Is Your Loudspeaker Perfect For You?

[Ron Resnick]

Do you consider your loudspeaker perfect for your personal sonic preferences and perfect for your ears?

Do you believe that loudspeakers are the most difficult or "problematic" category of components?

Do you believe there is such a thing as the "perfect" loudspeaker for you personally? Or is some compromise, large or small, inevitably part of the equation of every loudspeaker. (A "compromise" could be in size of loudspeaker or drive requirements or frequency balance or dynamics or transparency or any of the sonic characteristics we ever talk about.)

How would you apply these questions to your current loudspeaker?

 

[treitz3]

Tom

 

[Audiohertz2]

Do you consider your loudspeaker perfect for your personal sonic preferences and perfect for your ears?

Do you believe that loudspeakers are the most difficult or "problematic" category of components?

Do you believe there is such a thing as the "perfect" loudspeaker for you personally? Or is some compromise, large or small, inevitably part of the equation of every loudspeaker. (A "compromise" could be in size of loudspeaker or drive requirements or frequency balance or dynamics or transparency or any of the sonic characteristics we ever talk about.)

How would you apply these questions to your current loudspeaker?

Agree on loudspeakers being the most difficult and problematic Part to solve in any Hifi system.

Regards

 

[Folsom]

Funny I don't think they are the hardest part to solve. I think a lot of them can represent everything else very well. Not do I REALLY like some more than others? Yes. But even in categories of ones I wouldn't typically be thinking about, I've heard really good sound.

Perfect for someone, yes, perfect? No. For me? I would like to do better.

 

[tima]

As I wrote in a review: "Selecting and assessing speakers without careful amplifier consideration is a fool's errand."

 

[Gregm]

As I wrote in a review: "Selecting and assessing speakers without careful amplifier consideration is a fool's errand."

I second that (tima: I liked your review piece!).

Do you consider your loudspeaker perfect for your personal sonic preferences and perfect for your ears?

I like my current loudspeaker- amp combo, but I cannot say it's "perfect"; in fact I don;t know, because I still have some way to go dialling in the system to the room...

Do you believe that loudspeakers are the most difficult or "problematic" category of components?

Difficult, yes

Do you believe there is such a thing as the "perfect" loudspeaker for you personally? Or is some compromise, large or small, inevitably part of the equation of every loudspeaker. (A "compromise" could be in size of loudspeaker or drive requirements or frequency balance or dynamics or transparency or any of the sonic characteristics we ever talk about.)

The system in and of itself is a compromise in my case: I listen to classical and I ceretainly cannot fit a Mahlerian orchestra in my music room, regardless fo the speaker. And yes, there is compromise to be made according to the size of the room (hence loudspeaker, etc)

How would you apply these questions to your current loudspeaker?

Please see under 1st question above.

 

[rDin]

Do you consider your loudspeaker perfect for your personal sonic preferences and perfect for your ears?

Really interesting question. The answer is, kind of. I've been on an upgrade journey over the past few years, and one of the first things that changed was the speakers - my older Martin Logans (SL3) developed issues, so I replaced them with a newer model (Montis). They sounded good. But over the subsequent years, more new gear arrived, and with each arrival, they sounded ever better. In other words, the speakers were allowing the new gear to up the ante on overall sound quality - the speakers weren't the limiting factor, at least not yet. Once things settled, and the typical itch of dissatisfaction once again appeared I identified bass an an issue and added a sub. This transformed the overall sound once again. So, back to the answer - "kind of" - my electrostatics absolutely speak to my personal preference in sound, and they are supremely transparent, allowing the sound of the gear behind them to shine through, but ultimately I needed to add a sub to really get the sound I want to hear, so my current speakers don't fully satisfy. Perhaps there is a higher model that does, or perhaps good subs are always necessary... Either way, I'm currently in a very happy place and of all the changes I may have in mind, the speakers aren't currently one of them.

 

[tima]

I second that (tima: I liked your review piece!).

Thank you!

 

[dcathro]

Do you consider your loudspeaker perfect for your personal sonic preferences and perfect for your ears?

Their not perfect, but they are the best I have heard ( for my taste and requirements )

Do you believe that loudspeakers are the most difficult or "problematic" category of components?

I actually believe that the room and setup are the hardest thing. Then it's the source and then the speakers

Do you believe there is such a thing as the "perfect" loudspeaker for you personally? Or is some compromise, large or small, inevitably part of the equation of every loudspeaker. (A "compromise" could be in size of loudspeaker or drive requirements or frequency balance or dynamics or transparency or any of the sonic characteristics we ever talk about.)

There has to be compromises, no speaker can do it all and it is what matters the least that you let go of.

How would you apply these questions to your current loudspeaker?

My speaker are very musically communicative, dynamic, are sensitive and easy to drive. However, they are limited in their bandwidth from 30Hz to 16KHz.

The frequency extremes are not that important to me

 

[Lee]

I would say my speakers are nearly perfect because of my overall very high satisfaction with the sound, the integration with my room, and the fit within my budget.

Based on my experience, high quality setup is nearly everything but the associated amp pairing is critical as well.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Do you consider your loudspeaker perfect for your personal sonic preferences and perfect for your ears?

i think we evolve as listeners. i suppose it's possible that we can be born as serious audiophiles fully formed with clear views on what we like, and clear references; but really it works quite the opposite.

in my own journey, i did evolve to a point where i did not want my loudspeaker to limit me. yet when i purchased my current speakers, now 12 years ago, i was not yet at a place where i realized where that might take me. i was still evolving. fortunately my room, system and loudspeakers were able to accommodate what became my current expectations.

so right now the answer is yes, they are the right loudspeakers for me. they touch all the bases. could there be better loudspeaker choices for me? sure. being very satisfied, does not mean we don't continue to be curious.

i think we are all somewhere on that path, as far as degrees of knowing how we we feel about the expectations for loudspeakers around the next corner.

 

[microstrip]

Do you consider your loudspeaker perfect for your personal sonic preferences and perfect for your ears?

No. I know of "more perfect" speakers I can't afford or do not fit my room and constraints.

Do you believe that loudspeakers are the most difficult or "problematic" category of components?

Yes, in the sense that overall logistics associated to speakers is by far the more challenging and disturbing.

Do you believe there is such a thing as the "perfect" loudspeaker for you personally? Or is some compromise, large or small, inevitably part of the equation of every loudspeaker. (A "compromise" could be in size of loudspeaker or drive requirements or frequency balance or dynamics or transparency or any of the sonic characteristics we ever talk about.)

Any speaker has compromises in sound quality. it is part of the process of stereo sound reproduction. So perfect will mean that we are able to accept and ignore its compromises - we become the "perfect" listener. An example - point like, linear and planar full driven speakers. They have very different radiating patterns, with large basic intrinsic sound differences.

How would you apply these questions to your current loudspeaker?

It is not my current speaker, but the XLF was an excellent mix of compromises for my taste - the coherency of an electrostatic, imaging and detail approaching the ESL63 (nothing can reach it) , a reasonable size sweat spot, large soundstage, focused realistic and powerful sound sources in the sound stage and I could walk in the room without abrupt discontinuities.

 

[microstrip]

i think we evolve as listeners. i suppose it's possible that we can be born as serious audiophiles fully formed with clear views on what we like, and clear references; but really it works quite the opposite.
(...)

Just to point that IMO it is not possible. We must "learn" to listen to stereo. Two hundreds of thousands of years taught humans to interpret a physical sound field, but not to create an illusionary sound field from reproduction of a manipulated two channel sampling of the reality.

 

[Kingrex]

When in the mood, I wish my speakers were larger to give a sense of scale and immersion.

When in the mood, I wish my speakers were smaller to give a sense of intimacy and calm.

I wish my speakers were like art that worked perfect, just where I wanted to place them.

I wish my speakers would easily become part of an AV system.

 

[audioresurgence]

It only took about 40 years but I’ve come to realize that speaker choice comes down to finding an acceptable compromise between performance extremes.
I’m no longer willing to sacrifice a third of my music collection because it’s rendered borderline unlistenable by my speakers/system. I’d rather lose some of the peak performance in favor of enjoying pretty much everything I listen to (classic rock, big band, trad jazz, etc…)

Example - Playing Genesis’ "Seconds Out" on Klipschorns put the concert in my room, and was one of the best listening experiences I’ve had from any system. But the same system completely destroyed the sound of other stuff I like to listen to, to the point where it was unplayable. A similar experience was had with the Magnepan 3.6R, Quad 57, Spatial Audio X3, Logan 11a, Sonus Faber Cremona, Piega C40, etc, etc.

I find the speakers I have now provide a fair compromise when it comes to balancing the performance extremes (ProAc D40R). They’re far from perfect but everything I push through them is quite enjoyable.

 

[Ron Resnick]

When in the mood, I wish my speakers were larger to give a sense of scale and immersion.

When in the mood, I wish my speakers were smaller to give a sense of intimacy and calm.

I wish my speakers were like art that worked perfect, just where I wanted to place them.

I wish my speakers would easily become part of an AV system.

Ooohh. Very demanding!

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

Do you believe that loudspeakers are the most difficult or "problematic" category of components?

Nope, phono cart hands down the most problematic or difficult

 

[sbo6]

Do you consider your loudspeaker perfect for your personal sonic preferences and perfect for your ears?

Do you believe that loudspeakers are the most difficult or "problematic" category of components?

Do you believe there is such a thing as the "perfect" loudspeaker for you personally? Or is some compromise, large or small, inevitably part of the equation of every loudspeaker. (A "compromise" could be in size of loudspeaker or drive requirements or frequency balance or dynamics or transparency or any of the sonic characteristics we ever talk about.)

How would you apply these questions to your current loudspeaker?

That's a lot of questions Ron

IME there is no perfect speaker and no perfect system. However, after listening to many speakers, my Vivids have what I value most in a speaker - dynamics, cohesiveness, accurate tonality and overall extraordinary realism. This, of course, is also relative to price (I still believe for the most part get what you pay for, even at high(est) end) which as of the last ~10 years seems limitless.

WRT speakers being difficult / problematic category - yes and no. Yes in that the speaker is the device that takes electrical signals and converts it to physical energy that we ultimately hear, so in that sense, it has, one could argue the most importance and as such, could be the most problematic. However, speakers have come a long way, and I believe many get a bad wrap when it's often the room, lack of / ineffective room treatment and / or the components that are to blame.

In terms of the perfect loudspeaker, it would be able to play tonally accurately, effortlessly at concert levels and command the same presence as the recording dictates (scale, dimension, spacial cue accuracy, etc). The vast majority of systems can't accomplish this. How much is the source quality, the room, room treatment and components varies per system.

 

[gadawg58]

Are my speakers perfect for my ears? No ... however I am so satisfied with the sound of the speakers and the rest of the system for that matter that at current time I have zero desire to upgrade anything at all and this is the first time in my life that has ever happened to me so ... maybe they are close to perfect for me after all ...

George

 

[LL21]

Are my speakers perfect for my ears? No ... however I am so satisfied with the sound of the speakers and the rest of the system for that matter that at current time I have zero desire to upgrade anything at all and this is the first time in my life that has ever happened to me so ... maybe they are close to perfect for me after all ...

George

I am not surprised. I am a big fan of Wilson and subs driven by high quality power. You have it all. Enjoy.