KeithH
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2000
- Messages
- 9,413
I finally decided that this past weekend would be the time to find a new pair of speakers for music in my home theater. I've been using Energy e:XL 16 bookshelf speakers for music that are part of a 5.1 set-up, but I wanted something better. They did not have to be Energy speakers. I was willing to buy a different brand and keep the Energys simply for home theater (I have no interest in buying a whole new 5.1 package). So, off I went to two local audio shops. I'll call them Dealer 1 and Dealer 2. To say that shopping for speakers is challenging is an understatement. Different dealers, different gear. Making a decision is not easy.
On Saturday, I walk into Dealer 1 with a handful of CDs and tell them that I am looking for either quality bookshelf speakers or floorstanders, ideally for no more than $1000. This dealer is very high-end. I listened to the following speakers connected to a Classe CD player and Classe integrated amp (I didn't pay too close attention to the model numbers):
1) Energy Veritas 2.2 bookshelf speakers: I expected the world from these speakers since the Veritas line is considered a significant step up from my e:XLs, which I've been happy with. The price for a demo pair of 2.2s was $750, and a new pair was $1000. Listening to Dire Straits Brothers in Arms and Rebecca Pidgeon The Raven on CD, I was a bit disappointed. The sound was what I would call diffuse. Some might call it warm, but I felt it was too warm. Placing instruments and getting an overall feeling of soundstage was difficult. The Energys looked great, as the dealer had them on custom Energy stands that go for another $450. While I was there, someone bought one demo pair of the 2.2s, but I was able to listen to another.
2) Totem bookshelf speakers: Honestly, I forgot the model here. Totem seems to be a rather obscure brand. I rarely hear anything about them, but I saw an ad in a hi-fi magazine recently. Dealer 1 carries some top-end gear, so I figured Totem must make a decent speaker. However, with the Classe set-up, these speakers also sounded diffuse and uninvolving. The price was about the same as the Energys, and the sound appeared the same too.
3) Totem Arro floorstanders: As the salesman was setting these up, he told me I would like them. He said they were in another league from the other speakers. He also said that a new pair sold for $1500. That's more than I wanted to spend, but I decided to give them a listen anyway. Wow! These speakers are excellent. Great bass and overall accuracy. They just made the music sound right. Clearly the leader. At this point, I asked to listen to the Energys again since they were quoted at half the price of the Arro floorstanders. Once again, I couldn't bring myself to like the sound of the Energys.
On to Dealer 2. This dealer is not as high-end as Dealer 1 overall, but Dealer 2 has some quality gear anyway.
1) B&W CDM 1NT bookshelf speakers: These were connected to a Bryston surround-sound pre-amp and power amp with a Pioneer DV-38A progressive scan DVD/DVD-Audio/CD player as the front-end source. I was quoted around $1000 for a new pair of '1NTs. To say the '1NTs were bright is an understatement. I could only take the first minute of Dire Straits "Money for Nothing" before stopping the disc. I did listen to them for a little while longer with a couple CDs, but they were aggravating. Now, for music, I suspect the Pioneer Elite DVD player could have been the weak link, but I can't rule out the possibility that the Bryston equipment or the speakers themselves were the culprit. Prior to listening, the salesman (a real used car salesman type) told me nothing would beat B&W in the $1000 price range, especially for top-end clarity. Anyway, I found the sound to be disgusting.
2) Paradigm Reference Studio 60 floorstanders: I expected a lot from these speakers based on reputation. They are very nice looking. The price was a shade over $1100 for a new pair. The dealer had them connected to an Adcom GCD-750 single-disc CD player and an Adcom pre-amp and power amp. The bass put out by the Paradigms was very strong. Possibly too strong. My listening room at home isn't huge, and that much bass could be a problem. Despite the strong bass, the upper registers were once again harsh. All in all, the sound didn't do it for me.
3) B&W 602 series floorstanders: I don't recall the exact model number (could have been 602 S2 or something like that). They were around $1000 for a pair. These were connected to a Pioneer Elite VSX-36TX receiver with a (gasp!) Pioneer DV-343 as the front-end source. Nothing against the '343, but it is not in the same league as any of the other front-end components I had been using that day. Overall, the B&Ws were lacking. The sound was muddy. I knew that the associated equipment wasn't ideal, but it had been a long day already, so I didn't ask them to move equipment around. By this point, the salesman was getting on my nerves too. He was like a used car salesman, as I said.
Back to Dealer 1. I had to listen to the Totem Arro floorstanders again. And listen I did. These were the only speakers I heard that day that really made me sit up and take notice. In talking to the salesman, it turns out he misquoted the price. He showed me his price list that indicated the Arros were $1100 for a new pair, not $1500. What's more, he said I could have the demo pair for $895. They were already broken in, so I bought them.
Was my listening experience conducted in a scientific manner? Absolutely not. I'm sure many of you have been there before. Listening to different speakers in different stores on different equipment, all the while trying to remember how one speaker sounded versus the others, is difficult. In the end, I went with the speaker I felt was best and took them home. I have until Friday to try them out at home, at which point I have to make a decision to keep them or return them.
One thing that concerned me in making my purchase is that I might have sold some, if not all of the speakers at Dealer 2 short. I don't think any of their sound systems were as good as the Classe system at Dealer 1. It is possible, I suppose, that the Paradigm Reference or B&W speakers would have sounded great with the Classe gear, which, of course, I don't own. However, the Class gear doesn't make every speaker sound great, not surprisingly. As I said above, the Energy Veritas and Totem bookshelf speakers were disappointing. On that basis, I felt good about my purchase.
Once I got the Totem Arros home and hooked them up in my home theater, I felt assured that my decision was a good one. These speakers are incredible. In A/B'ing SACDs and CDs on my Sony SCD-777ES between the Energy e:XL 16s and the Totem Arros (with an NAD C 370 integrated amp), there is no comparison. I am loving music again. For awhile, I realized that my Energy e:XL 16s were the weak link in my system for music, though they are good for the price. Having new speakers is exhiliarating!
------------------
My:
HT Pics ; Equipment List ; DVD Collection ; LD Collection
KeithH: Saving the Home Theater World Before Bedtime
[Edited last by KeithH on August 13, 2001 at 11:40 AM]
On Saturday, I walk into Dealer 1 with a handful of CDs and tell them that I am looking for either quality bookshelf speakers or floorstanders, ideally for no more than $1000. This dealer is very high-end. I listened to the following speakers connected to a Classe CD player and Classe integrated amp (I didn't pay too close attention to the model numbers):
1) Energy Veritas 2.2 bookshelf speakers: I expected the world from these speakers since the Veritas line is considered a significant step up from my e:XLs, which I've been happy with. The price for a demo pair of 2.2s was $750, and a new pair was $1000. Listening to Dire Straits Brothers in Arms and Rebecca Pidgeon The Raven on CD, I was a bit disappointed. The sound was what I would call diffuse. Some might call it warm, but I felt it was too warm. Placing instruments and getting an overall feeling of soundstage was difficult. The Energys looked great, as the dealer had them on custom Energy stands that go for another $450. While I was there, someone bought one demo pair of the 2.2s, but I was able to listen to another.
2) Totem bookshelf speakers: Honestly, I forgot the model here. Totem seems to be a rather obscure brand. I rarely hear anything about them, but I saw an ad in a hi-fi magazine recently. Dealer 1 carries some top-end gear, so I figured Totem must make a decent speaker. However, with the Classe set-up, these speakers also sounded diffuse and uninvolving. The price was about the same as the Energys, and the sound appeared the same too.
3) Totem Arro floorstanders: As the salesman was setting these up, he told me I would like them. He said they were in another league from the other speakers. He also said that a new pair sold for $1500. That's more than I wanted to spend, but I decided to give them a listen anyway. Wow! These speakers are excellent. Great bass and overall accuracy. They just made the music sound right. Clearly the leader. At this point, I asked to listen to the Energys again since they were quoted at half the price of the Arro floorstanders. Once again, I couldn't bring myself to like the sound of the Energys.
On to Dealer 2. This dealer is not as high-end as Dealer 1 overall, but Dealer 2 has some quality gear anyway.
1) B&W CDM 1NT bookshelf speakers: These were connected to a Bryston surround-sound pre-amp and power amp with a Pioneer DV-38A progressive scan DVD/DVD-Audio/CD player as the front-end source. I was quoted around $1000 for a new pair of '1NTs. To say the '1NTs were bright is an understatement. I could only take the first minute of Dire Straits "Money for Nothing" before stopping the disc. I did listen to them for a little while longer with a couple CDs, but they were aggravating. Now, for music, I suspect the Pioneer Elite DVD player could have been the weak link, but I can't rule out the possibility that the Bryston equipment or the speakers themselves were the culprit. Prior to listening, the salesman (a real used car salesman type) told me nothing would beat B&W in the $1000 price range, especially for top-end clarity. Anyway, I found the sound to be disgusting.
2) Paradigm Reference Studio 60 floorstanders: I expected a lot from these speakers based on reputation. They are very nice looking. The price was a shade over $1100 for a new pair. The dealer had them connected to an Adcom GCD-750 single-disc CD player and an Adcom pre-amp and power amp. The bass put out by the Paradigms was very strong. Possibly too strong. My listening room at home isn't huge, and that much bass could be a problem. Despite the strong bass, the upper registers were once again harsh. All in all, the sound didn't do it for me.
3) B&W 602 series floorstanders: I don't recall the exact model number (could have been 602 S2 or something like that). They were around $1000 for a pair. These were connected to a Pioneer Elite VSX-36TX receiver with a (gasp!) Pioneer DV-343 as the front-end source. Nothing against the '343, but it is not in the same league as any of the other front-end components I had been using that day. Overall, the B&Ws were lacking. The sound was muddy. I knew that the associated equipment wasn't ideal, but it had been a long day already, so I didn't ask them to move equipment around. By this point, the salesman was getting on my nerves too. He was like a used car salesman, as I said.
Back to Dealer 1. I had to listen to the Totem Arro floorstanders again. And listen I did. These were the only speakers I heard that day that really made me sit up and take notice. In talking to the salesman, it turns out he misquoted the price. He showed me his price list that indicated the Arros were $1100 for a new pair, not $1500. What's more, he said I could have the demo pair for $895. They were already broken in, so I bought them.
Was my listening experience conducted in a scientific manner? Absolutely not. I'm sure many of you have been there before. Listening to different speakers in different stores on different equipment, all the while trying to remember how one speaker sounded versus the others, is difficult. In the end, I went with the speaker I felt was best and took them home. I have until Friday to try them out at home, at which point I have to make a decision to keep them or return them.
One thing that concerned me in making my purchase is that I might have sold some, if not all of the speakers at Dealer 2 short. I don't think any of their sound systems were as good as the Classe system at Dealer 1. It is possible, I suppose, that the Paradigm Reference or B&W speakers would have sounded great with the Classe gear, which, of course, I don't own. However, the Class gear doesn't make every speaker sound great, not surprisingly. As I said above, the Energy Veritas and Totem bookshelf speakers were disappointing. On that basis, I felt good about my purchase.
Once I got the Totem Arros home and hooked them up in my home theater, I felt assured that my decision was a good one. These speakers are incredible. In A/B'ing SACDs and CDs on my Sony SCD-777ES between the Energy e:XL 16s and the Totem Arros (with an NAD C 370 integrated amp), there is no comparison. I am loving music again. For awhile, I realized that my Energy e:XL 16s were the weak link in my system for music, though they are good for the price. Having new speakers is exhiliarating!
------------------
My:
HT Pics ; Equipment List ; DVD Collection ; LD Collection
KeithH: Saving the Home Theater World Before Bedtime
[Edited last by KeithH on August 13, 2001 at 11:40 AM]
ENJOY!!!
