Wide dispersion speakers...

Texas42
Texas42 Posts: 404
edited December 2007 in Speakers
I generally prefer speakers with a wider, though less specific, soundstage than those speakers that are ultra-accurate (but you have to keep your head in a vise). Aside from dipoles and bipoles, which speakers have the biggest, most enveloping soundstage that you have heard? I know the Polk uses a ring radiator tweeter that purportedly has a very wide soundstage (I haven't had the opportunity to audition it yet). Just trying to develop a short list in search of my next possible main speakers. Appreciate any inputs...
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  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited December 2007
    Polk SDA's

    Magnepan - any of their models
    DKG999
    HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED

    Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,009
    edited December 2007
    The Ohm speakers with Walsh drivers have a remarkably expansive, yet still defined, soundfield. They're still available, too, albeit not cheap.
    http://www.ohmspeakers.com/

    Shahinian Obelisks, ditto (excellent, still available and not cheap).
    http://shahinianacoustics.com

    Have you heard any of the Magneplanars?
    http://www.magnepan.com/


    FWIW, I have a pair of vintage Ohms with the cheap (small) Walsh drivers (and small dome tweeters). They're surprisingly good, and also (compared to the earlier, larger, and much more expensive Ohm full-range Walsh drivers) surprisingly efficient.

    P1020689.jpg
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  • Texas42
    Texas42 Posts: 404
    edited December 2007
    I have a pair of SDAs (SDA-1Cs) but in order to best get the SDA effect, you pretty much have to be equidistant from both and the effect is mostly lost off-axis, so this speaker would not apply. Additionally, Magnepan is a dipole (figure 8 dispersion pattern) so not really looking this way either as I don't have a flat wall behind the speakers (why I excluded both dipoles and bipoles). I'm really trying to determine a short list of speakers that are direct firing, but have nice off axis response and don't 'beam' directly at you but the soundstage falls aparts once you move off axis by just a little.
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  • Texas42
    Texas42 Posts: 404
    edited December 2007
    I had a pair of Ohm Walsh 2 and 4s before and I agree, they definitely do a lot of things right and have great response no matter where you sit. They are definitely on my list. I'd love to find an old pair of Walsh 5s but those who have them never let go of them...
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,009
    edited December 2007
    Sorry I (re)stated the obvious for you :-P

    BTW, I don't even know which model Ohms I have (but I like them).
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  • venomclan
    venomclan Posts: 2,467
    edited December 2007
    I have not yet heard a speaker best the Gallo Reference 3.1 in soundstage width. Downright Spooky.
    Venom
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited December 2007
    venomclan wrote: »
    I have not yet heard a speaker best the Gallo Reference 3.1 in soundstage width. Downright Spooky.
    Venom

    Thems are fightin' words! My Adagios will floor your Gallo Smallos!
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,093
    edited December 2007
    Discounting the SDA's......dipole may be what you are looking for.

    My brother had a pair of Ohm Walsh 5's.....I just could never get crazy about them.

    A couple others to consider are Dahlquist/Vandersteen (again, the whole open baffle thing)

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • venomclan
    venomclan Posts: 2,467
    edited December 2007
    SolidSqual wrote: »
    Thems are fightin' words! My Adagios will floor your Gallo Smallos!

    Settle down Beavis, the Adagios are too pretty to get physical...

    We don't need no box, no crossovers, or MDF. Gallo biotch!
    :D
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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,413
    edited December 2007
    Bose 901 is your next speaker








    I crack myself up.
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,780
    edited December 2007
    You crack me up too.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Texas42
    Texas42 Posts: 404
    edited December 2007
    Well, I was going to go with Bose, til these really nice guys in a white van drove up to me and sold me some reallllly nice speakers they had left over from a custom installation...
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