The perfect roadie

[DaanS]

Having taken your advice to heart I took all afternoon to audition for speakers and found what turned out to be an amazing store 2 hours from where I live. Several listening rooms, big and small, featuring a wide variety of speakers and amps, each with a small panel to rule them all and having one of those rooms mostly to myself for 3 hours I ended playing music through 3 different amps, switching between them at my leisure (and this was just the stero departement). This made for some great comparing and while the day was intense, I had a blast and the pleasure of enjoying many a great speaker.

I think I found the love of my life here today, sending shivers to places I didn't know existed. I came for the Wharfedale line which is warm and controlled yet playfull, love it; I heard good things about B&W and gave those a go, KEF was great too and the Dali's made a strong albeit less mature impression as well. Than there was speaker number 13 ... sweet #13. This little un tore the soundstage wide open in all direction unlike anything I had heard that day and said "hey there little song, you want to come and play? ... Here you go I'll help you what's it you wanna do? ... That? Sure thing I'v got you."
Words like warm or controlled seem to sell it short; this was nothing short of mastery, giving all credit to the song in question. "You want that song sure, oh now it's coming through that amp, no problem". No matter what I threw at it or how I went about it, music was presented with the same conviction. To me it was magic.

So who is this mysterywoman you might wonder. It's the Bronze BX-2 by Monitor Audio and after a moment of awe I fell in love with them immediatly. She has a bigger brother in the BX-6, which is just a tad more capable but the differences are minor considering the BX-6 packs two additional woofers over the BX-2. I dreaded what this was going to cost me, only to be baffled yet again. At just 200 euro a speaker these are an absolute steal and for me and the heavily decorated 4x4 room I live in, the uncontested winner.

So yes, a perfect day out and a great thanks to the wonderfull people at Poulissen - Roermond, should you happen to read this. I got to play around at my leisure, got to discover things when appropriate and advice when needed. Very welcoming indeed, great buy and I'll be back for more

 

[rainsoothe]

Aaand this is why auditioning for yourself is so important - glad you found them (I, for one, dislike the BX2 quite a lot). Out of curiosity, what amp was driving them?

 

[Andrewjvt]

Daans said:
I think I found the love of my life here today, sending shivers to places I didn't know existed.

I say: too much information lol

But seriously glad youve found something you like. I personally hate monitor audio speakers as to me it sounds like a blanket is placed over the speaker ( when directly comparing speakers).

But the point is it dont matter what i or anyone says because to your ears, brain etc they sound great and thats all that matters.

You are very lucky that speakers of this price range can make you happy. I wish i was more like that. My missis will gladly get the same enjoyment from a boombox than a reference system.

I hope i have not come across like a hifi snob

 

[DaanS]

I tried out speakers using 3 different amps: the marantz 6005 with a project debut3 turntable, NAD C375BEE with a C-516BEE cd-player and the Rotel RCX-1500 with a build-in cd-player. All sounded good to me in their own way. The NAD seemsed to be driving the speakers a lot harder, while the other two presented a more open and natural sound. That's actually what I liked about the BX-2 and BX-6 as well, which sounded quite similar to the Wharfedale Diamond 240 to me ... No not sounding, what I liked in each of them is how they fill the room with music and sense of serenity at the same time. They are ... polite I guess, and never seen ti tense up. Unlike the Dali's for instance which I really enjoyed in their own right, but I don't think I could listen to those speakers hours on end without feeling exhausted. The Warfedale 240 presented a warmer sound (they gave that pair a good run-in for my audition, fantastic service) with a more pronounced base, that was the main difference to my ears, but my room will compensate for that difference (I hope). Keeping price in mind as well the only other speaker that gave me that calm experience was the B&W 685s2, which I listened to a lot but didn't come back to after I heard the BX-2. There was another pair that was miles better all around, but at 900 euro a speaker way out of my league ... for the moment. Regardless of that knowledge I will have a great time with these speakers. Funny how different strokes make different people tick.

 

[peterpiper]

its surprising how people have differnt tastes, i once owned the bx6, but the sound never gelled in my room. I 'downgraded' to tannoy v4 and it was more balanced again, I still have the v4 has a spare pair for the second system and sometimes interchange with the kefs , if i can be bothered that is

 

[Andrewjvt]

We both like our music presentation different. I like a more bolder in your face sound ( but not hard on the ears)

Its good you could make up your own mind and not be led by reviews or any of us

 

[drummerman]

I think I found the love of my life here today, sending shivers to places I didn't know existed

"You want that song sure, oh now it's coming through that amp, no problem"

So who is this mysterywoman you might wonder ...

... I think you need to get out more