Advice on speaker upgrade - Sparkling highs and powerful bass and sub required !

[admin_exported]

Hello, I am a first time poster who would like some advice.

I am unhappy with the sound from my current set up. I find the high frequencies dull and the low frequencies muddy. The problem is caused by a combination of using rear ported speakers too close to the rear and side walls, and the speakers being quite average in quality.

I cannot change my speaker position or use stands. I feel the solution is to upgrade the speakers to better quality front ported units. I would appreciate suggestions for a suitable front ported speaker upgrade.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Background

Music: classical to reggae

Ideal sound: Sparkling highs and powerful bass and sub.

Budget for speaker upgrade: less than £500

Current set up: Wharfedale 10.1, Rega Brio 3, DAC Magic, M2Tech Hiface, Foobar, Vandam speaker and signal cable

Source: HD flac + Wav

 

[Anonymous]

I forgot the vital bit of information the new speakers need to be less than 395mm high.

Thank you

A

 

[mattmeer]

Hi,

Are you satisfied with the amplifier?

You might like Rega RS3 floorstanding speakers, front ported, can be positioned close to walls. Have very sparkling highs, and the bass is not muddy at all, but some find the bass lacks "warmth" (warmth can make bass more muddy in my opinion). Some characterize the Rega speakers as to lean because it lacks the muddy warm bass, but the bass is very neutral, goes deep when needed and never offensive. There are two on ebay at the moment and sometimes on the pinkfish forum, less than £500.

If you cannot change the stands, the Rega RS1 bookshelf speakers might be worth a look but they lack bass power, but could add a subwoofer.

I have experienced the Wharfedale speakers you mentioned, and I can agree with the muddy bass, aswell as the general "polite" style of playing. The Rega's are much more lively, especially in the highs. But I am not sure if you would like the bass of the Rega's, at first it sounds light, but it is a lack of muddy bass, actually (in my opinion).

The next step up from Rega speakers would be PMC speakers in my opinion, very dynamic bass, but a bit more muddy thanks to the transmission line compared to the Rega's. You certainly would not need a subwoofer with PMC, it has very powerful bass. The high's are very smooth and dynamic aswell. It is probably out of your budget but you might be able to find some 2nd hand PMC DB1i bookshelf speakers or PMC GB1 floorstanding speakers.

 

[CnoEvil]

Your amp is on the warm/dark side, which could be exacerbated by the cables.

It sounds like your speaker position is far from ideal - what are they resting on...you might like to try something like the ATC SCM7.

Are you using something like a Tacima to plug your amp into...this can rob the sound of dynamics.

Do you always use lossless as your source.

Focal and Triangle make lively speakers as well....but you'd need to check where the ports are.