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Post by 32and6 on Jul 30, 2019 11:41:16 GMT
Ever go round and round in circles and wind up back at the point you started from? I’ve been slowly upgrading the system I put together in the 90s. The Pink Triangle LPT was first, it’s now Funked Up with a Vector DC motor and outboard power supply, FX3 tonearm, Nagaoka MP200, a set of Boings and an Achromat. It connects to my Arcam FMJ A19 (which replaced my trusty Pioneer A400) via a Graham Slee Reflex M. It sounds mighty fine. All I needed was a speaker upgrade, I’ve a pair of Musical Fidelity MC4s bought secondhand over 30 years ago. They sit on Soundstyle stands, partially filled. Not the prettiest speaker in the world but lovely sound, rock solid. But from what I read, speaker technology has come a long way since the 90s. So I thought I must be able to better them. I’ve spent hours and hours auditioning appropriate speakers, some costing around £2k, which sound fantastic in the demo room. But every time I get home I fire up my system, put on a record, sit back, and think, actually, that sounds pretty good, why am I thinking of changing…
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davidf
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Post by davidf on Jul 31, 2019 11:00:08 GMT
I think a lot of people really settle in to the sound of their system, which is obviously heavily influenced by the sound of the speakers more so than any other item. Particularly those who have speakers from the 70s, which produce a very different sound to modern speakers - this change came around the 90s when speakers like Mission’s 753 paved the way for slimline speakers with smaller drivers. Once you’ve been used to a sound for so long, it’s hard to move away from it. You might even hear something that sounds technically better, but you may not enjoy it as much as what you’re used to. Plus, you used to get a lot of speaker for less than £500 back then!
I do remember the Musical Fidelity MC range - I’m presuming it’s the ones from the mid/late 80s with the transparent bass driver - I used to have a pair of the Reference 2 bookshelf which were around the same time, although there was also an MC4 from the 90s too. I do miss the Ref 2s - a small bookshelf with an 8” bass driver for £200.
Which speakers have you tried so far?
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Post by 32and6 on Aug 3, 2019 10:20:27 GMT
I think you're absolutely right about getting used to a sound. And if you're not comparing it with something else it's hard to shift that thinking. As for that 'older' sound, that's particularly relevant if your vinyl collection includes albums from 60s and 70s. My MC4s are not the ones with transparent bass drivers, I think they're later models, they have twin bass drivers. But, and this is probably a rather obvious thing to say, as I've gradually upgraded the front end of my system they sound better and better. As for speakers I've tried so far, the criteria was to find something that works well in a smaller space. My listening room is a back bedroom which doubles as my office / work space, about 4m sq. So I was looking for speakers that were relatively unfussy about placement. One dealer gave me a lengthy demo session where I listened to speakers from B&W, Kef and Russell K. But the speakers that made me sit up listen were the PMC Twenty5 21s. They sounded so right, I could have listened to them all day. But when I got home and stuck some groovy old jazz vinyl on the hifi I thought, the PMCs sounded great, but do they sound nearly £2000 better than what I already have? I admit I'm indecisive, a salesman's nightmare, but maybe the thing to do is have a home demo to make a proper comparison.
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davidf
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Post by davidf on Aug 4, 2019 2:00:44 GMT
The later MC4s we’re definitely more refined. I can’t say I was as keen on them as the older ones, but I may be nostalgically looking back and basing that on my love for the Reference 2s.
For smaller spaces, I tend to recommend either Ophidian, Larsen, or Amphion.
Ophidian, despite being rear ported, don’t sound like a ported speaker. Their port is designed in a way that the air that flows through it isn’t travelling at high speed, so placement near a wall doesn’t send the bass response crazy. They’re a pretty easy load too, good for the A19. The Prophet P1 is the nearest to the PMC model you tried.
The whole Larsen range are floorstanders, but quite short and designed to be placed right up against the wall. How the bass stays so even is beyond me. There’s the 4.2 at £1200 and the 6.2 at £2400. A little low sensitivity wise, but a decent 50wpc should be enough for them.
From the 3S standmount upwards, the Amphion Argon range uses passive radiators in a sealed cabinet instead of ports. Whereas a port works around a tuned frequency, the passive radiator covers a wider range and helps keep bass even through the room. These models can also be used closer to walls than ported speakers too. The 3S is £1720 and the 3LS floorstander is £2520. Again, pretty easy loads.
One thought about your system though. If you like your speakers so much, and you’re struggling to find a pair at £2k to better them, have you thought about improving your amplifier instead? To me, it sounds like the amplifier might not be allowing better speakers to ‘shine’.
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Post by 32and6 on Aug 4, 2019 6:53:00 GMT
Thanks for the suggestions, David, these are brands I'm not familiar with. And your descriptions of each really helps. The Larsens look interesting. Maybe the thing for me to do is come in and have a listen at some point. I live in London so I'd need to plan when I could do that.
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davidf
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Post by davidf on Aug 5, 2019 14:25:31 GMT
Thanks for the suggestions, David, these are brands I'm not familiar with. And your descriptions of each really helps. The Larsens look interesting. Maybe the thing for me to do is come in and have a listen at some point. I live in London so I'd need to plan when I could do that. Do give me a little notice as it’ll give me a chance to get in anything I don’t have you might want to listen to. Otherwise, you’re more than welcome!
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