What to understand before floorstanding speakers purchase?

[BenWatts]

@BenWatts , look at the base of the speaker. There should be holes to accept screws. Are there any?

If there are then you need to contact the seller and request they send you a set of spikes. And if there are rear ports they should have supplied bungs. Request those too.

Spikes on tiles ?
I am not sure

 

[nopiano]

There should definitely have been some spikes in the box, taped inside the foam end-pieces - they do improve the sound. If you can't find them or for some reason they weren't included and you'd like to try them send me a direct message and I'll get some to you.

Hello, stranger, it’s nice to see you here!

(For anyone who doesn’t know, Jim is Creative Director at Acoustic Energy!)

 

[RayP]

Spikes on tiles ?
I am not sure

They don’t know what your floor covering is. Are there holes to take spikes?

 

[BenWatts]

Hello, stranger, it’s nice to see you here!

(For anyone who doesn’t know, Jim is Creative Director at Acoustic Energy!)

Wow !
Congrats for your AE-120 mkII.

My partner's opinion: the new speakers are overwhelming and stifling me. They are overpowering. Whereas the Acoustic Energy speakers offer a lighter, freer, more airy, more enveloping, and easier-to-listen-to sound.

 

[BenWatts]

They don’t know what your floor covering is. Are there holes to take spikes?

There is no hole

 

[RayP]

There is no hole

Okay, that’s odd for floorstanders.

 

[AEJim]

Spikes on tiles ?
I am not sure

There is no hole

We wouldn't suggest using spikes directly on the hard floor as it would mark it, but with the spikes there are some small metal discs to place the spikes on. This will likely improve bass definition and make the treble more precise and "airy".

There will be 4 threaded holes in the bottom of the black plinth, in the packaging the spikes should be taped into a recess in the foam if bought new...

 

[AEJim]

Hello, stranger, it’s nice to see you here!

(For anyone who doesn’t know, Jim is Creative Director at Acoustic Energy!)

Thank you! I try to pop in and take a look from time to time in-case anyone has any questions about the speakers. 🙂

Wow !
Congrats for your AE-120 mkII.

My partner's opinion: the new speakers are overwhelming and stifling me. They are overpowering. Whereas the Acoustic Energy speakers offer a lighter, freer, more airy, more enveloping, and easier-to-listen-to sound.

Thank you very much! 🙂 We spend a lot of time listening to try to create that balanced sound in a "normal" living room, we're glad you and your wife have enjoyed them.

 

[RoA]

Look at the bright side. You just saved yourself two grand

 

[BenWatts]

Look at the bright side. You just saved yourself two grand

The game is still not over.
Half way … I can’t say.

 

[RoA]

If you can't make your mind up by now, bearing in mind you've spent loads of dosh on your new speaker ...

They may change slightly after initial use but it will not be 'night n'day'.

Go on a holiday instead.

 

[RayP]

The game is still not over.
Half way … I can’t say.

Just to clarify. Do you have both sets of loudspeakers in your lounge so you can do an A-B comparison?

 

[nopiano]

Just to clarify. Do you have both sets of loudspeakers in your lounge so you can do an A-B comparison?

Ben posted a picture in post #56.

 

[RayP]

Ben posted a picture in post #56.

I’d forgotten. Sounds like the AE have the edge.

 

[BenWatts]

Good evening evryone,

Thank you all for your participation and insights.

After many comparative listening sessions between the speakers, the differences are quite subtle. I have given up on comparing vinyl records as their varying quality does not allow for precise evaluation (one is a Mofi, the other one has a digital source, the other one is older than me and had not been used carefully…).

I listen exclusively to TIDAL through my DAC/streamer. Despite the inconvenience of screwing and unscrewing the cables at the back of the speakers, I carry on comparing.

They are now a week older since today at noon. There are a little more than 20 days left to decide whether the improvement is worth the investment.
For now, the answer is no.

 

[Stuart83]

Thanks a lot for your tip on speakers positioning.
Yesterday evening I could not listen a full LP. I felt oppressed and my ears could not stand a single note.

I positioned them at 3m quite straight of the sofa. Then I tuned them slightly to the sofa. I moved them closed, and closed to reach a 2,40 m.

So far the less worse positionning is the wider I can oriented to the sofa.

I live alone and I pay a lot of attention to the whole living room. Best name for a place to live in. Mine has to be pleasant and I have reached that goal. Regretfully, the sound is hurting my ears.

Been busy so offline since the post but 👍 "ne botha" as we say up here.

I had wrote a longer message with advice thinking you'd already bought the speakers as indicated in the threads beginning but if you haven't then your option is now becoming clear, if you truly liked them you would of known way before now 😊

Solution

"send em back" and demo something else that has you rushing home to get them on, realising that we are all different I know if a speaker is for me within 15m but always give it an hour in which if they are pandering to my taste all doubt is gone, if they aren't impressing you constantly then it's not the speaker for you.

 

[RoA]

I can't help but think there will be a 'wow, they have completely transformed' soon 🙂

We often hear what we want to hear (nothing wrong with that either I may add. After all, we eat with our eyes too).

 

[BenWatts]

Hi everyone,

No need to tread lightly with me; I'm not easily offended. I'm well aware I'm a beginner with little experience in audiophilia.

I do take risks in life, and more often than not, I end up losing—though it's never a matter of life and death, just mistakes and financial losses (self esteem is a bit suffering as well). You wouldn’t believe how I bought my apartment. Technically, it’s the bank’s property until 2048. I joke that I’ll probably be gone before then. Anyway that’s not the topic here.

I appreciate Alexandre Chamagne's approach: a 30-day trial period. If the product meets your expectations, great; if not, he arranges the return shipping and refunds your money. He has built his own business, tried to bring new stuff in the business, he has a super customer oriented policy, very close from clients… this guy is really sincere and nice.

Perhaps I expected too much. I’ve never read a bad review about these speakers, and I can’t bring myself to write anything negative either. As usual, the problem lies with me—my expectations, budget (I lost 25% in revenues this year due to a tough client), living space, and, frankly, a lack of self-confidence in my choices. As I’ve mentioned before, if there’s a wrong decision to be made, I’ll find it.

My partner felt the same way—overwhelmed by the speakers. Too much of everything. I don’t believe in a break-in period. I’ve never paid much attention to how my gear evolves over time. She finds the improvement does not worth the financial investment.

- On certain songs and styles, these speakers are incredibly good! Artists like Melanie De Biasio, Youn Sun Nah, Dire Straits, Erik Truffaz, and Avishai Cohen sound stunning.

- However, my other favorites—Tool, Dream Theater, Ne Obliviscaris, and Opeth—sound quite good only on the streamer.

- My favorite Deutsche Grammophon LPs don’t fare well at all. They sound messy, too compact, and overwhelming. I love Mahler’s 2nd Symphony; "Im Tempo des Scherzos" always brings me to tears. But I can’t enjoy it on vinyl now—only through my streamer with Tidal.

What can I conclude? A good source is magnified, and an average one becomes unbearable?

I don’t know. I only know a few things.

Come over, have a seat, pick your beer, and listen with me!

 

[RoA]

Hi everyone,



- My favorite Deutsche Grammophon LPs don’t fare well at all. They sound messy, too compact, and overwhelming. I love Mahler’s 2nd Symphony; "Im Tempo des Scherzos" always brings me to tears. But I can’t enjoy it on vinyl now—only through my streamer with Tidal.

Funny, you mention DG. I am currently listening to the much heralded/recommended 1962 recordings of Beethoven's 9 symphonies/Stereo Box set on vinyl. I have some decent DG recordings but this one is decisively average for sound. Way too compact, otherwise ok.

 

[BenWatts]

Oh lucky you!

I was lucky enough to be there :

Concert du Nouvel An - Orchestre National Capitole Toulouse

ARTISTES Tarmo Peltokoski Direction Elsa Dreisig Soprano Tuija Knihtilä Mezzo-Soprano Tuomas Katajala ténor Albert Dohmen basse Chœur de l’Opéra national du CapitoleGabriel Bourgoin Chef de Chœur Chœur de l’Opéra national Montpellier OccitanieNoëlle Gény Chef de…

onct.toulouse.fr

I was there alone at 3m far from Tarmo Peltokovzki and moved by the music as I have never been.

My proposal for a seat and a beer is not a yoghourt with an ending period.

 

[Jasonovich]

Hi everyone,

No need to tread lightly with me; I'm not easily offended. I'm well aware I'm a beginner with little experience in audiophilia.

I do take risks in life, and more often than not, I end up losing—though it's never a matter of life and death, just mistakes and financial losses (self esteem is a bit suffering as well). You wouldn’t believe how I bought my apartment. Technically, it’s the bank’s property until 2048. I joke that I’ll probably be gone before then. Anyway that’s not the topic here.

I appreciate Alexandre Chamagne's approach: a 30-day trial period. If the product meets your expectations, great; if not, he arranges the return shipping and refunds your money. He has built his own business, tried to bring new stuff in the business, he has a super customer oriented policy, very close from clients… this guy is really sincere and nice.

Perhaps I expected too much. I’ve never read a bad review about these speakers, and I can’t bring myself to write anything negative either. As usual, the problem lies with me—my expectations, budget (I lost 25% in revenues this year due to a tough client), living space, and, frankly, a lack of self-confidence in my choices. As I’ve mentioned before, if there’s a wrong decision to be made, I’ll find it.

My partner felt the same way—overwhelmed by the speakers. Too much of everything. I don’t believe in a break-in period. I’ve never paid much attention to how my gear evolves over time. She finds the improvement does not worth the financial investment.

- On certain songs and styles, these speakers are incredibly good! Artists like Melanie De Biasio, Youn Sun Nah, Dire Straits, Erik Truffaz, and Avishai Cohen sound stunning.

- However, my other favorites—Tool, Dream Theater, Ne Obliviscaris, and Opeth—sound quite good only on the streamer.

- My favorite Deutsche Grammophon LPs don’t fare well at all. They sound messy, too compact, and overwhelming. I love Mahler’s 2nd Symphony; "Im Tempo des Scherzos" always brings me to tears. But I can’t enjoy it on vinyl now—only through my streamer with Tidal.

What can I conclude? A good source is magnified, and an average one becomes unbearable?

I don’t know. I only know a few things.

Come over, have a seat, pick your beer, and listen with me!

I wonder Ben, if these speakers were designed primarily for digital sources, hence tha anomalies on vinyl.
For such a tidy sum, the sound from these speakers should be pressing all the buttons.
Probably best to send them back and look at the alternatives.
The Dali range of speakers with their slightly warm but analytical sound might be worth considering or while you're testing the ones at home, go to your dealer and book a demo, try listening to a wide range of speakers including stand mounts.
All the best 😊

 

[BenWatts]

These are quite good.




The more I listen to my TT, the more I am disappointed and disgusted.
Turntables are work of Art, but with the same amount of money, digital is far better at home.

 

[Stuart83]

I can't help but think there will be a 'wow, they have completely transformed' soon 🙂

We often hear what we want to hear (nothing wrong with that either I may add. After all, we eat with our eyes too).

Absolutely 👍
-But-
I mean this with both sympathetic and empathetic sentiment, but save yourself from further going on a quest to find something to falsely justify a bad decision in audio whilst in buyers remorse, it never works even with the most tinted pair of rose coloured sun glasses and would just have you sat as you are analysing every bit of music you have trying to find something to impress upon you the feeling you thought you'd have rather than the reality that these speakers aren't what you are looking for.

To add context as I would never want to cause offence and you do seem to of given it your best both reaching out and kept in touch, along with you I'm no expert and I can only give and will only ever give my personal opinion.
I can only presume at the position your in only too well from the past experience of my earlier days (only landing on my age of 42 a few days ago, as the regulars know like some of them I've been around hifi since a kid ), I've on occasion purchased a supposed upgrade costing more, well much more and thought it was a "no brainer" that it would be better due to it's cost and blindingly positive reviews to find I secretly pined for my old and in this instance cheaper Mission speakers back in my late 20s.

Not wanting to admit that I'd made a mistake out came every CD I had and even some borrowed in a quest to find that golden recording/mastering that proved to me right, and then all would be well and of course I found one or two that I could say sounded as good or with unrealistic positivity even sounded better, but in came the realisation that these speakers that where supposed to be an upgrade would narrow down my list of music that sounded good to tiny handful of CDs from a vast array of music which to someone with both a very eclectic taste and passion for music would not be tolerable, the mere thought of only being able to enjoy a select few genres dependent on the mastering would be the stuff of ni ghtmares, known my luck and adding very much insult to injury it would be the intolerable man and all he is Sam Smith or something like it that would sound the best 😂

For instance and coincidentally 😉I'm listening to a new CD fresh through the door this morning, as soon as it hit the doormat i was filled with almost childish excitement as I knew that whatever it was genuinely not knowing due to ordering frequent multiple CDs that my speakers/system would impress me, only the mastering can let the side down which although rare can happen due to my choice in amp being true to the source, still it nearly always has me smiling ear to ear and shortening the life of my ceiling 😁

All is not lost by sending them back as I've said often "hifi is a journey not a destination" and takes time to find what you like especially in the vast sea of choices, I know despite my current setup invoking genuine feelings of frission I'm always subconsciously looking for upgrades, and thats when you know you've been bitten by the hifi 🪲 that truly exists 😂😂

 

[Jasonovich]

I can only presume at the position your in only too well from the past experience of my earlier days (only landing on my age of 42 a few days ago, as the regulars know like some of them I've been around hifi since a kid ),

Happy belated Birthday Stuart!

 

[RoA]

Absolutely 👍
-But-
I mean this with both sympathetic and empathetic sentiment, but save yourself from further going on a quest to find something to falsely justify a bad decision in audio whilst in buyers remorse, it never works even with the most tinted pair of rose coloured sun glasses and would just have you sat as you are analysing every bit of music you have trying to find something to impress upon you the feeling you thought you'd have rather than the reality that these speakers aren't what you are looking for.

To add context as I would never want to cause offence and you do seem to of given it your best both reaching out and kept in touch, along with you I'm no expert and I can only give and will only ever give my personal opinion.
I can only presume at the position your in only too well from the past experience of my earlier days (only landing on my age of 42 a few days ago, as the regulars know like some of them I've been around hifi since a kid ), I've on occasion purchased a supposed upgrade costing more, well much more and thought it was a "no brainer" that it would be better due to it's cost and blindingly positive reviews to find I secretly pined for my old and in this instance cheaper Mission speakers back in my late 20s.

Not wanting to admit that I'd made a mistake out came every CD I had and even some borrowed in a quest to find that golden recording/mastering that proved to me right, and then all would be well and of course I found one or two that I could say sounded as good or with unrealistic positivity even sounded better, but in came the realisation that these speakers that where supposed to be an upgrade would narrow down my list of music that sounded good to tiny handful of CDs from a vast array of music which to someone with both a very eclectic taste and passion for music would not be tolerable, the mere thought of only being able to enjoy a select few genres dependent on the mastering would be the stuff of ni ghtmares, known my luck and adding very much insult to injury it would be the intolerable man and all he is Sam Smith or something like it that would sound the best 😂

For instance and coincidentally 😉I'm listening to a new CD fresh through the door this morning, as soon as it hit the doormat i was filled with almost childish excitement as I knew that whatever it was genuinely not knowing due to ordering frequent multiple CDs that my speakers/system would impress me, only the mastering can let the side down which although rare can happen due to my choice in amp being true to the source, still it nearly always has me smiling ear to ear and shortening the life of my ceiling 😁

All is not lost by sending them back as I've said often "hifi is a journey not a destination" and takes time to find what you like especially in the vast sea of choices, I know despite my current setup invoking genuine feelings of frission I'm always subconsciously looking for upgrades, and thats when you know you've been bitten by the hifi 🪲 that truly exists 😂😂

I've made some costly mistakes in the past. Oddly mostly with new equipment. Most s/h stuff I bought over the years have been great purchases.

Pinnacle of bad purchases;

1. Pioneer Kuro TV
2. B&W Formation Duo active speakers
3. KEF LS50 Wireless II
4. Audiolab 8000S

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't taken in by reviews to some extent.

You live ... you learn