Speaker suggestions sought for Accuphase front end

[Dave_72]

Originally Posted by nvp

I agree 100% Dave. What you say about the JBL Synthesis speakers is in fact true for all horn speakers that are properly design. People often talk about the “horn-coloration” only to ignore completely the “box-coloration” and the lack of dynamic found in almost all driver-in-the-box designs.

Cool. Sorry i overlooked that, but that is certainly true as well. Believe me, I wasn't sure I would like the horns not ever having a horn-based speaker. I was and still am surprised as to how musical they are. And the fact that they're compression drivers means you can really turn up the volume to insane lavels and they just won't quit.

[imprezap2]

TAD is originaly from Pioneer, still great equipment. Sony could have done the same.

[antipop]

Originally Posted by imprezap2

TAD is originaly from Pioneer, still great equipment. Sony could have done the same.

TAD is still Pioneer but they are managed independently (though I'm sure they benefit from the rest of the group)

[nvp]

Originally Posted by meltemi

If you had found your ideal speaker yet, there would have been no need to change that frequently.

Martin, in the last 6 years I had only two pairs of speakers in my main system. I have decided to change the Focal Micro Be & REL Stentor 3 combo mainly because we moved to a new home where I had a larger audio room. The finalists for replacing the MicroBe & REL combo were Avantgarde UNO and Vivid Audio Giya G3. After trying each of these two speakers for two weeks in my system I have bought the UNOs. (The G3 were wonderful speakers, but in the end I have chosen the UNOs because they played much nicer at low volume levels and also interacted significantly less with the room.)

Originally Posted by meltemi

Except B&W 800 Series ?

I have considered only the B&W 802 diamonds as replacements for the MicroBe & REL combo as I was told the B&W 800 diamonds will be too big for my room. They did not make it to the final, and the driver-in-a-box sound was there. (The 800 diamonds, however, are IMO significantly better than the 802 diamonds. I have seen/heard the 800 diamonds driven by Accuphase electronics playing music at least as good as a full Gryphon system costing 2-3 times more.)

[GaryProtein]

In view of the latest GLOWING review in TAS, I repeat my recommendation for the Magnepan 20.7

[meltemi]

Originally Posted by nvp

I have considered only the B&W 802 diamonds as replacements for the MicroBe & REL combo as I was told the B&W 800 diamonds will be too big for my room.

I heard that "too big for the room" argument repeatedly from sales people. If that really was true, I could not run 800 Diamonds in my room of 20.7m2 (53m3). But they work perfectly well in there.

Originally Posted by nvp

They did not make it to the final, and the driver-in-a-box sound was there. (The 800 diamonds, however, are IMO significantly better than the 802 diamonds. I have seen/heard the 800 diamonds driven by Accuphase electronics playing music at least as good as a full Gryphon system costing 2-3 times more.)

Driver-in-a-box sound from the Nautilus technology applied ? I barely can believe that.

My long term experience with B&W speakers shows, that you get out of them what you feed in. Even the smallest deficiencies of an electronic chain will almost mercilessly made audible. (And then the speakers are blamed, since that's where the sound comes from, and it gets completely forgotten, that there are another 10 or so compnents in the system, which influence the sound.)

In order to get optimum sonic results from my system, I had my DP-700 (it's sound was not open enough) replaced by DP-900/DC-901 and also my DG-48 replaced by DG-58 (see comparison description). In addition I chose speaker cables, which allegedly sonically almost disappear, and I drive the speakers with A-200.

Result: Pure music? yes; driver-in-a-box sound? no

[One and a Half]

Update B&W and Focal 1028 1st round.

Listened to B&W 803 partnered with Devialet amp and Linn sourced front end. Pleasant enough but requires different electronics, the source was mainly redbook and a few 96fs recordings, the combo certainly showed up weaknesses in that regard. I thought piano was quite good but understated.

Focal 1028 and McIntosh electronics. Same front end. Image a little too narrow and now height or width. Give the focals a miss.

Will return with an E-450 and own DAC later this month to try the 803 or 802's.

[imprezap2]

sounds strange, I had a combination Accuphase with 1037Be in the past and the imaging was certainly not narrow. Anyway 803/802 also very nice speakers.

[soundslikemusic]

just about any speakers will match with the accu but my favorite are the harbeths with the accuphase. match almost made in heaven.

[nvp]

Originally Posted by One and a Half

Update B&W and Focal 1028 1st round.

Listened to B&W 803 partnered with Devialet amp and Linn sourced front end. Pleasant enough but requires different electronics, the source was mainly redbook and a few 96fs recordings, the combo certainly showed up weaknesses in that regard. I thought piano was quite good but understated.

Focal 1028 and McIntosh electronics. Same front end. Image a little too narrow and now height or width. Give the focals a miss.

Will return with an E-450 and own DAC later this month to try the 803 or 802's.

I would not dismiss the Focal speakers just yet. First, Focal-Accuphase is a very good combination whereas Focal-McIntosh is less so IMO. Second, the stereo image and soundstage of a system are mostly determined by the placement of the speakers in the room.

If possible I would advice you to listen more brands of speakers. Dynaudio, Herbeth, Vivid Audio, Magico, Raidho and Martin Logan should definitively be on your short list. All these brands have models which are not only within your budget but are also as good as (or better than) the B&W and Focal speakers you have listened so far. (IMO Vivid Audio stands head and shoulders above the competition but one has to like their looks).