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#97501 - 01/06/18 05:00 PM Speaker recommendations?
Daddicus Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 11/27/17
Posts: 19
Loc: Minnesota, USA
I've got a 5000 amp, and I'm very happy with it. I have it paired with a 975, and an X13 sub. Obviously, I like them all, or I wouldn't be asking this question here. smile

However, I only have a small pair of very old speakers. They're quite good ($600 each when new in the '80s or '90s), but really, they should be my rears in a 5.1 surround system, at best. At worst, maybe they belong in the kitchen. You get the idea.

If Outlaw sold speakers, I would buy them in a flash, but they don't. So ...

Does anybody have any recommendations for how and where to start looking?

Particulars:

I don't listen to things very loudly, so they don't have to be "efficient" (or whatever today's buzzword is). I want clarity vs. loudness. We listen mostly to movies and to a lesser degree, to light music.

I really like Outlaw's philosophy of reproducing the sound as accurately as possible. So, my speakers should be built that way, too. Bells and whistles aren't needed for my tastes.

For pricing, I'm open to spending as much as I need to, under $10,000 (for a set). But the more I have to spend on them, the longer it will take until I have the funds (we budget EVERYTHING). So, advice on how much each speaker should cost would be helpful, just as much as actual speaker recommendations.

I have no preference regarding floor-standing, wall mount, bookshelf, or whatever.

I think I want to stick with 8 ohm speakers, unless there's a compelling reason to do otherwise.

This will likely be the last set of speakers I'll ever buy (I'm almost 60). Therefore, I want to do it right. They don't have to look exotic or anything like that (although, I wouldn't turn them down on that basis alone, either).

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#97504 - 01/06/18 10:17 PM Re: Speaker recommendations? [Re: Daddicus]
mdrconsult Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 05/27/07
Posts: 126
Loc: Austin, Texas
Daddicus,

Speakers are a very individual thing.What one person thinks is great another will things is terrible. For instance, a great many people rave about B&W speakers, personally I just don't like their sound nor their look. I am, however, a huge fan of Sonus Faber. I absolutely love their sound and they look amazing. With a $10K budget you can do quite well. You certainly won't be at the top of their line but even their entry speakers are amazing. Also, don't be afraid to buy used speakers. Sonus speakers last forever! I have a set of Sonus Electas in my office that are about 30 years old and the sound every bit as good as they did when I got them.

If you want new, I would look at the Venere series. You could get a pair of Venere 3.0 (front towers), a pair of Venere 2.0 (surrounds) and a Venere Center for under $7K. If you want to step up a level it would be the Olympica, but they would blow out your budget. I currently have Olympica III and they are the best speakers I have ever owned (at any price). I previously had the Luito series and I really loved them. If you look around (especially on Audiogon, or Ebay) you could probably get in to a used set of Luitos, towers, bookshelf and center all within your budget. That would run around $6K and they are a step up form the Venere series. The center might be hard to find, but I have one that I would consider selling.

OK, I'll get off my Sonus Faber band wagon now. You mentioned you would buy Outlaw speakers if they made them. Well, the next closest thing would be to look at Atlantic Technologies, https://atlantictechnology.com , speakers. I think there is some sort of connection between the 2 companies but I don't know for sure exactly what it is. I am sure there are others on here that could provide those details. I think you can get in to a set of theirs for just over $5K. I have never owned them but they have gotten very good reviews.

A couple of other suggestions. Don't go cheap on speakers. Buy the best speakers you can afford. This is not 100% true, but I look at like this; you're getting married to your speakers and you are just dating the rest of your equipment. The only other piece of equipment that I upgrade less frequently are my amps. Everything else is changing frequently, but my speakers I commit to, just like my amps. Also, listen to as many different speakers as you can. Make sure you take into consideration the showroom where you are listening. Room acoustics and overall setup can dramatically change the sound when you are demoing the speakers. Be especially careful in small demo rooms. The sound in those rooms can be very misleading. And finally, once you have selected your speakers make sure you do what it takes to get them setup correctly for your room. I can tell you several horror stories about people who have spent a lot of money on speakers and just stuck them wherever was convenient (or where the wife would let them) and were very disappointed with the sound. I have on more than one occasion had to help voice speakers for friends who were amazed at the sound different once they were setup correctly.

Well, enjoy the adventure! I hope you find something really special. OK, one last plug, but if I were buying the last speakers of my life, I would absolutely want Sonus Faber! Good Luck.
_________________________
Emotiva XMC-1, Outlaw 7500, Sonus Faber Olympica III Fronts, SF Liuto Center, SF Surrounds, LFM-1 EX, Oppo BDP-103D, Apple TV (Gen. 4), Mitsubishi 65" Diamond DLP, Outlaw Cables, PS Audio Power Quintet, Duet and power cords.

Top
#97505 - 01/07/18 10:15 AM Re: Speaker recommendations? [Re: Daddicus]
butchgo Offline
Desperado

Registered: 06/22/07
Posts: 368
Loc: Southern Oregon coast
Originally Posted By Daddicus
I've got a 5000 amp, and I'm very happy with it. I have it paired with a 975, and an X13 sub. Obviously, I like them all, or I wouldn't be asking this question here. smile

However, I only have a small pair of very old speakers. They're quite good ($600 each when new in the '80s or '90s), but really, they should be my rears in a 5.1 surround system, at best. At worst, maybe they belong in the kitchen. You get the idea.

If Outlaw sold speakers, I would buy them in a flash, but they don't. So ...

Does anybody have any recommendations for how and where to start looking?

Particulars:

I don't listen to things very loudly, so they don't have to be "efficient" (or whatever today's buzzword is). I want clarity vs. loudness. We listen mostly to movies and to a lesser degree, to light music.

I really like Outlaw's philosophy of reproducing the sound as accurately as possible. So, my speakers should be built that way, too. Bells and whistles aren't needed for my tastes.

For pricing, I'm open to spending as much as I need to, under $10,000 (for a set). But the more I have to spend on them, the longer it will take until I have the funds (we budget EVERYTHING). So, advice on how much each speaker should cost would be helpful, just as much as actual speaker recommendations.

I have no preference regarding floor-standing, wall mount, bookshelf, or whatever.

I think I want to stick with 8 ohm speakers, unless there's a compelling reason to do otherwise.

This will likely be the last set of speakers I'll ever buy (I'm almost 60). Therefore, I want to do it right. They don't have to look exotic or anything like that (although, I wouldn't turn them down on that basis alone, either).

What is your budget for new speakers?
_________________________
Epson 3500 3D projector
93" Carl's Place Flexiwhite DIY screen
Outlaw 976 Pre/Pro
Outlaw 7500 for LCR & L/R surrounds
1- Emotiva Mini X-A100 for rear surrounds
2- Outlaw LFM-1 EX subs
Oppo BDP-105 Blu-ray/DVD/SACD player
Outlaw LCR (Snell Labs) for center channel duty
Tekton Enzo XL L/R
4- Emotiva ERD-1s surround speakers
Monster HTS3600MKII power center

Top
#97510 - 01/07/18 04:36 PM Re: Speaker recommendations? [Re: Daddicus]
XenonMan Offline
Desperado

Registered: 04/08/08
Posts: 2676
Loc: Columbus,North Carolina
The best advice I ever got was to make sure to audition them in your home before finalizing the deal. There are quite a few online shops that will free ship to and from your home and allow you some time frame to check them out. Without having that type of hassle you can go to any of the big audio mags and look at their archives and current reviews for a start. Check out this one for instance: https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews/speaker. They have a lot of current and past reviews as does https://www.soundandvision.com. Also check out Axiom Audio and Aperion Audio as both are well reviewed and easily fit your budget. Like was said earlier, speakers are an individual preference but you don't have to spend $10000 to get great sound.
_________________________
Music system
Model 990/7500/Magnepan 1.6 QRs/Technics SL1200 MK2/Aperion S-12 Subwoofer/OWA3/Sony NS75H DVD
APC H15 Power Conditioner

TV System
Large Advent Loudspeakers/ Polk center/Monoprice surrounds/Panasonic Viera 42 inch/Onkyo HT-RC260/Sony BDP S590/Directv


Home Theater System
Onkyo PR-SC886/Outlaw 7125 Klipsch RF-82 L/R,RC-62 center, RB-35 SR/SL, BENQ HT1075, Outlaw LFM1-EX/OPPO BDP-83/Directv
Harmony ONE
Blue Jeans and Monoprice interconnects
APC H15 Power Conditioner

Top
#97511 - 01/07/18 05:28 PM Re: Speaker recommendations? [Re: Daddicus]
butchgo Offline
Desperado

Registered: 06/22/07
Posts: 368
Loc: Southern Oregon coast
For $10K I would look at Tekton's Double Impact with the upgrades.
You can check them out here - http://www.tektondesign.com/double-impact.html
https://hometheaterreview.com/tekton-design-double-impact-floorstanding-speaker-reviewed/

Then bank the rest.


Edited by butchgo (01/07/18 06:19 PM)
_________________________
Epson 3500 3D projector
93" Carl's Place Flexiwhite DIY screen
Outlaw 976 Pre/Pro
Outlaw 7500 for LCR & L/R surrounds
1- Emotiva Mini X-A100 for rear surrounds
2- Outlaw LFM-1 EX subs
Oppo BDP-105 Blu-ray/DVD/SACD player
Outlaw LCR (Snell Labs) for center channel duty
Tekton Enzo XL L/R
4- Emotiva ERD-1s surround speakers
Monster HTS3600MKII power center

Top
#97523 - 01/08/18 12:42 PM Re: Speaker recommendations? [Re: Daddicus]
arbitrageur Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 12/16/17
Posts: 58
Loc: Minneapolis, MN
All of the advice offered in this thread so far is quite good. Here is my take:

Really get to know the room you will be placing the speakers in (dimensions, materials). How much flexibility do you have for placement (near wall, on wall, in wall, how far can things be moved to find the right placement)? Changing the speaker and listener placement by just a few inches or degrees can dramatically alter the sound. What is your preference for sound - fill the room or pinpoint imaging and detail? If you work with a retailer, a good one will want to know details about the room and what is in it. A speaker works with (or fights) the room (and its contents) and the combination of the two is the biggest impact on what you hear. The different manufacturers and models target different room sizes, placements, and customer demographics. Price is a result of technology/engineering, manufacturing quality/materials, and distribution model - any of which may be more or less important to you. The best speaker for your space and ears won't necessarily be the most expensive you can afford.

In my personal space, which is a dedicated listening room that can accommodate acoustic treatments, I spent half on the speakers and half on room treatments. If I could have picked a different room it would have higher ceilings, more depth/length, and more symmetry.
_________________________
Outlaw Audio Model 976 / 7700 / Ultra-X13
B&W CM9, CM Center, DS3 (side), DM303 (back)
Blue Jeans Cables (XLRs, Canare 4S11 Bi-wire, HDMI)
Tivo Bolt, Xbox Series X, Panasonic ub820, AppleTV 4k, LG C765P
Roon, Allo Digione Signature, Sonore MicroRendu, Uptone Audio LPS-1, Peachtree Audio Nova 150
GIK Acoustics Soffit Bass Traps, 244 Panels, Monster Bass Traps, QRD7 / Polyfusor Diffusers

Top
#97582 - 01/12/18 10:49 PM Re: Speaker recommendations? [Re: mdrconsult]
Daddicus Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 11/27/17
Posts: 19
Loc: Minnesota, USA
Originally Posted By mdrconsult
Daddicus,

Speakers are a very individual thing.What one person thinks is great another will things is terrible. For instance, a great many people rave about B&W speakers, personally I just don't like their sound nor their look. I am, however, a huge fan of Sonus Faber. I absolutely love their sound and they look amazing. With a $10K budget you can do quite well. You certainly won't be at the top of their line but even their entry speakers are amazing. Also, don't be afraid to buy used speakers. Sonus speakers last forever! I have a set of Sonus Electas in my office that are about 30 years old and the sound every bit as good as they did when I got them.

If you want new, I would look at the Venere series. You could get a pair of Venere 3.0 (front towers), a pair of Venere 2.0 (surrounds) and a Venere Center for under $7K. If you want to step up a level it would be the Olympica, but they would blow out your budget. I currently have Olympica III and they are the best speakers I have ever owned (at any price). I previously had the Luito series and I really loved them. If you look around (especially on Audiogon, or Ebay) you could probably get in to a used set of Luitos, towers, bookshelf and center all within your budget. That would run around $6K and they are a step up form the Venere series. The center might be hard to find, but I have one that I would consider selling.

OK, I'll get off my Sonus Faber band wagon now. You mentioned you would buy Outlaw speakers if they made them. Well, the next closest thing would be to look at Atlantic Technologies, https://atlantictechnology.com , speakers. I think there is some sort of connection between the 2 companies but I don't know for sure exactly what it is. I am sure there are others on here that could provide those details. I think you can get in to a set of theirs for just over $5K. I have never owned them but they have gotten very good reviews.

A couple of other suggestions. Don't go cheap on speakers. Buy the best speakers you can afford. This is not 100% true, but I look at like this; you're getting married to your speakers and you are just dating the rest of your equipment. The only other piece of equipment that I upgrade less frequently are my amps. Everything else is changing frequently, but my speakers I commit to, just like my amps. Also, listen to as many different speakers as you can. Make sure you take into consideration the showroom where you are listening. Room acoustics and overall setup can dramatically change the sound when you are demoing the speakers. Be especially careful in small demo rooms. The sound in those rooms can be very misleading. And finally, once you have selected your speakers make sure you do what it takes to get them setup correctly for your room. I can tell you several horror stories about people who have spent a lot of money on speakers and just stuck them wherever was convenient (or where the wife would let them) and were very disappointed with the sound. I have on more than one occasion had to help voice speakers for friends who were amazed at the sound different once they were setup correctly.

Well, enjoy the adventure! I hope you find something really special. OK, one last plug, but if I were buying the last speakers of my life, I would absolutely want Sonus Faber! Good Luck.

Thanks for the tips!

Top
#97583 - 01/12/18 10:53 PM Re: Speaker recommendations? [Re: butchgo]
Daddicus Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 11/27/17
Posts: 19
Loc: Minnesota, USA
Originally Posted By butchgo

What is your budget for new speakers?

Under $10,000

Top
#97584 - 01/12/18 10:55 PM Re: Speaker recommendations? [Re: XenonMan]
Daddicus Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 11/27/17
Posts: 19
Loc: Minnesota, USA
Originally Posted By XenonMan
The best advice I ever got was to make sure to audition them in your home before finalizing the deal. There are quite a few online shops that will free ship to and from your home and allow you some time frame to check them out. Without having that type of hassle you can go to any of the big audio mags and look at their archives and current reviews for a start. Check out this one for instance: https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews/speaker. They have a lot of current and past reviews as does https://www.soundandvision.com. Also check out Axiom Audio and Aperion Audio as both are well reviewed and easily fit your budget. Like was said earlier, speakers are an individual preference but you don't have to spend $10000 to get great sound.

Thanks for that tip!

Top
#97585 - 01/12/18 10:57 PM Re: Speaker recommendations? [Re: butchgo]
Daddicus Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 11/27/17
Posts: 19
Loc: Minnesota, USA
Originally Posted By butchgo
For $10K I would look at Tekton's Double Impact with the upgrades.
You can check them out here - http://www.tektondesign.com/double-impact.html
https://hometheaterreview.com/tekton-design-double-impact-floorstanding-speaker-reviewed/

Then bank the rest.

Thanks for the tip!

Top
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