Joe's drooling over these new speakers!
pearsall001
Posts: 5,093
Joe (hearingimpaired) & I had a nice road trip today to Stephen's shop for his annual audio show. First off Joe arrived early & had a listen to my rig...he hasn't heard it since I added the dual Velo subs, the Rotel RMB-1095 amp & the Music Hall dac25.2 & Mapleshade speaker cables. I'll let Joe post his comments on the listening session.
So now we head out to the show. Stephen always has a nice show with dealers present & gets a great turnout. This year quite a few new faces from the Philadelphia Audio Club. We made our way around the various rooms (5 in all). Our ears were being treated to some nice presentations. When we finally made it to the big room Joe was in awe when he first saw the SQ 15 horn speakers http://www.questforsound.com/speakers/spkrs_sq_h-15.htm designed by Stephen. His jaw hit the floor when the music started & for the first time since I've known him he mutterd the words that these SQ 15's will be replacing his beloved Polks, I believe the SRS 1.2 TL's. The biggest & baddest made by Polk. I must say the SQ 15's were a sheer pleasure to listen to & if they weren't so darn big I might even think of snaging a pair for my room. I'll let Joe chime in with his feedback. Just a fun day with a great guy!!!
So now we head out to the show. Stephen always has a nice show with dealers present & gets a great turnout. This year quite a few new faces from the Philadelphia Audio Club. We made our way around the various rooms (5 in all). Our ears were being treated to some nice presentations. When we finally made it to the big room Joe was in awe when he first saw the SQ 15 horn speakers http://www.questforsound.com/speakers/spkrs_sq_h-15.htm designed by Stephen. His jaw hit the floor when the music started & for the first time since I've known him he mutterd the words that these SQ 15's will be replacing his beloved Polks, I believe the SRS 1.2 TL's. The biggest & baddest made by Polk. I must say the SQ 15's were a sheer pleasure to listen to & if they weren't so darn big I might even think of snaging a pair for my room. I'll let Joe chime in with his feedback. Just a fun day with a great guy!!!
"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
Post edited by pearsall001 on
Comments
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I like the veneer work(mohogany?).Definately one of the nicer looking horn designs I've seen ,and with the 99db sensitivity Joe could drive them directly from his iPod.:)
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I like the veneer work(mohogany?).Definately one of the nicer looking horn designs I've seen ,and with the 99db sensitivity Joe could drive them directly from his iPod.:)
My dear Freddy, which do you prefer, the taste of Safeguard or Zest because you are going to get your mouth washed out with one of them!?!?!:eek::D It's either that or a Moe nose fist and a slap!!!:p:p
Gotta go right now. -
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Sorry Joe,I just assumed you had a pod loaded with lossless files recorded from your Lp's.As a penance I'll force myself to listen to low bit rate MP3 files of Yoko Ono's 's greatest hits.All of them;):p.
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Sorry Joe,I just assumed you had a pod loaded with lossless files recorded from your Lp's.As a penance I'll force myself to listen to low bit rate MP3 files of Yoko Ono's 's greatest hits.All of them;):p.
I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.:)
Those speaks look cool. The issue I always had with horns is the piercing highs. The right tube gear though will make them sound sweet.
Joe,you could afford those babies if you slide that MF tri-vista my way.:p:)HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
Horns blow.
"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche -
Is that a folded paper surround on the woofer? I haven't seen that in a while.
Nice looking for sure. I like how the horn matches the bass driver. Instead of the open horn look you see more often. -
It's still commonly used by pro-audio drivers.Is that a folded paper surround on the woofer? I haven't seen that in a while."He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche -
I want to thank Phil & Maria for their hospitality and generousity. I ate two cold, rare filet mignon with provolone sammiches with this awesome horseradish sauce on a delicious kaiser roll. YUMMMMMM!!!
Well I have to say that over the past year or two I thought Phil was going backwards in his quest for great music reproduction. As a matter of fact Jesse and I had made jokes at his expense during conversations on the phone.
BOY WAS I WRONG! and believe me I couldn't believe what I heard. He's got an Onkyo carasel as his transport (I thought :eek::eek::eek: when I first saw it) connected with a really nice digital cable to his moddified, Music Hall dac. Upgraded op amps and some good tubes rolled in. It then goes to his NAD T765 preamp stage used as only a preamp. Then to a Rotel 5 channel amp set to 2 ch mode while I was there. New Mapleshade double helix plus speaker wires going to his AADs. Incorporated in this rig are two beautiful sub woofers.
I never heard a two channel rig that had subs in it sound good so I was really skeptical. NOT SO!!! Seemless integration with the ADDs. I was completely blown away. I had to apologize to him for laughing at the fact that he traded in all his high end preamps and amps and used the T765 as a prepro because it sounded so great.
The imaging and depth of sound stage was stagering. His room doesn't allow for a very wide soundstage but what was there was really good. The bass, my Goodness the bass was so tight and controlled and really dug deep.
At one point I noticed that his tweeters sounded a bit metalic from time to time which never occured before.
He had a suprise for me being a tweakaholic. He told me to shut my eyes. I couldn't hear him make any changes per se but all of a sudden the depth and sound stage collapsed and sounded like a flat wall of music with no sonic holography open airy sound, no air around the vocals or instruments and a smeared detail somewhat like a mono recording. I asked him what he did. He wouldn't tell me. He said to shut my eyes again and he did something and the all of a sudden the beautiful sound of those AADs with the 3D sonic holography, inner detail, bloom and decay, open airy sound, no intermittent metalic sound from the tweets, etc etc were back.
This is what he used and I was completely bowled over.
http://www.musicdirect.com/product/87293
I'm a firm believer that tweaks are cumulative and in many cases make a subtle improvement. This friggin tweek was not in any way shape or form subtle and when I had them in my hands couldn't believe what they did. For God's sake they looked like shoe lace extenders. What he did was to remove them from the ground side of each AAD lower frequency post and place them in the high frequency ground side. I was truly shocked!!!
Phils rig sounds wonderful despite the fact he using a CD carosel as a transport and an NAD AVR prepro!!! That speaks volumes as to the merits of NAD AVRs. I'm glad I have one.
The only thing I said to Phil about this was that I would really like to hear a head to head with a CJ or other high end prepro go against the NAD T765.
Aside from that, I was just flabbergasted.
Now to the audio show at Quest. It's been quite awhile since I've been out and about to high end stores as things have been tight around here but I have heard over the past five years dozens and dozens of speakers ranging from $5k to mega buck Wilsons and have never ever thought they did what my 1.2 TLs did nor would I even consider trading them in for a new set of speaker.
I heard some magnificent Granite Audio amps, Jaz tube amps and integrateds, Sound Quest tube gear (all designed and manufactured by Steven), etc. Dozens of speakers BUT!!! I went down into his lower big room and he had a Raysonic CDP connected in direct mode to a Jaz integrated tube amp bypassing the pre amp stage. These were at first connected to Stephens, Sound Quest SQ-12 horn speaker and they sounded nice. Then they switched to the Sound Quest SQ-15 horn speakers!!! I was floored! They did everything my 1.2TLs did plus the amount of information and detail coming out of them was mind boggling. The 15" front ported woofers just kept producing deep, tight, controlled bass no matter what was thrown at them. No ear bleeding bright highs!
I listened to mostly jazz but heard some classical too and was astonished. I don't like horns. Most of the horns I heard sounded like **** and made my ears drum beg for mercy. NOT THESE!!! Wide, wide soundstage, incredibly deep and detailed imaging and I heard stuff from recordings I am well acquainted with and heard things I never heard before.
The only problem I encountered with the 15s was when I sat off to the left of the sweet spot, outside the left corner of the 15s, when Neil Young and Eric Clapton was played I got that terrible horn ear bleeding brightness. HOWEVER when I moved to the sweet spot it completely disappeared and soundned incredible.
Phil caught me mumbling, when I heard these incredible speakers, "I found a speaker that out performs my 1.2TLs, now how the hell am I going to get them!?!" LOL!!! First time in five years listening to dozens and here they are. Now I'm scheming on how the hell I can manage to get to hear these at home in the next year! UGH! I hate this financial situation but it is what it is for now.
99 dB!!! for crying out loud I can push them with a five watt tube amp! but I think I'll stick to the Tri-vista.
There so much more but my head is spinning with all I heard.
I am going to go back with a load of my reference LPs, SACDs & CDs to really put them through the grind.
My fingers are tired, later Brothers & Sisters.:)
EDIT: One last thing. Stephen overheard me mumbling to myself, " how can I get those 15s in the same room with my 1.2 TLs. He started laughing and said, "man you truly are crazy!" ROTFLMAO! -
Nice write up Joe. Thanks! It sure was a great day wasn't it! I just wish more guys could hear my rig to finally put to bed the notion that an AVR can't perform exceptionally well as a pre. The NAD is an exception to the rule I assure you. Just a few more days & off to Polkfest we go!!! I can't wait to finally put a face to the many Polkies name's I know from the forum."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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http://www.musicdirect.com/product/87293 So is this product just IC's for improving the soundstage on ones system?
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polkfarmboy wrote: »http://www.musicdirect.com/product/87293 So is this product just IC's for improving the soundstage on ones system?
No not at all. Read the write up in the link. You simply plug one into each negative binding post on each speaker. How it works!?! I don't know but it sure did improve the sound dramatically. -
pearsall001 wrote: »Nice write up Joe. Thanks! It sure was a great day wasn't it! I just wish more guys could hear my rig to finally put to bed the notion that an AVR can't perform exceptionally well as a pre. The NAD is an exception to the rule I assure you. Just a few more days & off to Polkfest we go!!! I can't wait to finally put a face to the many Polkies name's I know from the forum.
It sure was Phil! I can't wait for PF! See ya bright and early Saturday morning. -
Awesome!____________________
This post is a natural product. The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects.
HT:Onkyo 805, Emotiva XPA-5, Mitsu 52" 1080p DLP / polkaudio RTi12, CSIa6, FXi3, uPro4K
2-chnl : Pio DV-46AV (SACD), Dodd ELP, Emotiva XPA-1s, XPA-2, Odyssey Khartago, LSi9, SDA-SRS 2 :cool:, SB Duet, MSB & Monarchy DACs, Yamaha PX3 TT, SAE Tuner...
Pool: Atrium 60's/45's -
hearingimpared wrote: »It sure was Phil! I can't wait for PF! See ya bright and early Saturday morning.
Coffee will be a brewin'...see ya then!!! I'm stoked, this should be a blast!"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
Joe if really want to replace the 1.2TL's I will buy them from you!
Phil, Are you bring those little cables with you to PF?
Sal
Sal, yes I'm bringing those "little" cables with me. Little in size "BIG" in sound!!! After all they did replace my MIT S2's."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
Joe if really want to replace the 1.2TL's I will buy them from you!
Phil, Are you bring those little cables with you to PF?
Sal
Thanks Sal but it won't be for quite awhile as I need to ante up the cost of the SQ-15 but most importantly of all I need to hear them in my room in my rig before I make any move whatsoever. -
Joe if really want to replace the 1.2TL's I will buy them from you!
Phil, Are you bring those little cables with you to PF?
Sal
Sal are you speaking of the Mapleshade Double Helix Plus speaker cables or the AUDIO PRISM - REFERENCE GROUND CONTROL? -
It's still commonly used by pro-audio drivers.
I have seen folded paper in Pro audio but I haven't seen it in Home Audio in quite some time.
I was of the opinion that folded paper controlled the woofer better anyway. At least it used to until some of the newer surround materials were brought to market. But I have also seen it be a detriment to quality over time as the paper isn't as resilient as rubber. -
I have seen folded paper in Pro audio but I haven't seen it in Home Audio in quite some time.
I was of the opinion that folded paper controlled the woofer better anyway. At least it used to until some of the newer surround materials were brought to market. But I have also seen it be a detriment to quality over time as the paper isn't as resilient as rubber.
Joe it's extremely well doped. -
Joe,
So, do you think the "shoe lace extenders" are a definitive "must try" tweak? -
love2listen wrote: »Joe,
So, do you think the "shoe lace extenders" are a definitive "must try" tweak?
Well, let me put it to you this way...as tweak's go this one really performed as advertised. The difference it made was quite obvious to both of us immediately. There was no doubt as to what we heard...we're still scratching our heads."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
Phil, I don't get where the other end goes, does it just lay there ? You plug one end into the negative speaker post, and just let it dangle ?HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
Phil, I don't get where the other end goes, does it just lay there ? You plug one end into the negative speaker post, and just let it dangle ?
Tony, yep, that's it. Simply plug (spade/naner) into the negative speaker post & it just hangs there (about 3in). Voodoo or science? Who cares...Joe's & mine ears liked what we heard!"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
pearsall001 wrote: »Tony, yep, that's it. Simply plug (spade/nanner) into the negative speaker post & it just hangs there (about 3in). Voodoo or science? Who cares...Joe's & mine ears liked what we heard!
. . . and it wasn't subtle! or cheap either but there is a 30 day money back guarantee!
