Nothing about them drew me in.

Now I'm convinced I want to try them again someday with a decent sub since I now have high ceilings and space for them to breathe.

[organ]

Now I'm convinced I want to try them again someday with a decent sub since I now have high ceilings and space for them to breathe.

My 1.6 sounded much more balanced with external subs. Made me like them more but they still weren't my cup of tea.

[EndersShadow]

^if you dont place em right, and give them the right power they sound like crap. The times I have heard the 3.6QR's and 3.7's they were on 10k+ amps and sounded glorious.....

Johns MMG's were being powered by Silver Seven T monoblock amps or his Sunfire, I forget which..... both of which are not super expensive amps and the MMG's sounded glorious.

We could crank the volume all day long with no distortion at all. That said if your looking for lots of in the club type bass you wont get it from these without a nice sub.

The attack, decay and overall air of Maggies are awesome... That and when your done with them if you need to you can move them pretty easy out of the way for storage (the smaller ones that is)

[organ]

I gave them plenty of power and room. More than 3 feet from back wall. I did enjoy the sound a lot but after a while I went back to higher end horns and single drivers (most likely due to my preference for very low powered single ended tube amps).
They're great performers but not really for me. I still recommend them to people looking for something different.

[wattmeworry]

Dont know if your close to Dallas, but their are a pair of Legacy Signature III for sale on audiogon that are great for music.I would put up a link if I knew how.

[madmax]

Max, can you liken their sound to anything more commonly distributed?

I can't really say I've heard anything popular with the same character. They match very closely to my Avantgarde Duos. Very quick, full, dynamic and real sounding. Very musical and a lot of fun to listen to. Mine sounded like crap for the first few weeks so if you demo them keep that in mind. The sound is very amp dependent, I tried about 5 different amps and they all sounded quite different. I tend to like them best with a little class D amp, 30 to 50wpc.

[DSkip]

I can't really say I've heard anything popular with the same character. They match very closely to my Avantgarde Duos. Very quick, full, dynamic and real sounding. Very musical and a lot of fun to listen to. Mine sounded like crap for the first few weeks so if you demo them keep that in mind. The sound is very amp dependent, I tried about 5 different amps and they all sounded quite different. I tend to like them best with a little class D amp, 30 to 50wpc.

Did you try tubes on them?


Also, does anyone know if there's a way to search A-gon listings by zip? I haven't been able to figure that one out since they revamped the website.

[marvda1]

here's that local legacy link.
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/legacy-audio-signature-iii-pristine-legacy-sig-iii-s-a

[brianle]

Did you try tubes on them?


Also, does anyone know if there's a way to search A-gon listings by zip? I haven't been able to figure that one out since they revamped the website.

You'll have to search for a specific item first then you can narrow your result with the zip code from the result page

[Face]

The Zu is actually on the top of my list right now. I kind of want them to be a statement piece, and the Zu definitely fits the bill. Other brands listed do as well for the most part, but something about them is intriguing. Max, can you liken their sound to anything more commonly distributed?An alarm clock radio with a tweeter.

[audiocr381ve]

An alarm clock radio with a tweeter.

That can't be good! The Zu speakers sure do look pretty.

[nooshinjohn]

Emo gear looks pretty as well...:twisted::cheesygrin:

I heard a pair of these and was not overly impressed. I love the way they got started though, as it reminds me of how Matt Polk and Bob Carver began... out of their garages.

[madmax]

Did you try tubes on them?




Yeah, all kinds. There is a review I did somewhere in the 2 channel section. Unfortunately you can't search two letters, ZU.

[Face]

Yeah, all kinds. There is a review I did somewhere in the 2 channel section. Unfortunately you can't search two letters, ZU.http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?109773-Just-ordered-some-Zu-Audio-speakers!&highlight=audio

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?116736-Zu-Audio-Soul-Superflys

[DSkip]

Having these LSiM 705's in house might have pushed me further towards the 703. These things just sound phenomenal, even while running mediocre speaker cables and a Pio BDP as a source. What the 705 lacks in slam, the 703 more than makes up for. I think for my ears that slam makes up for the lower bass since I can't pick those frequencies up as well as others.

[DMara]

What? Are you saying the 703 creates more slam than the 705? That's interesting...

[leroyjr1]

Having these LSiM 705's in house might have pushed me further towards the 703. These things just sound phenomenal, even while running mediocre speaker cables and a Pio BDP as a source. What the 705 lacks in slam, the 703 more than makes up for. I think for my ears that slam makes up for the lower bass since I can't pick those frequencies up as well as others.

Having heard both I dont get the lack of slam you're experiencing with the 705's. From top to bottom the 705's are my favorite and has heart pounding slam. What are you powering them with?

[DSkip]

The 705/707 doesn't match the midbass power of the 703. Yeah, they both dig down low, but there just isn't a punch like there is in the 703. This isn't really a diss on the towers as its a preference of style. The 703 is more "fun" than the towers IMO. For an all around sound, I'd say the 705/707 win out, but those towers definitely don't have heart pounding slam. At least nowhere near what the 703 does. As Jim has pointed out before, I think this boils down to the mid drivers being ported in the 703 and sealed in the 705/707.

FWIW the towers dig REALLY low, but there seems to be a lack of oomph in the 40-100 hz range.

[nooshinjohn]

I used to think that the "slam" I would get from my SDA's was the best sound I have ever heard. Turns out that bass "slam" for me is the exact opposite of what it should be, except for a live event, where something like that is expected. 95% of the recordings I have were done in a studio setting, and my goal is to bring the studio to life, right here in my living room. Slam is very much a non-factor anymore. Instead what I have is tonal accuracy, with each instrument given the proper presence within the sound field. Slam tends to overcome the detail in a performance IMHO, and with a few exceptions, should be avoided.

Take a drum kit for example. I can, with pinpoint accuracy walk up to the invisible cymbol tap. I have one Rush recording where I can hear Neil Pert grab the cymbol to silence the decay... I can hear his hand touch the Zildjan! The drums are tight, fast and believable to a point that I experience the proper "slam" I would feel if that kit were in my house. Where I think the concept of slam is mis-interpreted is when we try and turn a studio recording into a live event, and they are two very different things.

[falconcry72]

...Take a drum kit for example...

Maggies are great at drums. They're great at all acoustic instruments. I used to think that being good at acoustic meant you were good at acoustic guitar and mandolin, banjo etc. Nope. Acoustic means just that. Anything making noise without the help of electronics (aside from mics). Acoustic guitar, all strings, sax, woodwinds, even trumpets and other brass, the human voice, drums (even hard rock kits), etc. Better on maggies.

Think about how the sound of a snare drum is created..or a sax, or the voice... much more similar to how the ribbons in a maggie vibrate than to how a cone operates. That said, ain't nothing gonna recreate an electric guitar like a cone, cause that's how electric guitar sounds originate.

[nooshinjohn]

THe '20's have the best electric guitar sound I have ever heard... just my opinion.

[leroyjr1]

The 705/707 doesn't match the midbass power of the 703. Yeah, they both dig down low, but there just isn't a punch like there is in the 703. This isn't really a diss on the towers as its a preference of style. The 703 is more "fun" than the towers IMO. For an all around sound, I'd say the 705/707 win out, but those towers definitely don't have heart pounding slam. At least nowhere near what the 703 does. As Jim has pointed out before, I think this boils down to the mid drivers being ported in the 703 and sealed in the 705/707.

FWIW the towers dig REALLY low, but there seems to be a lack of oomph in the 40-100 hz range.

What are you powering the 705's with?

[falconcry72]

THe '20's have the best electric guitar sound I have ever heard... just my opinion.

Never heard the 20's, but I owned 3.6's for a while. I thought my Usher Dancer Mini 2's did a better job of electric guitar.

Not that the the maggies didn't do it well.. they did it excellently.

[DSkip]

I've heard them powered by a few things now, all tube integrated. Today, they were running off my Jolida SJ-302A and Marvins Yaqin 50 wpc integrated (can't remember exact model). They sounded good, but drums just felt lacking all day long. Its like they had no presence. We rolled in several other items, from speaker cables to IC's to different signal tubes, and though some combo's did more for that area than others, they never really stood out to me. I never felt like they were "in my house".

Like I said, this isn't to say they don't sound spectacular, because they do. Its just for my listening preferences, there's just something lacking in that arena.

[DMara]

Like I said, this isn't to say they don't sound spectacular, because they do. Its just for my listening preferences, there's just something lacking in that arena.

Yep, definitely to each his own. Personal preference should go above the rest :smile:

[F1nut]

Musical? The Soundfield Audio Monitor 1

http://soundfieldaudio.net/

[obieone]

I haven't seen anyone suggest the Mythos STS's yet? I love mine. Full Range, great for mustic, and HT. No placement issues. Was advised to put them on a tube diet, but never did:redface:
Can be had used for $1,500.
Just a suggestion

[Face]

http://philharmonicaudio.com/philharmonic1.html

[falconcry72]

Another unmentioned speaker thus far: the Usher Audio 718 bookshelf. Never heard it, but I can infer fairly accurately based on my md2's. Super accurate... almost to a fault.

[DSkip]

Another unmentioned speaker thus far: the Usher Audio 718 bookshelf. Never heard it, but I can infer fairly accurately based on my md2's. Super accurate... almost to a fault.

If someone is looking for them, the guy who sold me the Usher's is selling a pair now.

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/usher-audio-speakers-cp-6311-x-718-x-616

[halenhoang]

Skip,

The Soundfield Audio Monitor's that Mr F1 linked were at LSAF. Remember the experience?

Halen

[halenhoang]

If someone is looking for them, the guy who sold me the Usher's is selling a pair now.

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/usher-audio-speakers-cp-6311-x-718-x-616

Just looked at it. I saw X-616, X-718, $500. I damn near took the maple panels of my LSI's to build stands for the X-718's!!!

Halen

[DSkip]

He wants $500 just for the center.

[halenhoang]

He wants $500 just for the center.

Yes, that is why the naked maples are still intact. The maples will be re-worked soon. Can't stand that cabinet look.

Halen

[BlueFox]

Never mind. Misread a post.