Which standmounts to demo ?

[Stuart83]

Sorry for the lack of updates but lifes grind is taking precedent.
I'm over busy but have already had a ring around to see what people have in including the seldom mentioned Wharfdale 2024 award winners that I never discard despite coming in under budget.

Some are harder to find a demo.

I'm guilty on occasion of demoing whatever the local'ish' dealers have in and picking from them which isn't ideal but I'd rather that over buying blind/deaf.
That said it's how I've found certain to become favourites that I'd of walked past otherwise.
(It's how I found the Fynes I like so much having been there to demo Wharfdale Evo 4.4 which they dwarfed in both stature and sound along with a few others to me personally which they almost instantly had me discard in favour of taking them home after getting a van to transport them, after a distrust forming over a prior theft by the parcel company)

This time however I'm willing in the interest of the post to try and get round to more of the suggestions written.
Home demos are obviously the best way of real world testing in the acoustically dead room I'm wanting them for but also gives me a larger pick.
I'm unsure who else provides this service other richer sounds, after a quick web search I can't find if AV.com allow them as they have a pair of JBL L82 Classic 2-Way speakers on sale I'd be interested in.
Some maybe aren't possible, although vaguely remembering hearing some Allchris AR speakers at the maverick hifi show Im not sure on how to demo them.

KEF rules!

And Focal

Don't worry I will try 😁 😁

 

[ultraminiature]

I'm not adverse to active indeed I too went active for awhile but missed the sound of my favourite amps and speakers too much.
(I know it is possible to jack into active speakers with a separate pre-amp etc but that would invalidate the point to me)
I like to have the freedom of separates reserving the ability to tweak or plain swap out something.

Mind saying all that I'm now looking at them at AV.com etc and thinking how convenient it would be to just connect them yet id need a separate phono stage (forgot list record player so that's my fault) onto the kit list adding cost on top of the speaker price so it would be to the contrary of going Active to me in saving space and cutting price as I already have the amps ready
The obvious needing a separate phono stage would take the box count up to the same count.

Thank you for the suggestion I will keep it in mind.

Some powered speakers include a phono stage such as Kanto TUK and YU6. Some turntables have built in phono pre amps including the top model Linn Sondek (as an option).

Analogue active speakers or speakers with XLR inputs (Buchardt A500) can take the line out or be plugged into a hub that connects to the speakers over wi-fi or WiSA. The hub can be hidden away as they run cool. Active and powered speakers do remove the opportunity to swap out a component but tweaking is chasing the dragon. To make an improvement I had to change both amp and speakers and got feed up thinking I could find a better amp to speaker match for something better not just different. I then concentrated on the over all system and went active speakers in 1981 with tweaks (upgrades) to the pre-amp to take different cartridges.

I have wired up a room with 5.1 surround and 7 meter signal cables. I tested out 5 JR149 speakers with a Meridian G55 power amp and B&W PV1 subwoofer. I then got Meridian D600 which are a huge improvement over the excellent JR149 and a straight pair for pair swap on cost and sold the 5 channel amp for what I paid.

I got my 1990 Linn Sondek serviced and a new cartridge in 2022. I could have taken it further including have a phono stage built in. For the money there are many excellent alternative new turntables but as the guy who did the work said they would still not be a Sondek.

I now use WiSA speakers with a transmitter with speakers just a few years old; not better but easier to get fixed if they need servicing. Less cabling, less clutter or will be when I have finished transferring the last LP to the NAS storage.

 

[ultraminiature]

Floorstanders are out of the question they overload the room.

Consider Dali Oberon 1 C System Active Speakers - Sound Hub Compact. The hub provides RCA inputs and can otherwise be hidden away (Richer Sounds). Even their passive speakers ...

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[nopiano]

Some maybe aren't possible, although vaguely remembering hearing some Allchris AR speakers at the maverick hifi show Im not sure on how to demo them.

It’s Alchris Audio, and he is in Wakefield if you’re within reach. Best call to see if he has a few dealers. I think Alan Clark does everything, so it’s a one man band pretty much, afaik.

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