Hello everyone, it's been a while between posts and I thank you all for your feedback and comments with respect to speaker upgrades. I did it, I went ahead and bought the Venere S in walnut (they don't sell the black and white ones as standard in Japan, you have to order them specially - I'm not sure why. I would have gone for the walnut finish anyway, though). Anyway, here are a few thoughts:
Looks:
Lord above, these are pretty speakers. I always thought that Monitor Audio's GS20s were pretty but the Venere S are something else. The mixture of curves, lines, and accents is very easy on the eye. The clean baffle (read: no plungers for the grilles) is a nice touch.
Sound:
I have to put this into context by way of comparison to my old speakers. Having said that I find that the soundstage is wider, deeper, and taller. Having a dedicated midrange driver definitely has benefits over the 2.5 way configuration of the GS20s. One of the biggest improvements in overall sound quality is the bass - it sounds properly effortless. The best way I can put it is that it just envelopes you, carries you along with the music. I do notice a greater level of detail retrieval as well.
Overall, the sound just seems to be a lot more natural. One afternoon I was sitting on my chaise longue (positioned on the side wall - not my primary listening chair), grading papers and listening to Queen. There was one moment when only Freddie was speaking and I literally did a double take - it honestly sounded like he was in the room and it actually gave me a bit of a start.
One other observation: whilst I love my GS20s I've found myself able to listen to the Veneres for longer spans of time: they just don't seem to fatigue my ears.
Pride of ownership:
Very strong sense of satisfaction. I have to make sure I don't turn into a bit of snob *beee*
Reflecting on other choices in the same price range
Like many other people have said, there are alternatives that have an edge on the Veneres, but for an individual like myself who also places a high value on the aesthetics, I very happy with them.
Many years of enjoyment expected.
Cheers,
LDTM
Looks:
Lord above, these are pretty speakers. I always thought that Monitor Audio's GS20s were pretty but the Venere S are something else. The mixture of curves, lines, and accents is very easy on the eye. The clean baffle (read: no plungers for the grilles) is a nice touch.
Sound:
I have to put this into context by way of comparison to my old speakers. Having said that I find that the soundstage is wider, deeper, and taller. Having a dedicated midrange driver definitely has benefits over the 2.5 way configuration of the GS20s. One of the biggest improvements in overall sound quality is the bass - it sounds properly effortless. The best way I can put it is that it just envelopes you, carries you along with the music. I do notice a greater level of detail retrieval as well.
Overall, the sound just seems to be a lot more natural. One afternoon I was sitting on my chaise longue (positioned on the side wall - not my primary listening chair), grading papers and listening to Queen. There was one moment when only Freddie was speaking and I literally did a double take - it honestly sounded like he was in the room and it actually gave me a bit of a start.
One other observation: whilst I love my GS20s I've found myself able to listen to the Veneres for longer spans of time: they just don't seem to fatigue my ears.
Pride of ownership:
Very strong sense of satisfaction. I have to make sure I don't turn into a bit of snob *beee*
Reflecting on other choices in the same price range
Like many other people have said, there are alternatives that have an edge on the Veneres, but for an individual like myself who also places a high value on the aesthetics, I very happy with them.
Many years of enjoyment expected.
Cheers,
LDTM
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram