Question Need Bright Speakers.

[Edbostan]

better for what? Higher highs?

I would audition sealed box enclosures as the reflex ports can reinforce the bass response. Sealed boxes usually have a flatter frequency response with a tighter bass. This may deceive your hearing into believing the sound is brighter. If your current speakers have ports put a sock in it and try it

 

[Edbostan]

I would audition sealed box enclosures as the reflex ports can reinforce the bass response. Sealed boxes usually have a flatter frequency response with a tighter bass. This may deceive your hearing into believing the sound is bri

 

[Tinman1952]

Sealed boxes usually have a flatter frequency response with a tighter bass. This may deceive your hearing into believing the sound is brighter.

Sorry…that’s the daftest thing I’ve ever heard….🤔

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi Guys. Newbie here.
Ive been into Hifi for many years, I’ve made as many successful as unsuccessful purchases in my time. So to try and avoid another, should we say “disappointment” I’m asking for advice.
Im setting up my retirement project.
I’m starting with a Cambridge EVO 150. Most of my music is now streamed, Tidal, Spotify. I do have some vintage Vinyl but it’s not my go to yet, maybe later. (Hence the 150 as apposed to the 75)
Now here is my predicament. I’m close to hard of hearing and my hi frequency hearing level is totally shot.
( too many rock concerts in the 70s)
I’m looking for some floor standing speakers that are classed as “Bright” or maybe “Lively”
Currently I have a pair of Ruark Talisman IIs, They have been good soldiers but it’s time to move on.
budget £2000 ish. Room lightly furnished, 30sq Mts. Musical taste. 70s rock, Modern soft rock. Seriously appreciate some positive guidance.

Without hearing your amp it's almost impossible to advise. I understand that hearing is an issue, but no idea on how bad or good it is.

You need to demo.

 

[Din5]

Hi, The OP says " my hi frequency hearing level is totally shot. " so just wondering if he will be able to hear the high frequency sounds from brighter speakers ?

 

[Al ears]

Hi, The OP says " my hi frequency hearing level is totally shot. " so just wondering if he will be able to hear the high frequency sounds from brighter speakers ?

I don't think he would be asking for suggestions if he couldn't.

 

[Din5]

He's best to audition some speakers then, hopefully bright speakers will help to make up any loss of high frequency hearing.

 

[Al ears]

He's best to audition some speakers then, hopefully bright speakers will help to make up any loss of high frequency hearing.

Yes, that's the issue. He appears to want better high frequency performance than his current Ruark Talismans

 

[Gray]

...my hi frequency hearing level is totally shot.

You've got my sympathy.
It depends how bad it really is.
A couple of years ago I spent some time with severe HF hearing loss - and there isn't a speaker on the planet that could have compensated for it - I lost interest in all things hi-fi.

There's a cheap and simple experiment you could do to liven up your current sound.
Buy a couple of these and stick them, angled down atop your Ruark cabs.:

QTX Piezo Horn Tweeter, 7'' x 3'', 150W Max at Gear4music

QTX Piezo Horn Tweeter, 7'' x 3'', 150W Max at Gear4music

www.gear4music.com

(I can hear the howls of derision based, not least, on the giveaway price of such tweeters).
At the very least they'll widen your sweet spot. When I say sweet, it won't be, your HF will be more disco than hi-fi.
True, your Ruarks were not designed to include such efficient HF cannons - but then they weren't designed to compensate for 'totally shot' HF hearing either.
People might say they're not hi-fi, but I can assure them that neither is totally shot HF hearing.

Strictly 'plug and prey play, due to their high impedance, they connect directly across the speaker terminals, no need for crossovers - just ensure correct polarity of the 2 connecting wires and avoid short circuits. If you remove the shorting links and pair them with the LF terminals, then they'll replace your Ruark tweeters.

Why not see what you think? Cheap and easy enough. If you don't like it.....you were buying new speakers anyway.

 

[manicm]

better for what? Higher highs?

better for what? Higher highs?

Haha maybe, but it would sound bigger and louder being that bit more sensitive and easier to drive.

And nobody’s commented yet on Andrew Robertson’s rather controversial recent review of it. He didn’t really disguise his contempt for it - citing excessive treble brightness and sibilance. Other reviews hinted at this more reservedly, but Andrew let rip.

There’s also a corollary of this that he made that will turn conventional wisdom on its head and make some people to burn down hifi stores - he made it explicitly clear that the combo of the 606 with the Rotel A11 Tribute is especially that of hell.

He otherwise adores the Tribute with other speakers.

 

[eazyryder]

Focal Aria are VERY bright as are some monitor audio models.

Probably best to look at loudspeakers with a metal dome tweeter of some sort

 

[rainsoothe]

Focal Aria are VERY bright as are some monitor audio models.

Probably best to look at loudspeakers with a metal dome tweeter of some sort

Wow, imo the Arias are not bright at all,, they're just open, but smooth. You must've heard them in a bad or mismatched system/room.

 

[eazyryder]

Wow, imo the Arias are not bright at all,, they're just open, but smooth. You must've heard them in a bad or mismatched system/room.

I home auditioned the Arias in my system using Naim amplification with Hicap DR and Chord Qutest DAC. Interconnects-Chord Company Epics and QED Genesis Silver Spiral speaker cables
So didnt hear them in a "bad system".

Yes you could put it down to system matching.

But Focal Aria are well known as an upfront, bright and lively speaker, that can be tricky to system match to get the best from them, and stop them sounding too harsh (see thomas&stereo review below)

With the inverted metal dome tweeter they certainly didnt sound smooth in my naim system
In fact I can not ever recall listening to a smooth sounding metal dome tweeter.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frt-kmSKgiA

 

[rainsoothe]

QED Genesis Silver Spiral speaker cables

There we go.
Btw, didn't wanna diss your system or anything, it was just one possibility. I saw that review as well, but at least two other reviews say that the top end is pretty smooth (the WHF one included, iirc), and that was also my experience. I used to own Aria 906 partnered with Arcam A19 (yes, this isn't a bright amplifier), Naim Unitiqute 2, UQ 2 + nap 100, and home demoed with Nait 5si. In all instances, source was Naim DAC V1 (Chord Qutest might also be a poor match, or maybe too much of a good thing), and speaker cable was DNM Reson (which I particularly got to cure Naim's harshness and bass that was overpowering my room) and the Arias top end never grated in that setup. I believe I'm pretty sensitive to brightness, and Imo, compared to their Electra counterparts, they're totally tame. (Of course, Electra with a Jadis Orchestra tube amp sounded perfectly balanced, but it was in a treated room, so that can mean nothing).

 

[eazyryder]

There we go.
Btw, didn't wanna diss your system or anything, it was just one possibility. I saw that review as well, but at least two other reviews say that the top end is pretty smooth (the WHF one included, iirc), and that was also my experience. I used to own Aria 906 partnered with Arcam A19 (yes, this isn't a bright amplifier), Naim Unitiqute 2, UQ 2 + nap 100, and home demoed with Nait 5si. In all instances, source was Naim DAC V1 (Chord Qutest might also be a poor match, or maybe too much of a good thing), and speaker cable was DNM Reson (which I particularly got to cure Naim's harshness and bass that was overpowering my room) and the Arias top end never grated in that setup. I believe I'm pretty sensitive to brightness, and Imo, compared to their Electra counterparts, they're totally tame. (Of course, Electra with a Jadis Orchestra tube amp sounded perfectly balanced, but it was in a treated room, so that can mean nothing).

QEDs genesis silver spiral loudspeaker cable is not an overly bright cable, If that was what your where insinuating with the "There we go" comment.
Yes it is silver but still a very neutral and open Hi-End speaker cable. And at £45 per metre it is somewhat of a bargain compared to many other brands.

Listened to many older arcam amps and found them lifeless and dull.
Never heard the Arcam A19. Its probably a good budget amplifier.

Used to own a Naim Nait 5i (italic). Cracking little amp and a good starting point into the naim sound.
Have heard the the original unitiqute in the kitchen of a friend. Not a bad little AIO system for some background music and for a bargain low price.

Cant understand your "Naim Harshness comment"???.
Never experienced Harshness with my Nait XS2 and HCDR or the standalone XS2 for that matter.
Only when connected to the Focal Aria 926s and that was definitely a speaker issue and nothing to do with the amplification, as all other home demoed speakers did not have any harshness issues at all when used with the Naim XS2.

Your Harshness must have obviously came from the Focal Aria 906 and Not the budget naim components.

Have also owned the Naim DAC V1 (amongst many other DACS) which IMO it is simply an awful DAC, probably worst I have ever heard, Dull and uninspiring sound with overpowering bottom end and loss of all finer detail.
This was the reason I chose the superior Chord Qutest.
The qutest is a smooth, very dynamic and detailed, but organic sounding DAC.

Funnily enough Naim have now discontinued the DAC V1 and no longer make a stand alone DAC unit.
And after owning and experiencing the DAC V1 I am not really surprised by this.

Have also recently home demoed
Wharfdale Evo 4.4
Dali Rubicon 6
Spendor A7
Spendor D7
Acoustic Energy 509
Wharfdale heritage linton
Pro AC Response DT8
Focal Aria 926

Basically most of What Hi Fis top award winning loudspeakers.

Of all speakers home tested the Arias where the most upfront, unrefined and obnoxious with a very bright and grating treble. (even when also tried with chord epic speaker cable)
Bottom end through the two flax drive units was surprisingly weak with no dynamic power or punch.
I experienced terrible sibilance with the inverted metal dome tweeter and had to keep lowering volume to prevent an oncoming headache.

I suppose we shall have to agree to disagree when it comes to the Focal Aria.

 

[rainsoothe]

QEDs genesis silver spiral loudspeaker cable is not an overly bright cable, If that was what your where insinuating with the "There we go" comment.
Yes it is silver but still a very neutral and open Hi-End speaker cable. And at £45 per metre it is somewhat of a bargain compared to many other brands.

Listened to many older arcam amps and found them lifeless and dull.
Never heard the Arcam A19. Its probably a good budget amplifier.

Used to own a Naim Nait 5i (italic). Cracking little amp and a good starting point into the naim sound.
Have heard the the original unitiqute in the kitchen of a friend. Not a bad little AIO system for some background music and for a bargain low price.

Cant understand your "Naim Harshness comment"???.
Never experienced Harshness with my Nait XS2 and HCDR or the standalone XS2 for that matter.
Only when connected to the Focal Aria 926s and that was definitely a speaker issue and nothing to do with the amplification, as all other home demoed speakers did not have any harshness issues at all when used with the Naim XS2.

Your Harshness must have obviously came from the Focal Aria 906 and Not the budget naim components.

Have also owned the Naim DAC V1 (amongst many other DACS) which IMO it is simply an awful DAC, probably worst I have ever heard, Dull and uninspiring sound with overpowering bottom end and loss of all finer detail.
This was the reason I chose the superior Chord Qutest.
The qutest is a smooth, very dynamic and detailed, but organic sounding DAC.

Funnily enough Naim have now discontinued the DAC V1 and no longer make a stand alone DAC unit.
And after owning and experiencing the DAC V1 I am not really surprised by this.

Have also recently home demoed
Wharfdale Evo 4.4
Dali Rubicon 6
Spendor A7
Spendor D7
Acoustic Energy 509
Wharfdale heritage linton
Pro AC Response DT8
Focal Aria 926

Basically most of What Hi Fis top award winning loudspeakers.

Of all speakers home tested the Arias where the most upfront, unrefined and obnoxious with a very bright and grating treble. (even when also tried with chord epic speaker cable)
Bottom end through the two flax drive units was surprisingly weak with no dynamic power or punch.
I experienced terrible sibilance with the inverted metal dome tweeter and had to keep lowering volume to prevent an oncoming headache.

I suppose we shall have to agree to disagree when it comes to the Focal Aria.

My point was that it only sounded harsh when I was using Naca5, or demoed QED XT40 and XT400. I also tested a QED Profile RCA and coaxial interconnect, and in each instance, for me at least, the midrange became thin and somewhat distant. Had no harshness with the DNM Reson, Tellurium Q Black 2 or Chord Rumour for that matter.

You also found the Dac V1 lifeless, so the open sounding Arias might've been tamed by that as well. Which is the point I was making: system mis-match.

 

[eazyryder]

My point was that it only sounded harsh when I was using Naca5, or demoed QED XT40 and XT400. I also tested a QED Profile RCA and coaxial interconnect, and in each instance, for me at least, the midrange became thin and somewhat distant. Had no harshness with the DNM Reson, Tellurium Q Black 2 or Chord Rumour for that matter.

You also found the Dac V1 lifeless, so the open sounding Arias might've been tamed by that as well. Which is the point I was making: system mis-match.

I will make this reply short, with no system "diss" LOL

QED have probably been around longer than you and make great speaker cables.
IMO -Naim DAC V1 is a terrible DAC and rightly discontinued by Naim
Naim amplification Does NOT sound Harsh at all
IMO- Focal Aria ARE bright and harsh.
And as you have confirmed need heavy compensation to tame them.

Therefore original post was "Need Bright Speakers"
Answer="Focal Aria" Done.

 

[rainsoothe]

I will make this reply short, with no system "diss" LOL

QED have probably been around longer than you and make great speaker cables.
IMO -Naim DAC V1 is a terrible DAC and rightly discontinued by Naim
Naim amplification Does NOT sound Harsh at all
IMO- Focal Aria ARE bright and harsh.
And as you have confirmed need heavy compensation to tame them.

Therefore original post was "Need Bright Speakers"
Answer="Focal Aria" Done.

You only heard them in your mismatched system, and all those speakers in that list are well known to have a forgiving nature, warm sound, and some with rolled off treble. So it's you who's actually doing the heavy compensation. Also, QED being around longer than me is completely irrelevant - Fiat have also been around longer than me, they still make ugly, unreliable cars.

 

[eazyryder]

You only heard them in your mismatched system, and all those speakers in that list are well known to have a forgiving nature, warm sound, and some with rolled off treble. So it's you who's actually doing the heavy compensation. Also, QED being around longer than me is completely irrelevant - Fiat have also been around longer than me, they still make ugly, unreliable cars.

"Your Mismatched system"--
Now you are just being argumentative.

What are you system specs?. Cant see any in your profile?.
I by that I mean REAL ones?

"So it's you who's actually doing the heavy compensation"--
How am I compensating?.
Was it not you that stated "There you go" with my Bright fiat like QED Genesis speaker cables?.

"and all those speakers in that list are well known to have a forgiving nature, warm sound, and some with rolled off treble."--
The Aria 926s are on the list. And Spendor certainly do NOT have a forgiving nature.
I really do think that you do not have any idea of what you are actually talking about.

"Fiat have also been around longer than me, they still make ugly, unreliable cars".--
So in your superior opinion, you think QED, one of the oldest and original speaker cable manufacturers, make ugly and unreliable cables?.

Most of your above reply is just absolute nonsense and didnt really warrant a response.
You where lucky I gave you one.
Do you come on this forum just to contradict?.

 

[Al ears]

"Your Mismatched system"--
Now you are just being argumentative.

What are you system specs?. Cant see any in your profile?.
I by that I mean REAL ones?

"So it's you who's actually doing the heavy compensation"--
How am I compensating?.
Was it not you that stated "There you go" with my Bright fiat like QED Genesis speaker cables?.

"and all those speakers in that list are well known to have a forgiving nature, warm sound, and some with rolled off treble."--
The Aria 926s are on the list. And Spendor certainly do NOT have a forgiving nature.
I really do think that you do not have any idea of what you are actually talking about.

"Fiat have also been around longer than me, they still make ugly, unreliable cars".--
So in your superior opinion, you think QED, one of the oldest and original speaker cable manufacturers, make ugly and unreliable cables?.

Most of your above reply is just absolute nonsense really and didnt really warrant a response.
You where lucky I gave you one.
Do you come on this forum just to contradict?.

Can you please keep comments to the original question in this thread, it would be more helpful to the OP.

 

[Al ears]

You only heard them in your mismatched system, and all those speakers in that list are well known to have a forgiving nature, warm sound, and some with rolled off treble. So it's you who's actually doing the heavy compensation. Also, QED being around longer than me is completely irrelevant - Fiat have also been around longer than me, they still make ugly, unreliable cars.

expand...

Can you please keep comments to the original question in this thread, it would be more helpful to the OP.

 

[Lutfij]

@eazyryder + @rainsoothe Please note that it's best if you remove the needless arguments before I start cleaning them, stop with the jabs henceforth and keep on topic to the OP/discussion.

 

[eazyryder]

Can you please keep comments to the original question in this thread, it would be more helpful to the OP.

Yes sorry about that.
And also an apology to the OP

I was just trying to help the OP In my original suggesting of the Focal Arias.

I certainly didnt expect the assault on my suggestion and then on
my own system.

 

[rainsoothe]

apologies to the OP. Try the Arias, and let your ears decide, of course. I still stand by my initial recommendation of Klipsch, and you should also have Triangle and Fyne Audio on that list. B&W 600 series as well.

 

[manicm]

apologies to the OP. Try the Arias, and let your ears decide, of course. I still stand by my initial recommendation of Klipsch, and you should also have Triangle and Fyne Audio on that list. B&W 600 series as well.

I also think Klipsch might just be the ticket. I’m going to try them out too.