Struggling with speaker reviews - difficult to audition

[Geoff52]

I am British and live in France. Very few HiFi shops here allow sensible auditioning unless you have 4000 to spend !

System Linn Karik CD, Wakonda pre amp and LK100 power amp - I currently am in a very small room and mostly listen on AKG K550 headphone but I also have PSB Imagine Mini speakers - I am moving to a much larger room and can accomodate much larger speakers . The PSB minis were audtioned against the Q A 3020is which may tell you something about what I like

I listen to mostly large scale orchestral music ( Mahler as an example) . opera and Cathedral organ music with occasional forays into Led Zeppelin and similar .

Review are great but everytime I find what I think is the answer a review turns up which confuses me ! But I am 71 ha ha. A good example is the Fyne F302s - I was almost there then I saw a review which said "not very good at separating instruments in an orchestra " - aarrggh !

My requirements are being able to convey orchestral complexity , low pedal notes (20hz) on organ music. I prefer neutrality over a speakers adding anything

For different reasons I have looked at and admired Q Acoustics Concept 20 (available here at 349 euros incl stands) ; Elac Debut 2.0 6.2 and F6.2; (350-550); Q Acoustics 3050i; Fyne F302

Any suggestions please colleagues if you have similar musical tastes to me ( there must be somebody!) My current favourite is the Concept 20s plus a decent sub for the low bass . Budget under 600 if possible . Thank you in advance

 

[daytona600]

Lots of local french brands Focal , Elipson , Davis , Cabasse etc
flat to 20hz for organ for 6,000 not 600

 

[Cork]

Axiom (Canada) makes very neutral speakers. I love the M5 but in your range the M2 is also awesome. (I listen to classical, jazz, blues, and classic rock.) Don't be put off by the size.

How's this for neutral:

M2 Bookshelf Speakers

Celebrated detailed nuanced sound in our most compact bookshelf speaker.

www.axiomaudio.com

You're not going to get anything close to 20 Hz in a bookshelf. Even good towers have a hard time below 25.

 

[matthewpianist]

Acoustic Energy AE109 Mk2 are a good bet - nice and balanced, and without over prominence of any part of the frequency range. The Monitor Audio Bronze 200 are also excellent, with a similarly well judged balance.

 

[abacus]

If there is no way you can audition speakers, look at what types of music the reviewers like, and which is closest to yours, then take the average results from them, (Make up a chart so that you can see the differences visually) and go from there.
Bear in mind that everybody's ears and perception is different, so you will not get an exact match.

Bill

 

[Geoff52]

Thank you for the suggestions . After an exhaustive (and exhausting!) search of reviews I decided on the Q Acoustic Concept 20s - at 349 euros with the QA stands I can afford to wire in a decent Sub for those low notes

 

[twinkletoes]

.
Review are great but everytime I find what I think is the answer a review turns up which confuses me ! But I am 71 ha ha. A good example is the Fyne F302s - I was almost there then I saw a review which said "not very good at separating instruments in an orchestra " - aarrggh !

You have to remember all products have a compromise and when it comes to reviews its all opinion unless they facts to backup there findings. What were they comparing it to, some reviewers i've read compare 500 quid speakers to 50,000 pound units, it's just silly, I throw the review out, it's completely worthless tripe at that point! Then you have to remember its there space not yours, not all speakers work in every room, mine for instance, PMC don't work neither do ATC. You're listening to the room as much as the speakers if not more so the room, there is so much going on. And logically speaking if your room has bad acoustics I wouldn't waste money chasing the best designs with out addressing the room but thats beyond what you have asked. It would seem there review is a bit of an outlier as well if there only ones to mention the "problem"

As much as people say you need to audition at a dealer I personally think its a waste of time beyond cursory listen, there is a an argument to be made, the only audition worth doing is the one conducted in your own space. Hence I order online and send back if I don't like it and you're perfectly within you rights to do, if you're country allows that by law.

 

[Cork]

... Hence I order online and send back if I don't like it and you're perfectly within you rights to do, if your country allows that by law.

The company I recommended, Axiom, encourages auditioning in your own home and returning if you're not happy. I purchased two pairs, compared them, and returned the pair I didn't like with zero problem.

 

[Al ears]

The company I recommended, Axiom, encourages auditioning in your own home and returning if you're not happy. I purchased two pairs, compared them, and returned the pair I didn't like with zero problem.

You had to buy both before you could audition them??
Who paid to ship the other pair back?
Where from?

 

[Noddy]

Axiom (Canada) makes very neutral speakers. I love the M5 but in your range the M2 is also awesome. (I listen to classical, jazz, blues, and classic rock.) Don't be put off by the size.

How's this for neutral:View attachment 7987

M2 Bookshelf Speakers

Celebrated detailed nuanced sound in our most compact bookshelf speaker.

www.axiomaudio.com

You're not going to get anything close to 20 Hz in a bookshelf. Even good towers have a hard time below 25.

I would have bought those had I known about them a few years ago. That’s remarkably neutral.

 

[Cork]

You had to buy both before you could audition them??
Who paid to ship the other pair back?
Where from?

Well, come to think of it I never asked them if I could just pay for the more expensive ... or something like that; I just told them I was going to return one and purchased both. They paid the return shipping. US-Pennsylvania to Canada-Dwight (~600 miles). They advertise worldwide shipping on their site, so they must be used to it.

 

[gasolin]

considered a subwoofer and a crossover at 80-100 hz for your front speakers so they can handle more power ?

 

[manicm]

In the same situation here, 15 years ago could walk in a store and audition, now they've disappeared and mostly selling online.

So I have to go by reviews and research. It's all one can do really.

 

[Al ears]

Well, come to think of it I never asked them if I could just pay for the more expensive ... or something like that; I just told them I was going to return one and purchased both. They paid the return shipping. USennsylvania to Canadawight (~600 miles). They advertise worldwide shipping on their site, so they must be used to it.

Their site says they will ship to most places in the world but nothing about returns if you don't like them.

 

[Geoff52]

I do agree about the room . I'm moving my gear to a much better space for music. I've been in this hobby for a good 45 years now and miss the old dealers . Once I went to Rayleigh HiFi in the UK to audtion new amplifiers and came out after 2 hours with new speaker cable ( not expensive) and speaker stands. I like to hear what's exactly on the recording warts and all . I've used the same audition material fir years ( Britten - Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra ( Decca) . Olivier Latry playing L'vent D'esprit (Messaien) on the organ at Notre Dame (DG) and a direct cut LP of Led Zeppelin 2 , I know them so well I can tell what's missing and what's good . The organ piece has shocked a few people in listening rooms as I ask for the volume to be turned up !! The harmonics are a good test of what good speakers can reveal

 

[Geoff52]

considered a subwoofer and a crossover at 80-100 hz for your front speakers so they can handle more power ?

That's my plan

 

[Cork]

Their site says they will ship to most places in the world but nothing about returns if you don't like them.

It took me a minute to find, but here it it: https://www.axiomaudio.com/guarantee (It's at the very top of the home page.)
This is the gist, "If Axiom loudspeakers do not surpass your highest expectations, send them back to us within 30 days and we will give you a refund. No questions asked."

(Also, I'm embarrassed about the smiley faces; the forum converted my colons to gifs.)

 

[Will1962]

Hi Geoff52 I've owned the concept 20s and they are a very easy speaker to listen to really well made and look great on there own stands. I had the piano black ones. You will need a subwoofer with them though for the really low stuff.

 

[Al ears]

It took me a minute to find, but here it it: https://www.axiomaudio.com/guarantee (It's at the very top of the home page.)
This is the gist, "If Axiom loudspeakers do not surpass your highest expectations, send them back to us within 30 days and we will give you a refund. No questions asked."

(Also, I'm embarrassed about the smiley faces; the forum converted my colons to gifs.)

Send them back appears to mean you pay the shipping unless they specifically say the refund will include both price of speakers and shipping which it doesn't.
Shipping from France to Canada might be a tad pricey.
however, it's irrelevant as they don't do speakers under 600 especially if the OP means Euros

 

[Al ears]

I am British and live in France. Very few HiFi shops here allow sensible auditioning unless you have 4000 to spend !

System Linn Karik CD, Wakonda pre amp and LK100 power amp - I currently am in a very small room and mostly listen on AKG K550 headphone but I also have PSB Imagine Mini speakers - I am moving to a much larger room and can accomodate much larger speakers . The PSB minis were audtioned against the Q A 3020is which may tell you something about what I like

I listen to mostly large scale orchestral music ( Mahler as an example) . opera and Cathedral organ music with occasional forays into Led Zeppelin and similar .

Review are great but everytime I find what I think is the answer a review turns up which confuses me ! But I am 71 ha ha. A good example is the Fyne F302s - I was almost there then I saw a review which said "not very good at separating instruments in an orchestra " - aarrggh !

My requirements are being able to convey orchestral complexity , low pedal notes (20hz) on organ music. I prefer neutrality over a speakers adding anything

For different reasons I have looked at and admired Q Acoustics Concept 20 (available here at 349 euros incl stands) ; Elac Debut 2.0 6.2 and F6.2; (350-550); Q Acoustics 3050i; Fyne F302

Any suggestions please colleagues if you have similar musical tastes to me ( there must be somebody!) My current favourite is the Concept 20s plus a decent sub for the low bass . Budget under 600 if possible . Thank you in advance

Under 600 what? Euros?