ever heard these speaks ?

beardog03

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1201727910

I , for some reason, am drawn to these...

(no affil of course)

janmike

I have a while ago. B&W never did anything for me, not sure why.

dkg999

Yep! I believe those are the one's a friend of mine has in his system. They sound wonderful, as do most B&W speakers. And B&W wants them to sound wonderful to everyone, thus I find the B&W sound somewhat compromised. It just doesn't do it for me, except for a couple of models I have heard that did go out on a limb in the sound signature.

beardog03

Thanks for the replies...

I , for some reason keep loking at B&W...maybe just outta curiousity

maybe I should go hear some to see what`s up....

I want to find the speaks that are perfecrt with tubes...I dig my 9`s, but I want to know if there is better..

Am I getting all my Cary has to offer with the 9`s ?

TroyD

I dig them hard.

I haven't heard the 803's....just 801's/802's. I've also not heard the new diamond tweeter.

The 802's would almost make me rethink my love of Quads.

BDT

Yashu

I don't like tweeter pods, other than looks, I am sure these speakers are detailed as hell and would only grow in quality with your equipment.

B/W has a "house" sound though... and if you like it, then they might be worth it... if you don't like it, they are going to drive you nuts.

treitz3

They drive me bonkers. Take your speakers, throw a blanket over them and you'll have a set of B&W's. Detail? I think not. If this is your tastes, [not bright, laid back] then this is the speaker for you. Auditioned w/ McIntosh tube mono's and SACD and vinyl. That's my take.

beardog03

Thanks guy`s...

I want to find the right speaks for the "House of Cary"

I am running tubes and believe that I read somewhere that the speaks need to be compatible, or easy to drive to get the most out of them..

I love my 9`s , and they will stay...I just want to try someything else, as I have only owned Polk speaks...nothing else

dkg999

Every time I have heard Totem speakers on full tube power they have been simply astonishing! You have to be able to play with placement and get that part of the equation right, as the Totem's are pretty picky about that. I would give the Totem's a listen.

BaggedLancer

You need to try some Dynaudio speakers. When I tried them off a tube amp at Goodwins High End I loved them. The sound was amazing.

beardog03

dkg999 wrote: »

Every time I have heard Totem speakers on full tube power they have been simply astonishing! You have to be able to play with placement and get that part of the equation right, as the Totem's are pretty picky about that. I would give the Totem's a listen.

Model ?




Bagged....got any model preference ?

BaggedLancer

I only had the opportunity to listen to Focus 220's. I could have sat there for hours upon hours listening to those on tubes....maybe even days.

beardog03

I`ll take a look..
Thanks

unc2701

The 803's sound great, once you get them past a certain volume... I heard them back to back w/ some wilson watt puppy's and I preferred the 803's at moderate to loud volume. At low volume they just come apart. Very strange.

tonyb

Try some Sp technology mini's...though not really mini,and a bit pricey but have gotten some great reviews.

beardog03

http://buy.audiogon.com/cgia/cls.pl?spkrfull&1201870448

(no affil)

any thoughts ?

dkg999

Bear - I've heard the Dynaudio 72SE and they were serious contenders when I bought my Maggies. As far as Totem, I have heard the Rainmakers, Model One SE, Hawks, Wind, and Forrest. All have been just amazing.

beardog03

I was just looking at the Forrest with some interest...


I have never owned anything other than Polk Audio, so they have to be better than the 9`s to even play in my cave..!!

I don`t want to spend the grip just to make a latteral move...

The 803`s are in there, asare the Totem Forrests, and now it looks like the Dynaudio may be in there also..
I really liked the Sonus Fabers That I heard, but way too spendy...for now !

dkg999

Sonus Faber takes you to a whole new level. As good as the LSi9's are (they are my HT mains!) I feel there are many speakers that are better for music, in their msrp range and slightly above. If you can find a Magnepan dealer in your area, just for an alternative approach, go listen to the 1.6QR's and the 3.6R.

beardog03

I thought about maggies, but my listening area won`t allow them to "breathe" (sp)

dkg999

That is a problem with the Maggies, although mine are pretty closed in and do alright! As long as you are on a search, my comment was more about listening to as many approaches to speaker design as possible, rather than a suggestion to buy Maggies!

beardog03

that`s my main journey on the speaks...get as many suggesions as possible , then go search them out and hear for myself...

TroyD

Quads, man, QUADS.

BDT

beardog03

more specific....model/make etc..

I`m not hep

I have heard about Quads, but have never seen/heard them

zingo

Go listen to the 803s. I really like B&W and that is a good price. But, it is your ear.

TroyD

I thought you and Jesse had listened to a pair at a shop when he visited.

If you are looking for a transparent sound, brother, there ain't NOTHING better than a pair of Quad ESL's.

I've got a pair of ESL-63's and consider them to be the finest speakers I've ever heard. They don't play crazy low or go crazy loud but other than that, they are nearly flawless.

BDT

beardog03

TroyD wrote: »

I thought you and Jesse had listened to a pair at a shop when he visited.

If you are looking for a transparent sound, brother, there ain't NOTHING better than a pair of Quad ESL's.

I've got a pair of ESL-63's and consider them to be the finest speakers I've ever heard. They don't play crazy low or go crazy loud but other than that, they are nearly flawless.

BDT

I remember them now..!!
They were amazing !!

Good idea, but the room may make them non-usable

TroyD

How so, hoss?

They aren't PARTICULARY fussy about room, from my experience.

BDT

beardog03

I have to use them in my office here at home..
I figured some towers would be nice..

The Quads are kinda big, but short (as I remember)....sounded like angles with tubes though

maybe if I was to rearrange thing......

What is the $ range on those , that would be a fair deal ?

TroyD

I can't remember the exact dimensions...but the are fairly wide (around 2ft wide, IIRC). I've got some pics of mine.....

For a good used pair ~2K.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46650
This has pics of mine.

BDT