What to understand before floorstanding speakers purchase?

[Gray]

I don’t believe in a break-in period.

Good for you 👍

 

[BenWatts]

A lot to read, a lot to consider, my 2cts:

The break-in period is more about our ears getting accustomed to the sound rather than changes in the equipment itself. Measurements can provide data, but if human ears cannot perceive a difference, I'll leave that aspect to the lords of marketing.

Considering the decision to invest 2.4k in speakers with previous listening session : the incredible, the smart, the generous designer : Alexandre Chamagne let you the possibility to try them a full month.
Secondly please let me quote Lemmy : « do you want to play the game ? » I would reply : « hell yeah at any time ».
I lost money when I was young by purchasing old cheap stuff. When someone buy a good product and if it does not pleases that guy, he can sell it shortly. Once again I have nothing bad to say against these speakers. It’s just a personal feeling, due to habits and a particular room.

Considering that, if after two or three weeks the sound still does not meet my expectations, I have to accept that the new equipment is not suitable for me. Initially, I was taken aback by the overwhelming sound—it was invasive, heavy, and overpowering in every way. I could not listen my music softly. I needed to pump up the volume.

The positioning of the speakers is different.
The volume is different.
The response varies from vinyl records to streaming.
The behavior is different compared to my previous speakers.
The sensitivity is different.
Everything is different!

One thing to consider, at first, even before the equipment and room setup: I suffer from tinnitus, a f***g relentless, high-pitched buzzing, especially when I'm tired. My doctor says I'm exhausted, having slept only a few hours each night over the past three months (personal challenges I have to face, hard work, negative trends ahead…).

It has now been half a week with significantly less work and anxiety. Medication is helping me getting decent amount of sleep and the situation is starting gradually improving.

I cannot make a decision for the moment due to a lack of rest. I listened to several brands like JMR, Apertura, and JMLab, sometimes far more expensive and they can compete easily. The last brand I cannot find in my neighborhood is a pair of Proac D20R. They are known being quite smooth.

I need a soft, smooth, and articulate sound this is why I selected my heed amp. Firstly, it was in my budget, and secondly it was smooth enough for my injured ears. Give me Klipsch sound, and it would be unbearable for me even with the sweetest amp available.

My latest trial yesterday evening was to listen barroque. I was feeling good and was at just a few movement to relax enough to fell asleep. I could not for my own reasons but, this trial is quite interesting to me.

 

[JDl]

A lot to read, a lot to consider, my 2cts:

The break-in period is more about our ears getting accustomed to the sound rather than changes in the equipment itself. Measurements can provide data, but if human ears cannot perceive a difference, I'll leave that aspect to the lords of marketing.

Considering the decision to invest 2.4k in speakers with previous listening session : the incredible, the smart, the generous designer : Alexandre Chamagne let you the possibility to try them a full month.
Secondly please let me quote Lemmy : « do you want to play the game ? » I would reply : « hell yeah at any time ».
I lost money when I was young by purchasing old cheap stuff. When someone buy a good product and if it does not pleases that guy, he can sell it shortly. Once again I have nothing bad to say against these speakers. It’s just a personal feeling, due to habits and a particular room.

Considering that, if after two or three weeks the sound still does not meet my expectations, I have to accept that the new equipment is not suitable for me. Initially, I was taken aback by the overwhelming sound—it was invasive, heavy, and overpowering in every way. I could not listen my music softly. I needed to pump up the volume.

The positioning of the speakers is different.
The volume is different.
The response varies from vinyl records to streaming.
The behavior is different compared to my previous speakers.
The sensitivity is different.
Everything is different!

One thing to consider, at first, even before the equipment and room setup: I suffer from tinnitus, a f***g relentless, high-pitched buzzing, especially when I'm tired. My doctor says I'm exhausted, having slept only a few hours each night over the past three months (personal challenges I have to face, hard work, negative trends ahead…).

It has now been half a week with significantly less work and anxiety. Medication is helping me getting decent amount of sleep and the situation is starting gradually improving.

I cannot make a decision for the moment due to a lack of rest. I listened to several brands like JMR, Apertura, and JMLab, sometimes far more expensive and they can compete easily. The last brand I cannot find in my neighborhood is a pair of Proac D20R. They are known being quite smooth.

I need a soft, smooth, and articulate sound this is why I selected my heed amp. Firstly, it was in my budget, and secondly it was smooth enough for my injured ears. Give me Klipsch sound, and it would be unbearable for me even with the sweetest amp available.

My latest trial yesterday evening was to listen barroque. I was feeling good and was at just a few movement to relax enough to fell asleep. I could not for my own reasons but, this trial is quite interesting to me.

Hello Ben, let me first offer my sympathy to you regarding your Tinnitus. I too suffer from relentless Tinnitus. At first in my twenties, it would come and go, but then one night in 1993, it started, increased in loudness, and never went away. That night is etched into my memory, as though it only happened yesterday.
The screeching in my head is usually worse in the morning, especially if I allow myself more than about 6 hours sleep. I was born in late '63.
I have noticed as well, and this might be relevant to you, that if I allow wax build up in my ears, it can become, almost unbearable but upon giving my ears a clean out, which I do myself now ( because my surgery doesn't do it any more) it really does improve it. I use one of the cheap kits.....a 'squirty bottle' with tube and screw in soft, silicone, tapered ends for slipping into the ear canal. Warm water, as hot as I can manage with some white vinegar, works well for me.
I too, like you went through a search for the right speakers with much disappointment along the way. I nearly always buy secondhand and, "blind" (which I know is not recommended practice) but I did eventually find what I feel to be as near to perfect as I will get, that seems to work really well in my listening (living) room.
That is bookshelf speakers on good quality stands, filled from bottom to top, with white, washed and baked river sand, which makes the stands very heavy and very stable. The stands sit on 4 screw in pan head bolts. That lifts them slightly off the carpeted, concrete floor and means I can level them. My floor isn't level. In addition, I use two active subwoofers, connected via the (high level) speaker terminals on the amplifier.
I don't want to suggest anything that might cause offense, or add to your financial burden, but I wonder if you've considered, getting hold of a CD player and using an additional collection of CDs, to augment your vinyl collection. CDs, in excellent condition are easily and cheaply available. Perhaps you might find that CDs of some of your favourite music, that you find intolerable on vinyl, could be a viable alternative.
Just a thought....
All the best to you and best of luck with your audio journey.
(John)

 

[BenWatts]

Good evening/night John,

Thank you for your message and your experience. I wish you the best living condition possible with tinnitus.
The best system I had the chance to listen to, are in auditoriums with a huge amount of money I cannot afford. The latest biggest emotion was a month or a month and a half with Kayzer speakers (35K I guess) a Vertere (20K) a incredible cartridge at about 15K and a double mono block from heed + phono stage... At a quite low volume.

I have to face the truth and get a pragmatic approach : does 2,4K affordable to me? Do these speakers are game changers compared to my AE 120 mkII? It's not night and day.

The main trouble is the hig pitched buzz strengthened when I listen loudly and do these speakers increase the painful effect? These speakers are excellent. I am not at home anymore this week, I cannot listen to them. Cannot wait to be on Monday to go back home and make up my mind. Things have to be set on Monday.

Wish you a super good health and safe ears.

 

[AEJim]

Hi again Ben, great to hear all your experiences trying to find the sound you're after - not so great the personal issues, as someone who only ever sleeps around 5hrs a night I can sympathise to an extent! I'm lucky in my line of work not to suffer from tinnitus though (touch wood!), a horrible condition for sure. 🙁

If you've enjoyed your AE120²'s and have a local AE stockist can I suggest giving the AE509's a try? They're in the ballpark for price and sound as though they may fit your needs - the MTM layout means the treble is naturally a little more restrained and the carbon dome is also very well behaved, they're a very smooth speaker, but also fun, powerful, dig deep for a relatively small 2-way and are pretty unfussy with placement. Hearing them at the Bristol Show, cranked up and filling the space outside Audioquest's room (who were using them on their system) reminded me how good they are!

I don't want to go all "salesman", just to me they tick a lot of your boxes - I love taking the "Pepsi Challenge" (for those old enough to remember that!) and would love to know how they compare to the others you've tried. I'm not sure where you're based but if we have a demo pair I could possibly see about getting them to you if you're interested? (I'm not sure if we have at the moment, it's been a while since I ventured into the warehouse part of the office!).