Speaker opinions - which ones (if any) should I take notice of?

[Phil Lawton]

Looking generally at replacing my TDLs with something more substantial. As budget's an issue, the second-hand market is where I'm concentrating on. I imagine that £250-ish is around what I'm looking to spend (give or take £50).

Having hunted down a few likely candidates on eBay, I then peruse the web for opinions on each model.

But is this the way to go? For every "I love these", there's some counter-argument about how lacking in mid-range or bass or top-end the item in question has. Even makes I consider to be very respectable (B&W, for instance) draw sharply conflicting views from all and sundry.

I'm far too big and ugly to pose the question "Which speaker is best?" (because there is no sensible answer to that), but I really need to ask if I should be taking notice of every negative perception expressed about any speaker I go looking for...or should I rely on the general reputation of a brand?

Any thoughts?

[struth]

You'll need to have a listen to some yourself or you will just be listening with others ears. See if you can arrange a bake off in your area with some folk that have and willing to bring them along for the event. Supply of food and refreshments will always help :)

[Phil Lawton]

Is that a "no", then, Grant?

[Gordon Steadman]

You'll need to have a listen to some yourself or you will just be listening with others ears. See if you can arrange a bake off in your area with some folk that have and willing to bring them along for the event. Supply of food and refreshments will always help :)

Absolutely. There are speakers out there that have had fantastic reviews that I wouldn't give house room, they just don't do what I require (that includes most big Tannoys:sofa::sofa:)

So only your ears can do the job.

[struth]

Is that a "no", then, Grant?

So many variables Phil. type of music, amp, room your preferences etc. list can be exhaustive. Do you like a lot of bass etc. I'd say look for some Kefs coz I like them, but others will say Tannoys. Cellestions. etc.
Tbh its difficult to know what you like. I am using Kef Cara and they are about right for me and my room at present. I have a set of Tannoy 637's that are really good but perhaps too much for my room. Also have a set of IMF supers that I like too. how about Mission 770's. should be well in your budget. nice speakers those.I just sold a set of 737's and they were mint damn near for 70£ or so. new owner likes them.

[walpurgis]

Speaker choices and preferences are totally system and environment dependant and of course personal taste comes into play. But I guess an awful sound will be that for anybody. What works in one situation can definitely sound horrible in a different context.

I'm a bit luckier (or more unfortunate?) than most, having got through an awful lot of equipment, thereby having a fair idea of how a particular speaker (or other item) may sound in my home and on my system, but most people are in the dark I reckon.

It's not unusual for good speakers to not sound impressive on first listen, but have qualities that show when you've got more used to them. Speakers that immediately 'impress', can turn out to be wearing in the long term.

[fatmarley]

What TDLs do you have and what do you like or dislike about them?

[jandl100]

I bought a pair of SD Acoustics SD1 on eBay for £222. Superb for that money, although probably as big and ugly as you are! :)

Also a pair of active Bowers Active Ones for £400 (wouldn't need a power amp with these so you might be able to free up some dosh).

Both excellent and worth looking out for - much better speakers than you would normally expect for that sort of money, imo.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/SD1BowersActive.jpg (http://s262.photobucket.com/user/jandl100/media/SD1BowersActive.jpg.html)

Note - both come with a grilles to cover all the gubbins. ;)

[Michael loves music]

Thanks to Geoffs advice I have a superb pair of Mordaunt short Pageant 2 sound amazing with my electronic music ! A chap in London is selling these speakers on eBay with the stands from John Lewis 30 years ago ! Mine are 40 years old ! Currently £6 on eBay my god I buy a second pair for the lounge

[agk]

What TDLs do you have and what do you like or dislike about them?

A good starting point.

[walpurgis]

Thanks to Geoffs advice I have a superb pair of Mordaunt short Pageant 2 sound amazing with my electronic music ! A chap in London is selling these speakers on eBay with the stands from John Lewis 30 years ago ! Mine are 40 years old ! Currently £6 on eBay my god I buy a second pair for the lounge

Bet you still haven't put modern terminals on them you naughty lad! :)

[Phil Lawton]

What TDLs do you have and what do you like or dislike about them?

They're the KV6s, Matt - to be honest, there's nothing I don't like about them (other than they're maybe a tad - and only a tad - boomy now and then), but there's that nagging thing in my head that I could do better.

I've been looking at B&W recently, but when I go onto the web to look for reviews, there's always a seam of discontent running through any thread where they're discussed. BUT...it's the same for anything, I find - and as someone pointed out above, it's all a matter of taste.

As I'm looking in the second-hand world, most of what I'm looking at is usually discontinued. Thusly, it's difficult to ignore the opinion and simply audition a few pairs.

This is why I haven't asked what I should go for - I'll bet everyone here would swear by (and tell me to avoid) most makes and/or models. So should I trust "good" brands and ignore only the most calamitous horror stories if and when I find them?

[agk]

Find some reviews of your current speakers and compare these with the reviews of your possible replacements then.
That might be as good as you can get.
I would only use other people's opinions as a very rough guide.

[high.spirits]

Looking generally at replacing my TDLs with something more substantial. As budget's an issue, the second-hand market is where I'm concentrating on. I imagine that £250-ish is around what I'm looking to spend (give or take £50).

Having hunted down a few likely candidates on eBay, I then peruse the web for opinions on each model.

But is this the way to go? For every "I love these", there's some counter-argument about how lacking in mid-range or bass or top-end the item in question has. Even makes I consider to be very respectable (B&W, for instance) draw sharply conflicting views from all and sundry.

I'm far too big and ugly to pose the question "Which speaker is best?" (because there is no sensible answer to that), but I really need to ask if I should be taking notice of every negative perception expressed about any speaker I go looking for...or should I rely on the general reputation of a brand?

Any thoughts?

As many others have said, one man's bliss is another's sound nightmare.

I have tried loads of different speakers and some sound great in my lounge but really awful in my music room. Award winning speakers that boomed beyond belief.

Listening in various dealers to a range of speakers/makes may help short-list the makes you like the sound of, as they usually have a make sound/style.

Then have a 'bake off' as buying second hand, it will be difficult to try the actual models at a dealer.

Good luck

[walpurgis]

I suppose there are brands that can be regarded as generally sounding rather pleasant. Spendor and Harbeth spring to mind, but they do require good amplification.

[jandl100]

Then again, sounding "rather pleasant" isn't exactly a compliment as far as I am concerned!

See my siggie below. :)

[Phil Lawton]

Find some reviews of your current speakers and compare these with the reviews of your possible replacements then.


Andrew

Not a bad plan, other than the KV6s being almost universally panned.

Maybe it's just case of trusting brand and instinct.

[walpurgis]

Then again, sounding "rather pleasant" isn't exactly a compliment as far as I am concerned!

See my siggie below. :)

In that case Jerry. For you, I recommend something from Rehdeko or Cerwin Vega! :D

[jandl100]

Suffering from insomnia, sir? - just take a couple of Spendors or a Harbeth.

;)

[agk]

Andrew

Not a bad plan, other than the KV6s being almost universally panned.

Maybe it's just case of trusting brand and instinct.

Just had a bit of a Google of them myself. They don't seem to be up to much according to general opinion and from what I recall of smaller TDL I owned I'm inclined to agree.

I think you buy something towards the top of your price bracket that looks good to you and gets some good reviews.

[Macca]

I don't think there exisits a speaker that gets perfect reviews and that everyone likes without exception. Nothing you get will be perfect especially not for £250 even second-hand.

It can still be narrowed down to a shortlist though. If you can supply detials of room size, shape and furnishings, detials of the partnering kit (amp and source) and the sort of music that will be mostly played through them it will help a lot.

Also what sort of overall presentation you like. As Jerry says some people find Harbeth and Spendor a snoozefest, others swear by them so do you want polite and refined or a bit of sturm und drang?

[Firebottle]

Maybe it's just case of trusting brand and instinct.

Phil, I have B&W DM603 S2 floorstanders that would fall in your budget s/h. They are not for sale but you would be most welcome to come over to audition them. You are not that far from me being in Meriden, it would be about a 45 minute journey around the M42/M40/M5.

:cool: Alan

[agk]

Might be interesting and useful to know the electronic boxes that comprise the rest of the system it occurs to me.

[Phil Lawton]

Phil, I have B&W DM603 S2 floorstanders that would fall in your budget s/h. They are not for sale but you would be most welcome to come over to audition them. You are not that far from me being in Meriden, it would be about a 45 minute journey around the M42/M40/M5.

:cool: Alan

Thanks, Alan - I might take you up on that at some point if I get no joy elsewhere.

[Phil Lawton]

Ironically, I need a quick slew of opinions from you fine people on Klipsch RF52s.

Anyone?

[Phil Lawton]

Might be interesting and useful to know the electronic boxes that comprise the rest of the system it occurs to me.

Andrew

AR turntable with Ortofon 2M Red cart, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 SE phono stage, Cambridge Audio amp (no idea of the model, but not anywhere near top of the range...probably the opposite, to be honest).

[fatmarley]

Ironically, I need a quick slew of opinions from you fine people on Klipsch RF52s.

Anyone?

I'd be surprised if they were any good because they never seem to get talked about on hifi forums.

[awkwardbydesign]

I'd be surprised if they were any good because they never seem to get talked about on hifi forums.
:lol::lol::lol::lol:
Oh! I assumed that was a joke. Have I got it wrong?:confused:

[jandl100]

Ironically, I need a quick slew of opinions from you fine people on Klipsch RF52s.

Anyone?

Someone demmed a Klipsch speaker in this series a few years ago at Scalford. Looked very similar to the RF52.

I was very impressed - very clear and articulate, and the bass extension and definition was astonishing. I liked them a lot. Well worthy a listen, I'd say. Watch out for possible brightness at the top end, and partner carefully with amps etc.

[Phil Lawton]

Someone demmed a Klipsch speaker in this series a few years ago at Scalford. Looked very similar to the RF52.

I was very impressed - very clear and articulate, and the bass extension and definition was astonishing. I liked them a lot. Well worthy a listen, I'd say. Watch out for possible brightness at the top end, and partner carefully with amps etc.

Cheers, Jerry - going to hear a pair on Sunday with a very accommodating eBay seller.

[Phil Lawton]

Bought the Klipsch KC52ii pair - extremely impressed.

The top end is fine - I was expecting maybe a little harshness, but no...clear as a bell, balanced and even across the sound spectrum. Steely Dan's "Babylon Sisters" on vinyl sounded live, as did Miles Davis's "So What" - and everything else was just as immaculate.

An amazing buy from a rather splendid chap down Finchley way.

Just an amp upgrade to go now and my system overhaul will be complete (until the next time).

[struth]

thats good phil...i had my eye on a set of their 62 s but couldnt find anyone whoud heard any of there smaller models...

[Macca]

I thought they might be pretty decent. Good buy that :)

[Phil Lawton]

I thought they might be pretty decent. Good buy that :)

Indeed they were, Martin - the very affable chap I bought them from even knocked £20 off for my petrol costs, which was more than decent of him.