My setup updates to come. Part I : the speakers

[Themis]

Hi all,

so, I'm thinking seriously of changing the speakers. And I start this thread in order to get your opinions, advice and anything that would help my poor little brain (sitting between my strange ears) to make a decision.
Ears command when it comes to speaker choice, that's for sure, but the brain ... ultimately decides. At least I hope ! :lol:

My actual speakers are a pair of Sonus Faber Grand Piano Domus.
http://www.nadomene.ru/spkol/p_Sonus_Faber_Grand_Piano_Domus_2186.jpg


Now, a few things about me, my listening habits et caetera:

First of all the listening room : about 5 meters wide and 7m long. I can have a good meter behind the speakers, no problem. The room is open on one side and has a curved ceiling. A bright environment, but not too bright : an easy load for speakers.
The amp is a Croft (Pre 25R+Power). I have to warn, that I'm not willing to change the amp because of the speakers : that is that any speaker that can't be properly powered by the Crofts is a no-go. I don't plan to power my garden, just my living-room, so, I don't like strange crossovers/speakers that need an amplifier that "produces enough current to power an arc welder" (as Glenn says). :mental:

I listen to several types of music, almost anything. I have a clear preference for prog-rock, but I listen to -almost- anything.
The most important to me are the medium frequencies. I expect pristine midband from my speakers : voices and lyrics are important. Most natural instruments are important. I don't care about ultra-high frequencies (I'm 55, I doubt I can hear a single bloody thing over 15kHz anyway) and I don't listen to a organ music, so I don't feel the need of having a speaker under 40Hz. I prefer a clean bass, cut under 50Hz to a muddy 30Hz boomer.

Last thing to say, is that I'm perfectly happy with the Sonus Faber. I seek simply for better, speakers that have much the same qualities as the SF.

I will audition a few Harbeths next week (SHL5, 30.1, and perhaps another one). I will be glad to gather your opinion on these.
And anything else that comes to your mind (if I can find them i France for some listening). :eyebrows:

Thank you in advance ! :)

[jandl100]

... and you are prepared to spend up to ... ?

New / used?

[wiicrackpot]

I listen to several types of music, almost anything. I have a clear preference for prog-rock, but I listen to -almost- anything.
The most important to me are the medium frequencies. I expect pristine midband from my speakers : voices and lyrics are important. Most natural instruments are important. I don't care about ultra-high frequencies (I'm 55, I doubt I can hear a single bloody thing over 15kHz anyway) and I don't listen to a organ music, so I don't feel the need of having a speaker under 40Hz. I prefer a clean bass, cut under 50Hz to a muddy 30Hz boomer.

Last thing to say, is that I'm perfectly happy with the Sonus Faber. I seek simply for better, speakers that have much the same qualities as the SF.

I will audition a few Harbeths next week (SHL5, 30.1, and perhaps another one). I will be glad to gather your opinion on these.
And anything else that comes to your mind (if I can find them i France for some listening). :eyebrows:

Thank you in advance ! :)
Look no further than Harbeth's, especially the bold part of your post and what you described as not important to you which some criticise,must say my time with the SHL5 was the happiest ever, i'd put your SF Domus in the classifieds right now :eek::eek:.............
..only joakin'. :D, let us know how the dem go.

Going by your location, have you never considered Cabasse?, my favourite French speaker and would go well with valves. :cool:

[jandl100]

Electrostatics and ribbons - full range or hybrids can be interesting and often do the mids very well indeed.

--- stacked Quad 57 - now there's a thought! ;)

http://mniec.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/hqdusa_resize.jpg?w=594&h=413

[Themis]

... and you are prepared to spend up to ... ?

New / used?
About 5000£ is what I want to spend. I can spend a little more if it can really make a big difference.

I don't mind about new/old, really. I'm not fussy on that, Jerry.

Stacked Quad ESLs ! :stalks:No, I think they won't fit (unfortunately), my living room is used by everybody, wife won't accept that I hi-jack the living room... :(

[Themis]

Look no further than Harbeth's, especially the bold part of your post and what you described as not important to you which some criticise,must say my time with the SHL5 was the happiest ever, i'd put your SF Domus in the classifieds right now :eek::eek:.............
..only joakin'. :D, let us know how the dem go.

Going by your location, have you never considered Cabasse?, my favourite French speaker and would go well with valves. :cool:
Thank you for your advice Andy. :)

Harbeths are, indeed, high on my list. ;)

Cabasse have made tens of very good speakers, indeed. The only problem with Cabasse (in France, at least) is to find a hifi shop where to audition them in good conditions : the brand is turned to mass-selling, shops where you can't have a normal listening I'm afraid. :(
But your idea is good, I'll try to find some place to listen to them. :)

[wiicrackpot]

Hi Dimitri,

Get what you say about Cabasse, they seem to have moved more to tall and slim lifestyle speakers,
but their recent release with the Co-axial driver (eyeball on a funky stand) looks wicked. :)

My experience of them was about 20years with vintage one's, in a wee shop with my sister in Gex,
she was looking for a wee system for her new house,there was a pair of big one's (Clippers i think) and tiny pair with the 12k16 driver,
i remember sitting there thinking they were very good, bigger was better of course, :D
back then i was a flatearther with fruitbox ''british is best'' guy. :doh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCwRRLbfnwc

[jandl100]

France, eh?

Yep, Cabasse make some good speakers. Efficient, too, but watch the impedance rating! I think they can be 4 ohms which the Croft might struggle with, depending. SFs are quite a friendly listen, I think Cabasse can be, as well.
So it all depends if you want a change or more of the same.

I've also heard very positive reports about the new Focal range, but again the Croft might struggle.

Harbeths are a bit marmite (well, most speakers are, I guess!), personally I would look elsewhere but they have lots of fans. I think they give a very different presentation to SFs, so it will be interesting to see what you think.

There are just so many speakers out there these days - anyone's advice is limited to the small proportion that they have experienced - my advice is to potter along to some local hifi emporia and/or hifi shows (if any?) and just have a listen. £5k is a lot of money - best to take your time, consider the options and spend it wisely!

[Themis]

but their recent release with the Co-axial driver (eyeball on a funky stand) looks wicked. :)

Do you have the Cabasse Bora model in mind, Andy ?

http://www.son-video.com/images/dynamic/Enceintes_compactes/articles/Cabasse/CABBORANR/Cabasse-Bora-Noir-piano_P_600.jpg

[Themis]

There are just so many speakers out there these days - anyone's advice is limited to the small proportion that they have experienced - my advice is to potter along to some local hifi emporia and/or hifi shows (if any?) and just have a listen. £5k is a lot of money - best to take your time, consider the options and spend it wisely!
Thanks for the advice, Jerry. :cool:

I'm trying to narrow the choice (which is, as you say, plethora) that's why I'm gathering views... ;)

Your impedance rating warning is important, and not only for Crofts. My SF are 4 ohms already, Croft are one of the rare electronics capable of driving them nicely. Some 10k£ gear set apart, of course ! :D

[John]

I would try as many speakers as you can. Try and hear a few different approaches to speaker design too

[Tarzan]

Harbeth HL5 spring to mind straight away,this week l end had the pleasure of having a demonstration of some Audionote AN/L LX loudspeakers and these are wide open with a great midrange,amazing sound and clarity.

[Alex_UK]

Harbeth SHL5 are still my favourite speakers and well under budget - you could have 2 pairs! ;)

[icehockeyboy]

I believe you need to add Usher to your short list.

[Reffc]

SHL5s are room dependant...an audition would need to be done in your own listening environment. They should work in your rom size though. I agree with John's advice. Listen to as many as you can. Don't rule out decent vintage speakers either as long as they're in good condition. Celestion Ditton 66s; Quad ESLs and Tannoy Chatsworths, or better still, the larger Yorks also worth a look.

[wiicrackpot]

No Dimitri, higher up than Bora, La Sphére and L'Océan, :) as others have said, with your budget,
listen to as many as you can, any dealer would go the extra mile to help fleece you of 5K.

[Themis]

Thank you all for your advice so far, be sure I'll try to follow every single one ! :)


No Dimitri, higher up than Bora, La Sphére and L'Océan, :)
These are legends, not ordinary speakers for a guy like me !!! :stalks:

[loo]

Hi , lots of quad 2905's available from various dealers as the new model has arrived , well within your price range and absolutely superb for that money .:)

[DSJR]

The BETTER Spendors should also be considered nowadays too. They've come a long and fruitful way since Phil Swift first took over the company and designer Terry Miles has done some good work to liven them up without removing the nice midrange they've always had. This is going to be taken all wrong by certain individuals, but hifi dave has taken the D7's on recently, and they offer a very interesting alternative at higher price, to the SHL5, which prefers a bit of room around it. The D7 by all accounts could be used closer to a rear wall and the styling should look quite conservative-modern I think, with well finished boxes.

I was always a fan of the old Sonus Faber Cremona and hope the new ones carry this on. Not at all 'HiFi,' the balance was slightly old fashioned - slightly dry and 'nasal' like Quad 57's (I mean that as a compliment, since it favours string tone really well), and with absolutely no boom or harshness at all (shows that good passives can really work well).

Hope the above helps a bit. I'm still a firm Harbeth fan and if your room likes the SHL5, you'll have to go a long way to 'better' them (not sure the 40.1 is 'better,' but it's certainly a bigger sound...), but the two above (the Spendor especially) should offer proper and serious alternatives with a good finish too :)

[Themis]

The BETTER Spendors should also be considered nowadays too. They've come a long and fruitful way since Phil Swift first took over the company and designer Terry Miles has done some good work to liven them up without removing the nice midrange they've always had. This is going to be taken all wrong by certain individuals, but hifi dave has taken the D7's on recently, and they offer a very interesting alternative at higher price, to the SHL5, which prefers a bit of room around it. The D7 by all accounts could be used closer to a rear wall and the styling should look quite conservative-modern I think, with well finished boxes.

I was always a fan of the old Sonus Faber Cremona and hope the new ones carry this on. Not at all 'HiFi,' the balance was slightly old fashioned - slightly dry and 'nasal' like Quad 57's (I mean that as a compliment, since it favours string tone really well), and with absolutely no boom or harshness at all (shows that good passives can really work well).

Hi Dave,

actually I had in mind auditioning the ST model, but (if I read between the lines) would you mean that the D7 is probably a still better alternative ? :scratch:

the SF have some ups and downs on the more recent models: the Venere are not bad, but not up to the older models (like mine or like the Cremona M). Cremona Auditors M are on my shortlist, for sure. I still have to listen to the new Olympica series, but (I guess) they won't be available for listening until ...September ? We will see.

I think that we have much of the same taste in hifi reproduction, so your opinion is highly valuable to me. ;)

[Themis]

Hi , lots of quad 2905's available from various dealers as the new model has arrived , well within your price range and absolutely superb for that money .:)
Well noted, thank you Paul. ;)