Whats after Avalon Opus Ceramique ...

[xsnailx]

Hello - this is my first post here so please be patient i am more than 15 years in this hobby but time has come to change my speakers.

currently I have Avalon accoustic opus ceramique, driven with purifi 9040 + denafips set (pre athena,dac terminator +12 th, streamer arce) + sub woofwer wilson benesh torus with velodyne amp + wiring neotech, tara labs and vdh.

I'm considering the next steps - The speed and precision of the ceramic drivers suits me very well, the space of the avalons too, but the better is the enemy of the good, and I'm a little bit itching to change something.

I definitely want something on a ceramic / diamond / beryllium tweeter, the other speakers would also be good if they were ceramic.

I listen mainly to death metal / death core releases and dark ambient and other atmosferic electronics.

i am considering the folowing:

gauder acoustic berlina (but only with diamond tweeter)
low models of rockport (up to avior)
vimberg tonda
estelon xb
egglestonworks kiva / andra
avalon - compas diamond, (maybe :time, isis ? but here I have a dillema with the bass which is not ceramic and I am afraid it will not keep up with the rest)
Borresen z5

maybe kef blade meta two or some b&W 800x diamonds

i am more biased to get the rockports, but asking for advice which one of above will suit my needs best. Would like to keep the torus sub and the speed of ceramic accutons

 

[mtemur]

Well, in my opinion, none of these speakers are suitable for the music you listen to, including the ones you already own. I can’t recommend a speaker this time, but none of the options listed would be a good fit for your music. If anything, the EgglestonWorks Andra might do a better job than the others, but even that wouldn’t be ideal, in my opinion.

Most high-end speakers have complex crossovers that kill dynamics, reduce liveliness, and require high-powered amps. They’re designed to reveal inner details at very low listening levels and minimize listening fatigue—a very audiophile approach.

I believe pro audio gear or vintage JBLs would be more appropriate. However, if you’re still set on buying a high-end speaker, here are a few things to consider:

• Midrange: Ceramic is a good midrange driver, but its SPL is very limited, and it can crack easily. Paper or carbon mids are better.

• Tweeters: Ceramic is not ideal for tweeters. Diamond is the best, while titanium and silk are also excellent. I’m not a fan of beryllium.

• Bass: Ceramic is terrible for bass. It’s best to stick with paper or carbon.

 

[xsnailx]

Thanks for the advice
maybe i shall look into jbl k2 4800 ? wife says they are ok
so defintely i can rule out ceramics, thus leaving egglestons, boressens and rockport

maybe focal scala utopia or extreme solution - duntech sovereign

i am going to audition egglestonworks kiva / andra next monday and will have some conclusions

 

[Dane33]

Go to Isis and you will never look back....

 

[xsnailx]

if only i were in America i proably would be discussing with this seller:

https://www.hifishark.com/goto/40_650171562/860c89e8-d764-11ef-9e58-646364343162

transporting it to europe is too much of a venture for me

 

[Dane33]

Eidiolon diamond are big step further, but Isis are so special. Much better than Time.
After living 10 years with them, I still enjoy every minut listening music... I would not look to berylium and around. If you already like avalon presentation, body and "sound" with all kind of music will much more impress you with Isis.
Yes, it is difficult to find pair here in EU....

 

[xsnailx]

Unfortunately - the only avalaons in my range are compas diamond / ediolon diamond, sure they tick all boxes but i dont know how much of improvement they Will be.

Because of above i looked into alternatives lilke tidal (contriva diacera) or vimberg (tonda)

 

[Tabl10s]

Hello - this is my first post here so please be patient i am more than 15 years in this hobby but time has come to change my speakers.

currently I have Avalon accoustic opus ceramique, driven with purifi 9040 + denafips set (pre athena,dac terminator +12 th, streamer arce) + sub woofwer wilson benesh torus with velodyne amp + wiring neotech, tara labs and vdh.

I'm considering the next steps - The speed and precision of the ceramic drivers suits me very well, the space of the avalons too, but the better is the enemy of the good, and I'm a little bit itching to change something.

I definitely want something on a ceramic / diamond / beryllium tweeter, the other speakers would also be good if they were ceramic.

I listen mainly to death metal / death core releases and dark ambient and other atmosferic electronics.

i am considering the folowing:

gauder acoustic berlina (but only with diamond tweeter)
low models of rockport (up to avior)
vimberg tonda
estelon xb
egglestonworks kiva / andra
avalon - compas diamond, (maybe :time, isis ? but here I have a dillema with the bass which is not ceramic and I am afraid it will not keep up with the rest)
Borresen z5

maybe kef blade meta two or some b&W 800x diamonds

i am more biased to get the rockports, but asking for advice which one of above will suit my needs best. Would like to keep the torus sub and the speed of ceramic accutons

I have a feeling you'd be a hit at audio shows/stores with your taste in music.

 

[Tabl10s]

if only i were in America i proably would be discussing with this seller:

https://www.hifishark.com/goto/40_650171562/860c89e8-d764-11ef-9e58-646364343162

transporting it to europe is too much of a venture for me

I remember seeing those in Korea. You could have an entire system that's matched and probably better than what you have now. It seems like a deal to me if you have the space.

 

[xsnailx]

I remember seeing those in Korea. You could have an entire system that's matched and probably better than what you have now. It seems like a deal to me if you have the space.

It is a great deal but i cannot overcome the problems with shipping to Europe from us.

 

[xsnailx]

I have a feeling you'd be a bit at audio shows/stores with your taste in music.

I was at polish audio show before covid strike and the only system i was able to play death metal was blumenhofer horns with some Italian tube monos. The guys at the booth were really happy from the outcome as it sounded really good.

I am going to auditon egglestonworks soon and i am more than curious to see the dealer reaction to my music

 

[Wolfsongaudio]

XsnailX,

Can you give some examples of the Death metal, Death Core and even more helpfully Dark Ambient and atmospheric electronics? I ask because I too listen to music that far away from the "usual". Immortal, Abbath, Nervosa, Power Trip, Exodus, Testament and a lot of other thrash, speed and other metal genres. I also delve into Dark Ambient. GAS, Miasma, Lots of Goa Trance, Space Maneuvers, DJ Subliminal etc.

With 25 years of professional experience and another 15 or so as a hobbyist in the audio realm, it is rare to find a fellow traveler. With systems spanning nearly every end of the speaker spectrum ( From a 5.1 system based on no less than 6 Acoustat 2+2s, to stereo only systems with Apogee Mini Grands, Thiel CS 5i, Klipsch Kornerhorns, JM Labs Mezzo Utopias, Meadowlark Audio Heron I, Dunlavy SV-IVs and SC- V ( current in personal system ), Kii Model 3s, Fink team KIM, DALI Rubicon and Rubikore and a few other short lived demos and auditions) In My Own Opinion if a speaker can reproduce the information it is being fed it can play MUSIC. The issue I have is that a lot of the "harder Stuff" is not well produced, recorded or even written! I still love it.

I do have some favorites over the years that excelled at reproducing the "you are there" aspect of well done Death. PM me if you would like my opinions.

Cheers and show us those horns!

 

[Wolfsongaudio]

XsnailX,

Fun fact, the piece on the wall behind the left speaker is a SceneFour by Gene Hogland. Drummer for Death, Strapping Young Lad, Testament and more.

 

[xsnailx]

XsnailX,

Can you give some examples of the Death metal, Death Core and even more helpfully Dark Ambient and atmospheric electronics? I ask because I too listen to music that far away from the "usual". Immortal, Abbath, Nervosa, Power Trip, Exodus, Testament and a lot of other thrash, speed and other metal genres. I also delve into Dark Ambient. GAS, Miasma, Lots of Goa Trance, Space Maneuvers, DJ Subliminal etc.

With 25 years of professional experience and another 15 or so as a hobbyist in the audio realm, it is rare to find a fellow traveler. With systems spanning nearly every end of the speaker spectrum ( From a 5.1 system based on no less than 6 Acoustat 2+2s, to stereo only systems with Apogee Mini Grands, Thiel CS 5i, Klipsch Kornerhorns, JM Labs Mezzo Utopias, Meadowlark Audio Heron I, Dunlavy SV-IVs and SC- V ( current in personal system ), Kii Model 3s, Fink team KIM, DALI Rubicon and Rubikore and a few other short lived demos and auditions) In My Own Opinion if a speaker can reproduce the information it is being fed it can play MUSIC. The issue I have is that a lot of the "harder Stuff" is not well produced, recorded or even written! I still love it.

I do have some favorites over the years that excelled at reproducing the "you are there" aspect of well done Death. PM me if you would like my opinions.

Cheers and show us those horns!

From a short list :
Metal :
Iwls woods graves
In flames
Wattain
Behemoth
Vader
Bolt thrower
Batiushka
Blooody tyrant
Arch enemy
Some death core :
Lorna shore
Infant anihilator
Odious
Crescent
Spasm
Gutalaks
Dark ambient :
Inade
All of the cyro chamber company records (far too many to list here)
Aes dana
Circular
Connect ohm
Kaon
From various electronics :
Pendulum
Prodigy
Apollo 440
I Will send you a pm with more, but in the morning

 

[xsnailx]

XsnailX,

Fun fact, the piece on the wall behind the left speaker is a SceneFour by Gene Hogland. Drummer for Death, Strapping Young Lad, Testament and more.

Seems like showing duntech soverigen to my wife was a good move

 

[xsnailx]

And now I have listened to egglestonworks viginiti and kiva in the company of boulder amp and preamp (2110 /2160) and unfortunately it is not my sound ... and unfortunately I expect that it will be analogous situation with wilson audio.

further remain to be verified (the order is deliberate - priority):

- vimberg tonda

- tidal contriva diacera se

- rockport atria / avior

- focal scala utopia evo

- wilson benesh resolution 3zero

- maybe estelon xb