Recommended Modern Speakers

Bigerik

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The purpose of this thread is to allow people to post reviews or recommendations of the modern gear they have or have used. Again, first person experience only.
For the purposes of this thread, "Modern" shall mean anything in current production, or the previous model. For instance, both the Rega Brio and Brio-R would eligible.
If you disagree with a persons recommendation, please take that to a separate thread.

Again, this is something new we are trying, so we can tweak and fine tune as we go.

Please post any comments in this thread:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=441123
 
Epos Epic 2

Epos Epic 2 speakers are excellent! These speakers won me over compared to Vandersteen 1C, B&W CM1, Wharfdale 10.2.
The lowend is excellent, not too much but more than enough, its tight and to the point. The mids are very natural and the highs are very comfortable with the newly designed 25mm softdome tweeter, not harsh or bright at all. I do not experience any listener fatigue at all.
They are a 4ohm speaker and very efficient at 90dB/1m. Excellent features too for their price range. Gold plated terminals and bi-wire capable too and two grille options.

When I work from home, my desk is about 25' away and I listen for probably 8-10 hours while working and they are a joy, very pleasant and again, no fatigue to my ears....only sonic pleasure!

Highly recommended.

Cheers
 
I don't have pics to show but I just bought a pair of LSA .5 bookshelf speakers last week after auditioning them at a shop that carries them in my area. Not a widely known speaker but most certainly one that deserves a listen for anyone contemplating the purchase of a really fine pair of small speakers. Just my ears talking here of course, yours may tell you differently...............:D

Regards to all...........Terry:thmbsp::music:
 
I don't have pics to show but I just bought a pair of LSA .5 bookshelf speakers last week after auditioning them at a shop that carries them in my area. Not a widely known speaker but most certainly one that deserves a listen for anyone contemplating the purchase of a really fine pair of small speakers. Just my ears talking here of course, yours may tell you differently...............:D

Regards to all...........Terry:thmbsp::music:

We know them well round' these parts' :yes: nice pick up man!
 
I don't have pics to show but I just bought a pair of LSA .5 bookshelf speakers last week after auditioning them at a shop that carries them in my area. Not a widely known speaker but most certainly one that deserves a listen for anyone contemplating the purchase of a really fine pair of small speakers. Just my ears talking here of course, yours may tell you differently...............:D

Regards to all...........Terry:thmbsp::music:

Let's see some pics Terry!
 
Let's see some pics Terry!

Hey David - You know I would if I could, but I can't, so I don't..............:D
The .5s are really sounding great. Got a few hours on them now and they are so fine I can't believe I'm listening to a speaker this small. I find myself turning them on instead of my main system so they must be good. Hope all is going well with you. Have a shot of Bundy for me next time you're in the mood and don't get crook drinking that stuff either...............:nono:

Cheers back to you mate........Terry:thmbsp::music:
 
How do the AX-2s compare?

Also, how do you think AN-Js would sould with an SS integrated like the Brio-R? I get the feeling they're intended for tube amps.

I much prefer the AN-J's with SS gear...I had them originally matched to a KT88Push Pull amp/tube pre combo, and they were very, very nice, but they are a completely different animal with my (now) all solid state gear. This is simply preference of course as many were woo'd by them at the fest in an all tube room with amps ranging from 3-40 wpc, both pp and set. To my ears they respond better to a few more watts and voice like crazy now, it's pretty awesome actually. I played Marty Stewart's "Souls Chapel" last night and the first track is A Capella....good lord, it gave me goosebumps....:yes:
To answer your question, I would not hesitate to use these with the Brio R, and intend on testing that theory some day soon....:thmbsp:
 
I much prefer the AN-J's with SS gear...I had them originally matched to a KT88Push Pull amp/tube pre combo, and they were very, very nice, but they are a completely different animal with my (now) all solid state gear. This is simply preference of course as many were woo'd by them at the fest in an all tube room with amps ranging from 3-40 wpc, both pp and set. To my ears they respond better to a few more watts and voice like crazy now, it's pretty awesome actually. I played Marty Stewart's "Souls Chapel" last night and the first track is A Capella....good lord, it gave me goosebumps....:yes:
To answer your question, I would not hesitate to use these with the Brio R, and intend on testing that theory some day soon....:thmbsp:

Does that apply to E's as well? My favorite room in the show was the "cheap" Audio Note room, and I thought they had a lots tube watts driving them.
 
Does that apply to E's as well? My favorite room in the show was the "cheap" Audio Note room, and I thought they had a lots tube watts driving them.
I would think that the E's would have similar characteristics, but have only seen and heard them live at this last Fest. Grumpy has the E's, so he is the guy to ask for a real life answer...:thmbsp:
 
Just thought I'd sing the praises of the Monitor Audio RX-1 bookshelf speakers. I spent about 2 hours today demoing a bunch of speakers ranging up to $5,000 and the RX-1 were my favorite overall. There were other speakers that did certain things better, but damn these things sound great for 700 bucks new (like 400 off audiogon!).
 
Dali Epicon 6

Saw these at CES back in January but didn't get a chance to listen until yesterday. Man...they sound even more beautiful than they look. Even powered by nice (but nothing fantastic) NAD all digital amp and CD player (C390 DD, 565BEE) the sound was great at all volume levels. I really wanted to hear what the results would be with a top quality SS amp and tube pre, but I spent so much time listening as it was I lost track of the hours.

I compared these to the much heralded new Sony SS-AR1, and even with the benefit of much better electronics (very nice Hegel) I thought the Dali was better at 1/2 the price. I don't know where the exact point of diminishing return is for speakers...and I'll most likely never be in a position to spend $14k on a pair...but if I was the Dali would be at the top of my list.

http://www.dali-speakers.com/en-US/Home.aspx
 
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I just got a pair of Monitor Audio GX-100s in yesterday. I bought them off audiogon, so they are already broken in for about 60 hours. I hooked them up to my Rega Brio-r with a Sonos Connect as the source (still no DAC).

This is a listening experience I've never come close to in my home. I just upgraded from an unrefurbished Marantz 2230 and recapped Klipsch Forte setup. The GX-100s are surgically precise and the high frequency treble extension is astonishing and unsettling at first. I feel like my ears aren't used to them yet; like my ears are virgin to these upper treble frequencies. To use a cliche, I've been listening through my favorite well produced tracks and noticing all kinds of details and sounds I've never heard before. I currently have them set up about 8 feet apart at an equilateral triangle from my sofa, toed in slightly. They are only 1 foot off the back wall, so the bass is louder than it "should" be, which I'm fine with. I enjoy a little extra bass punch than most. I've been listening to Indie Rock, Electronica, Alternative Rock, Avant-Garde, Hip Hop, and other post-80s genres of music. These speakers are doing exceptionally well at everything I throw at them. Combined with the Brio-R, every instrument and sound is fast and pronounced; every detail is uncovered with authority.

When I auditioned GX-50s in my local store, it was in a dead room with treatments covering the walls and ceiling. I feel the treble is harsher in my living room since I have hard wood floors and very little absorptive material in general. I'm going to put a large rug down in front of them and see if it changes anything. It's actually not that the speakers are harsh or even shrill, and definitely not bright; the treble is rather smooth and sweet actually. It's just the high frequency treble detail just feels sort of unsettling; it's almost so engaging and detailed that my ears feel seasick after a while. I can close my eyes and literally feel like I'm swimming around and tumbling between the instruments in the treble region. There's so many layers and textures that I can't find anything to find footing on. The bass is too far away.

So, after reading this it may not sound so much like a recommendation. Besides this abstract babble I just wrote, I can say that these speakers are extremely engaging and the imaging is seemingly 4-dimensional compared to anything I've owned in the past. The soundstage is a little oddly dispersed. The detail across all frequencies is better than anything I've ever heard. I'd say these are speakers that excel in electronic music in that they express details and textures of synth tones like crazy. At $2,000, you'd expect any speaker to be this refined, but I can't speak much to their competitors since I haven't heard many.
 
Is this RX-1 or GX-100 you got there?

I was talking about the GX-100s. I also purchased a pair of RX-1s for another room, as I couldn't resist the cheap cost ($400) and overall amazing sound I witnessed when auditioning them in a store.

Compared with the GX-100s, the RX-1s are more compressed and warm sounding. They lack the treble detail provided by the ribbon tweeters in the GX series speakers. When the music gets busy, they sound more flattened. I can't say I really like one more than the other though. At a 3rd the price RX-1s are just as good to my ears, when all things are considered. I favored them slightly to the GX-50s. I pulled the trigger on the GX-100s before a second visit to the local hifi shop where I auditioned more speakers, including the RX-1s, RX-6s, and a bunch more (a little backwards, I know). I have no regrets though. I'm loving the GX-100s, and I got a great deal on them.
 
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I was talking about the GX-100s. I also purchased a pair of RX-1s for another room, as I couldn't resist the cheap cost ($400) and overall amazing sound I witnessed when auditioning them in a store.

Compared with the GX-100s, the RX-1s are more compressed and warm sounding. They lack the treble detail provided by the ribbon tweeters in the GX series speakers. When the music gets busy, they sound more flattened. I can't say I really like one more than the other though. At a 3rd the price RX-1s are just as good to my ears, when all things are considered. I favored them slightly to the GX-50s. I pulled the trigger on the GX-100s before a second visit to the local hifi shop where I auditioned more speakers, including the RX-1s, RX-6s, and a bunch more (a little backwards, I know). I have no regrets though. I'm loving the GX-100s, and I got a great deal on them.

That GX-100 look real like my LSA1 in many ways. The shape of the cabinet, ribbon tweeters, rear ported, bi-wiring, unit sizes. Have you tried bi wiring yet?
 
That GX-100 look real like my LSA1 in many ways. The shape of the cabinet, ribbon tweeters, rear ported, bi-wiring, unit sizes. Have you tried bi wiring yet?


No. I have the terminals jumpered currently. I'd like to try it in the future though. They do look pretty similar to the LSA1s. I've never heard those, so I can't compare the sound.
 
Give it a go by all means. All you need is a spare pair of speaker cables really. It could be a pleasant surprise.
 
I bi-wired my Epos and did not hear any difference at all......But I am now thinking I did it too early in the break in phase......And now with my new NAD C356BEE, I have to probably wait another 200-300 hours.
Once I get there in another 2-3 months I might try bi-wiring again.
 
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