help w/ list of shielded front floorstanders for ht use (1 Viewer)

[Michael Marklund]

John,

Very cool. Am excited to hear about the new stuff. Will email mike at ACI when I get to my home computer. Must admit I'm really nervous about mail order speakers w/o listening to them. Jeez, between getting the outlaw 950/755 (finally decided) w/ no listening test and now maybe these speakers...Aarrrrgh. 30 day test helps calm me.

Question from last post: are they going to make other surrounds?? Or is one supposed to use these for rears also. Awfully dang big for rear/surrounds.

Thanks again.

MM

 

[John Desmond]

>>>Question from last post: are they going to make other surrounds?? Or is one supposed to use these for rears also. Awfully dang big for rear/surrounds.

 

[Michael Marklund]

Started the listening tests this weekend. Long ways to go with all the recommendations! Kind of tough w/o being able to a/b with like equipment though. Whole lot of fun though.

Question: ran across something interesting while out and about-Snell Acoustics XA60 speakers. They have switches for altering the speakers/bass depending on placement. (defeat rear tweeter if backed up to a wall and an alteration of mid-bass if along side a wall or in a recess.) Sounds perfect for my application...but is this just rudimentary (sp?) bass management or do these switches digitally alter the sound in an undesired way? Like I said, sounds like a great idea but am I giving up sonic quality??

Anybody have any of these speakers or know of any reviews?

Also any feedback on their bigger brother, the XA75 with powered woofer?

Thanks again,

MM

 

[george king]

Michael,

Glad to hear you are having fun. What did you listen to over the weekend besides the Snells (nice speakers BTW).

 

[Michael Marklund]

Listened to B&W, Paradigm, and Dynaudio this last weekend. Paradigms are great but ref 100s although awesome, will probably give too much bass for my use. Yes the cross can be set to my desire but with a speaker designed for such low, big bass even w/o a sub, I think would sound muffled in my wall recess and I would also be spending a lot of money for a great speaker attribute that I would not use. (dual subs out of the recess will handle bass).
The B&W (cdm9nt) were really nice/great soundstage, not too bright, but I made the mistake of hearing the Nautilus 804s.It would be hard to but the cdm9nts when I know what I could have gotten w/ the 804s. (price too high).alas...
Will go to Scottsdale this weekend to listen to KEFs (at your suggestion, George )
Thanks,
MM

 

[John Desmond]

I think you're on the right track. Take your time and listen to as many speakers as you can. You've got to get a feel for what is out there, relative price points etc. before you can really narrow it down. Do consider that anything you audition freestanding will sound very different when mounted into your space.

 

[KeithR]

Of course another option to shielded loudspeakers is a plasma or projector...if you got the dinero. Either one will be a huge improvement sonically.

 

[Michael Marklund]

Sorry for not responding yesterday, server was down on my computer. Got to look all day but no posting.(was at work and couldn't log on and when home all was down)
Anyways, Keith, I think the wife would shoot me if I went to a projector (plasmas are too small). I just got the 65' Mitsu Diamond about 6months ago. (and am very happy with it).Just bummed about their warning over shielded speaks and have read in other speaker company's lit that some can't be placed right next to the Mitsu. With everyone's help so far though, I think I've got a great list of speakers to listen to and will end up being very happy. Wife will be happy too once she hears all this gear set up, for now all she sees are the outgoing $$$$$.
Thanks,
MM